Sotheby’s on Tuesday unveiled a diamond that’s possibly from outer space.
The 555.55-carat black diamond, known as “The Enigma,” was the largest cut diamond in the world in the 2006 Guinness Book of World Records. It was unveiled today as part of a tour in Dubai and Los Angeles, and will be auctioned off in London in February.
Experts believe the rare gem will go for at least 5 million British pounds ($6.8 million), per the Associated Press.
“The shape of the diamond is based on the Middle-Eastern palm symbol of the Khamsa, which stands for strength and it stands for protection,” Sophie Stevens, a jewelry specialist at Sotheby’s Dubai told the AP.
Stevens added, “With the carbonado diamonds, we believe that they were formed through extraterrestrial origins, with meteorites colliding with the Earth and either forming chemical vapor disposition or indeed coming from the meteorites themselves.”
Sotheby’s reiterated Stevens’ comments in a press release, claiming the gem arrived via a “meteoric impact.”
“To have a natural-faceted black diamond of this size is an extremely rare occurrence and its origins are shrouded in mystery,” Sotheby’s said. “[It’s] thought to have been created either from a meteoric impact or having actually emerged from a diamond-bearing asteroid that collided with Earth.”
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