The Desert Rose Diamond

This December, Sotheby’s will present the Desert Rose Diamond, a 31.68-carat Fancy Vivid Orangy Pink pear-shaped stone, as the headline lot of its inaugural Collectors’ Week in Abu Dhabi. With a pre-sale estimate of $5–7 million, it is expected to be one of the most significant colored diamonds to appear at auction in 2025.

The Desert Rose is remarkable for both its size and its hue. While natural pink diamonds are already among the rarest gems in existence, those with a secondary orange modifier — classified as “orangy pink” — are even less common. The vivid saturation of this diamond enhances its warmth and sets it apart from the more familiar spectrum of pinks.

At more than 30 carats, the Desert Rose exceeds the size of nearly all Fancy Vivid pinks to come to market in recent decades. Most examples fall below 10 carats, making this stone an exceptional geological and gemological discovery.

The auction is scheduled for December 2–5, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, where the Desert Rose will be showcased as part of Sotheby’s exhibition “Beyond: The World’s Rarest Diamonds.” Its inclusion reflects Sotheby’s broader strategy of positioning the UAE as a major center for the high jewelry and luxury markets, complementing its established sales in Geneva, New York, and Hong Kong.

Collectors and connoisseurs will be watching closely to see how the Desert Rose performs. Should it surpass its estimate, it could reinforce the strength of the market for natural colored diamonds and highlight Abu Dhabi’s growing role on the global auction stage.

For those seeking further technical detail, including grading reports and exhibition listings, you may explore Sotheby’s official catalogue and publications for the Desert Rose lot.