* Diamonds are constantly being bought and sold: Inventory changes rapidly.
* Private sales: Many high-value diamonds are sold privately and are not publicly listed.
* Rarity and Uniqueness: The price is influenced by all the 4Cs but a specific combination of those factors can influence the price dramatically.
To give you a general idea, a princess cut diamond with the following characteristics would be exceptionally expensive, potentially reaching millions of dollars:
* Carat Weight: 20+ carats. (Larger, exceptionally clean princess cuts are extremely rare.)
* Color: D (colorless, the highest grade).
* Clarity: Internally Flawless (IF) or VVS1 (very, very slightly included, the highest clarity grades).
* Cut: Excellent (Princess cuts don't have a formal cut grade from all labs, but an excellent cut would have exceptional brilliance and fire).
* Other Factors:
* Origin: A diamond with a documented history (e.g., from a famous mine or having belonged to a prominent owner) could command a higher price.
* Certification: A GIA (Gemological Institute of America) or AGS (American Gem Society) certificate is essential for verifying the diamond's quality.
* No fluorescence: Absence of florescence is usually prefered.
In Summary:
While pinpointing the single "most expensive" princess cut diamond is elusive, expect the price to be in the multi-million dollar range for exceptionally large, high-quality stones with impeccable color and clarity, especially if they have a unique history or provenance.