100-carat diamond sells at auction for $22 million

NEW YORK, April 22 (UPI) -- A 100-carat diamond fetched $22 million at auction in New York on Tuesday.

Sotheby's New York described the emerald-cut diamond, which was mined by DeBeers in Africa and mounted on a platinum ring, as "internally flawless."

"People everywhere have been drawn to it from across the room and they are in awe of its size, particularly when they put it on their hand," Sotheby's jewelery department head Gary Schule told CNN. "They can't believe there's a diamond this pure of such impressive scale."

According to Sotheby's, the diamond sold Tuesday is one of only six diamonds of more than 100 carats ever sold at auction.

The gem, which was projected to sell between $19 million to $25 million, went to an anonymous bidder over the phone.