We’re drooling over this 5.25-carat Natural Fancy Pink diamond currently on sale from M.S. Rau Antiques in New Orleans. The rare GIA certified stone is a Type IIa diamond, meaning that it contains no nitrogen, and boasts a brilliant optical transparency. The result is a gem of remarkable radiance that, thanks to its modified brilliant cut, appears even larger than its actual carat weight.
The Type IIa rating places this extraordinary gem in the company of diamonds from the famed Golconda mine, which has produced some of the finest diamonds in the world. Already a rare grading – less than 2% of all gem diamonds are classified as Type IIa – it is even more rare for pink diamonds. In fact, only a handful of Type IIa pink diamonds are known to exist in the world; two others, the famed Darya-i-Noor and Noor-ol-Ain diamonds, are part of the Iranian Crown Jewels.
Pink diamonds are renowned for their color but also for their high price tag – last year, five of the ten highest priced diamond auction prices were for pink stones.
This stone is set in a dazzling array of 65 micro-pavé white diamonds totaling 1.88 carats, with 34 additional fancy pink diamonds totaling 0.25 carats on the handmade platinum and 18k rose gold band.
The stone is currently for sale for a cool $4.95 million. 
