An exceptionally rare giant pink diamond has been sold for GBP 25 million it is believed because its unique weight is a double lucky number in China.

The 18-carat pear-shaped gem – named Fortune Pink – was sold at the Geneva Magnificent Jewels auction as part of Christie’s Luxury Week on 8th November.

It was reportedly bought by a private Asian collector with a hammer price of more than CHF 24.5 million (GBP 21.5 million).

Buyer’s premiums took the total to CHF 28.4 million (GBP 25 million).

Part of the stone’s success is believed to come from its exact weight of 18.18 carats.

Across China, 18 is considered to be a lucky number because in Mandarin it is pronounced ‘Shi Ba’ which sounds like ‘Shi Fa’, the phrase for ‘Get Rich’.

The stone was bought by an Asian buyer living in Switzerland, reports local media.

Christie’s reported earlier that the dazzling stone’s weight is considered a lucky number in Asia where it signifies “definite prosperity”.

International head of Jewellery at Christie’s Rahul Kadakia said: “With its auspicious weight of 18.18 carats this exceptional pink diamond of phenomenal colour will certainly bring good fortune to its new owner.”

The tense four-minute bidding war started at CHF 17 million (GBP 15 million) and turned quickly into a three-way battle.

The winner ended the fight by lobbing in a massive extra half million bid for the sparkling pink tear-drop stone attached to a ring flanked by large white diamonds.

Head of Christie’s jewellery department in Geneva Max Fawcett, who refused to provide more details about the new owner, said that the stone was mined about 15 years ago in Brazil.

He added: “We’ve had a huge amount of interest in the stone from all over the world. It’s a truly incredible diamond.”

Christie’s senior jewellery specialist Angela Berden said: “It’s a beautiful stone, it’s extremely rare to find a pink diamond, vivid pink diamond, of this size.

“The colour saturation of this stone is… so difficult to find in nature, and then when you find a crystal… with that weight, with that colour, and a very good clarity, that’s just really rare.

“I wouldn’t know where to find another one at this moment.”