Black Diamond, Largest Ever Cut, Sells For £3.16 Million

While Sotheby's has not confirmed the buyer's identity, crypto entrepreneur Richard Heart has claimed ownership of the gem on social media, claiming that he plans to call it the 'HEX.com diamond,' after the blockchain platform he established.

Heart stated in a video broadcast to Twitter that the name change would be announced: "as soon as the payment has gone through and possession of the diamond has been taken."

555.55 carat diamond (Sotheby's)

The diamond had previously been on exhibit in Dubai and Los Angeles before being auctioned in London. Sotheby's described the gem as "one of the rarest, billion-year-old cosmic wonders known to humankind," with 55 facets to match the 555.55 carats.

Experts disagree about the diamond's true origins, with some geologists claiming that 'carbonado' diamonds like The Enigma are more likely to have formed within the Earth's mantle, a layer of rock that makes up more than two-thirds of the planet's mass and lies between the planet's crust and outer core.

The 'enigma' black diamond (Sotheby's)

Others argue that osbornite, a mineral present in diamonds, is only found in meteors, implying that the jewels came from asteroids that collided with Earth.

According to National Geographic, carbonados have only ever been discovered in Brazil and the Central African Republic, with the first black diamond unearthed by miners in eastern Brazil in the 1840s. They're recognized for their toughness, charcoal-like color, and numerous holes that are frequently found in uncut gems.

According to the BBC, previously discovered black diamonds have been dated at 3.2 billion years old, implying that they existed before the dinosaurs.

The Enigma is extremely heavy for a diamond, weighing roughly the same as a banana. However, it is overshadowed by other enormous gems, with the heaviest diamond ever unearthed weighing a huge 3,106 carats before being cut into multiple smaller stones.

"The Enigma's price did not quite reach intergalactic levels. But what cannot be denied is that the Enigma is a diamond with unparalleled bragging rights," said Tobias Kormind, managing director of Europe's largest online jeweler, the Mayfair.

"The size, shape, and source of the Enigma diamond make it groundbreaking and amazing," he added. "Most diamonds are cut into one of 10 popular shapes but the Enigma's form resembles a hand."