Christie's to auction rare large diamond in November

A necklace suspending a 163.41-carat, D color, flawless, IIA type diamond, presented by de Grisogono ahead of the auction season in Geneva, is displayed at a Christie's preview in Hong Kong, China September 28, 2017. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A 163.41-carat flawless white diamond found last year in Angola will go to auction in Geneva on Nov. 14, global auction house Christie's said on Thursday.

"The largest stone that ever come up on the market before of this quality was 110 carats," Francois Curiel, Christie's chairman for Europe and Asia, said at a showing of the diamond in Hong Kong.

"So this is a stone that is 50 percent bigger than the previous one. It's an absolute rarity," he said.

A necklace suspending a 163.41-carat, D color, flawless, IIA type diamond, presented by de Grisogono ahead of the auction season in Geneva, is displayed at a Christie's preview in Hong Kong, China September 28, 2017. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

Discovered in February last year in eastern Angola, the 404.20-carat rough diamond was the largest ever found in the southern African country.

The D-color, emerald-cut diamond, which can be detached from its white gold, diamond and emerald necklace, will be shown in London, Dubai and New York before going to auction in Geneva.

A necklace suspending a 163.41-carat, D color, flawless, IIA type diamond, presented by de Grisogono ahead of the auction season in Geneva, is displayed at a Christie's preview in Hong Kong, China September 28, 2017. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

(Reporting to Stefanie McIntyre Editing by Darren Schuettler and Clarence Fernandez)

A necklace suspending a 163.41-carat, D color, flawless, IIA type diamond, presented by de Grisogono ahead of the auction season in Geneva, is displayed at a Christie's preview in Hong Kong, China September 28, 2017. REUTERS/Bobby Yip