<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">A stunning pink diamond has sold for nearly $60 million, more than twice the expected price.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The massive rock sold for 453.2 million Hong Kong dollars, or around $58 million, on Friday, according to auction house Sotheby's. The stone was expected to sell for around $21 million.</div><div><br></div><div>The 11.15 carat pink diamond, referred to as the "Williamson Pink Star," is one of the purest, pinkest diamonds ever to come to auction, according to a news release from Sotheby's.</div><div><br></div><div>"The discovery of a gem-quality pink diamond of any size is an extremely rare occurrence -- something that, with the recent closure of the Argyle mine, seemed until recently -- highly improbable," said Wenhao Yu, chairman of Jewellery and Watches at Sotheby's Asia, in the release. "Driven by a limited supply and rising demand, prices for top-quality large pink diamonds over 5 carats have increased exponentially over the past decade, serendipitously setting the scene for the appearance now of this one-of-a-kind stone."</div><div><br></div><div>The pastel-hued diamond was named in honor of two other pink diamonds, the CTF Pink Star, which sold for $71.2 million in 2017, and the "Williamson" diamond, a pink diamond gifted to Queen Elizabeth II.</div><div><br></div><div>The Williamson Pink Star was cushion-cut from a 32-carat rough diamond mined at the Williamson Mine in Tanzania, says Sotheby's.</div><div><br></div><div>The stone is unique for both its size and its color. Pink diamonds are some of the rarest variants, according to Sotheby's, and this rock is a particular standout because of its purity and clarity.</div><div><br></div><div>Hong Kong was the diamond's last stop after traveling on a tour that included Dubai, Singapore, and Taipei. - CNN</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>