What does outer space, a 555.55 carat diamond, and cryptocurrency have in common?
Well, a notorious 555.55 carat diamond that’s potentially from outer space was just auctioned off for millions of dollars. And the buyer is paying with cryptocurrency.
“The diamond has sold for £3,161,000 / $4,292,322,” confirmed a Sotheby’s spokesperson in a statement to Mashable. “The buyer has opted to use cryptocurrency for the purchase.”
According to the auction house, the diamond is the “largest fancy black natural colour diamond…and the largest cut diamond in the world.”
Known as “The Enigma,” this odd, black diamond has stumped scientists. The Enigma is, what Mashable’s Science Editor Mark Kaufman has called an “unusual species of diamond” known as “carbonados.”
“Today, most diamonds are found in volcanic rock called kimberlite. But, crucially, carbonados are found elsewhere,” wrote Kaufman. “For many geologists, the Earth-origin theories can’t explain another integral feature of carbonados.”
Cue the extraterrestrial theories, such a meteorite crashing into Earth and forming the carbonados diamonds. And while these theories involving space are just that – theories – geologists have not dismissed them.
So, who paid more than $4 million for this diamond? While Sotheby’s has yet to confirm the identity of the buyer, crypto entrepreneur Richard Heart has publicly shared that he is the auction winner. The specific type of cryptocurrency was also not disclosed.
“I won the world’s largest cut diamond for our #HEXican cultural heritage!” tweeted Heart. “It’ll be called the HEX.com diamond, it weighs 555.55 carats and has 55 facets.”
A rare extraterrestrial gem that has potentially turned into a cryptocurrency marketing campaign. It truly is out of this world.
