HONG KONG — In a class of its own, a 118.28-carat white diamond attained $30.6 million at Sotheby’s auction on Monday, October 7, setting a new record for the highest price paid at auction for a white diamond. It is also the biggest diamond sold at auction. The previous record price for a white diamond was $26.7 million.

Only four other white diamonds of this quality having more than 100 carats have ever been sold at auction, of which Sotheby’s has sold three.

A full report on the sale will appear in a future edition.