A rare 100-carat yellow diamond has sold for 14.5 million Swiss francs (£9.7m) at a Sotheby’s jewellery auction in Geneva.

The “Graff Vivid Yellow” diamond is listed as one of the few rare yellow diamonds greater than 100 carats in Ian Balfour’s reference book Famous Diamonds, published in 2008.

Following the sale, David Bennett, Chairman of Sotheby’s Switzerland and Chairman of the Jewellery Department for Europe and the Middle East, commented:

“100 carats is a magical number when it comes to diamonds. With its exceptional size and a superb daffodil colour, the Graff Vivid Yellow is a truly extraordinary diamond with immense presence. These rare qualities led to the record price achieved tonight. Throughout the day, we witnessed intense bidding from all corners of the globe for exceptional diamonds, gemstones and signed jewels. Once again, fine pieces with important provenance were highly sought after. We were particularly pleased by the excitement surrounding were Suzanne Belperron’s creations, which further confirms her reputation as one of the greatest jewellery designers of the 20th century.”

The Graff Vivid Yellow was sold as part of a world record-breaking jewellery evening which made total 125.5 million Swiss francs (£84m).