Pink Diamond Ring Breaks World Record
打破世界纪录的粉红钻石
Ling-Yi Hsieh, David Lee
【新闻关键字】
1. auction: v. 拍卖
2. vivid: a. 鲜艳的
3. flawless: a. 无瑕的
4. trigger: v. 触发
5. brisk: a. 活跃的
6. bidding: (拍卖的)出价
7. smash: 打破
8. Geneva: n. 日内瓦
9. gem: n. 宝石
10. up for: ph. 打算
11. whopping: a. 巨大的
12. oval: a. 楕圆的
A rare 5-carat pink diamond was auctioned off for a record 10.8 million US dollars in Hong Kong on Tuesday, putting some shine back into the world’s
rare and large stones market which was badly hit by the financial crisis.
一颗珍稀的5克拉粉红钻石，周二在香港以1080万美金的纪录拍卖出，为受金融危机重创的珍稀大宝石市场照入些许光芒。
The stone, of a “vivid pink" hue and considered near perfect, but not quite flawless. It triggered brisk bidding in Christie’s autumn sales of Asian and Chinese art in Hong Kong.
这颗有着“鲜粉红”色泽的宝石，被认为接近完美，但并非无瑕。它在克莉丝帝的亚洲暨中国艺术秋季拍卖中，点燃出价战火。
The price smashed the previous record, set 15 years ago in Geneva for a near 20-carat stone that sold for 7.4 million US dollars.
其价钱打破了15年前在日内瓦，以740万美金售出一颗近20克拉宝石的纪录。
The South African-mined pink diamond was just a quarter the size of the
Geneva stone and not quite flawless, but the stone’s “vivid pink" is considered near perfect.
这颗采自南非的粉红钻石，只有日内瓦宝石的四分之一，且有些瑕疵，但它的“鲜粉红”被认为接近完美。
The gem‘s per-carat price of 2.2 million US dollars was also the highest
ever paid for any diamond at auction.
每克拉220万美金的价钱，也是钻石拍卖会史上最高。
[Francois Curiel, Christie’s Europe Chairman]:
“No stone has ever been sold for two million dollars a carat. We were used
to, quote unquote, a million dollars a carat for colored diamonds but never
two million. So this is an absolute record that is not going to be broken
for a while, I believe."
克莉丝帝欧洲主席法兰克伊斯．库力欧说：“从没有宝石卖到每克拉200万美金。我们的有色宝石曾卖到每克拉100万，但从没到200万。我相信这个不可撼动的纪录在短时间内不会被打破。
Also up for auction from the same private collection, a whopping 16.65-carat sapphire ring sold for over 2 million US dollars and a 9.03-carat oval vivid yellow diamond ring sold for almost 1.3 million US dollars.
在同一批私人收藏中打算拍卖的有，超过200万美金的巨大16.65克拉蓝宝石戒指，和将近130万美金的9.03克拉楕圆鲜黄钻戒。
[Francois Curiel, Christie’s Europe Chairman]:
“All came from a private collector and we decided to sell this collection in
Hong Kong, rather than in New York, rather than in Geneva, because we
believe the market in Asia is absolutely booming. And I think the vendor, I
know the vendor is very happy with the prices which he wasn’t expecting."
克莉丝帝欧洲主席法兰克伊斯．库力欧说：“都是来自私人收藏家，而且我们决定在香港举办，不是纽约，不是日内瓦，因为我们相信亚洲市场正兴旺。我想卖家，我知道卖家对这意料之外的价钱感到非常高兴。”
Christie’s auction comes as a sagging dollar drives some investors to
convert currencies into gold and other assets.
克莉丝帝拍卖会就像疲软的美元一样，让投资者将货币转成黄金和其它资产。
本新闻影音出处：新唐人电视台英语
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_life/2009-12-02/943281126774.html
更多相关英语学习集结处：
http://www.epochtimes.com/b5/ncid205.htm
