A glorious 39 carat diamond known as the Evening Star is going on the auction block at Christie`s in New York City. The Evening Star is a 39 carat, pear-shaped, D color diamond, and is estimated to be worth between $3.6 million and $5.5 million.

Christie`s is including the Evening Star as a masterpiece at it `Magnificent Jewels for a Distinguished Private Collector` auction. The auction will feature 10 special jewels and will be held on December 10, 2009.

The diamond, which was mined from India`s Golconda mines, received its name from its former owner - she chose to wear it to evening galas as a pendant on a diamond necklace of 68 graduated pear-shaped diamonds embedded in platinum.

The necklace itself is estimated to be worth $400,000 to $600,000. It is being offered as a separate item in the sale. Also, a matching pair of diamond ear pendants - with two pear-shaped, D-color diamonds of 10.21 and 10.51 carats - is estimated to fetch $1.7 million to $2.5 million. The Evening Star, and the stones in the matching earrings, are known as Type IIa diamonds.

 The Golconda mines, the source of the Evening Star diamond, are famous for producing such famous beauties as the Hope Diamond and the Wittelsbach Diamond. Christie's says the Wittelsbach diamond holds the record for a jewel sold at auction — more than $24 million at its 2008 London sale.