The pear-shaped “Bleu Royal” was said to be the largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond ever to come to auction.
Photo: Courtesy of Christie's
Auction of the Week: Stunning Blue Diamond Fetches $44 Million at Christie’s
The 17.61-carat fancy vivid stone was the most expensive jewel sold at auction last year, confirming a red-hot market for colored gemstones
The Bleu Royal diamond. Photo: COURTESY OF CHRISTIE'S
Colored diamonds are certainly having a moment in the jewelry world. And no where was that more evident that at Christie’s Geneva jewelry auction on November 7, when a 17.61-carat fancy vivid, internally flawless “Bleu Royal” diamond sold for $44 million, around $2.5 million per carat.
The sale overall fetched $77.7 million, with that particular stone accounting for more than half of the sale’s total. With a pre-sale estimated range of $35 million to $50 million, the stunning gemstone became the most expensive jewel to sell at auction last year.
The pear-shaped “Bleu Royal” was said to be the largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond ever to come to auction. In 250 years of history at Christie’s, only three blue diamonds over ten carats have ever appeared for sale. Bidding took approximately seven minutes, according to the auction house.
Cut into a perfectly symmetrical pear combined with a rich vivid blue color and flawless purity, this diamond is easily one of the rarest diamonds ever to be discovered. Adding to its allure was the fact that it was in the same private collection for the past 50 years. “This is a true miracle of nature,” says Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry.
Oppenheimer Blue Diamond. Photo: Courtesy of Christie's
The Winston Blue. Photo: Courtesy of Christie's
Driven by demand from collectors and a very limited supply, the prices for exceptional colored diamonds have increased in recent years. The Bulgari Blue, which weighed 10.95 carats, sold for $15.8 million in New York in 2010. The Winston Blue, which weighted 13.22 carats, sold for $23.8 million in 2014 in Geneva, and the Oppenheimer blue, weighting 14.62 carats sold for $57.5 million.
Other highlights in the sale included an unheated 21.88-carat Burmese ruby set in an 18-karat gold ring with baguette-cut diamonds that is attributed to Harry Winston, selling for that fetched $2.6 million, as well as a diamond and platinum ring by Graff featuring a 36.45-carat rectangular-shaped unheated Burmese sapphire that sold for $1.6 million.
Cover: The pear-shaped “Bleu Royal” was said to be the largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond ever to come to auction.
Photo: Courtesy of Christie's
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