The Mediterranean Blue Diamond.
Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
8 of the World’s Most Famous Blue Diamonds
The latest example is the Mediterranean Blue, a 10-carat wonder headed for Sotheby’s
The Mediterranean Blue Diamond. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
On May 13, Sotheby’s Geneva is set to offer the Mediterranean Blue, a remarkable sky-blue diamond weighing more than 10 carats (pre-sale estimate: $20 million) that originated in South Africa’s legendary Cullinan mine. Considering that less than 0.1% of diamonds display even the faintest traces of blue, the Mediterranean Blue is a rare feat of nature—and presents a kind of “holy grail” moment for discerning collectors who lie in wait for opportunities to acquire a treasure of this caliber.
Headlining the auction house’s upcoming High Jewelry sale, the Mediterranean Blue is distinguished by receiving the “fancy vivid blue” color grade from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), which is considered the most intense—and the most valuable. The stone’s soft, elegant cushion modified brilliant cut shape accentuates its exceptional saturation while its triangular and kite-shaped facets flood it with endless light.
As with many important diamonds, the Mediterranean Blue will tour the globe for a series of previews starting in Abu Dhabi, then Taiwan, Hong Kong and New York before the bidding begins in-person and online in Geneva. In the official announcement of the sale of the Mediterranean Blue, Quig Bruning, Sotheby’s Head of Jewelry, Americas & EMEA, commented, “Any vivid blue diamond is a discovery worth celebrating, but one as entrancing as this, particularly being over 10-carats, is a newsworthy event.”
It also joins an elite constellation of some of the most important multimillion-dollar blues in existence. See below for more of these awe-inspiring treasures:
The Hope Diamond. Photo: Chip Clark, NMNH
The Hope Diamond
Donated to the Smithsonian by famed New York City diamantaire Harry Winston in 1958, this 45.52-carat glamazon deserves top billing in any lineup of spectacular blue diamonds due to it is large size and fascinating mystique. A smokey, velvety-blue cushion-cut stone mounted in in a diamond necklace, it is one of the National Museum of Natural History’s most popular exhibits, attracting visitors by the millions annually.
De Beers Cullinan Blue. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
The De Beers Blue
At 15.10 carats, this elegant step-cut, fancy vivid blue beauty fetched a $57.5 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in April 2022. Its size, deep saturation, and clarity grade of Internally Flawless made it an exceptionally rare find. The largest of its kind ever to appear at auction, the De Beers blue also has the distinction of being the largest internally flawless step-cut vivid blue diamond ever graded by the GIA.
The Blue Moon of Josephine. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
The Blue Moon of Josephine
Prior to its being sold for a record-breaking $48.5 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2015, this blue beauty was exhibited at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, not long after its initial discovery in the Cullinan mine. The cushion-shaped beauty queen weighs 12 carats and “Blue Moon” refers to its rarity (i.e., “once in a blue moon”). On acquisition, Joseph Lau, the Hong Kong billionaire who purchased the stone, renamed it the “Blue Moon of Josephine” after his seven-year-old daughter.
The Zoe Diamond. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
The Zoe Diamond
It took a mere 20 minutes for this magnificent 9.75 pear shape fancy vivid blue diamond to sell at a 2014 Sotheby’s New York auction. Mounted in a platinum pendant that originally belonged to socialite Bunny Mellon, the jewel sold for more than twice its estimate (final hammer price: $32.6 million). Lau, the same Hong Kong billionaire mentioned above, was the highest bidder and named it The Zoe Diamond after one of his daughters.
De Beers Millennium Jewel 4. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
De Beers Millennium Jewel 4
In 2016, Sotheby’s Hong Kong sold an extraordinary 10.10-carat internally flawless blue diamond with an oval-modified brilliant shape for $32 million. Mounted in a ring flanked by two pearl-shape diamonds, this rare fancy vivid blue diamond was part of the De Beers Millennium Jewels collection, which featured 11 exceptional blue diamonds, and was exhibited at London’s Millennium Dome in 2000 (scene of a now-famous heist).
Oppenheimer Blue Diamond. Photo: Courtesy of Christie's
The Oppenheimer Blue
Imagine picking up your phone and dialing up the purchase of one of the largest and finest fancy vivid blue diamonds in the world. That’s exactly what happened in 2016 when Christie’s Geneva made headlines for what went on to become the most expensive jewel ever sold at auction (final hammer price: $57.5 million). Adding to its allure, the 14.62-carat emerald-cut stone, with its luminous Cinderella-blue hue, was presented in a platinum mounting by Verdura. A year or so later, the Oppenheimer Blue’s record-breaking price was surpassed by the Pink Star (it fetched $71.2 million at a Sotheby’s Hong Kong sale), but the enchanting aesthetics of this cerulean stunner remain superior.
Shirley Temple Blue Diamond. Photo: Courtesy of Windsor Jewelers
The Shirley Temple Blue Diamond
In the course of its life since its original owner, the famous actress-turned-U.S. Ambassador, Shirley Temple Black, passed away in 2014, this blue beauty had to do a tap dance of sorts in order to find a buyer. When it failed to sell at Sotheby’s New York sale in 2016, Windsor Jewelers, a New York-based estate and antique jewelry dealer, acquired it and gave it a bit of a glow up (literally). The firm decided to recut the stone to improve its clarity, a nerve-wracking undertaking that saw the gem’s carat weight decrease ever so slightly (from 9.54 to 9.3). But no matter: the Shirley Temple’s second act ended up receiving an “internally flawless” designation from the GIA. And best of all, its new look also revealed a stronger, richer blue hue overall.
Cover: The Mediterranean Blue Diamond.
Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
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