Rare Bleu Royal Diamond Fetched Over 40 Million Dollars At Auction
The coveted “Bleu Royal” diamond, considered "among the rarest diamonds ever unearthed", was sold for over 40 million USD at Christie's in Geneva.
The 17.61-carat pear-shaped diamond, set in a ring, was sold for 43.8 million dollars, according to Christie's.
The auction house said the amount fetched made the “Bleu Royal” the most expensive jewel sold at auction this year.
Photo: Bleu Royal Diamond (Source: Christie’s)
Bleu Royal - A Flawless Diamond
It is "the largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue color gem ever to appear at auction in the history of auctions," Christie's said.
Part of a private collection for 50 years, it was the first time the Royal Blue was sold at an auction.
"This diamond ranks among the rarest diamonds ever unearthed," the auction house stated.
Max Fawcett, head of Christie's jewelry department in Geneva, said the diamond was unique because of its deep rich blue color and its unmodified pear brilliant shape.
"It really ticked all the boxes, which is why we managed to excite collectors all around the world, all the way from the Far East, also to America," he said, according to Reuters.
Only Three Fancy Vivid Blue Diamonds Over 10 Carats Sold In Christi's Auction History
Christie's noted that only three fancy vivid blue diamonds over 10 carats have appeared for sale in its 250-year auction history.
They were auctioned in 2010, 2014, and 2016. The most expensive was the 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue diamond that sold for over 57 million dollars in 2016.
"We're extremely delighted with the result", Max Fawcett told AFP regarding the sale of Bleu Royal, adding that it is "the most expensive jewelry lot sold worldwide in all of 2023" by an auction house.
The “Bleu Royal” was one of several standout pieces to go under the hammer at the auction house for Geneva’s Luxury Week.
The exquisite diamond was auctioned alongside legendary objects from the history of cinema, such as pearls worn by Audrey Hepburn and a Rolex watch engraved with “M. Brando” that Marlon Brando wore in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now.
