Vivid Blue Diamond “Bleu Royal” Sells for Nearly $44 Million at Auction
The rare diamond went up for auction in Geneva on Tuesday
Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP
The "Bleu Royal" diamond ringOne of the world’s rarest blue diamonds has sold for nearly $44 million at an auction.
The “Bleu Royal” diamond set upon a ring went under the hammer for $43.8 million (CHF 39,505,000) at Christie’s auction in Geneva on Tuesday, the Associated Press, CBS News and Reuters reported.
The vivid blue gem has become one of the most expensive diamonds sold at auction ever, far surpassing its estimated selling price of $35 million, per the AP.
Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP
The rare diamond sold for almost $44 million at auction on TuesdayRelated: Prominent Rothschild Family Treasures Sell for Over $62M at New York City Auction
According to Christie’s, the pear-shaped blue diamond is 17.61 carats and weighs 14.2 grams. The ring design also includes two diamonds featured on either side, which are 3.12 carats and 3.07 carats, over a platinum and 18k rose gold band.
“The stone made almost $44 million," Christie's international head of jewelry, Rahul Kadakia, said, per Reuters. "It's a huge amount of money given what's going on in the world today."
Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP
The vivid blue diamond’s high selling point was put down to its uniqueness in its “deep, rich blue color and unmodified pear brilliant shape,” Max Fawcett, head of Christie's jewelry department in Geneva, told the outlet.
"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," Fawcett added. "We're extremely delighted with the result."
PIERRE ALBOUY/AFP via Getty Images
The gem has become the most expensive diamond sold in historyRelated: SKIMS and Swarovski Dropped a Marilyn Monroe-Inspired Dress — and It's Already Sold Out
Following the auction sale, ABC News reported that the blue diamond will be transferred to another private collection for the first time in 40 years. Christie’s auction sold a collection of rare jewelry, including the "Bleu Royal" diamond, at a combined total of over $77 million, Reuters reported.
"It's clear that the market is still very strong in certain areas," Fawcett told the outlet. "Coloured stones performed extremely well, as did signed jewelry...There's a great market out there for rare things, and there are still collectors looking for the very best."
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Only three other vivid blue diamonds have been sold by Christie’s — all of which were put on auction in the past 13 years.
Out of the three, the "Oppenheimer Blue" was the only diamond that sold more than the "Bleu Royal," going for $57.5 million at an auction in 2016, according to CBS News.
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