Enthusiasts
Diamonds at Auction: Battle of the Blues
Jewels du JourRoses are red and exceptionally rare diamonds are blue, and this spring’s auctions will offer a trio of historic blue diamonds. Riding the record-setting wave of the “Blue Moon of Josephine” sale at Sotheby’s last November, the auction house and its rival Christie’s have made blue diamonds the headlining lots of three upcoming Magnificent Jewels sales. First up is the “De Beers Millennium Jewel 4“, which hits the auction block at Sotheby’s Hong Kong this week on April 5th. Estimated to fetch upwards of $35 million, the 10.10-carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond – the largest oval fancy vivid blue diamond to ever appear at auction – was part of an exceptional collection of diamonds named “De Beers Millennium Jewels”. Comprising the 203.04-carat colorless “Millennium Star” and eleven rare blue diamonds, the collection took decades to assemble in advance of the celebration of the new millennium in 2000. The eleven blue diamonds, all originating from the Cullinan Mine, totaled an impressive 118 carats and were expertly cut into various shapes and sizes. Since their initial appearance at the Millennium Exhibition in 2000, only one of these rare blue stones has ever appeared on the open market – the 5.16-carat pear-shaped Fancy Vivid […]
