The largest flawless vivid blue diamond in the world is set to go on sale in Geneva, Switzerland, later this month. The stone, which is estimated to be sold for a staggering Dhs77 million, will lead Christie’s auction of magnificent jewels on May 14 in the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues.
The rare gem, named ‘The Blue’, weighs 13.22 carats and will be sold alongside 250 other precious stones including ‘The Ocean Dream’, a vivid blue-green 5.50 carat diamond. Other items include a pink square-cut diamond set as the cornerstone of a precious necklace and a pear-shaped D-colour flawless diamond of 75.79 carats. All of the gems going under the hammer contain a rare combination of size, hue and saturated colour, making them amongst the most unique in the world.
Christie’s are famous for their precious stone auctions. Earlier this year they sold the largest orange diamond in the world for a record breaking $35.5 million, which translates to over Dhs1 billion. This set a new record for the highest price per carat of any coloured diamond sold at a public sale.
Christie’s will also host a rare watch auction during the same week where they will present over 440 watches from various centuries throughout history as a celebration of horology – a subject close to the historic auction house’s roots. Highlights include the now discontinued Sky Moon Tourbillion by Patek Philippe, which is regarded by many as the finest watch ever built, a diamond and sapphire-set Daytona Cosmograph made in 1985, and a Rolex Oyster Cosmograph featuring the crest of the Sultanate of Oman.
Having celebrated their highest annual turnover in history last year, these new extraordinary additions to Christie’s portfolio could see them break that record in 2014. With gems like ‘The Blue’, we suspect they will.
