GENEVA, Switzerland – In the forthcoming fall Geneva jewelry auctions, which are set to captivate jewelry connoisseurs and collectors in November, one particular gem has garnered immense anticipation. The 17.61-carat “Bleu Royal,” renowned as the largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond ever to grace an auction, is poised to take center stage, as declared by Christie’s in a recent statement.
This pear-shaped wonder is slated to be the crowning jewel of Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale, scheduled for November 7 at the elegant Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. The estimated value of this exquisite gem falls within the impressive range of $35 million to $50 million. If “Bleu Royal” attains or surpasses its estimated worth, it will undoubtedly secure its place among the top five fancy blue diamonds ever to be sold at auction.
Christie’s disclosed that the “Bleu Royal” has resided in the discreet confines of an undisclosed private collection for the past half-century. This auction marks a momentous occasion, as the gem, elegantly set within a ring and accompanied by glistening diamonds, will finally make its auction debut.
Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewellery, extolled the diamond’s remarkable attributes, stating, “This is a true miracle of nature. Over our 257-year long history, Christie’s has had the privilege of offering the world’s rarest gems at auction, and Bleu Royal continues this tradition.”
Propelled by surging collector demand and a scarcity of supply, prices for high-quality fancy colored diamonds have experienced exponential growth in recent years. Fancy vivid blue diamonds weighing more than 10 carats are exceedingly rare, as emphasized by Christie’s. The auction house, in its illustrious history, has only presented three such exceptional gems:
The 10.95-carat Bulgari Blue, which achieved a remarkable sale price of over $15.7 million in New York during October 2010.
The 13.22-carat Winston Blue, which commanded an impressive sum of approximately $23.8 million in Geneva in May 2014.
The 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue, which established a historic record for a fancy blue diamond, achieving a stunning $57.5 million sale price in Geneva during May 2016.
As of now, Christie’s has shared limited details regarding the additional lots in the upcoming sale. However, one of the known highlights will be a private collection of Cartier jewels, led by an exquisite Art Deco multi-gem sautoir. Additionally, the auction will feature a 36.45-carat Burmese sapphire ring by Graff, a 21.88-carat Burmese ruby ring, and a 96.39-carat sapphire pendant necklace by the storied London jewelry house, Chatila.
Among the array of items up for auction, one can also expect to find a heart-shaped diamond pendant, a Cartier rock crystal and onyx Mystery Clock, a diamond and pearl brooch in the shape of a palm tree, Cartier Art Deco Emerald and Onyx drop earrings, an emerald-cut fancy pink diamond on a ring adorned with diamonds, and a Cartier Art Deco ruby and sapphire necklace.
