Fancy Vivid and Fancy Intense Blue Diamond
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Jewels
Chronology : 1990-1999 1999 21st century 2010-2019 2014 2020 to now 2021
See also : Jewels
Chronology : 1990-1999 1999 21st century 2010-2019 2014 2020 to now 2021
Intro
Type IIb diamonds are less than 0.5 % of the diamonds. Their most important source is the Cullinan mine in South Africa. The IIb includes the 70.21 carat Idols' Eye and the 45.52 carat Hope.
The Mediterranean Blue was a principal support for a 2024 monograph by the GIA about their formation process. This fancy vivid blue diamond of VS2 clarity weighing 10.03 carats was sold for CHF 18M by Sotheby's on May 13 2025, lot 602. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
IIb diamonds have traces of boron. Micro-traces of radio-active elements enable to date the process and get information of surrounding minerals during the formation.
Their blue color is related to exposure to high pressure during the geological process which began 3.5 billion years ago at a depth of 400 to 600 kilometers within the Earth, 3 times deeper than other diamonds. The distortion of the crystal during the formation can be detected as patterns of bright interference colors when the diamond is viewed at high magnification through polarizing filters.
Blue diamonds usually occur as irregular, asymmetrical crystals. The color may be unevenly distributed throughout the rough crystal, requiring a high skill in the cutting and polishing.
They have a high electric conductivity.
On May 14, 2025, Christie's established a new record per carat for a fancy deep blue diamond weighing 6.24 carats of VVS2 clarity, potentially Internally Flawless, Type IIb, emerald-cut in a surrounding of round rubies and baguette-cut diamonds on a platinum ballerina ring signed by Boucheron. It was sold for CHF 10.6M which is CHF 1.7M per carat worth US $ 2M at that time, lot 19.
The Mediterranean Blue was a principal support for a 2024 monograph by the GIA about their formation process. This fancy vivid blue diamond of VS2 clarity weighing 10.03 carats was sold for CHF 18M by Sotheby's on May 13 2025, lot 602. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
IIb diamonds have traces of boron. Micro-traces of radio-active elements enable to date the process and get information of surrounding minerals during the formation.
Their blue color is related to exposure to high pressure during the geological process which began 3.5 billion years ago at a depth of 400 to 600 kilometers within the Earth, 3 times deeper than other diamonds. The distortion of the crystal during the formation can be detected as patterns of bright interference colors when the diamond is viewed at high magnification through polarizing filters.
Blue diamonds usually occur as irregular, asymmetrical crystals. The color may be unevenly distributed throughout the rough crystal, requiring a high skill in the cutting and polishing.
They have a high electric conductivity.
On May 14, 2025, Christie's established a new record per carat for a fancy deep blue diamond weighing 6.24 carats of VVS2 clarity, potentially Internally Flawless, Type IIb, emerald-cut in a surrounding of round rubies and baguette-cut diamonds on a platinum ballerina ring signed by Boucheron. It was sold for CHF 10.6M which is CHF 1.7M per carat worth US $ 2M at that time, lot 19.
The Oppenheimer
2016 SOLD for CHF 57M by Christie's
Throughout the twentieth century the De Beers cartel managed to control the diamond trade, accumulating an immeasurable wealth. The trust becomes a family business when a former buyer of diamonds of German origin named Ernest Oppenheimer becomes chairman of the company in 1929.
London is a hub for international operations and price controls. Sir Philip Oppenheimer retired in 1993 after 45 years as head of the Central Selling Organization of the cartel. This powerful position enabled him to keep exceptional gems.
On May 18, 2016, Christie's sold as lot 242 for CHF 57M from a lower estimate of CHF 38M the Oppenheimer Blue that had belonged to Sir Philip. Weighing 14.62 carats, it was in period the largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction. It has been set on a ring by Verdura.
The clarity of the Oppenheimer Blue is excellent, graded VVS1 by the GIA. However, it does not reach the absolute purity of the Blue Moon, sold for CHF 49M by Sotheby's in 2015, whose stunning clarity generates a phosphorescence effect under ultraviolet radiation.
The exceptional saturation characterizing the fancy vivid blue hue is enhanced on the Oppenheimer Blue by a highly efficient rectangular cut.
I invite you to admire this masterpiece of jewelry in the video shared by Christie's.
Grok thought :
Quote
GIA @GIAnews Jan 28, 2021
The 14.62 carat Oppenheimer Blue, is one of the largest Fancy Vivid blue diamonds ever sold at auction. It was named after its previous owner, Sir Philip Oppenheimer, whose family controlled the De Beers Group. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3ciuUjO Courtesy: Christie's Images
London is a hub for international operations and price controls. Sir Philip Oppenheimer retired in 1993 after 45 years as head of the Central Selling Organization of the cartel. This powerful position enabled him to keep exceptional gems.
On May 18, 2016, Christie's sold as lot 242 for CHF 57M from a lower estimate of CHF 38M the Oppenheimer Blue that had belonged to Sir Philip. Weighing 14.62 carats, it was in period the largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction. It has been set on a ring by Verdura.
The clarity of the Oppenheimer Blue is excellent, graded VVS1 by the GIA. However, it does not reach the absolute purity of the Blue Moon, sold for CHF 49M by Sotheby's in 2015, whose stunning clarity generates a phosphorescence effect under ultraviolet radiation.
The exceptional saturation characterizing the fancy vivid blue hue is enhanced on the Oppenheimer Blue by a highly efficient rectangular cut.
I invite you to admire this masterpiece of jewelry in the video shared by Christie's.
Grok thought :
Quote
GIA @GIAnews Jan 28, 2021
The 14.62 carat Oppenheimer Blue, is one of the largest Fancy Vivid blue diamonds ever sold at auction. It was named after its previous owner, Sir Philip Oppenheimer, whose family controlled the De Beers Group. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3ciuUjO Courtesy: Christie's Images
- The X post from GIA celebrates the 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue diamond, a Fancy Vivid Blue gem graded VVS1 clarity by GIA, sold at Christie's Geneva in 2016 for a record $57.5 million as the largest of its color ever auctioned.
- Named after Sir Philip Oppenheimer of the De Beers dynasty, the stone's intense hue stems from boron impurities during formation, a rarity affecting less than 0.1% of diamonds according to GIA research on colored gems.
- The accompanying image depicts the emerald-cut center stone flanked by two white diamond shoulders on a platinum band, exemplifying classic high jewelry design that amplified its $3.93 million per carat value.
The 14.62 carat Oppenheimer Blue, is one of the largest Fancy Vivid blue diamonds ever sold at auction. It was named after its previous owner, Sir Philip Oppenheimer, whose family controlled the De Beers Group. Learn more: https://t.co/g6fTgHjtMk Courtesy: Christie's Images pic.twitter.com/Y8qX4kwIwL
— GIA (@GIAnews) January 28, 2021
Bleu Royal
2023 SOLD for CHF 39.5M by Christie's
Weighing 17.61 carats and 14.2 grams, Bleu Royal is the biggest internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond ever listed at auction, 2.99 carats more than the VVS1 Oppenheimer Blue sold for CHF 57M by Christie's in 2016.
Pear shaped and brilliant faceted, and perfectly symmetrical, Bleu Royal belonged for half a century to a private collection. It is now fitted on a platinum and 18k rose gold ring between two D-color internally flawless diamonds of 3.12 ad 3.07 carats.
Bleu Royal was sold for CHF 39.5M by Christie's on November 7, 2023, lot 87.
Grok thought :
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Business Insider Africa @BusInsiderSSA Sep 22
The Bleu Royal: the largest fancy vivid blue diamond achieved US$44,009,645, making it one of the most expensive diamonds sold at auction --- This video is credited to @christies_inc
Pear shaped and brilliant faceted, and perfectly symmetrical, Bleu Royal belonged for half a century to a private collection. It is now fitted on a platinum and 18k rose gold ring between two D-color internally flawless diamonds of 3.12 ad 3.07 carats.
Bleu Royal was sold for CHF 39.5M by Christie's on November 7, 2023, lot 87.
Grok thought :
Quote
Business Insider Africa @BusInsiderSSA Sep 22
The Bleu Royal: the largest fancy vivid blue diamond achieved US$44,009,645, making it one of the most expensive diamonds sold at auction --- This video is credited to @christies_inc
- The post shares a 63-second video from Christie's 2023 Geneva auction, capturing the live bidding for the 17.61-carat Bleu Royal diamond ring, ending with the hammer fall at CHF 39.5 million (US$44 million including premium).
- This internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond set a record as the largest of its color grade sold at auction, exceeding estimates of $35-50 million and surpassing prior blue diamond sales like the 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue at $57.5 million in 2016 on a per-carat basis.
- Blue diamonds' rarity stems from boron impurities in South African mines, with peer-reviewed gemology studies confirming vivid hues fetch 2-3 times more than pink or yellow equivalents, highlighting the post's focus on luxury market peaks amid global economic volatility.
WATCH: The vivid blue diamond 'Bleu Royal' - which is set in a ring - is among the rarest ever to be unearthed. At 17.6 carats, it is also the largest of its kind https://t.co/3phvuSzqDa pic.twitter.com/goMk9iZhkq
— Reuters Asia (@ReutersAsia) November 2, 2023
< 1966 Laguna Blu by Bulgari
2023 SOLD for CHF 22.4M by Sotheby's
Laguna Blu is a ring mounted by Bulgari with a fancy vivid blue diamond between tapered diamond shoulders.
The blue diamond is pear shaped. It weighs 11.16 carats with a VS1 clarity. It had been owned by Giorgio Bulgari himself and soon after mounted in the present jewel by his brand. Giorgio died in 1966.
The ring was sold from the collection of its first owner for CHF 22.6M by Sotheby's on May 16, 2023, lot 675.
The blue diamond is pear shaped. It weighs 11.16 carats with a VS1 clarity. It had been owned by Giorgio Bulgari himself and soon after mounted in the present jewel by his brand. Giorgio died in 1966.
The ring was sold from the collection of its first owner for CHF 22.6M by Sotheby's on May 16, 2023, lot 675.
1999 The Millennium 4
2016 SOLD for HK$ 250M by Sotheby's
De Beers exhibited their finest diamonds at the Millennium Dome in London throughout the year 2000. The Millennium Star is an astonishing white diamond weighing 203.04 carats. Facing it in the cabinet, eleven blue diamonds are totaling 118 carats. All these wonders had been extracted from the Cullinan mine.
One of these blue diamonds was oval cut. Weighing 10.10 carats, it is not the largest of the eleven but it is indeed the most spectacular. It was certified Fancy Vivid Blue Flawless in 1999 by GIA with the designation De Beers Millennium Jewel 4. Mounted on a ring in a surrounding of small white diamonds, it was sold for HK $ 250M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2016, lot 1843.
This unprecedented treasure insured altogether for £ 350M excited high appetites during the show at the Dome. On November 7, 2000, a commando of four equipped with a ten ton earth digger, sledgehammers, smoke bombs, gas masks and bulletproof vests come into the Dome, ready to celebrate the new millennium with the biggest heist ever.
The gang was under surveillance and 200 police officers had been mobilized. The head of the counter operation had decided to let the robbers go up to the showcase window for security reasons because arrests are easier in a closed room.
Please watch the short video shared by Sotheby's.
Grok thought :
Quote :
GIA @GIAnews Apr 5, 2016
The De Beers Millennium Jewel 4, a 10.10 ct oval, Fancy Vivid blue #diamond, hits the auction block tomorrow…
One of these blue diamonds was oval cut. Weighing 10.10 carats, it is not the largest of the eleven but it is indeed the most spectacular. It was certified Fancy Vivid Blue Flawless in 1999 by GIA with the designation De Beers Millennium Jewel 4. Mounted on a ring in a surrounding of small white diamonds, it was sold for HK $ 250M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2016, lot 1843.
This unprecedented treasure insured altogether for £ 350M excited high appetites during the show at the Dome. On November 7, 2000, a commando of four equipped with a ten ton earth digger, sledgehammers, smoke bombs, gas masks and bulletproof vests come into the Dome, ready to celebrate the new millennium with the biggest heist ever.
The gang was under surveillance and 200 police officers had been mobilized. The head of the counter operation had decided to let the robbers go up to the showcase window for security reasons because arrests are easier in a closed room.
Please watch the short video shared by Sotheby's.
Grok thought :
Quote :
GIA @GIAnews Apr 5, 2016
The De Beers Millennium Jewel 4, a 10.10 ct oval, Fancy Vivid blue #diamond, hits the auction block tomorrow…
- Posted by the Gemological Institute of America on April 4, 2016, the tweet announces the upcoming auction of the De Beers Millennium Jewel 4, a rare 10.10-carat oval Fancy Vivid Blue diamond certified by GIA as internally flawless.
- Accompanied by a high-resolution image of the diamond's vivid blue hue against a white background, highlighting its exceptional clarity and color intensity under professional lighting.
- The diamond sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong on April 5, 2016, for $31.8 million, setting a record as the largest oval Fancy Vivid Blue diamond auctioned at the time and the most expensive jewel sold in Asia.
The De Beers Millennium Jewel 4, a 10.10 ct oval, Fancy Vivid blue #diamond, hits the auction block tomorrow… pic.twitter.com/yDwvRhdLh6
— GIA (@GIAnews) April 4, 2016
The Mellon Blue ex The Zoe
2014 SOLD for $ 32.6M by Sotheby's
From the collection of Mrs Paul Mellon, a blue diamond was sold for $ 32.6M from a lower estimate of $ 10M by Sotheby's on November 20, 2014, lot 37. It was referred as the Zoe after that sale.
This pear shaped fancy vivid blue weighing 9.75 carats was mounted in platinum. Its clarity is VVS2. It is accompanied by a diagram by the GIA stating that it may potentially be upgraded to Internally flawless.
It had as a pendant a fancy blue diamond of same shape and mounting, weighing 9.15 carats in VS1 clarity, which was sold for $ 2.96M in the same sale as above, lot 38.
The Zoe has been renamed the Mellon Blue. With a clarity improved to VVS1 and a weight reduced to 9.51 carats, it was sold for CHF 20.5M by Christie's on November 11, 2025, lot 50. Its shape is now referred as modified pear brilliant-cut. It is mounted in platinum as a fancy ring with a pattern of diamonds.
Grok thought :
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Sotheby's @Sothebys Nov 21, 2014
#AuctionUpdate: At $32.6m, Mrs Mellon's Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond sets a new world #AuctionRecord for Any Blue Diamond
This pear shaped fancy vivid blue weighing 9.75 carats was mounted in platinum. Its clarity is VVS2. It is accompanied by a diagram by the GIA stating that it may potentially be upgraded to Internally flawless.
It had as a pendant a fancy blue diamond of same shape and mounting, weighing 9.15 carats in VS1 clarity, which was sold for $ 2.96M in the same sale as above, lot 38.
The Zoe has been renamed the Mellon Blue. With a clarity improved to VVS1 and a weight reduced to 9.51 carats, it was sold for CHF 20.5M by Christie's on November 11, 2025, lot 50. Its shape is now referred as modified pear brilliant-cut. It is mounted in platinum as a fancy ring with a pattern of diamonds.
Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Nov 21, 2014
#AuctionUpdate: At $32.6m, Mrs Mellon's Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond sets a new world #AuctionRecord for Any Blue Diamond
- Sotheby's 2014 post celebrates the $32.6 million sale of a 9.75-carat Fancy Vivid Blue pear-shaped diamond from Bunny Mellon's collection, shattering auction records for blue diamonds and any colored diamond at the time.
- This gem, acquired by Mellon in the 1980s, exemplifies blue diamonds' rarity, caused by boron traces affecting only 0.02% of diamonds worldwide.
- The stone, now 9.51 carats and mounted as a ring, headlines Christie's November 11, 2025, Geneva auction with a $20-30 million estimate, marking its return after over a decade.
#AuctionUpdate: At $32.6m, Mrs Mellon's Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond sets a new world #AuctionRecord for Any Blue Diamond pic.twitter.com/10VjCOFLln
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) November 21, 2014
2014 The Blue Moon of Josephine
2015 SOLD for CHF 49M by Sotheby's
The ground continues to unearth important diamonds. Yet, the discovery announced by Petra Diamonds in January 2014 of a 29.62 carat blue gem from the much famous Cullinan mine in South Africa aroused a particular interest in the diamond community.
The new diamond is fancy vivid blue without inclusion, which is already a great rarity. It was purchased by Cora International, headquartered in New York, which processed it. This fancy vivid blue cut to 12.03 carats is the largest internally flawless blue diamond in cushion shape.
Once completed, it revealed even more exceptional qualities. Its ocean blue color is perfect without a secondary hue. It has no fluorescence. An exposure to ultraviolet radiation generates an intense orange-red phosphorescence that persists for about twenty seconds, a sensational feature which is known only to a few blue diamonds of absolute purity.
It is a masterpiece in both its size and features. It was named The Blue Moon in reference both to its shape and to the saying 'Once in a blue moon' that means a total rarity. It seems inconceivable to find better in its class, especially since the production of the Cullinan mine tends to decrease.
The Blue Moon was sold for CHF 49M from a lower estimate of US $ 35M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2015, lot 513. Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's. Its record value at US $ 4M per carat rewards its absolute purity generating the phosphorescence effect.
It is now referred as the Blue Moon of Josephine.
Grok thought :
Quote
Kaisilver @jewelrythailand Mar 8
The price of natural diamonds has been hit by the surge in demand for lab diamonds, but rare and historic natural diamonds, stll command super high prices. The Blue Moon diamond that originated in South Africa is a good example. Also known as the Blue Moon Of Josephine diamond.
The new diamond is fancy vivid blue without inclusion, which is already a great rarity. It was purchased by Cora International, headquartered in New York, which processed it. This fancy vivid blue cut to 12.03 carats is the largest internally flawless blue diamond in cushion shape.
Once completed, it revealed even more exceptional qualities. Its ocean blue color is perfect without a secondary hue. It has no fluorescence. An exposure to ultraviolet radiation generates an intense orange-red phosphorescence that persists for about twenty seconds, a sensational feature which is known only to a few blue diamonds of absolute purity.
It is a masterpiece in both its size and features. It was named The Blue Moon in reference both to its shape and to the saying 'Once in a blue moon' that means a total rarity. It seems inconceivable to find better in its class, especially since the production of the Cullinan mine tends to decrease.
The Blue Moon was sold for CHF 49M from a lower estimate of US $ 35M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2015, lot 513. Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's. Its record value at US $ 4M per carat rewards its absolute purity generating the phosphorescence effect.
It is now referred as the Blue Moon of Josephine.
Grok thought :
Quote
Kaisilver @jewelrythailand Mar 8
The price of natural diamonds has been hit by the surge in demand for lab diamonds, but rare and historic natural diamonds, stll command super high prices. The Blue Moon diamond that originated in South Africa is a good example. Also known as the Blue Moon Of Josephine diamond.
- This post from Thai custom jeweler Kaisilver highlights diamond market shifts, where rising lab-grown demand has depressed average natural diamond prices by up to 30% since 2018 per De Beers reports, yet ultra-rare naturals like the featured gem defy the trend.
- The Blue Moon of Josephine, a 12.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond mined at South Africa's Cullinan site in 2014, fetched a record $48.5 million at Sotheby's in 2015—equivalent to $4 million per carat—renamed by buyer Joseph Lau for his daughter.
- The graphic corrects a frequent mix-up, noting its South African origin rather than India's Golconda mines, underscoring how provenance amplifies value for historic stones in peer-reviewed gemology analyses.
The price of natural diamonds has been hit by the surge in demand for lab diamonds, but rare and historic natural diamonds, stll command super high prices. The Blue Moon diamond that originated in South Africa is a good example. Also known as the Blue Moon Of Josephine diamond. pic.twitter.com/NaLOHj6rUh
— Kaisilver (@jewelrythailand) March 8, 2025
2014 The Cullinan Dream (fancy intense)
2016 SOLD for $ 25.4M by Christie's
The Cullinan mine now owned by Petra Diamonds still remains the most regular purveyor of type IIb color diamonds, 10 to 20 times rarer than the IIa.
An extraordinary fancy intense blue gem weighing 122.52 carats was discovered at Cullinan in June 2014. The jewelers mapped with accuracy its internal crystalline regularity by using the semiconductor characteristics that are specific to the type IIb diamonds.
This non-destructive analysis enabled to optimize the cut. Four diamonds were produced. The Cullinan Dream is the biggest of the four. It is rectangular with cut corners and weighs 24.18 carats. Its clarity is VS2. It was sold for $ 25.4M by Christie's on June 9, 2016, lot 261.
This diamond is exceptional. Its fancy intense hue is much rarer than the fancy vivid blue. The Oppenheimer Blue, identified as the largest fancy vivid blue ever offered at auction, only weighed 14.62 carats. It was sold for CHF 57M by Christie's in 2016.
Its price of $ 1M per carat is consistent with results obtained on other blue diamonds. A fancy intense blue with a VVS2 clarity weighing 7.64 carats was sold for CHF 9M by Sotheby's on 11 May 2010.
The other highly rare variety of blue, the fancy deep blue, can reach a price per carat of the same level or even higher. The estimate by Sotheby's in April 2016 at $ 2.6M per carat for the diamond of Shirley Temple was nevertheless much exaggerated.
An extraordinary fancy intense blue gem weighing 122.52 carats was discovered at Cullinan in June 2014. The jewelers mapped with accuracy its internal crystalline regularity by using the semiconductor characteristics that are specific to the type IIb diamonds.
This non-destructive analysis enabled to optimize the cut. Four diamonds were produced. The Cullinan Dream is the biggest of the four. It is rectangular with cut corners and weighs 24.18 carats. Its clarity is VS2. It was sold for $ 25.4M by Christie's on June 9, 2016, lot 261.
This diamond is exceptional. Its fancy intense hue is much rarer than the fancy vivid blue. The Oppenheimer Blue, identified as the largest fancy vivid blue ever offered at auction, only weighed 14.62 carats. It was sold for CHF 57M by Christie's in 2016.
Its price of $ 1M per carat is consistent with results obtained on other blue diamonds. A fancy intense blue with a VVS2 clarity weighing 7.64 carats was sold for CHF 9M by Sotheby's on 11 May 2010.
The other highly rare variety of blue, the fancy deep blue, can reach a price per carat of the same level or even higher. The estimate by Sotheby's in April 2016 at $ 2.6M per carat for the diamond of Shirley Temple was nevertheless much exaggerated.
The Memory of Autumn Leaves
2017 SOLD for CHF 42M by Sotheby's
On May 16, 2017, Sotheby's sold for CHF 42M an exceptional blue diamond, lot 377. It is in the best color, Fancy vivid blue, and perfect clarity, Internally Flawless (IF). The concentration of boron atoms in its crystal made it classify as Type IIb by the GIA, rarer than the Type IIa.
It weighs 14.54 carats, comparable with the 14.62 carats of the Oppenheimer Blue which was sold for CHF 57M by Christie's in 2016.
This diamond is pear shaped. Someone had the idea to choose a pink diamond of comparable cut and size. The two gems hanging each to a suite of two white diamonds thus constitutes temporarily the most sumptuous pair of earrings. They are named Apollo and Artemis by reference to the beautiful twins of Greek mythology.
The pair was divided. Artemis was sold for CHF 15.3M, lot 378. It is a Fancy intense pink Type IIa and VVS2 clarity weighing 16.00 carats.
The blue Apollo is now referred as The Memory of Autumn Leaves.
Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's.
Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Apr 10, 2017
The breathtaking Apollo and Artemis #Diamonds lead our Magnificent Jewels & Noble Jewels sale in #Geneva this spring http://bit.ly/2ohwJUO
It weighs 14.54 carats, comparable with the 14.62 carats of the Oppenheimer Blue which was sold for CHF 57M by Christie's in 2016.
This diamond is pear shaped. Someone had the idea to choose a pink diamond of comparable cut and size. The two gems hanging each to a suite of two white diamonds thus constitutes temporarily the most sumptuous pair of earrings. They are named Apollo and Artemis by reference to the beautiful twins of Greek mythology.
The pair was divided. Artemis was sold for CHF 15.3M, lot 378. It is a Fancy intense pink Type IIa and VVS2 clarity weighing 16.00 carats.
The blue Apollo is now referred as The Memory of Autumn Leaves.
Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's.
Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Apr 10, 2017
The breathtaking Apollo and Artemis #Diamonds lead our Magnificent Jewels & Noble Jewels sale in #Geneva this spring http://bit.ly/2ohwJUO
- This 2017 Sotheby's post highlights the Apollo and Artemis earrings, featuring a 16-carat fancy vivid blue pear-shaped diamond and a matching 16-carat fancy intense pink counterpart, as star lots in their Geneva jewelry auction.
- The earrings, named after the Greek twin deities for their divine rarity, sold for $57.4 million on May 16, 2017, shattering the previous auction record for earrings by over double.
- Fancy colored diamonds like these command premiums due to their scarcity; GIA data shows vivid blues occur in fewer than 0.02% of diamonds, underscoring their exceptional value.
The breathtaking Apollo and Artemis #Diamonds lead our Magnificent Jewels & Noble Jewels sale in #Geneva this spring https://t.co/uJ1tcXugGg pic.twitter.com/hW0pbkPf7D
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) April 10, 2017
2021 The De Beers Blue
2022 SOLD for HK$ 450M by Sotheby's
The De Beers Blue, a fancy vivid blue weighing 15.10 carats, is the largest vivid blue made available at auction and the largest internally flawless step cut diamond graded by the GIA. Its stone of about 40 carats has been extracted in 2021 by De Beers in their Cullinan mine.
It is bigger and clearer than the rectangular cut VVS1 14.62 carat Oppenheimer Blue, sold for CHF 57M by Christie's on May 18, 2016. It has the same internally flawless clarity as the cushion cut 12.03 carats of the Blue Moon, remarkable for its 20 second phosphorescent effect after exposure to UV light, sold for CHF 49M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2015.
The step cut, rectangular cut and emerald cut are the best suited to display the perfection of the gem, revealing any defect without pity and displaying the color in its evenly saturated beauty while optimizing the light reflection.
This masterwork of nature and craftsmanship was sold for HK$ 450M by Sotheby's in Hong Kong on April 27, 2022, lot 1800.
Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Feb 16, 2022
At 15.10 carats, the rare @debeersgroup Cullinan Blue Diamond is the largest vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction and the largest internally flawless step cut vivid blue diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded. https://bit.ly/3Bnldv0
It is bigger and clearer than the rectangular cut VVS1 14.62 carat Oppenheimer Blue, sold for CHF 57M by Christie's on May 18, 2016. It has the same internally flawless clarity as the cushion cut 12.03 carats of the Blue Moon, remarkable for its 20 second phosphorescent effect after exposure to UV light, sold for CHF 49M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2015.
The step cut, rectangular cut and emerald cut are the best suited to display the perfection of the gem, revealing any defect without pity and displaying the color in its evenly saturated beauty while optimizing the light reflection.
This masterwork of nature and craftsmanship was sold for HK$ 450M by Sotheby's in Hong Kong on April 27, 2022, lot 1800.
Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Feb 16, 2022
At 15.10 carats, the rare @debeersgroup Cullinan Blue Diamond is the largest vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction and the largest internally flawless step cut vivid blue diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded. https://bit.ly/3Bnldv0
- Sotheby's post from February 2022 promotes the 15.10-carat Cullinan Blue Diamond as the largest vivid blue diamond ever auctioned, GIA-graded internally flawless in a rare step cut, sourced from De Beers' historic Cullinan mine in South Africa.
- The accompanying image captures the gem's electric blue hue and exceptional transparency against a dark backdrop, evoking its $3.8 million per-carat value driven by boron impurities that tint only 0.02% of diamonds blue.
- Auctioned in Hong Kong on April 27, 2022, it fetched $57.5 million—nearly matching the 2016 Oppenheimer Blue record—highlighting how vivid blues command premiums up to 20 times colorless diamonds, per GIA color grading data.
At 15.10 carats, the rare @debeersgroup Cullinan Blue Diamond is the largest vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction and the largest internally flawless step cut vivid blue diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded. https://t.co/7Ch6cfAN8r pic.twitter.com/yscMNqGC1l
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) February 16, 2022
The Infinite Blue
2023 SOLD for HK$ 200M by Sotheby's
The Infinite Blue is a radiant cut fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 11.28 carats in a VS2 clarity. Its raw gem had been found in the same Cullinan mine as the Blue Moon of Josephine, the phosphorescent internally flawless fancy vivid blue sold for CHF 49M by Sotheby's in 2015.
The Infinite Blue is surrounded by pink tint brilliant diamonds and shouldered by white trapeze diamonds on a 18 karat white and pink gold ring. It was sold for HK $ 200M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2023, lot 8001. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
The Infinite Blue is surrounded by pink tint brilliant diamonds and shouldered by white trapeze diamonds on a 18 karat white and pink gold ring. It was sold for HK $ 200M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2023, lot 8001. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
