Decade 2010-2019
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Koons Jewels Blue diamond White diamond Time pieces New watches OnlyWatch Patek Philippe Mountains in China Modern China Cui Ruzhuo
See also : Koons Jewels Blue diamond White diamond Time pieces New watches OnlyWatch Patek Philippe Mountains in China Modern China Cui Ruzhuo
White Diamond
1
2011 - 118 Carats Flawless
2013 SOLD for HK$ 240M by Sotheby's
The diamond sold by Sotheby's on October 7, 2013 is D Type and Flawless, and weighs 118.28 carats. It fetched HK $ 240M.
It is oval cut from a 299 carat rough stone discovered in 2011 in a deep mine of southern Africa whose detailed location is not revealed. Its polishing and symmetry are considered excellent by the gemological laboratories.
It is oval cut from a 299 carat rough stone discovered in 2011 in a deep mine of southern Africa whose detailed location is not revealed. Its polishing and symmetry are considered excellent by the gemological laboratories.
2
2010s the Winston Legacy
2013 SOLD for CHF 26M by Christie's
Botswana's mines are operated jointly by the government and by De Beers, with all the precautions that you can imagine. Indeed the small town of Jwaneng was founded in 1982 as a closed community only accessible by permission of the government.
Because of this relatively recent operation, fabulous gems are still waiting to be discovered. The modern art of diamond will do the rest, as technological advances now enable to cut diamonds of perfect shape and symmetry.
Consider an example from the past. The Cullinan, extracted in Transvaal in 1905, was a gem of 3,106 carats. Nine major diamonds were cut from it, including the pear shaped Great Star of Africa achieved at 530.2 carats after eight months of preparation for adorning the British Royal sceptre.
On May 15, 2013, Christie's sold for CHF 26M a perfect diamond (type IIa, D color, flawless). It is pear shaped at 101.73 carats representing an excellent yield for that rough stone of 236 carats extracted in Jwaneng. Its polishing required 21 months of work. It was named the Winston Legacy after the sale.
The new wonder from Jwaneng was in its time the biggest perfect diamond ever presented at auction. Although having no other history than its discovery and preparation, its price per carat, US $ 270K, is consistent with the price recorded by Christie's in 2012 on the Archduke Joseph.
Because of this relatively recent operation, fabulous gems are still waiting to be discovered. The modern art of diamond will do the rest, as technological advances now enable to cut diamonds of perfect shape and symmetry.
Consider an example from the past. The Cullinan, extracted in Transvaal in 1905, was a gem of 3,106 carats. Nine major diamonds were cut from it, including the pear shaped Great Star of Africa achieved at 530.2 carats after eight months of preparation for adorning the British Royal sceptre.
On May 15, 2013, Christie's sold for CHF 26M a perfect diamond (type IIa, D color, flawless). It is pear shaped at 101.73 carats representing an excellent yield for that rough stone of 236 carats extracted in Jwaneng. Its polishing required 21 months of work. It was named the Winston Legacy after the sale.
The new wonder from Jwaneng was in its time the biggest perfect diamond ever presented at auction. Although having no other history than its discovery and preparation, its price per carat, US $ 270K, is consistent with the price recorded by Christie's in 2012 on the Archduke Joseph.
2016 necklace by De Grisogono
2017 SOLD for CHF 33.5M by Christie's
Since the depletion of Golconda, the finest pure diamonds of Type IIa are extracted in Austral Africa : South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Angola.
The arrival on the market of exceptional pieces of very recent extraction certainly demonstrates improvements in the techniques of prospecting, but also in the preparation of perfect diamonds.
On November 14, 2017, Christie's sold as lot 505 for CHF 33.5M a diamond type IIa, D color, Flawless clarity. Weighing 163.41 carats, it is the largest perfect white diamond ever offered at auction and one of the largest ever inspected by the GIA. This performance is not the result of chance but of the involvement of the best specialists in the world.
The steps are told in detail by Christie's in the featured post.
The rough stone is extracted in Angola in February 2016. Weighing 404 carats, it is promising while being far from the records. Its quality is confirmed in New York by spectrography. For several weeks a team of experts researches the defects of the crystal.
Its bean form is not directly usable. In June, the world's best diamond cleaver with more than 50 years of experience cuts the stone in two halves from the middle. The polishing in emerald cut lasts six months, facet after facet.
They must now design a piece of jewelry highlighting this unprecedented wonder. The diamond is brought in December 2016 to De Grisogono in Geneva, which designs an asymmetrical necklace of emeralds and diamonds in 44 cm length. The jewel entrusted to Christie's then travels around the world before returning to Geneva for its auction sale.
Grok thought
Quote
National Jeweler @NationalJeweler Oct 2, 2017
Later this fall @ChristiesInc will #auction off 163-carat #diamond set into a necklace by @deGRISOGONO #degrisogono http://ow.ly/Yuqz30fA5lk
Founded in 1993 by Fawaz Gruosi, de GRISOGONO quickly gained fame for its bold, glamorous designs, particularly pioneering the use of black diamonds in high jewelry (e.g., cutting the famous 312-carat Spirit of de GRISOGONO, the world's largest faceted black diamond at the time). The brand's signature style emphasized opulent volumes, rich colors (often emeralds for "good luck"), asymmetry, and intricate craftsmanship.
In 2016–2017, the house acquired a 404.20-carat rough diamond (named "4 de Fevereiro" after its discovery date in Angola's Lulo mine) and transformed it into a 163.41-carat emerald-cut D-color flawless Type IIA diamond—the largest of its kind ever graded by the GIA and offered at auction. Gruosi's team crafted 50 designs before selecting an asymmetric necklace with the diamond as the detachable centerpiece, accented by graduated emerald-cut diamonds on one side and cascading pear-shaped emeralds (nearly 6,000 stones total) on the other. It took 14 artisans over 1,700 hours to complete.
Auctioned at Christie's Geneva in November 2017, it sold for $33.7 million (CHF 33.5 million), setting a world record price per carat for a D-flawless diamond and propelling de GRISOGONO "into a class of their own," as stated by Christie's experts. This "mine-to-masterpiece" project marked the brand's 25th-anniversary milestone and its elevation to handling historic-scale gems.
While this remains de GRISOGONO's most iconic piece, the brand faced challenges later: ties to Angolan investors led to scandals (Luanda Leaks, 2020), bankruptcy in 2020, and acquisition by Dubai's Damac Group in 2022. The 2017 necklace endures as its greatest legacy in jewelry history.
The arrival on the market of exceptional pieces of very recent extraction certainly demonstrates improvements in the techniques of prospecting, but also in the preparation of perfect diamonds.
On November 14, 2017, Christie's sold as lot 505 for CHF 33.5M a diamond type IIa, D color, Flawless clarity. Weighing 163.41 carats, it is the largest perfect white diamond ever offered at auction and one of the largest ever inspected by the GIA. This performance is not the result of chance but of the involvement of the best specialists in the world.
The steps are told in detail by Christie's in the featured post.
The rough stone is extracted in Angola in February 2016. Weighing 404 carats, it is promising while being far from the records. Its quality is confirmed in New York by spectrography. For several weeks a team of experts researches the defects of the crystal.
Its bean form is not directly usable. In June, the world's best diamond cleaver with more than 50 years of experience cuts the stone in two halves from the middle. The polishing in emerald cut lasts six months, facet after facet.
They must now design a piece of jewelry highlighting this unprecedented wonder. The diamond is brought in December 2016 to De Grisogono in Geneva, which designs an asymmetrical necklace of emeralds and diamonds in 44 cm length. The jewel entrusted to Christie's then travels around the world before returning to Geneva for its auction sale.
Grok thought
Quote
National Jeweler @NationalJeweler Oct 2, 2017
Later this fall @ChristiesInc will #auction off 163-carat #diamond set into a necklace by @deGRISOGONO #degrisogono http://ow.ly/Yuqz30fA5lk
- This 2017 post from National Jeweler highlights an upcoming Christie's auction of a de GRISOGONO necklace featuring a 163.41-carat D-flawless emerald-cut diamond, the largest of its type and quality ever offered at auction.
- The piece, blending the colorless diamond with vibrant pear-shaped emeralds and baguette diamonds, sold for $33.7 million in Geneva, underscoring the premium on flawless, large-cut stones in high jewelry.
- Such auctions reflect the jewelry industry's fascination with record-breaking gems, where rarity drives value—D-flawless diamonds command up to 20% higher prices than near-flawless equivalents per GIA grading data.
Founded in 1993 by Fawaz Gruosi, de GRISOGONO quickly gained fame for its bold, glamorous designs, particularly pioneering the use of black diamonds in high jewelry (e.g., cutting the famous 312-carat Spirit of de GRISOGONO, the world's largest faceted black diamond at the time). The brand's signature style emphasized opulent volumes, rich colors (often emeralds for "good luck"), asymmetry, and intricate craftsmanship.
In 2016–2017, the house acquired a 404.20-carat rough diamond (named "4 de Fevereiro" after its discovery date in Angola's Lulo mine) and transformed it into a 163.41-carat emerald-cut D-color flawless Type IIA diamond—the largest of its kind ever graded by the GIA and offered at auction. Gruosi's team crafted 50 designs before selecting an asymmetric necklace with the diamond as the detachable centerpiece, accented by graduated emerald-cut diamonds on one side and cascading pear-shaped emeralds (nearly 6,000 stones total) on the other. It took 14 artisans over 1,700 hours to complete.
Auctioned at Christie's Geneva in November 2017, it sold for $33.7 million (CHF 33.5 million), setting a world record price per carat for a D-flawless diamond and propelling de GRISOGONO "into a class of their own," as stated by Christie's experts. This "mine-to-masterpiece" project marked the brand's 25th-anniversary milestone and its elevation to handling historic-scale gems.
While this remains de GRISOGONO's most iconic piece, the brand faced challenges later: ties to Angolan investors led to scandals (Luanda Leaks, 2020), bankruptcy in 2020, and acquisition by Dubai's Damac Group in 2022. The 2017 necklace endures as its greatest legacy in jewelry history.
2011 Popeye by Koons
2014 SOLD for $ 28M by Sotheby's
The series of the Celebrations brought to the art of Koons a universal language and a flawless and inimitable technique, with its pure colors in transparent coating onto a perfectly polished stainless steel. A come back to American kitsch was tempting. Koons highlighted Popeye.
This is a clever choice. The image of Popeye, created in 1929, is recognized worldwide. This character has a gruff and whimsical behavior that appeals to Americans. He is never completely caught by his stupidity offset by a large dose of sentimentality.
Popeye would not exist without his spinach box, which provides him with oversized forearms and an invincible strength. Koons notes that spinach transforms this character same as art transforms the reality of life. Popeye is the precursor of these superhuman heroes led by Superman who managed to brighten the Americans at the height of the Great Depression.
His name is an allusion to his pirate eye. Meanwhile, the pop art has gone. Koons offers a sign of connivence to pop art that is indeed a tribute to his predecessors Warhol, Lichtenstein and Mel Ramos.
As for the Celebrations, the figure has two dates, from design to completion. This 2 m high Popeye, dated 2009-2011, was edited in four units plus one artist's proof.
One of them was sold for $ 28M by Sotheby's on May 14, 2014. Please watch the video prepared by the auction house.
Comparison of Jeff Koons' Popeye (2009-2011) and Rabbit (1986)
Jeff Koons' Rabbit (1986) and the Popeye series (2009-2011) represent bookends in his exploration of pop culture, consumerism, and the transformation of everyday objects into high art. Both works exemplify his signature style of using stainless steel to create mirror-polished, balloon-like forms that blur the lines between kitsch, nostalgia, and fine sculpture. However, they differ in complexity, cultural references, and the evolution of Koons' thematic depth over time.
This is a clever choice. The image of Popeye, created in 1929, is recognized worldwide. This character has a gruff and whimsical behavior that appeals to Americans. He is never completely caught by his stupidity offset by a large dose of sentimentality.
Popeye would not exist without his spinach box, which provides him with oversized forearms and an invincible strength. Koons notes that spinach transforms this character same as art transforms the reality of life. Popeye is the precursor of these superhuman heroes led by Superman who managed to brighten the Americans at the height of the Great Depression.
His name is an allusion to his pirate eye. Meanwhile, the pop art has gone. Koons offers a sign of connivence to pop art that is indeed a tribute to his predecessors Warhol, Lichtenstein and Mel Ramos.
As for the Celebrations, the figure has two dates, from design to completion. This 2 m high Popeye, dated 2009-2011, was edited in four units plus one artist's proof.
One of them was sold for $ 28M by Sotheby's on May 14, 2014. Please watch the video prepared by the auction house.
Comparison of Jeff Koons' Popeye (2009-2011) and Rabbit (1986)
Jeff Koons' Rabbit (1986) and the Popeye series (2009-2011) represent bookends in his exploration of pop culture, consumerism, and the transformation of everyday objects into high art. Both works exemplify his signature style of using stainless steel to create mirror-polished, balloon-like forms that blur the lines between kitsch, nostalgia, and fine sculpture. However, they differ in complexity, cultural references, and the evolution of Koons' thematic depth over time.
- Rabbit (1986): This iconic sculpture is a life-size stainless steel cast of an inflatable toy rabbit, with a highly reflective, mirror-finish surface that gives it a sleek, almost ethereal quality. Part of Koons' Statuary series, it measures about 41 inches tall and transforms a cheap, disposable plaything into a monumental, durable art object. Its significance lies in critiquing societal perceptions of taste, value, and self-image—turning "low" consumer culture into "high" art while commenting on how objects reflect human desires and banality. One edition famously sold for $91.1 million at Christie's in 2019, setting a record for the most expensive work by a living artist at the time.
- Popeye (2009-2011): This series expands on similar ideas but with greater surrealism and complexity, featuring stainless steel sculptures based on mass-produced PVC figurines of the cartoon character Popeye, often combined with elements like inflatable animals, ladders, trash cans, fences, or even a red lobster in accompanying paintings. The sculptures are cast from aluminum molds coated for durability, maintaining Koons' polished aesthetic. Drawing from pop icons and childhood nostalgia (inspired by Chicago Imagist H.C. Westermann), it explores themes of heroism, mass media, and absurd juxtapositions in consumer society. One Popeye sculpture was acquired by casino mogul Steve Wynn for $28 million and displayed publicly.
- Materials and Technique: Both use mirror-polished stainless steel to mimic inflatable forms, creating illusions of lightness and impermanence in heavy, permanent metal.
- Themes: They appropriate pop culture--Rabbit from toy inflatables, Popeye from cartoons—to critique consumerism, banality, and the commodification of art.
- Cultural Impact: Each has achieved massive auction success and museum placements, solidifying Koons' status in the art market while sparking debates on originality and value.
- Complexity and Scope: Rabbit is a standalone, minimalist piece focused on a single, simple form, whereas Popeye is a multifaceted series with surreal installations and hybrid elements, reflecting Koons' maturation toward more narrative-driven works.
- Cultural References: Rabbit draws from anonymous consumer toys, emphasizing anonymity and mass production, while Popeye engages specific iconic characters, adding layers of nostalgia and heroism.
- Artistic Evolution: Created early in Koons' career, Rabbit marked his breakthrough in Neo-Pop; Popeye came later, building on decades of experimentation with scale, surrealism, and pop mashups.
- Late 1980s: Banality and Controversy: Following Rabbit, Koons launched the Banality series (1988), featuring porcelain statues like Michael Jackson and Bubbles (sold for $5.6 million in 2001) and Christ and the Lamb, blending Rococo spirituality with pop icons. This era saw his first major retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (1988) and polarized critics who praised his Warhol-inspired innovation but decried his commercialism.
- Early 1990s: Personal and Explicit Turn: The Made in Heaven series (1990-1991) featured explicit photographs and sculptures with his then-wife, Italian porn star and politician Ilona Staller (Cicciolina), exhibited at the Venice Biennale and sparking outrage over its pornographic elements. He also created Puppy (1992), a 43-foot floral topiary of a West Highland Terrier, installed in places like Bilbao's Guggenheim (where it survived a bombing attempt in 1997).
- Mid-1990s to 2000s: Celebration and Scale: The Celebration series (1994-2000s) dominated, with oversized stainless steel balloon animals, hearts, and eggs (e.g., Balloon Dog, Tulips), funded by collectors amid production delays. He explored collages in Easyfun and Easyfun-Ethereal (1999-2001), and created Split-Rocker (2000), a 37-foot hybrid floral sculpture of a pony and dinosaur.
- Achievements and Legal Battles: Retrospectives at institutions like the Walker Art Center (1993) and Deutsche Guggenheim (2000) boosted his profile, with awards like the Skowhegan Medal (2001) and Wollaston Award (2008). Auction records soared (e.g., Hanging Heart at $23.6 million in 2007), but he faced multiple copyright infringement lawsuits (e.g., over String of Puppies in 1992). By 2008, a Chicago retrospective broke attendance records, cementing his influence despite debates on authenticity in a media-saturated world.
CUI RUZHUO
1
2013 The Grand Snowing Mountains
2016 SOLD for HK$ 307M by Poly
Cui Ruzhuo is a connoisseur and keen collector of fine calligraphy and painting works from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties to modern masters. He is a doctoral tutor at the China Academy of Art in Beijing.
Cui assembles polyptychs composed of vertical panels painted in line and wash on paper in his signature finger ink technique. A single monumental work may occupy a full wall in an exhibition.
His themes appeal to the Chinese sensitivity. His favorite is the unlimited landscape of snowy mountains, eternally indifferent to men.
A set of eight panels made in 2005 for a total size of 202 x 988 cm was sold for HK $ 77M by Christie's on May 28, 2013, lot 1347.
Another Landscape in snow, painted in 2006, was sold for HK $ 184M by Poly on April 7, 2014, lot 2017. This ink and color on paper is an unfragmented hand scroll 64 cm x 36 m plus a frontispiece.
The Grand Snowing Mountains, inspired by Jiangnan, was painted in ink and color on paper by Cui Ruzhuo in 2013. It was sold by Poly on April 7, 2015 for HK $ 236M, lot 2314, just after being prepared as a set of eight mounted panels 292 x 143 cm.
Cui assembles polyptychs composed of vertical panels painted in line and wash on paper in his signature finger ink technique. A single monumental work may occupy a full wall in an exhibition.
His themes appeal to the Chinese sensitivity. His favorite is the unlimited landscape of snowy mountains, eternally indifferent to men.
A set of eight panels made in 2005 for a total size of 202 x 988 cm was sold for HK $ 77M by Christie's on May 28, 2013, lot 1347.
Another Landscape in snow, painted in 2006, was sold for HK $ 184M by Poly on April 7, 2014, lot 2017. This ink and color on paper is an unfragmented hand scroll 64 cm x 36 m plus a frontispiece.
The Grand Snowing Mountains, inspired by Jiangnan, was painted in ink and color on paper by Cui Ruzhuo in 2013. It was sold by Poly on April 7, 2015 for HK $ 236M, lot 2314, just after being prepared as a set of eight mounted panels 292 x 143 cm.
A similar example was sold by the same auction house on April 4, 2016 for HK $ 307M from a lower estimate of HK $ 150M as a mounted set of six for an overall 300 x 870 cm, lot 1213.
Asking Grok
Snowing Mountains by Cui Ruzhuo, sold by Poly on April 4, 2016, lot 1213. Check significance in the artist's career. Is it a rearrangement in six panels from the same landscape in eight panels sold by Poly on April 7, 2015, lot 2314 ?
Grok thought :
The sale of "The Grand Snowing Mountains" (also known as "Feixue Ban Chun" or "Flying Snow Accompanying Spring") for HK$306 million (approximately $39.5 million) at Poly Auction Hong Kong on April 4, 2016, marked a pivotal moment in Cui Ruzhuo's career. It set a new auction record for the artist, making it the most expensive work by a living Chinese artist at the time and one of the highest-priced artworks by any living artist globally. This sale underscored Cui's dominance in the contemporary Chinese ink painting market during the mid-2010s, where he repeatedly topped annual rankings for living Chinese artists by auction turnover (e.g., via Hurun Art List reports). It also reflected the booming demand for traditional-style Chinese ink landscapes amid a recovering art market post-2008 financial crisis, with Cui's finger-painting technique and snowy mountain motifs gaining international recognition. The work contributed to his cumulative auction sales exceeding $100 million in 2016 alone, solidifying his status as a leading figure in modern Chinese art.
No, the 2016 six-panel painting is not a rework of the eight-panel painting sold by Poly on April 7, 2015 (lot 2314). Records indicate the eight-panel work you referenced is likely "The Grand Snowing Mountainous Jiangnan Landscape" (completed in 2013 but sold on April 7, 2015 at Poly Auction Hong Kong for HK$236 million, with some sources possibly misstating the year due to the completion date). That 2015 sale was an eight-panel set, while the 2016 lot 1213 is a separate work (also completed in 2013) with different dimensions (299.5 x 873 cm) and no documented connection as a rework. Cui Ruzhuo has created multiple large-scale snowy mountain-themed polyptychs throughout his career, often in sets of varying panel counts, making these distinct pieces rather than modifications of each other.
Asking Grok
Snowing Mountains by Cui Ruzhuo, sold by Poly on April 4, 2016, lot 1213. Check significance in the artist's career. Is it a rearrangement in six panels from the same landscape in eight panels sold by Poly on April 7, 2015, lot 2314 ?
Grok thought :
The sale of "The Grand Snowing Mountains" (also known as "Feixue Ban Chun" or "Flying Snow Accompanying Spring") for HK$306 million (approximately $39.5 million) at Poly Auction Hong Kong on April 4, 2016, marked a pivotal moment in Cui Ruzhuo's career. It set a new auction record for the artist, making it the most expensive work by a living Chinese artist at the time and one of the highest-priced artworks by any living artist globally. This sale underscored Cui's dominance in the contemporary Chinese ink painting market during the mid-2010s, where he repeatedly topped annual rankings for living Chinese artists by auction turnover (e.g., via Hurun Art List reports). It also reflected the booming demand for traditional-style Chinese ink landscapes amid a recovering art market post-2008 financial crisis, with Cui's finger-painting technique and snowy mountain motifs gaining international recognition. The work contributed to his cumulative auction sales exceeding $100 million in 2016 alone, solidifying his status as a leading figure in modern Chinese art.
No, the 2016 six-panel painting is not a rework of the eight-panel painting sold by Poly on April 7, 2015 (lot 2314). Records indicate the eight-panel work you referenced is likely "The Grand Snowing Mountainous Jiangnan Landscape" (completed in 2013 but sold on April 7, 2015 at Poly Auction Hong Kong for HK$236 million, with some sources possibly misstating the year due to the completion date). That 2015 sale was an eight-panel set, while the 2016 lot 1213 is a separate work (also completed in 2013) with different dimensions (299.5 x 873 cm) and no documented connection as a rework. Cui Ruzhuo has created multiple large-scale snowy mountain-themed polyptychs throughout his career, often in sets of varying panel counts, making these distinct pieces rather than modifications of each other.
2
2017 Twelve Screens of Landscape
2017 SOLD for RMB 240M by Poly
A mounted set of twelve elements 216 x 76 cm painted in 2017 by Cui Ruzhuo was sold for RMB 240M by Poly on December 17, 2017.
It is illustrated in the post sale report shared by The Value. The reported title, Twelve screens of finger ink landscape, refers to the Cui's signature painting technique.
It is illustrated in the post sale report shared by The Value. The reported title, Twelve screens of finger ink landscape, refers to the Cui's signature painting technique.
3
2019 Rafting in Wind and Rain
2023 SOLD for RMB 230M by Yongle
Rafting in wind and rain, ink and color on paper 395 x 255 cm painted in 2019 by Cui Ruzhuo, features a boat brought home in harsh condition in a mountain surrounding.
It was sold for RMB 230M by Yongle on February 24, 2023.
It was sold for RMB 230M by Yongle on February 24, 2023.
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.
Blue Moon : One of the first major blue diamonds post-discovery to achieve flawless clarity. Provide details about that breakthrough.
Discovery and Acquisition
The Blue Moon of Josephine, originally known as the Blue Moon diamond, was discovered in January 2014 at the Cullinan Mine in South Africa. This historic mine, famous for producing rare blue diamonds, yielded a 29.62-carat rough stone that exhibited promising blue hues due to trace boron impurities. Shortly after, it was acquired by Cora International LLC, a New York-based diamond manufacturer, for $25.6 million—setting a record price per carat for a rough diamond at the time.
Examination Process
Before cutting, the rough diamond underwent extensive scientific examination to assess its potential. This included infrared (IR) spectroscopy conducted at the Smithsonian Institution's Department of Mineral Sciences using advanced equipment like the Thermo Scientific Nicolet 6700 FTIR spectrometer. The analysis confirmed it as a Type IIb diamond, with no detectable nitrogen and an uncompensated boron concentration of approximately 0.26 ± 0.04 ppm, responsible for its blue color. Additional tests revealed intense orange-red phosphorescence under short-wave UV light, lasting up to 20 seconds, with spectral peaks at 660 nm (dominant) and 500 nm. Birefringence imaging under crossed polarizers showed a "tatami" strain pattern with gray and blue interference colors, indicating internal stresses typical of such gems. No fluorescence was observed. These months-long studies, spanning from discovery to June 2014, were crucial for planning the cut to maximize color, size, and clarity while minimizing risks.
Cutting and Polishing
The cutting process, handled by Cora International in New York, took about six months and transformed the rough into a 12.03-carat cushion modified brilliant cut diamond (measuring 15.57 × 13.47 × 7.55 mm). This involved precise faceting to enhance brilliance and light return, incorporating a small culet facet to aid in flaw removal. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) graded it as Fancy Vivid Blue (the highest color saturation for blues) and Internally Flawless (IF), meaning no internal inclusions visible under 10x magnification.
The Breakthrough in Achieving Flawless Clarity
Achieving Internally Flawless clarity in the Blue Moon was a significant breakthrough because Type IIb blue diamonds, colored by boron, often feature structural weaknesses, inclusions, or uneven color distribution that make high-clarity cuts exceedingly difficult—especially in stones over 10 carats. Boron impurities can introduce defects that compromise the crystal lattice, leading to internal flaws that are hard to eliminate without sacrificing size or color intensity. Prior to this, large Fancy Vivid Blue diamonds rarely achieved IF clarity post-discovery, as the cutting process risked amplifying these issues or reducing the stone too much. The team at Cora International overcame these challenges through advanced examination techniques (like detailed spectroscopy and strain analysis) to map inclusions precisely, followed by skilled, risk-calculated faceting that removed imperfections while preserving the vivid hue and yielding a substantial 12.03-carat gem. This marked one of the first instances of a major blue diamond being cut to such perfection shortly after discovery, setting a new benchmark in gemology and contributing to its record-breaking auction sale in 2015.
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.
Blue Moon : One of the first major blue diamonds post-discovery to achieve flawless clarity. Provide details about that breakthrough.
Discovery and Acquisition
The Blue Moon of Josephine, originally known as the Blue Moon diamond, was discovered in January 2014 at the Cullinan Mine in South Africa. This historic mine, famous for producing rare blue diamonds, yielded a 29.62-carat rough stone that exhibited promising blue hues due to trace boron impurities. Shortly after, it was acquired by Cora International LLC, a New York-based diamond manufacturer, for $25.6 million—setting a record price per carat for a rough diamond at the time.
Examination Process
Before cutting, the rough diamond underwent extensive scientific examination to assess its potential. This included infrared (IR) spectroscopy conducted at the Smithsonian Institution's Department of Mineral Sciences using advanced equipment like the Thermo Scientific Nicolet 6700 FTIR spectrometer. The analysis confirmed it as a Type IIb diamond, with no detectable nitrogen and an uncompensated boron concentration of approximately 0.26 ± 0.04 ppm, responsible for its blue color. Additional tests revealed intense orange-red phosphorescence under short-wave UV light, lasting up to 20 seconds, with spectral peaks at 660 nm (dominant) and 500 nm. Birefringence imaging under crossed polarizers showed a "tatami" strain pattern with gray and blue interference colors, indicating internal stresses typical of such gems. No fluorescence was observed. These months-long studies, spanning from discovery to June 2014, were crucial for planning the cut to maximize color, size, and clarity while minimizing risks.
Cutting and Polishing
The cutting process, handled by Cora International in New York, took about six months and transformed the rough into a 12.03-carat cushion modified brilliant cut diamond (measuring 15.57 × 13.47 × 7.55 mm). This involved precise faceting to enhance brilliance and light return, incorporating a small culet facet to aid in flaw removal. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) graded it as Fancy Vivid Blue (the highest color saturation for blues) and Internally Flawless (IF), meaning no internal inclusions visible under 10x magnification.
The Breakthrough in Achieving Flawless Clarity
Achieving Internally Flawless clarity in the Blue Moon was a significant breakthrough because Type IIb blue diamonds, colored by boron, often feature structural weaknesses, inclusions, or uneven color distribution that make high-clarity cuts exceedingly difficult—especially in stones over 10 carats. Boron impurities can introduce defects that compromise the crystal lattice, leading to internal flaws that are hard to eliminate without sacrificing size or color intensity. Prior to this, large Fancy Vivid Blue diamonds rarely achieved IF clarity post-discovery, as the cutting process risked amplifying these issues or reducing the stone too much. The team at Cora International overcame these challenges through advanced examination techniques (like detailed spectroscopy and strain analysis) to map inclusions precisely, followed by skilled, risk-calculated faceting that removed imperfections while preserving the vivid hue and yielding a substantial 12.03-carat gem. This marked one of the first instances of a major blue diamond being cut to such perfection shortly after discovery, setting a new benchmark in gemology and contributing to its record-breaking auction sale in 2015.
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
2017 The Spirit of the Rose by Alrosa
2020 SOLD for CHF 24.4M by Sotheby's
The Yakutia region, which has become the Sakha Republic, has been for half a century one of the best producers of pink diamonds, operated by the Russian company Alrosa.
A gem discovered in 2017 is a purple pink diamond of exceptional weight, 27.85 carats. Prepared in Russia, the diamond has retained the elongated shape of the rough stone, allowing a sensational yield of over 50%. It weighs 14.83 carats and is certified Fancy Vivid Purple Pink and Internally Flawless by the GIA. Its oval modified brilliant cut perfectly reveals both colors.
Much rarer than the Fancy Vivid Pink or the Fancy Intense Pink, the Fancy Vivid Purple Pink shows a perfect balance between its two colors, unlike the Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink which has a pink dominant.
The company gave the raw gem the name Nijinsky, in memory of the costume adorned with rose petals worn in 1911 in Monte Carlo by the Russian dancer in the memorable ballet Le Spectre de la Rose. The finished diamond was named The Spirit of the Rose when it was announced in August 2019. It was sold for CHF 24.4M on November 11, 2020 by Sotheby's, lot 204. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
A Fancy Vivid Purple Pink weighing 8.41 carats, also Internally Flawless, was sold by Sotheby's on October 7, 2014 for HK $ 138M, making US $ 2.1M per carat, one of the highest results recorded in the whole range of pink diamonds.
The Spirit of the Rose is a 14.83-carat oval-cut Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink diamond, graded Internally Flawless (IF) by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), with excellent polish, very good symmetry, and Type IIa chemical purity (among the purest diamonds, with exceptional optical transparency).
Mined and polished entirely in Russia by Alrosa, the world's largest diamond producer by volume, it was offered as lot 204 at Sotheby's Geneva Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale on November 11, 2020. It sold for approximately $26.6 million (including buyer's premium) to an anonymous telephone bidder, setting a record at the time for the highest auction price for a purple-pink diamond.
Key Details
This diamond represents several milestones for Alrosa:
A gem discovered in 2017 is a purple pink diamond of exceptional weight, 27.85 carats. Prepared in Russia, the diamond has retained the elongated shape of the rough stone, allowing a sensational yield of over 50%. It weighs 14.83 carats and is certified Fancy Vivid Purple Pink and Internally Flawless by the GIA. Its oval modified brilliant cut perfectly reveals both colors.
Much rarer than the Fancy Vivid Pink or the Fancy Intense Pink, the Fancy Vivid Purple Pink shows a perfect balance between its two colors, unlike the Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink which has a pink dominant.
The company gave the raw gem the name Nijinsky, in memory of the costume adorned with rose petals worn in 1911 in Monte Carlo by the Russian dancer in the memorable ballet Le Spectre de la Rose. The finished diamond was named The Spirit of the Rose when it was announced in August 2019. It was sold for CHF 24.4M on November 11, 2020 by Sotheby's, lot 204. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
A Fancy Vivid Purple Pink weighing 8.41 carats, also Internally Flawless, was sold by Sotheby's on October 7, 2014 for HK $ 138M, making US $ 2.1M per carat, one of the highest results recorded in the whole range of pink diamonds.
The Spirit of the Rose is a 14.83-carat oval-cut Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink diamond, graded Internally Flawless (IF) by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), with excellent polish, very good symmetry, and Type IIa chemical purity (among the purest diamonds, with exceptional optical transparency).
Mined and polished entirely in Russia by Alrosa, the world's largest diamond producer by volume, it was offered as lot 204 at Sotheby's Geneva Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale on November 11, 2020. It sold for approximately $26.6 million (including buyer's premium) to an anonymous telephone bidder, setting a record at the time for the highest auction price for a purple-pink diamond.
Key Details
- Origin — Extracted in July 2017 from the Ebelyakh alluvial deposit in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia, as a 27.85-carat rough crystal — the largest pink rough diamond ever mined in Russia (dwarfing Alrosa's prior record of 3.86 carats).
- Cutting — Took about a year at Alrosa's Diamonds Alrosa facility in Moscow, requiring special care due to internal stresses typical in pink diamonds.
- Naming — The rough was called "Nijinsky" after dancer Vaslav Nijinsky; the polished stone honors the 1911 Ballets Russes production Le Spectre de la Rose (The Spirit of the Rose).
This diamond represents several milestones for Alrosa:
- Demonstrates expertise in producing high-value fancy colored diamonds beyond its traditional focus on volume.
- Positions Russia as a source of top-tier pinks amid declining supply from Australia's Argyle mine (primary global source for pinks, which closed in 2020).
- Became the most expensive polished diamond ever sold from Russian production.
- Highlighted Alrosa's in-house cutting capabilities and revival of Russian gem-cutting traditions.
2019 Patek Philippe 6300A-010
2019 SOLD for CHF 31M by Christie's for OnlyWatch
In 2014, for celebrating the 175th anniversary of the brand, Patek Philippe release their first Grandmaster Chime wristwatch under the reference 5175 edited in seven units. Its 20 functions required 1,366 components for the movement and 215 components for the case, surpassing the 6200 Sky Moon Tourbillon. It is the achievement of 60,000 hours of development over seven years.
The 5175 is 48 mm in diameter and 16 mm in height with 11 pushers and buttons. Its central mechanism activates in parallel the visual reading on two dials including the perpetual calendar, the chimes of hours, quarters, minutes and day, and the acoustic alarm preselected with an accuracy of a quarter of an hour. The running time of the mechanical winding is 72 hours in silent mode and 30 hours in grande sonnerie.
Two of these applications are unprecedented : the insertion of an alarm in a wristwatch, and the audible indication of the day in the month in two digits covering 1 to 31 by the tens and units. The watch also strikes on demand the current hour and minute. A security prevents the user from operating two mechanisms at the same time if they are not compatible.
The reference 6300G in gray gold launched in 2016 is similar to the 5175 except that the references to the celebration have been removed.
The Only Watch charity sale is held every second year since 2005 for the benefit of the research on the Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The 2019 auction is managed by Christie's in Geneva on November 9.
According to the rules applicable to this operation, each manufacturer offers a watch for which it guarantees that it is and will remain a one-off. On this year Patek Philippe supplies the unique copy of Grandmaster Chime in stainless steel, reference 6300A-010, lot 28 estimated CHF 2.5M. The steel improves the sound. It is inscribed "The Only One" on one of the dials. It was sold for CHF 31M.
The lot includes a one-day private tour of the workshops and museum for two people and a lunch with Thierry Stern, president of Patek Philippe.
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010
The Patek Philippe Ref. 6300A-010, sold at Christie's in Geneva on November 9, 2019, during the 8th edition of the Only Watch charity auction, is a unique stainless steel version of the brand's most complicated wristwatch, the Grandmaster Chime.
Technical Achievement for Patek Philippe
The Grandmaster Chime is widely regarded as Patek Philippe's most complicated wristwatch ever produced, featuring 20 complications in a single movement (Caliber 300 GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM). Originally introduced in 2014 for the brand's 175th anniversary (as Ref. 5175, limited to 7 pieces), it entered regular production in 2016 as Ref. 6300 in precious metals.
Key highlights:
"This piece represents the pinnacle of Patek Philippe's expertise in chiming watches and grand complications, combining acoustic excellence, mechanical ingenuity, and rare handcrafts.
Significance in the History of Only Watch Charity Auctions
Only Watch is a biennial charity auction organized since 2005 under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco, with 100% of proceeds benefiting research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Brands donate unique or special-edition timepieces.
The sale of the 6300A-010 for CHF 31,000,000 (approximately $31.2 million USD at the time) was a landmark event:
The 5175 is 48 mm in diameter and 16 mm in height with 11 pushers and buttons. Its central mechanism activates in parallel the visual reading on two dials including the perpetual calendar, the chimes of hours, quarters, minutes and day, and the acoustic alarm preselected with an accuracy of a quarter of an hour. The running time of the mechanical winding is 72 hours in silent mode and 30 hours in grande sonnerie.
Two of these applications are unprecedented : the insertion of an alarm in a wristwatch, and the audible indication of the day in the month in two digits covering 1 to 31 by the tens and units. The watch also strikes on demand the current hour and minute. A security prevents the user from operating two mechanisms at the same time if they are not compatible.
The reference 6300G in gray gold launched in 2016 is similar to the 5175 except that the references to the celebration have been removed.
The Only Watch charity sale is held every second year since 2005 for the benefit of the research on the Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The 2019 auction is managed by Christie's in Geneva on November 9.
According to the rules applicable to this operation, each manufacturer offers a watch for which it guarantees that it is and will remain a one-off. On this year Patek Philippe supplies the unique copy of Grandmaster Chime in stainless steel, reference 6300A-010, lot 28 estimated CHF 2.5M. The steel improves the sound. It is inscribed "The Only One" on one of the dials. It was sold for CHF 31M.
The lot includes a one-day private tour of the workshops and museum for two people and a lunch with Thierry Stern, president of Patek Philippe.
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010
The Patek Philippe Ref. 6300A-010, sold at Christie's in Geneva on November 9, 2019, during the 8th edition of the Only Watch charity auction, is a unique stainless steel version of the brand's most complicated wristwatch, the Grandmaster Chime.
Technical Achievement for Patek Philippe
The Grandmaster Chime is widely regarded as Patek Philippe's most complicated wristwatch ever produced, featuring 20 complications in a single movement (Caliber 300 GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM). Originally introduced in 2014 for the brand's 175th anniversary (as Ref. 5175, limited to 7 pieces), it entered regular production in 2016 as Ref. 6300 in precious metals.
Key highlights:
- Reversible case (47.7 mm diameter, 16.07 mm thick) with two independent dials: one salmon/opaline rose gold with time functions, the other ebony black for calendar displays.
- Five chiming functions, including grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie, and minute repeater.
- Two patented world firsts:
- An acoustic alarm that chimes the exact pre-set time (reproducing the minute repeater's tone sequence).
- A date repeater that audibly announces the date on demand.
- Other complications include instantaneous perpetual calendar with four-digit year display, second time zone, moon phases, crown position indicator, and strike mode isolator (to prevent damage from improper operation).
- Development required over 100,000 hours, incorporating six patents for innovations in acoustics and mechanisms.
"This piece represents the pinnacle of Patek Philippe's expertise in chiming watches and grand complications, combining acoustic excellence, mechanical ingenuity, and rare handcrafts.
Significance in the History of Only Watch Charity Auctions
Only Watch is a biennial charity auction organized since 2005 under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco, with 100% of proceeds benefiting research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Brands donate unique or special-edition timepieces.
The sale of the 6300A-010 for CHF 31,000,000 (approximately $31.2 million USD at the time) was a landmark event:
- It set the record for the most expensive watch ever sold at auction (surpassing the previous record of $24 million for the Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication pocket watch in 2014 and $17.8 million for Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona in 2017).
- It remains the highest price achieved for a wristwatch at auction to date.
- The entire 2019 Only Watch auction raised CHF 38.6 million, nearly doubling prior totals, with this lot alone contributing the vast majority.
