World’s largest blue diamond to come to auction has sold for $57.5 million

The world’s largest ever auctioned blue diamond sold for 450,925,000 HKD, or .5 57.5 million.

According to Sotheby’s, after an eight-minute bidding battle between four prospective buyers, the 15.10-carat large step-cut gem sold at Hong Kong’s Sotheby’s was named “The Bear Cleanon Blue.” The winning bid, which surpassed its highest estimate of $ 48 million, came from An anonymous buyer by telephone.

According to a statement from Sotheby’s, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) classified the jewelry as “fancy bright blue” – a high color rating, which is 1 of the blue diamonds submitted to the organization. Not more than percent.

Describing the diamond as “extraordinarily rare,” Sotheby’s said in a statement that only five pieces of jewelry over 10 carats were up for auction. No one is taller than 15 carats, “makes the appearance of this flawless jewel a historical event in itself.”

With a final price of $ 57,471,960, The De Beers Cullinan Blue offered a slight rebate from setting a record for the most expensive blue diamond ever sold at auction. The title is still held by the 14.62 carat “Openheimer Blue”, which sold in 2016 with a final price of $ 57,541,779, a difference of just under $ 70,000.

Patty Wong, chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, said in a statement: “This is indeed a breed of stone, and the largest blue diamond of its size I have ever seen.”