Sothebys auction house confirmed that the “De Beers Blue” diamond was sold for $57.5million.
According to the auction house the diamond is a 15.10-carat Fancy Vivid Blue step-cut Fancy Vivid Blue, which is the largest of its kind ever placed on the open marketplace. The diamond was expected to sell for $48million before the auction.
The gem was not sold without a fight. The bidding war between the four participants lasted eight minutes, before the diamond was finally purchased. Unnamed client representing Wenhao Yu at Sotheby’s Asia, was the auction winner.
Bruce Cleaver, CEO of De Beers Group, stated that this diamond is “one of the finest De Beers has ever seen”, calling it “extremely rare” and “unique.”
The diamond sold for $57,471,960. This is just a narrow miss of the record for the highest blue diamond sale, which is currently held by the Oppenheimer Blue diamond. According to Sothebys, the 14.62-carat gem was sold for $57.541,779 in 2016, a price that is considered “nearly equal” to the “De Beers Blue.”
The “CTF Pink Star,” an expensive fancy vivid pink diamond that was sold for $71,175,926 in 2017, holds the record for most expensive diamond auctioned.
The De Beers Blue captured my attention from the first moment I saw it. It is a stunningly beautiful blue diamond with a powerful, vivid color.
Sotheby’s claims Wednesday’s gem was made from stone from South Africa’s Cullinan Mine in 2021. According to Sotheby’s, blue diamonds are extremely rare. The auction house considers the sale of the “De Beers Blue”, which is characterized by its clarity, carats, and color, a “landmark” event.
