On Monday, April 20th, Sotheby’s New York allowed an exclusive preview of a rare and vivid blue diamond. The diamond weighs in at 7.03 carats and experts expect the diamond to go for up to $8.5 million. The diamond will be auctioned off in Geneva, Switzerland at the “Magnificent Jewels” event on May 12th. The diamond is being displayed in New York, Hong Kong, Paris and London prior to auction day.
This blue diamond was cut from a 26.58 carat rough diamond. The diamond was discovered last year in the Cullinan Mine located in Pretoria, South Africa. The mine is known for producing blue diamonds.
Sotheby’s states that this diamond is very unique due to its remarkable clarity. The Gemological Institute of America has graded the diamond as “fancy vivid blue in color and internally flawless in clarity.” This is the highest possible grading available for a diamond by the Institute. Colored diamonds are extremely rare because the ideal conditions required to make them seldom occur in nature.
Unique blue diamonds are not unfamiliar to Sotheby’s. A 6 carat emerald-cut diamond was sold by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong for nearly $8 million in October 2007. David Bennett, head of Sotheby’s jewelry in Europe and the Middle East stated that the diamond “certainly ranks among the most important blue diamonds that I have had the privilege of offering for sale.”
The diamond is cushion cut and is currently set in a simple prong setting on a ring. The buyer of the diamond will have the right to choose a name for the diamond as well.
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May 2nd, 2009 at 3:43 pm
which is the most expensive diamond sold ever in history..!