A rare blue diamond sold for over 40 million dollars at auction

A rare 17.61-carat pear-shaped blue diamond named Bleu Royal has set a record by selling for over 40 million dollars (32 million pounds) at a Christie's auction in Geneva.

The diamond, part of a private collection for 50 years, achieved a sale price of 43.8 million dollars and is now considered the "largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue gem" ever to appear at auction.

Christie's highlighted its rarity, stating it was cut and polished into a perfectly symmetrical pear combined with a rich vivid blue colour and flawless purity. The auction house said only three fancy vivid blue diamonds over 10 carats have been presented at their auctions in the last 250 years. Max Fawcett, Christie's Head of Jewellery in Geneva, called it the "most expensive jewellery lot sold in all of 2023."

“This is a true miracle of nature,” Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewellery, commented. “Over our 257-year long history Christie’s has had the privilege of offering the world’s rarest gems at auction, and Bleu Royal continues this tradition.”

The success of this auction follows a recent sale of a Rolex watch worn by Marlon Brando for around 5 million dollars, reported the BBC. Christie's is also conducting an online sale featuring a pearl necklace worn by Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday."