Once in a Blue Moon: Cora’s 12ct Vivid Blue Diamond Revealed

August 27th, 2014 by Noam Flint

The rarity, beauty and price points of blue diamonds are often unsurpassable.

Still, not all of them are created equal. Once in a blue moon, one particularly exceptional stone is discovered, captivating the interest of diamond cutters, auction houses, investors and collectors alike.

Update: The Blue Moon Diamond was sold. Read the full information here.

One such gem is the massive 29.62-carat rough blue diamond, now appropriately known as the Blue Moon, that was discovered last January in South Africa.

One month later, Cora International won the diamond at an auction for $25.6 million, far surpassing initial estimates for its price. Over the past six months, Cora has been in the process of polishing it to perfection. The result? An impressive cushion-cut 12.0-carat fancy vivid blue diamond that has the diamond industry talking.

Blue Perfection

Despite the fact that the sheer size of the stone turned heads when it was first discovered, there are many other reasons why so many people are stunned by it now, regardless of the fact that it lost more than a few carats in the cutting and polishing process. For one, the intensity of the color is remarkable.

You can’t describe that blue, You just drown in it”

Suzette Gomes, chief executive officer of Cora International, told Bloomberg News.

Additionally, the diamond boasts Internally Flawless clarity.

Gomes explained to Forbes that one of the most unusual aspects of this colored diamond is how consistent and saturated the hue is throughout the stone with no presence of secondary colors such as grey.

When exposed to ultraviolet light, the Blue Moon emitted an orangey-red glow for 20 seconds, which is a longer time span than the majority of blue diamonds. Gomes noted the longer-lasting phosphor red glow indicates the purity of the diamond. The actual hue is noteworthy as well.

While the Hope Diamond, one of the most famous blue stones in history, was a deep blue, the Blue Moon has been described as aqua, with facets that almost resemble ocean waves. The striking transparency of the stone also makes it appear like a crystal-clear body of water with sunlight bouncing off its surface.

Gomes even went so far as to call the Blue Moon the highlight of her career, and it’s easy to see why.

“The fact that you could buy it rough, plan it and cut it is special,” she told Forbes. “This is a billion years old and it’s going to be here long after we’re gone. That’s the beauty of diamonds.”

Another important aspect of this stone, Gomes said, is the known origin. Knowing where the gem came from gives it more of a back story, adding to its significance.

Watch the diamond live:

Where can the Blue Moon be seen?

So what’s next for the Blue Moon? Gomes explained to Forbes that the cushion-cut shape of the stone makes it a fitting option for a ring or a brooch. However, she asserted it would work just as well as a piece of wall art. The diamond will be on display at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Sept. 13 through Jan. 6. After that,

What is the value of the Blue Moon?

These type of diamonds are often considered priceless. But life has taught us that everything has it’s price.

Considering that the diamond was sold in the rough at $25.6 Million, it is safe to assume that the price of the polished will be way more especially considering the amazing result – Flawless Vivid Blue. But this is not the only flawless blue out there…

Back in May Christie’s amazed the world with a new world record – The Perfect Blue Diamond sold for  $24,249,680 - beneath the price Cora International paid for the rough. Just for recollection, The Perfect Blue is a 13.22 carat pear shaped flawless blue diamond – sounds familiar? Sounds similar?

With that said, no two diamonds are alike and especially blue diamonds – the hue of each is unique and different.

Bloomberg News reported that Gomes believes the Blue Moon will sell for “tens and tens and tens of millions of dollars.”

At this point, we’ll just have to wait and see!