Blue Moon Diamond Expected to Break Auction Records
October 29th, 2015 by Noam Flint
Blue diamonds are real and as Sotheby’s prepares for their fall auction, the world waits in anticipation for the fairest of them all. Of all the jewels that will be showcased in the 2015 sale, there is one that has everyone holding their breath. The Blue Moon Diamond will be the spotlight of the November auction, as many experts believe it will shatter records to become the world’s most expensive diamond.
The Blue Moon Diamond
Image: Sotheby’s (video below)
From 0 to $60 Million in one year
The Graff Pink Diamond previously held this record when it sold for $46.1 million at the Sotheby’s auction in 2010. The current estimate for the Blue Moon is almost $10 million more that the Pink Graff.
After it was discovered in Cullinan Mine of South Africa in 2014, Petra Diamonds brought the then-29.62-carat diamond to New York. In the U.S., the Blue Moon Diamond spent over six months with Cora International as it was polished and cut down to maximize its beauty. Before it was announced that the Blue Diamond would be auctioned, the stone was studied at the Smithsonian Institution and was displayed at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
29.6 carat Rough Blue Diamond by Petra – Image by Petra Diamonds
Of the final product, David Bennett, worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s international jewelry division, told The Mirror, “Weighing in at 12.03 carats, the ‘Blue Moon’ diamond is a simply sensational stone of perfect color and purity, combined with a superb cushion shape.”
One of the rarest diamonds in the world
To fully comprehend the singularity of the Blue Moon, you must first understand how rare blue diamonds are to begin with. In terms of natural colored diamonds, which are exceptionally rare in their own right, blue diamonds are among the rarest.
Now consider these facts: this cushion-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond is the largest to ever go up for auction weighing 12.03 carats. Not only that, but the Blue Moon Diamond was also declared internally flawless and given the highest color grading possible, making it even rarer. The high-quality and beauty of this stone are so rare, in fact, that Sotheby’s was inspired to call the diamond the “Blue Moon” for the equally stunning and rare natural phenomenon.
The Blue Moon Diamond and the other jewels in the Sotheby’s fall auction will be available for bidding on Nov. 11 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Blue diamonds have always fascinated gemologist and diamond connoisseurs, but there is something truly unique about the Blue Moon. With diamonds like this one making their appearance in the world, many are left wondering how big and beautiful the diamonds of the future will be.
* Images Sotheby’s. More info about the auction here
