The Largest Blue Diamond in World History Auctioned in Hong Kong for $57.5 Million.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime gem and the finest diamond of its size that I have ever seen,” said Patti Wong, Chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, in a statement reported by CNN on April 28.
Named The De Beers Cullinan Blue, this massive diamond weighs 15.1 carats and was sold after an 8-minute bidding war among four potential buyers, according to Sotheby’s.
The winning bid, placed by an anonymous buyer over the phone, exceeded the estimated price of $48 million.
The largest blue diamond in the world, The De Beers Cullinan Blue. (Photo: Sotheby’s).
This rare diamond was discovered at the Cullinan Mine in South Africa in 2021. It was later graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) as having a “vivid blue” color – the highest color grade for diamonds.
Sotheby’s described this diamond as “exceptionally rare” because only five gems over 10 carats have appeared at auctions to date, and none have exceeded 15 carats. Thus, “the mere existence of this perfect gem is a landmark event.”
With a final price of $57,471,960, The De Beers Cullinan Blue narrowly missed the record for the most expensive blue diamond ever sold at auction.
That title still belongs to the Oppenheimer Blue, which weighs 14.62 carats and was sold in 2016 for a final price of $57,541,779, a difference of nearly $70,000.
