Sotheby’s will sell eight blue fancy blue diamonds from De Beers—with a combined total value of more than $70 million—across its Magnificent Jewels auctions over the next year.
The De Beers Exceptional Blue collection consists of eight rare blue gems, ranging in size from a 1.22 carat oval brilliant-cut diamond to an 11.29 carat step-cut diamond.
The diamonds come from a collection of five rare blue roughs—weighing a total of 85.6 carats—which De Beers purchased for $40 million in November 2020 with partner Diacore. The diamonds were purchased from Petra Diamonds, which owns the Cullinan mine, which De Beers sold to Petra in 2007.
In April, Sotheby’s Hong Kong sold the 15.1 carat De Beers Blue for $57.5 million.
The collection includes:
– De Beers Exceptional Blue 11.29, an 11.29 carat step-cut fancy vivid blue and the biggest, and potentially most valuable, diamond in the collection. It carries a $28 million–$50 million estimate.
– The De Beers Exceptional Blue 5.53, a cushion brilliant-cut fancy vivid blue weighing 5.53 carats. It carries an $11 million–$15 million estimate.
It is one of three gems from this collection being sold at by the auction house this year. It will go under the hammer at on Nov. 9 at Sotheby’s Magnificent and Noble Jewels auction in Geneva.
– The De Beers Exceptional Blue 4.13, a step-cut fancy intense blue with a weight of 4.13 carats that will sell for an estimated $2.5 million–$3 million.
– The De Beers Exceptional Blue 3.24, a cushion brilliant-cut internally flawless fancy vivid blue weighing 3.24 carats. It carries an estimate of $5 million–$8 million. It will be offered at Sotheby’s Dec. 7 Magnificent Jewels auction in New York City.
– The De Beers Exceptional Blue 3.1, a 3.1 carat cushion brilliant-cut fancy vivid blue. Its estimate is $4.5 million–$5 million.
– The De Beers Exceptional Blue 2.08, a 2.08 carat cushion-cut fancy intense blue. It carries a $1.2 million–$1.5 million estimate and will also be sold on Dec. 7 in New York City.
The collection is rounded out with a 1.5 carat round brilliant-cut fancy intense blue (estimate: $750,000–$1 million) and a 1.22 carat oval brilliant-cut fancy blue (estimate: $600,000–$800,000).
Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s
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