Record-breaking vivid blue diamond set to dazzle at auction

by sarah_bauder | April 17, 2025 5:45 pm

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Christie’s has announced the upcoming sale of a 23.24-carat fancy Golconda blue diamond, the largest of its kind ever to be available at auction. Slated to headline the auction house’s Magnificent Jewels sale on May 14, 2025, in Geneva, the diamond is estimated to fetch between $35 and $50 million USD. Considered one of the rarest and most significant diamonds ever discovered, the gemstone is mounted as a ring by Parisian designer JAR.

The diamond’s provenance has recently been traced to Indian royalty, specifically, Yeshwant Rao Holkar, the Maharaja of Indore, and his wife, Krishna Bai Holkar, the Maharani of Indore. During the 1920s and ’30s, the couple was renowned for their style and sophistication.

“Exceptional noble gems of this caliber come to market once in a lifetime,” says Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewellery. Over the course of its 259-year history, Christie’s has had the honor of offering some of the world’s most important Golconda diamonds, including the Archduke Joseph, the Princie, and the Wittelsbach. With its Royal heritage, extraordinary color, and exceptional size, the Golconda Blue is truly one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world.”

For context, the 76.02-carat Archduke Joseph Diamond sold for $21.5 million in 2012. Moreover, the 35.56-carat Wittelsbach Diamond sold for $24.3 million in 2008, and in 2013, the 34.65-carat Princie sold for over $39.3 million.

Source URL: https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/news/blue-diamond-auction/

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