Personal Consultation
By Benji, Content ManagerThis has been quite the year thus far for diamond sales worldwide. Significant stones of various sizes, shapes, and colors have surpassed estimates and have broken records. Earlier this month was saw another monumental diamond, the Cullinan Dream, put up for auction. This remarkable beautiful blue managed to sell for $25.4 million.
Although this is a hefty sum for nearly every pocket, it’s close to a quarter of the $3.9 million per-carat price that the Oppenheimer Blue, another famous blue diamond that was recently bought, sold for. However, the difference in price isn’t that big of a surprise since the Oppenheimer Blue had a vivid intensity while the Cullinan was a fancy intense blue. Nevertheless, this was an important sale, as it was the largest fancy intense blue diamond ever to be sold at auction.
The Stone
Weighing 24.18 carats, the mixed-cut cut-cornered rectangular diamond is set upon a platinum setting and is flanked by two baguette-cut diamonds on either side. It is no wonder this fancy intense blue diamond was the centerpiece of the Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels sale.
Although this stone was beautiful, there is only so much that was expected. To compare, the Graff Pink, a 24-carat intense pink diamond, sold in 2010 for $46.2 million. Similarly, the Blue Oppenheimer, a 14.62-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, sold in May for $57.5 million. The per-carat price of $3.9 million was trumped only by the Blue Moon diamond, which sold in November for $4.02 million a carat.
The History
Sourced from the Cullinan mine in South Africa, previously known as the Premier mine, the Cullinan Dream was originally part of a 122.52-carat rough diamond. The stone was cut into four smaller diamonds, the largest being the Cullinan Dream. Between the diamond’s size, color, and Type IIb property, it is exceptionally unusual and a truly rare find.
Additional Sales
While the Cullinan Dream was the top lot at this Christie’s sale, there were many others with significant stones. In total, the lots brought in $42.4 million with four other lots selling diamonds for over $1 million. These lots included a 52.76-carat colorless oval brilliant-cut diamond that brought in $2.045 million, a 51.06-carat fancy intense yellow diamond that sold for $1.625 million, a pair of cushion brilliant-cut earrings that sold for $1.325 million, and an oval emerald weighing 16.12 carats that was bought for $1.265 million.
The largest fancy intense blue diamond ever sold at auction did not surpass the sum of a fancy vivid blue diamond of smaller proportions that was recently sold, making it the most expensive diamond ever sold at auction. Nevertheless, it remains an important fixture in the world of diamonds, and the world of fancy blue diamond in particular.
Browse through our collection of natural blue diamonds.
