07/11/2023 8:23 pm (current 07/11/2023 8:23 pm)
17.61 carat gem auctioned ©APA/AFP
A rare blue diamond was sold for 39.5 million Swiss francs (41 million euros) at an auction in Geneva. According to a spokeswoman for auction house Christie’s, the 17.61-carat precious stone called “Bleu Royal” is one of the ten most expensive jewels ever auctioned. An anonymous private collector received the contract on Tuesday, beating out two other bidders.
According to Christie’s, the “Bleu Royal” set in a ring is the largest flawless, brilliant blue diamond ever offered at auction. The estimated value of the teardrop-shaped stone, which was around 13 millimeters long and 8 millimeters wide, was between 32.8 million and 46.8 million euros. It was not revealed who sold the ring. The “Bleu Royal” was said to have been part of an “important private collection” for 50 years.