Culture / Auctions

Oppenheimer Blue Sets Record Price at Christie’s

The largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction set a world record with its $57.5 million price tag.

May 19, 2016 | By Shatricia Nair

In what seems like a week of record-breaking auctions, the Oppenheimer Blue diamond has been sold forĀ a historic $57.5 million. This final price at a Christie’s auction in Geneva easily overshadowed the $48.4 million price tag of theĀ 12.03-carat ā€œBlue Moon of Josephineā€ last year.

The Fancy Vivid Blue rectangular-cut gem, weighing an impressive 14.62 carats, was the lead item at Christieā€™s Geneva Magnificent Jewels auction at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, Geneva, May 18, 2016.

The stunner was named after its previous owner, Sir Philip Oppenheimer ā€“ a name synonymous with precious gems, largely because his family owned the legendary diamond company De Beers.

Set in a platinum ring, and flanked on either side by a trapeze-cut diamond, the Oppenheimer Blue’sĀ VVS1 (Very Very Slightly Included) clarity grade is one step below Internally Flawless. This means that the gem only has minute inclusions that are difficult for a skilled grader to see, even under 10x magnification. Its very rare medium to dark tone has earned it the prestige of being labelled ā€œthe gem of gemsā€.

This result comesĀ after the Unique PinkĀ ā€“ aĀ 15.38-carat vivid pink diamond ā€“ Ā was reported sold forĀ $31.56 million at Sotheby’s.


 
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