The largest fancy vivid blue ever to appear at auction ..
Sotheby’s has announced that it will present The De Beers Cullinan Blue, an extraordinary natural treasure and one of the most valuable blue diamonds ever to be offered at auction.
Discovered at the Cullinan Mine in South Africa in 2021, one of very few sources in the world for extremely rare blue diamonds. Over the past year, De Beers has worked with its partner, Diacore, one of the most experienced master diamond cutters, to cut and polish the extraordinary rough diamond and bring The De Beers Cullinan Blue to life.
Expected to achieve in excess of US$48M (estimate upon request), this extraordinary 15.10-carat step-cut blue has been recently cut from an exceptional rough stone discovered in April 2021.
In its masterfully crafted, newly formed state, it now re-emerges as the largest vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction and the largest internally flawless step cut vivid blue diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded. Blue diamonds of this importance are exceptionally rare, with only five 10-carat+ examples ever having come to auction, none of which have exceeded 15 carats, making the appearance of this flawless gem a landmark event in itself.
The De Beers Cullinan Blue anchors Sotheby’s Hong Kong Luxury Week, and will be offered in a stand-alone, single lot live auction in late April 2022 (exact date to be announced). Given the global interest in a treasure of this nature, the diamond will be showcased on a worldwide tour. On view today in Sotheby’s galleries in New York, it will then travel to cities including London, Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Taipei (full dates will be released in due course).
