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Blue Moon Diamond Goes on Display in L.A.
Sep 14, 2014 4:55 AM
By Deena Taylor
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RAPAPORT... A rare 12-carat, internally flawless, blue diamond, known as the Blue Moon is on display at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles
The Blue Moon was cut and polished from a 29.60-carat, blue rough diamond recovered by Petra Diamonds at the Cullinan mine in South Africa in January. The diamond has been provided on loan to the museum from diamond polisher Cora International. The company purchased the diamond for $25.6 million, or $864,865 per carat earlier this year.
“Fancy vivid blue diamonds are extremely rare and the Blue Moon is no exception. It is a historic stone that is one of the rarest gems with this color and in this size to be found in recent history,” said Suzette Gomes, the CEO of Cora International. She added that the diamond's name reflected both its color and shape, as well as its rarity -- a once in a blue moon diamond.
Eloïse Gaillou, the curator and diamond expert at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, noted that the Blue Moon exhibit fits within the museum's mission to enhance discovery of the natural world through furthering the future of diamond research. "Blue diamonds are among the rarest of all natural colored diamonds. The exhibit will provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for visitors to see one of the world's most exquisite blue diamonds in person,” she said.
The Blue Moon is being displayed at a temporary exhibition in the museum's Gem Vault from September 13 through January 6, 2015.
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Tags:
Blue diamond, Blue Moon diamond, Cora International, Deena Taylor, Petra Diamonds
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