|
|
De Beers Oval Blue Diamond Expected to Fetch up to $35M
Mar 13, 2016 7:54 AM
By Rapaport News
|
|
|
RAPAPORT... Sotheby’s hopes to raise $30 million to $35 million (HKD 235 million to 280 million) from the sale of the largest oval fancy vivid blue diamond ever to appear at an auction.
The “rare
and superb,” 10.10-carat stone, known as the ‘De Beers Millennium Jewel 4,’ is internally
flawless and will appear at the Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Spring Sale in
Hong Kong on April 5, according to a statement by Sotheby’s Hong Kong March 11.
The gem is from an Asian private collection, and is the only
oval-shaped stone among the twelve rare diamonds – eleven blue and one
colourless – that form the De Beers Millennium Jewels collection unveiled by De
Beers in 2000 in celebration of the millennium.
The
diamond will be exhibited in New York, London, Geneva, Singapore, Taipei and Hong Kong ahead of the auction at the Hong
Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
“The market for
coloured diamonds has gone from strength to strength and this spring we are
thrilled to present the ‘De Beers Millennium Jewel 4,' the largest oval fancy
vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction,” said Quek Chin Yeow, Sotheby’s
deputy chairman for Asia and chairman of international jewelry for the
continent.
“Fifteen years ago I had the great
opportunity of seeing this magnificent stone for the first time and it is an
absolute delight now to have it in one’s hand, to admire it again and to offer
it for auction in Asia.”
The news comes after Sotheby’s sold
the 12.03-carat, internally flawless Blue Moon diamond for a world record $48.5
million at its auction in Geneva last November.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tags:
Auctions, colored diamonds, fancy vivid blue diamonds, Hong Kong, Rapaport News, Sotheby’s
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|