True Blue Diamond Up For Auction
15.1carat Cullinan Blue diamond expected to break record-sale history
Extracts from the full article published in Jeweller magazine February 21st 2022 by Richard Chiu.
The beauty and rarity of blue diamonds make them one of the most sought-after gemstones in the world and another mark in their colourful history may be made when the 15.1-carat De Beers Cullinan Blue goes to auction on 27 April 2022.
The Cullinan Blue, which is expected to sell for at least £33 million, is believed to be the largest and one of the only five blue diamonds in excess of 10 carats to be auctioned.
Discovered in April 2021 at the Cullinan Mines in South Africa by UK-based Petra Diamonds, the diamond was part of the special tender purchased by De Beers and diamond manufacturing firm Diacore for $40.2 million.
The step-cut stone was taken from a 39.35-carat rough blue diamond sold by Petra to DeBeers and Diacore three months after it was unearthed, then cut and polished into the Cullinan Blue.
Industry expectations are high for the auction, with some predictions that the rare blue may actually fetch over £40 million!
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