Natural Diamond Prices – December 2024
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By Erika Winters
A 9.75-carat fancy vivid blue diamond of VVS2 clarity set two new world auction records at Sotheby’s New York.
The sale of a 9.75-carat fancy vivid blue diamond set two new world auction records at Sotheby’s New York on November 20, 2014. The pear-shaped blue diamond–set in a pendant–fetched $32.6 million or $3.3 million per carat, a world auction record total price for any blue diamond and a record price-per-carat for any diamond sold at auction. The diamond was part of Sotheby’s Jewels & Objects of Vertu sale from the collection of Mrs. Paul Mellon.
According to Sotheby’s, the rare blue diamond sold to a private Hong Kong collector after 20 intense minutes of bidding. The stone was subsequently named the “Zoe Diamond.”
“From the moment I saw this diamond, I knew that it would be one of the most important stones that I will ever have the privilege of presenting at auction. It was incredible to see each of my colleagues experience the diamond for the first time, watching as the blue hue warmed and intensified in front of them with every minute in natural light. Mrs. Mellon’s diamond absolutely deserves the place in the record books that it achieved tonight,” said Gary Schuler, head of Sotheby’s jewelry department in New York.
The Zoe Diamond in context • From Sotheby’s:
• The $32.6 million price exceeds the previous auction record for any blue diamond by more
than $8 million. The former record had held for six years.
• The $3,348,205 price per carat exceeds the previous auction record price per carat for any
diamond by nearly $1 million.
• The Zoe Diamond achieved the 4th-highest price ever paid for any diamond at auction.
• Sotheby’s now holds auction records for any white diamond, any yellow diamond, any pink diamond and any blue diamond.
Visit Sotheby’s to see the full list of auction results: Property from the Collection of Mrs. Paul Mellon: Jewels & Objects of Vertu.
Related:
8.41-Carat Purple-Pink Diamond Fetches $17.8 Million, Sets New Record
Christie’s New York to Close 2014 Jewelry Auction Season with $55 Million Sale
