Editor’s Note
This article reports on the record-breaking auction of the “Melon Blue” diamond in Geneva, highlighting its extraordinary value and notable provenance.
A 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond known as the “Melon Blue” was sold for 20.525 million Swiss francs (approximately 3.9 billion yen) at a jewelry auction held in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 11th. The diamond was once owned by American art collector Rachel Lambert Mellon, also known as Bunny Mellon.
The diamond was offered at Christie’s “Magnificent Jewels” auction in Geneva. Its pre-sale estimate was between 16 million and 24 million francs (approximately 3.1 billion to 4.6 billion yen).
Rahul Kadakia, who oversaw the auction for Christie’s, commented on the price:
Set in a snake-shaped ring, the Melon Blue belonged to Mellon, known as a horticulturist, philanthropist, and art collector. Rated as “internally flawless,” the diamond was last seen publicly in 2014. Following Mellon’s death, it was sold at an auction in New York for over $32 million (approximately 4.9 billion yen).
However, some view the final hammer price as falling below expectations. Tobias Kormind, Managing Director of Europe’s largest jeweler, 77 Diamonds, offered his perspective: