Editor’s Note
A rare dark blue diamond has set a new world record for the highest price per carat at auction, selling for approximately $1.8 million per carat. The 5.3-carat ring fetched $9.5 million, surpassing the previous benchmark.
London – The auction of a rare dark blue diamond has broken the previous world record for the per-carat price. According to the auction house Bonhams Fine Jewellery, the 5.3-carat ring was sold for $9.5 million (€7.3 million). This translates to a price of approximately $1.8 million per carat, surpassing the previous record of $1.68 million per carat.
said Jean Ghika, Director of Bonhams Jewellery. The ring was crafted in 1965 by the Italian designer Bulgari, and the winning bid was placed by the London jeweler Graff Diamonds. The bidding for the piece was fierce, both in the auction room and via 25 telephone lines. The ring’s estimated value had been €1.7 million.
According to the auction house, blue diamonds are difficult to obtain on the market. They have been coveted by monarchs and celebrities for centuries. The most famous is the 17th-century “Hope” diamond of King Louis XIV. The 45.52-carat gemstone was stolen during the French Revolution and is now on display at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington.
