The “De Beers Cullinan Blue”, a 15.10-carat diamond graded by GIA as vivid blue with IF clarity, was given a high estimate of $48 million by Sotheby’s Hong Kong, Rough & Polished reports.
The Type IIb step cut gem – the largest blue diamond ever to be auctioned – was discovered at the Cullinan Mine in South Africa in 2021. To date, only five 10-carat+ stones have ever come to auction, and none have exceeded 15 carats. Bruce Cleaver, CEO of De Beers Group, “ranked the diamond as one of the best De Beers has ever seen.”
According to the report, the De Beers Cullinan Blue “anchors Sotheby’s Hong Kong Luxury Week and will be offered in a stand-alone, single-lot live auction in late April 2022.”. The gem is currently on view in Sotheby’s galleries in New York and will then travel to cities including London, Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Taipei.
