Christie’s will spotlight a 23.24-carat blue diamond with royal Indian provenance at its upcoming Geneva auction, where it is set to fetch up to $50 million.
The pear-shaped Golconda Blue is the largest fancy-vivid-blue diamond ever offered at auction, Christie’s said Monday. The stone, set into a ring by famed designer JAR, previously belonged to Sanyogitabai Devi, the maharani of Indore. It will lead the May 14 Magnificent Jewels sale.
The Golconda Blue’s royal provenance only recently became apparent, Christie’s noted. Yeshwant Rao Holkar, the maharaja of Indore and a member of the Holkar dynasty, was known — alongside the maharani — for his elegant lifestyle during the 1920s and ’30s. He was a Knight of the Order of the Indian Empire, and spent a lot of his time abroad, where he gained an appreciation for jewelry.
In 1923, the maharaja’s father commissioned a diamond bracelet set with his own 23-carat pear-shaped Golconda blue diamond from Chaumet. The maharaja sold the Golconda Blue to Harry Winston in 1947. Winston later set the 23-carat blue stone in a brooch alongside a matching 23-carat white diamond, which he sold to the maharaja of Baroda, then reacquired and resold to its current owner. The Geneva sale marks the first time it will appear at auction.
“Exceptional noble gems of this caliber come to market once in a lifetime,” said Rahul Kadakia, international head of jewelry at Christie’s. “Over the course of its 259-year history, Christie’s has had the honor of offering some of the world’s most important Golconda diamonds, including the Archduke Joseph, the Princie and the Wittelsbach. With its royal heritage, extraordinary color, and exceptional size, the Golconda Blue is truly one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world.”
Prior to the sale, Christie’s will exhibit the jewel in Hong Kong, Bangkok and New York.
Image: The Golconda diamond ring. (Christie’s)
