The Oppenheimer Blue is set to be the largest Vivid Blue diamond ever to appear at auction.
Auction house Christie’s is to put the 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue diamond under the hammer on May 18 at its Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva. The sale price estimate is between $38- and $45 million.
The diamond was owned by Sir Philip Oppenheimer, whose family controlled the De Beers group until it was sold to Anglo American in 2012. Sir Philip was the chairman of the Central Selling Organisation (CSO) for 45 years until his death in 1995 aged 83. He is credited with having brought the erstwhile Soviet Union under the De Beers CSO sales umbrella and stabilising diamond prices around the globe.
The rectangular-cut Oppenheimer Blue diamond has been given the Fancy Vivid colour grade by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). It is said to be of “exceptional clarity”.
Christie’s smashed the world auction record for a jewel as it sold the ‘Oppenheimer Blue’ diamond ring for $58.2 million (CHF 56.8 million) in Geneva on Wednesday.