Sotheby’s has announced the upcoming auction of a supremely rare 10.03-carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond, aptly named The Mediterranean Blue.
With an estimated value of $20 million, the exceptional gemstone will be unveiled at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation in Abu Dhabi on 8th April, before touring key global cities including Taipei, Hong Kong, and New York ahead of its auction in Geneva on 13th May.
Graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) as Fancy Vivid Blue and classified as Type IIb—an elite category representing less than 0.5% of all diamonds—The Mediterranean Blue boasts a cushion modified brilliant cut that enhances its deep ocean-blue hue.
Quig Bruning, Sotheby’s Head of Jewelry for the Americas & EMEA, described the diamond as “one of nature’s rarest treasures,” emphasizing its rarity in both colour and size. “Any vivid blue diamond is a discovery worth celebrating, but one as entrancing as this, particularly being over 10-carats, is a newsworthy event. The Mediterranean Blue’s remarkable size, charming cushion-cut and ocean-blue colour places it in the rarefied company of some of the most important blue diamonds to come to market in recent years. We are likewise thrilled to be announcing this sale in the extraordinary confines of the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, the architectural beauty of which is a perfect match for such a rare gemstone.”
The gemstone originates from South Africa’s Cullinan Mine, known for producing some of the world’s most famous diamonds. The Mediterranean Blue was meticulously shaped over six months from a 31.94-carat rough diamond, discovered in 2023.
Following its global showcase, Sotheby’s High Jewelry Sale in Geneva will present this once-in-a-lifetime gemstone to collectors and connoisseurs. If past sales of similar rare blue diamonds are any indication, The Mediterranean Blue is poised to make history.