A virtually 10-carat blue diamond was sold at an auction in Switzerland on Tuesday for 20.5 million Swiss francs ($26.6 million).
The diamond, weighing 9.51 carats, is known as “Mellon Blue” after the late American arts patron Rachel “Bunny” Mellon.
For a long time, the stone – then set as a pendant – was a part of Mellon’s personal assortment.
It was anticipated to fetch $20-$30 million at the Christie’s auction, which was beforehand sold in 2014 – the yr Mellon died – for $32.6 million, one of many highest costs ever paid for a coloured diamond at auction, in accordance with Christie’s.
The home mentioned the stone got here in on the estimated vary. The last worth contains the “buyer’s premium” and different charges.
Max Fawcett, Christie’s world head of bijou, mentioned the Mellon Blue was not like the overwhelming majority of different trendy gems that have had aspects added and been modified to boost the colour.
“When you have great shape and great color, you’re looking at the gem of gems,” he mentioned Friday, noting the stone’s grade of Fancy Vivid Blue and Internally Flawless by the Gemological Institute of America. “That’s what this is.”
The auction was the primary installment of two days of bijou auctions in Geneva.
On Wednesday, rival Sotheby’s is placing up the “Glowing Rose” pink diamond that’s anticipated to attract bids of round $20 million.
Bunny Mellon was a logo of magnificence and class. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy requested Mellon to revamp the White House Rose Garden, the place she created extra open area for public ceremonies and launched American species of crops to the backyard.
Elsewhere, in France, Mellon created a panorama design for the house of Hubert de Givenchy, who was an in depth buddy, and assisted with the restoration of the “Potager du Roi” at the Chateau de Versailles.