The Golconda Blue, the largest brilliant blue diamond in auction history at 23.24 carats, will headline Christie's Magnificent Jewels sale on May 14, 2025 in Geneva.
Christie's says the pear-shaped diamond, with its brilliant color and impressive weight, is among the rarest and most important diamonds in history, with an estimate of $35 million to $50 million.
It was recently discovered that the Golconda Blue was once in the collection of royalty, and that it came from a prestigious source. The diamond originally belonged to Yeshwant Rao Holkar, Maharaja of Indore and member of the Holkar dynasty. The diamond was later purchased by the famous jeweler, Hari Winston. He set the blue diamond as a brooch and sold it to the Maharaja of Baroda. Winston later bought the brooch back, redesigned it and resold it to its current owner.
Christie's said, "After more than a century, this legendary blue diamond now makes its auction debut, set by the renowned Parisian designer JAR into a magnificent ring with a contemporary twist."
Rahul Kadakia, International Head of Jewelry at Christie's, said that in its long history of 259 years, Christie's has presented several rare Golconda diamonds, including those from Archduke Joseph, Princess Princie and Wittelsbach.
Kadakia said: "Gems of such exceptional quality are rare in the auction market. 'The Golconda Blue' has a history of having been collected by aristocrats, and with its unparalleled brilliant color and stunning weight, it is truly a blue diamond like no other in the world."
The legend of the Golconda diamond dates back to a Sanskrit manuscript account from the fourth century. Alexander the Great brought diamonds from India to Europe in 327 B.C. and the Western world has been fascinated by these rare gems ever since, and in 1292 A.D., Marco Polo described the fascinating beauty of Indian diamonds in detail in his travelogues.
"The Golconda Blue is not only the embodiment of nature's miracle of creation, it is also a legendary gemstone that tells a fascinating story that spans continents, dynasties and centuries.