Sotheby's auction house will present to the public for the first time a rare 10.03-carat blue diamond known as The Mediterranean Blue. The world premiere will take place on April 8 in Abu Dhabi, after which the gem will go to auction in Geneva.
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What is known
The diamond is valued at approximately US$20 million. It is classified as Type IIb, making it extremely rare – less than 0.5% of all diamonds mined have this characteristic.
Renowned auction house Sotheby's will hold its first public showing of the stone at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, located in the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi. The Mediterranean Blue will then go on a world tour, visiting Taipei, Hong Kong and New York.
According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), this diamond has the highest possible color grade for a blue stone. Its cushion cut highlights the richness of its color and exceptional brilliance, making it one of the most coveted diamonds ever introduced to the market.
The diamond was created from a rough 31.94-carat stone found in 2023 at the legendary Cullinan mine in South Africa. The cutting process took six months.
The mine has previously produced famous diamonds such as The Blue Moon of Josephine (12.03 carats, sold for US$48.5 million in 2015) and The De Beers Blue (15.10 carats, sold for US$57.5 million in 2022).