The holy grail of diamonds
Blue diamonds are the most elusive gemstones in the world. As a rare Bulgari Fancy Vivid Blue diamond ring is offered for sale at Christie’s in New York on 5 December, we investigate these natural wonders of the super-deep

So rare are blue diamonds that when a blue diamond ring designed by Graff jewellers came up at auction at Christie’s in New York last year it realised $12.5 million. Why they attract such remarkable prices is because they remain one of the Earth’s deepest secrets.
According to geologists, these wonders of the natural world were formed in the hot layer between the earth’s crust and its core, at depths reaching 400 miles, over 500 million years ago.

A sensational coloured diamond Rrng, Bulgari. GIA, 2018, report no. 2191711258: 8.08 carats, Fancy Vivid Blue, natural colour, VS2 clarity, type IIB. Estimate: $13,000,000-18,000,000. Offered in Magnificent Jewels on 5 December 2018 at Christie’s in New York
Chances are, if you own a blue diamond, you are in possession of something that is one billion years old. Scientists have discovered that they develop their brilliant blue colour from the mineral boron, which is found in the ocean.
On 5 December in New York, an 8.08 carat cushion-cut FancyVivid Blue diamond mounted as a ring by Bulgari will be offered in the Magnificent Jewels sale (estimate: $13,000,000-18,000,000). Described as a ‘miracle of nature’, it is a rare masterpiece by the luxury Italian jewellers, and may be counted among the finest blue diamonds ever to have come to market.