A dazzling relic of India\u2019s regal past is set to make headlines once more. The Golconda Blue – a rare, vivid blue diamond once owned by the Maharajas of Indore and Baroda – is poised to go under the hammer at Christie\u2019s \u2018Magnificent Jewels\u2019 auction in Geneva on May 14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weighing 23.24 carats and mounted in a sleek, contemporary ring by acclaimed Parisian jeweler JAR, the gemstone is expected to fetch between $35 million and $50 million (approximately Rs 300 crore to Rs 430 crore), according to Christie\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cExceptional noble gems of this caliber come to market once in a lifetime. Over the course of its 259-year history, Christie\u2019s has had the honor of offering some of the world\u2019s most important Golconda diamonds, including the Archduke Joseph, the Princie, and the Wittelsbach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith its Royal heritage, extraordinary color, and exceptional size, \u2018The Golconda Blue\u2019 is truly one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world,\u201d Rahul Kadakia, Christie\u2019s International head of Jewellery, said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The legacy of Golconda diamonds begins with a reference found in a 4th-century Sanskrit manuscript. In 327 BC, Alexander the Great brought diamonds from India to Europe, sparking the West\u2019s enduring fascination with these rare gems. By 1292 AD, Marco Polo chronicled the beauty of Indian diamonds in his travel writings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The diamond\u2019s roots trace back to the famed Golconda mines of present-day Telangana-legendary for yielding some of the world\u2019s most celebrated diamonds, including the Koh-i-Noor and the Hope Diamond. What makes this stone particularly compelling for Indian collectors and history enthusiasts is its illustrious lineage through Indian royalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once part of the treasured collection of Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II of Indore – one of the most stylish and forward-thinking Indian rulers of the 20th century – the stone was originally set in a bracelet by French jeweler Chaumet in 1923. The Maharaja\u2019s father commissioned the piece after acquiring the equally famous \u201cIndore Pears,\u201d two other Golconda diamonds of note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the 1930s, the diamond was incorporated into a grand necklace by Mauboussin, the Maharaja\u2019s official jeweller, joining the Indore Pears in a dazzling reimagination of the royal collection. The necklace was immortalized in a portrait of the Maharani of Indore by French artist Bernard Boutet de Monvel, symbolizing the glamour and cultural fusion of the era. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1947, the gem made its way to America, acquired by legendary jeweler Harry Winston, who crafted it into a brooch paired with a white diamond of equal size. The piece would later return to Indian nobility, becoming part of the Baroda royal family\u2019s treasure before entering private hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, The Golconda Blue prepares for its next chapter, set to dazzle a global audience from the auction stage at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a news report, while The Golconda Blue is the largest diamond offered at auction, the largest known fancy blue diamond is the Hope Diamond at 45.52 carats. It is the property of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., donated to the museum by Harry Winston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 14.62-carat \u201cOppenheimer Blue,\u201d is currently the most expensive fancy vivid blue diamond sold at auction and for a short time was the most expensive gem ever sold at auction. It fetched more than $57.5 million at Christie\u2019s Geneva auction in May 2016. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently, the largest fancy vivid blue diamond sold at auction is the 15.10-carat \u201cDe Beers Blue,\u201d which sold for $57.4 million at Sotheby\u2019s Hong Kong in April 2022.
(India Today)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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