A 17.61-carat blue diamond ring, aptly named Bleu Royal, sold for more than US$44 million at Christie’s Geneva, becoming the most expensive jewel sold at auction in 2023. 

The Bleu Royal’s final price landed in the upper range of its pre-sale estimate of US$35 million to US$50 million, revealed the company. Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva, held on November 7, generated total revenues of US$77.7 million.

The pear-shaped Bleu Royal, described by Christie’s as the largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond to appear at auction, has entered a new private collection for the first time after 40 years.

Other highlights of the sale include a modified 8.77-carat rectangular brilliant-cut fancy intense pink diamond that sold for US$5.17 million; a 21.88-carat cushion-shaped Burmese ruby that fetched US$2.61 million; and a 55.75-carat heart brilliant-cut F-colour diamond that fetched US$2.58 million.

According to Christie’s, 93 per cent of the lots were sold, with bidders from 37 countries participating in the auction.