The legendary 23.24-carat Golconda Blue – renowned as the largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever to come to auction – is the star of Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale scheduled for May 14, 2025 in Geneva.  

The historic pear-shaped diamond, which ranks among the rarest and most important diamonds ever discovered throughout history, thanks to its mesmerising colour and size, is estimated to fetch US$35 million to US$50 million at auction, according to Christie's. 

Adding to The Golconda Blue’s allure is its recently discovered royal provenance. The diamond originally belonged to Yeshwant Rao Holkar, the Maharaja of Indore and a member of the Holkar dynasty. It was later acquired by celebrated jeweller Harry Winston and set in a brooch that was sold to the Maharaja of Baroda. The brooch was subsequently reacquired by Winston and resold as a newly designed jewel to its current owner.

“Now, over a century later, this legendary blue diamond comes to auction for the very first time, set as a striking contemporary ring by the celebrated Parisian designer JAR,” noted Christie’s.

Over the course of its 259-year history, Christie’s has offered some of the world’s most important Golconda diamonds, including the Archduke Joseph, the Princie and the Wittelsbach, revealed Christie's International Head of Jewelry Rahul Kadakia. 

“Exceptional noble gems of this caliber come to market once in a lifetime. With its royal heritage, extraordinary colour and exceptional size, The Golconda Blue is truly one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world,” he added. 

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’s enduring fascination with these rare gems. By 1292 AD, Marco Polo famously chronicled the captivating beauty of Indian diamonds in his travel writings.

Today, The Golconda Blue stands not only as a natural marvel but also as a storied jewel – its provenance bridging continents, dynasties and centuries, remarked Christie's.