The Golconda Blue Diamond will be auctioned by Christie’s in Geneva on May 15, 2025. This 23.24-carat Fancy Vivid blue diamond is distinguished by the exceptional intensity of its color, its incredible purity and its historic origin. Set in a ring by the jeweler JAR and recently identified as coming from a royal provenance, it is among the rarest diamonds ever discovered. With just a few weeks to go before the sale, it is already attracting the interest of the world’s leading collectors.
Golconda Blue: An exceptional blue diamond
This diamond comes from the legendary Golconde mines in India, reputed to have produced some of the purest diamonds in history. But its value is not limited to its geology. It is also linked to the Indian aristocracy. In the 1930s, Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar of Indore, the emblematic figure of a refined, cosmopolitan lifestyle, had this diamond set in an Art Deco sautoir by Mauboussin, for his wife, Maharani Sanyogitabai Devi, shown in this portrait with the sautoir.
Golconda Blue at the heart of the finest jewelry houses
Over time, the Golconda Blue passed through the hands of other illustrious houses, including Harry Winston, who acquired it in 1947. He had it set in a brooch alongside a 23-carat white diamond, and sold it to the Maharaja of Baroda. It then returned to Harry Winston, where it was once again transformed into a unique jewel. Today, the diamond is presented in a contemporary ring designed by JAR.
A masterpiece of nature
This auction marks the first public appearance of Golconda Blue, more than a century after it first appeared in royal collections. With its 23.24 carats, Fancy Vivid Blue color and perfect cut, it stands out as one of the rarest diamonds ever discovered. Christie’s already considers it a legitimate heir to other treasures it has sold, such as the Archduke Joseph, the Princie and the Wittelsbach.
