"This stunning Fancy Vivid Blue rectangular cut gem promises to create a media sensation as it travels around the world, fascinating both collectors and gem enthusiasts alike, before it makes its way to the auction block in Geneva," Rahul Kadakia, Christie`s International Head of Jewelry said.
They don`t make diamonds the size of bricks — but they can carry a hefty price tag. The biggest ever rough diamond to be mined was discovered in 1905 in South Africa. The Cullinan is worth US$400 million.
The Hope Diamond, perhaps the world`s most famous rock is worth US$350 million.
The De Beers Centenary Diamond is said to be worth US$100 million.
When it comes to diamonds going under the hammer, the Graff Pink set the record for the most expensive jewel sold at auction in 2010, auctioned at Sotheby`s in Geneva for US$46 million
The second most expensive jewel to be sold at auction was The Princie, bought by an anonymous buyer at Christie`s in New York for US$39.3 million.
The Steinmetz Pink, owned by the Geneva-based Steinmetz Diamond Group is worth US$25 million.
A deep blue diamond named Wittlsbach-Graff was bought by an English jeweler in 2008 for $24.3 million.
The Perfect Pink, named after its intense color was sold at Christie`s in Hong Kong in 2010 for US$23.2 million.
The Archduke Joseph colorless diamond set a record for being the most expensive diamond per carat ever sold at auction in 2012. An anonymous buyer bought it for US$21.4 million.
And international demand for the most precious mineral continues to grow. Global consulting firm Bain & Company forecasts an average yearly growth of 5.9 percent through to 2020. Bids for the Oppenheimer Blue begin on 18 May in Geneva.
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