Bonhams’ Fine Jewellery Sale in New Bond Street took place on September 21st. Many dazzling pieces were sold at the event, but the most stunning of all was the superb Diamond and Blue Diamond Crossover Ring (nicknamed The Bulgari Blue), customized by Bulgari in the 1960s for a private European collector, who wanted a very special gift for his wife.
Representing Bulgari’s exquisite craftsmanship, the magnificent ring fetched a whopping £1,889,250 (approx. $2.9 million). It was initially expected to go for some £800,000, but bidders wanted it so much, that they started a fierce bidding war for “The Bulgari Blue”. The lucky (and wealthy!) winner was a phone bidder.
The crossover ring features two stunning diamonds: a rare blue and a brilliant white one. Blue diamonds are structurally the purest of all, and they represent less than one percent of all diamonds found in mines. To further accentuate the rarity and value of this particular stone, we should tell you that it has been rated as highest grading for a colored diamond of its size and quality. It weighs 3.72 carats and has a SI2 clarity. Approximately one in ten blue diamonds have an intense enough color to be named “fancy vivid”, as this one is. The white diamond weighs 3.93 carats, boasts a D color and has a VS2 clarity.
According to the director of jewelry at Bonhams, Jean Ghika, “interest in pieces of jewelry of the highest quality is increasing. It is clear from the results of this sale that there are certainly some clients who are attracted by the fact that jewelry is a tangible asset which may grow in value in years to come”.
