A rare blue diamond estimated to fetch up to $20 million at auction went on display Tuesday at an exhibition center in Abu Dhabi ahead of a Sotheby’s sale in Geneva next month.
The 10-carat gem, known as the Mediterranean Blue, is the centerpiece of a diamond collection valued at $100 million currently on pre-auction display. The exhibition features just eight stones totaling more than 700 carats, making it one of the most exclusive diamond showcases in the world, according to Sotheby’s.
“These are some of the rarest diamonds in existence,” said Quig Bruning, Sotheby’s head of jewels for North America, Europe, and the Middle East. He said Abu Dhabi was selected for the exhibition due to the region’s strong interest in high-value diamonds, both from collectors and traders.
The Mediterranean Blue was cut from a 31.94-carat rough diamond unearthed in 2023 at the Cullinan mine in South Africa, a site known for producing some of the world’s most iconic diamonds, including the 530.2-carat Great Star of Africa, which forms part of the British Crown Jewels.
The transformation from rough stone to finished gem required a year of study and six months of meticulous planning and cutting. Sotheby’s considers the Mediterranean Blue among the most significant blue diamonds ever discovered.
The stone is set to be auctioned in Geneva on May 13.