The amazing 9.51 carat Mellon Blue diamond is pear shaped. It’s been in the news again after selling for a jaw dropping $12.87M at a recent auction in Geneva, Switzerland. That arresting blue diamond was kept in Rachel “Bunny” Mellon’s private collection for decades. Most recently, it was sold in a monumental total of $26.6 million including fees. This corresponds to around 20.5 million Swiss francs. Tuesday’s auction was hosted by Christie’s. Experts had predicted that it would sell for $20 million to $30 million.
Auctioneer Rahul Kadakia, chairman of the global luxury group at Christie’s and an old hand at selling the Mellon Blue, had other ideas. He described the auction as a “historic moment” for Christie’s team. It proved to be the perfect platform to highlight the diamond’s extraordinary value and captivating history.
The amazing color of the Mellon Blue will stop you in your tracks. It has not been positively modified in any way with facet additions or amendments which would change its colour. This air of authenticity is what makes it so appealing to both collectors and connoisseurs.
Even though the final sale price was astounding, the mood in the auction house that day was shockingly conservative. Kadakia remarked, “Geopolitical tensions — from the war in Ukraine to Trump’s tariffs — and a weakened Chinese economy that kept many usual buyers away, left the room distinctly cautious.” This sentiment speaks to the bidding behavior that was impacted by the prevailing economic conditions.
Even in this very cautious environment, the sale of the Mellon Blue highlights that there is still a strong appreciation and demand for truly exceptional gemstones. Kadakia noted that the auction results serve as “evidencing the elite appetite among collectors for extraordinary and storied gems.” The diamond’s remarkable qualities, such as its rare cut and deep hue, made it priceless. Max Fawcett emphasized this point by stating, “When you have great shape and great color, you’re looking at the gem of gems.”
All the reactions were not completely positive. Co-founder of 24 Diamonds Tobias Kormind may have put it best, “Not the spectacular bang I was hoping for. This points to differing expectations around these types of high-profile auctions.
