Blue diamond 'Bleu Royal' could reach a record price of 46 million euros

(Patria) - The blue diamond "Bleu Royal" may become the most expensive gemstone ever sold when it is offered at a Christie's auction in Geneva on Tuesday.

"Bleu Royal" is the most expensive item in the collection that buyers will compete for at an auction on Lake Geneva this month.

The collection also includes numerous items from the world of film, so a pearl necklace worn by actress Audrey Hepburn in the film "Roman Holiday", as well as Marlon Brando's watch from the film "Apocalypse Now", will be offered.

The 17.61-carat blue diamond is the largest intense blue colored gemstone ever offered at auction, and it is set in a ring and has been part of a private collection for 50 years.

"Bleu Royal" is expected to sell for between 32 and 46 million euros at the auction titled "Christie's Magnificent Jewels", Hina reports.

Vivid blue diamonds weighing more than 10 carats are extremely rare. Since its founding in 1766, Christie's has sold only three such diamonds, all in the last 13 years.

The "Bulgari Blue" sold for 14.7 million euros in 2010, the "Winston Blue" for 22.2 million euros in 2014, and the "Oppenheimer Blue" for 53.6 million dollars in 2016.

The "Rolex GMT-Master" watch from 1972 bears the engraved signature "M. Brando" on the back, of the Oscar-winning actor.

Brando gifted the watch to his daughter Petra in 1995, who then gave it to her husband in 2003, and then that gift was sold at auction in 2019 for 1.8 million euros and is expected to fetch more than two million euros in Geneva.