The Bleu Royal diamond sold for 44 million

Record for Bleu Royal, a diamond which was sold for 44 million dollars at Christie’s in Geneva and thus becomes the most expensive jewel sold at auction in 2023. The bidding lasted 7 minutes, after which the diamond entered another private collection, for the first time after 40 years. The Magnificent Jewels auction totaled $77.7 million (72.5 million euros) and welcomed bidders from 37 countries, selling 9.3% by lot and 98% by value. And overall, Christie’s Autumn Luxury Week totaled $139.9 million.

Other successful jewels were an 8.77-carat modified brilliant-cut rectangular fancy intense pink diamond, sold for 5.2 million dollars, a 21.88-carat cushion-cut Burmese ruby sold for 2.6 million, a brilliant cut heart diamond, color F, worth 55.75 carats, found a buyer at 2.6 million, while another brilliant cut heart diamond, color D, weighing 30.02 carats, was sold for 1.7 million.

The watches also did well, totaling 62 million dollars (57.7 million euros) with 94% of lots sold in both sales. Eight watches have sold over 1 million francs and two watches have sold over 5 million francs. In this case the top pieces were La Grande & Petite Sonnerie No.1 by Philippe Dufour, made in two and a half years, for 5.7 million dollars, the Rolex ref. 1675 GMT Master worn by Marlon Brando in the film Apocalypse Now and personalized by Brando by hand engraving his name on the case back, sold for 5.1 million. The George Daniels Anniversary No. 00 in platinum, which sold for 2 million, commemorates the 35th anniversary of Daniels’ invention of the coaxial escapement.