The Ocean Dream, a remarkable 5.5-carat triangular-cut blue-green diamond, sold for 13.5 million Swiss francs (approximately $17.3 million) at a Christie's auction in Geneva. This sale not only set a record for the price of a blue-green diamond at auction but also surpassed its presale estimate of 7 to 10 million francs.
A Record-Breaking Sale
A stellar result worthy of the world’s rarest blue-green diamond.
Tobias Kormind, Managing Director, 77 Diamonds
- Found in Central Africa in the 1990s.
- Previous sale in 2014 for approximately $8.5 million.
Rahul Kadakia, president of Christie’s Asia Pacific, confirmed that an anonymous private buyer acquired the diamond after a competitive 20-minute bidding process, reflecting the high interest among collectors.
The Ocean Dream has a rich history, having been showcased at the Smithsonian Splendour of Diamonds Exhibition in 2003. This latest auction price more than doubles its previous sale value, indicating a significant appreciation in the market for rare colored diamonds.
In contrast, another auction at Sotheby’s Geneva featured a 6-carat fancy vivid blue diamond that failed to sell, despite a presale estimate of 7.2 million to 9.6 million francs. Sotheby’s remains optimistic about finding a buyer soon.
Both Christie's and Sotheby’s note a growing trend among collectors toward investing in rare colored diamonds, which constitute a small portion of the global diamond market.