The Magnificent Blue Diamond

By lfat Oved

The past has shown us that people value sparkling gems. Mystical stories are told about them and many have rumors of divine properties. Of all of these sparkling gems, the rarest is the blue diamond. And of all the diamonds throughout history, blue diamonds are the second-rarest diamonds found today and are some of the most famous.

Natural blue diamonds are so rare that even the most passionate diamond jewelers rarely ever see one, let alone own one. Their unique looks place them well above most gems of this color and make them more desirable to jewelers, owners and wearers. One myth that surrounds this valuable diamond is that any wearer will be granted divine grace.

Where Blue Diamonds are Mined

Blue diamonds are mined in a few locations such as South Africa, India and parts of Australia. The electrical properties of these rare diamonds also make them unique. According to experts, the electrical properties are semi conductive because of the boron atoms that are only found in the blue diamond.

Characteristics of the Blue Color

Blue diamonds are graded the same way as other fancy-colored diamonds, but their rarity places them as the second rarest color after red which makes them highly unique. Blue diamonds come in various color tones and saturation like other fancy color diamonds but they also come with secondary colors such as green and grey.

Famous Blue Diamonds

The most famous blue diamond is the Hope Diamond. According to legend, it has survived theft, revolutions, wars, redesign, curses and family feuds for more than
450 years. This diamond has been blamed for the downfall of Louis XVI and his mistress, Marie Antoinette. Legend also tells us that the diamond was presumably stolen from one of the eyes of the sculpture of Sita, a Hindu goddess.

After being stolen, the Hindu priests placed a curse on the Hope Diamond. However, the earliest record of the Hope Diamond is from 1812. The diamond currently rests in the Smithsonian on display for all to see. The Hope Diamond is said to be 45.52 carats and is considered the largest diamond with such a deep blue color.

Another blue diamond that was discovered more recently is the Heart of Eternity Diamond. It was unveiled to the world in 2000, along with 10 other blue diamonds. This heart-shaped blue diamond has no curses or unusual rumors surrounding it, but what makes it so famous is its size, which is determined to be 27.64 carats.

Blue Diamonds on Auctions

Blue diamonds are taking their place as very popular items these days on major auctions. Besides being a rare collector´s item, it is also due to the more recent trend of considering blue diamonds as a wise investment opportunity. We can see that based on the recent auction results where blue diamonds are making headlines. Here are two very recent diamonds that were sold in auctions:

Just a few days ago on April 24, Bonhams London auctioned off a 5.30-carat blue diamond. It was fancy deep blue and sold for $9.5 million.

Another 3.04-carat blue diamond sold for a little over $2 million on April 8th by Sotheby’s. These are two of the most recent auctions and show how coveted the blue diamond truly is.