Sapphire sells for 2.6 million euros in Monaco
HVMC
Earlier this week, the Monte-Carlo Auction House opened the bidding on a 208-carat octagonal sapphire, “Le Grand Bleu” (The Big Blue).
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The hammer came down on Tuesday night at 2.6 million euros for the stone Two collectors, one Swiss and the other American, vied for “Le Grand Bleu”. A brilliant blue stone of significant rarity, part of a princely collection and considered a museum piece.
“Le Grand Bleu” did not, however, beat the amount paid for the Kashmir sapphire that sold for 2.7 million euros on 19 July 2021. A jewel of 27.94 carats that belonged to a European princely family.
This year, a few other auctions produced impressive figures: a ring belonging to the Hudson family, former owners of the Villa Paloma, estimated at €190,000-220,000, went for €600,000 after a long bidding battle; an Art Deco brooch from the former Nourhan Manoukian collection, featuring a 5.76-carat Kashmir sapphire, was contested up to €250,000 compared to its estimate of €100,000-150,000. Many estimates have therefore been surpassed.