One of the world’s rarest blue diamonds once owned by Indian Maharajas set for auction: The price will shock you

A stunning piece of India’s royal past, ‘The Golconda Blue’, a rare blue diamond once owned by the Maharajas of Indore and Baroda, is all set to go under the hammer at Christie’s “Magnificent Jewels” auction in Geneva on 14 May, reported PTI.

This 23.24-carat vivid blue diamond, now mounted on a modern ring designed by famous Paris jeweller JAR, is expected to fetch between USD 35 million and USD 50 million (about Rs 300–430 crore).

“Exceptional noble gems of this calibre come to market once in a lifetime. With its royal heritage, extraordinary colour, and exceptional size, ‘The Golconda Blue’ is truly one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world,” said Rahul Kadakia, International Head of Jewellery at Christie’s, in a statement.


Christie’s, with its 259-year-old legacy, has previously auctioned many famous Golconda diamonds such as the Archduke Joseph, the Princie, and the Wittelsbach.

The diamond gets its name from the legendary Golconda mines in present-day Telangana, known for producing the world’s most precious diamonds. According to Christie’s, the gem once belonged to Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II of Indore, a well-known modernist ruler of the 1920s and ’30s.

Back in 1923, the Maharaja’s father had the stone set into a bracelet by the French jeweller Chaumet, after acquiring the famous ‘Indore Pears’, two other Golconda diamonds. Later in the 1930s, the Maharaja appointed Mauboussin as the royal jeweller. Mauboussin redesigned many pieces and placed ‘The Golconda Blue’ in a necklace alongside the Indore Pears.

This iconic necklace was later painted into a famous portrait of the Maharani of Indore by French artist Bernard Boutet de Monvel, highlighting the fusion of Indian royalty and European style.

After India’s Independence, in 1947, the blue diamond was sold to well-known American jeweller Harry Winston, who set it in a brooch with a matching white diamond. The brooch eventually reached the Maharaja of Baroda, continuing the jewel’s royal journey.

Since then, the diamond has changed hands privately, and this upcoming auction marks its first-ever appearance in a public sale.

The live auction will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva.

Inputs from PTI