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).
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.
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“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.