Diamonds are forever, or so they say, but for some people, they’re worth more than eternity. In fact, the world’s most expensive diamonds fetch prices that would make even the wealthiest of us blush, with some selling for tens of millions of pounds at auction.
These precious stones aren’t just sparkling gems; they represent a high-stakes game of one-upmanship in which the world’s wealthiest collectors compete to own a piece of history.
Let’s take a closer look at the 20 most expensive diamonds ever sold at auction and marvel at their dazzling beauty and incredible value.
For this reason, we created a list of the twenty most expensive diamonds sold at auction. As most people realise, the World has revealed some incredible diamonds—in terms of size, colour and clarity.
Moreover, their rarity and value put them amongst some of the most expensive assets owned by the wealthiest businesses and individuals across the globe.
| Diamond Name | Price Sold at Auction (in millions) |
|---|---|
| Pink Star | $71.2 |
| Oppenheimer Blue | $57.5 |
| Lesedi La Rona | $53.0 |
| Winston Blue | $23.8 |
| Perfect Pink | $23.2 |
| Unique Pink | $15.8 |
| Blue Moon of Josephine | $48.5 |
| Zoe Diamond | $32.6 |
| Graff Pink | $46.0 |
| Blue Belle of Asia | $17.3 |
| Pink Promise | $32.5 |
| Beau Sancy | $9.7 |
| Princie Diamond | $39.3 |
| Winston Legacy | $28.5 |
| Pink Legacy | $50.4 |
| Rockefeller Emerald | $5.5 |
| Bulgari Blue | $15.7 |
| Moussaieff Red | $20.0 |
| Archduke Joseph Diamond | $21.5 |
| Graff Vivid Yellow | $16.3 |
To elaborate, here are a few further details for each diamond, including their origin and specifications:
- Pink Star – The Pink Star diamond is a 59.60-carat fancy vivid pink diamond that was sold for $71.2 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2017. It is the largest internally flawless fancy vivid pink diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
- Oppenheimer Blue – The Oppenheimer Blue is a 14.62-carat fancy vivid blue diamond that was sold for $57.5 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2016. It was previously owned by Sir Philip Oppenheimer, a member of the famous diamond family.
- Lesedi La Rona – The Lesedi La Rona diamond is a 1,109-carat rough diamond that was sold for $53 million at Sotheby’s London in 2016. It is the second-largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered and was mined in Botswana.
- Winston Blue – The Winston Blue is a 13.22-carat flawless, vivid blue diamond that was sold for $23.8 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2014. It was previously owned by Harry Winston, the famous American jeweller.
- Perfect Pink – The Perfect Pink diamond is a 14.23-carat fancy intense pink diamond that was sold for $23.2 million at Christie’s Hong Kong in 2010. It is one of the largest pink diamonds ever discovered.
- Unique Pink – The Unique Pink diamond is a 15.38-carat fancy vivid pink diamond that was sold for $15.8 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2016. It is the largest fancy vivid pink pear-shaped diamond ever offered at auction.
- Blue Moon of Josephine – The Blue Moon of Josephine is a 12.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond that was sold for $48.5 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2015. It is the largest cushion-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction.
- Zoe Diamond – The Zoe Diamond is a 9.75-carat fancy vivid blue diamond that was sold for $32.6 million at Sotheby’s New York in 2014. It was named after its previous owner, Mrs Paul Mellon.
- Graff Pink – The Graff Pink is a 24.78-carat fancy intense pink diamond that was sold for $46 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2010. It was previously owned by Harry Winston and later by Laurence Graff, the famous British jeweller.
- Blue Belle of Asia – The Blue Belle of Asia is a 392.52-carat cushion-shaped sapphire surrounded by diamonds. It was sold for $17.3 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2014.
- Pink Promise – The Pink Promise diamond is a 14.93-carat fancy vivid pink diamond that was sold for $32.5 million at Christie’s Hong Kong in 2017. It is the largest fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction in Asia.
- Beau Sancy – The Beau Sancy diamond is a 34.98-carat modified pear double rose cut diamond that was sold for $9.7 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2012. It has a fascinating history, having been owned by several European monarchs throughout history.
- Princie Diamond – The Princie Diamond is a 34.65-carat fancy intense pink diamond that was sold for $39.3 million at Christie’s New York in 2013. It was originally owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad, one of the wealthiest rulers in India, and is named after his son, who was nicknamed Princie.
- Jonker – The Jonker diamond is a 726-carat rough diamond that was sold for $10.1 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2017. It was discovered in South Africa in 1934 and was once the largest diamond ever found.
- Pink Legacy – The Pink Legacy diamond is an 18.96-carat fancy vivid pink diamond that was sold for $50.4 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2018. It is one of the largest and finest fancy vivid pink diamonds ever offered at auction.
- Sweet Josephine – The Sweet Josephine diamond is a 16.08-carat fancy vivid pink diamond that was sold for $28.5 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2015. It is one of the largest and finest fancy vivid pink diamonds ever offered at auction.
- Winston Pink Legacy – The Winston Pink Legacy diamond is an 18.96-carat fancy vivid pink diamond that was sold for $50.4 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2018. It was previously owned by Harry Winston and is named after him.
- Farnese Blue – The Farnese Blue diamond is a 6.16-carat fancy dark grey-blue diamond that was sold for $6.7 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2018. It was once owned by the Duke of Parma and is considered one of the most important historical diamonds ever to appear at auction.
- The Grand Mazarin – The Grand Mazarin diamond is a 19.07-carat pink diamond that was sold for $14.4 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2017. It has a long and storied history, having been owned by several French monarchs and considered one of the most important diamonds in the French Crown Jewels.
- Oppenheimer Blue II – The Oppenheimer Blue II is a 4.62-carat fancy vivid blue diamond that was sold for $15.7 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2020. It was named after its previous owner, Sir Philip Oppenheimer, and is one of the rarest and most sought-after diamonds in the world.
About Mark Johnson
My name is Mark and I'm founder at Serendipity Diamonds. By day you'll find me working in our showroom—in a variety of roles. My work (which I love) ranges from photographing jewellery, to writing blog posts and helping clients with my colleagues Drina, Emily and Debbie.
