A Historic Jewel of Indian Royalty, Crafted by JAR, Poised to Become One of the Most Important Fancy Vivid Blue Diamonds Ever Sold at Auction
In the rarefied world of haute joaillerie, few stones carry a legacy as profound as The Golconda Blue—a 23.24-carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond of extraordinary size, provenance, and poetic allure. This May, the legendary gem makes its auction debut as the star of Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva, where it is expected to fetch between $35 and $50 million.
Mounted in a sublime ring by the reclusive Parisian designer JAR, the stone is more than a marvel of gemology—it is a whisper of royal history, a masterpiece with a lineage that reads like a chapter from an imperial chronicle.
A Jewel Born of Dynasties
The Golconda Blue’s story begins in the famed mines of Golconda, India—birthplace of the world’s most fabled diamonds. But it is its connection to the Holkar dynasty that elevates its stature. Once owned by Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar of Indore, a modernist royal with an eye for the avant-garde, the diamond was part of a visionary collection that defined global elegance in the interwar years.
A patron of Chaumet, Mauboussin, and Harry Winston, the Maharaja curated his jewels as one might commission art—each piece reflecting an intersection of Indian regality and Western aesthetic innovation. In 1923, the Golconda Blue was set into a bespoke bracelet by Chaumet. Later, it was reimagined by Mauboussin and worn by the Maharani of Indore, immortalized in a regal portrait by Bernard Boutet de Monvel.
By 1947, the diamond had changed hands again, becoming part of a Harry Winston-designed brooch, paired with a twin 23-carat white diamond—an emblem of old-world splendour. Eventually, the Golconda Blue found its way to a private collection, where it has remained, cloaked in quiet reverence… until now.
A New Setting for a Timeless Stone
Now set in a contemporary ring by JAR, whose rare commissions are as coveted as the stones they cradle, The Golconda Blue emerges into the public eye in a dazzling new form—refined yet radiant, modern yet monumental.
As Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry, notes:
“Exceptional noble gems of this caliber come to market once in a lifetime… With its Royal heritage, extraordinary color, and exceptional size, The Golconda Blue is truly one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world.”
A Legacy Carved in Light
The Golconda legend stretches far beyond its physical form. First referenced in 4th-century Sanskrit manuscripts and chronicled by Marco Polo and Alexander the Great, Golconda diamonds were once reserved for emperors, maharajas, and queens. Their singular clarity, absence of nitrogen, and geological purity make them a category unto themselves.
Today, The Golconda Blue takes its place among Christie’s most storied offerings—joining the ranks of the Archduke Joseph, the Princie, and the Wittelsbach.
Its sale on May 14, 2025, at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, Geneva, will not simply be a transaction—it will mark a moment in time when history, craftsmanship, and rarity converged to redefine the art of collectin
| Auction Information | Learn more |
| Exhibition Information | Christie’s Hong Kong 25-26 AprilChristie’s Bangkok 28-30 AprilChristie’s New York 2-4 MayChristie’s Geneva 9-14 May |
