Dazzling Oppenheimer blue diamond sells for US$57.5 million, shattering world record for any gem

A dazzling blue diamond once owned by mining magnate Philip Oppenheimer fetched an equally stunning US$57.54 million at auction in Geneva Wednesday, shattering the previous world record for any gem, auction house Christie’s said.

The 14.62-carat “Oppenheimer Blue” is the largest stone in the exceptionally rare Fancy Vivid Blue category ever to go under the hammer, according to Christie’s.

The price paid by the anonymous Asian buyer includes fees and commissions included, a Christie’s spokesman said.

Before the auction, experts had said it was in with a chance of beating the record set by Sotheby’s in November when Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau Luen-hung paid US$48.4 million for the 12.03-carat “Blue Moon of Josephine”. He bought it for his seven-year-old daughter, after whom the stone is now named.

A spokesperson for Lau declined to comment when asked if he was the buyer of the Oppenheimer gem.

It took more than 20 minutes of bidding for the Oppenheimer to become the most expensive polished diamond ever sold at auction, easily topping its pre-auction valuation of US$38-45 million.