Bulgari has announced the sale of one of its most exceptional gems, the Bulgari Laguna Blu, an 11.16-carat blue diamond. This is the first time the extraordinary gemstone has been offered for sale since its creation in 1970. The unique blue diamond has been in the same European collection for over 50 years and has received the highest grade for a blue diamond by the Gemological Institute of America. The exceptional color and hue of the unmodified, pear-shaped blue diamond make it a rarity three times over.
The prestigious Roman jewelry maison, Bulgari, selected the stone to create a ring for a discerning private collector. The collector has kept the Bulgari Laguna Blu ever since, making it a never-before-seen diamond in the auction market. This stunning gemstone is made its debut on the red carpet of the Met Gala on 1st May 2023, before going on to be exhibited and sold at Sotheby's Luxury Week in Geneva from 12th – 16th May 2023.
Olivier Wagner, Head of Jewellery at Sotheby’s Geneva, describes the diamond as "an extraordinary gem in every way" that is "bound to become the object of any collector's dream". The estimated price for the Bulgari Laguna Blu is expected to exceed 22 million CHF/ $25 million, making it the most valuable gem ever to be sold by Bulgari.
The Bulgari Laguna Blu is a rarity three times over, as it is a blue diamond, a jewel signed by Bulgari, and an unseen and unmodified gemstone. The gemstone's exceptional colour saturation and vibrant oceanic blue hue, along with its distinguished European collection provenance, make it a true wonder of nature. Blue diamonds, of any kind and any size, are among the rarest coloured diamonds, with blue diamonds over 5 carats being rare, and those over 10 carats even rarer. In the past few decades, fewer than ten Fancy Vivid Blue diamonds over 10 carats have come to auction anywhere in the world, with Sotheby's having sold four of them.
The Bulgari Laguna Blu was initially mounted as a ring by Bulgari for a special commission by the original owner, and it is the third-largest pear-shaped Fancy Vivid blue diamond ever to come to auction. The 1970s was a period of significant transformation for Bulgari, and the Laguna Blu was created during this period of innovation and creativity. Bulgari was at the zenith of its osmosis with Hollywood glamour, with its jewellery being adored by influential stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman, Anita Ekberg, and Sophia Loren, among many others.
Bulgari's ability to maximise the intrinsic beauty of an exceptional diamond is showcased in the elegant, pared-down ring that exposes all facets of the stone to their best advantage. In the fifty years since the Laguna Blu was faceted, diamond cutting technology has progressed to enhance coloured diamonds even further. However, the Laguna Blu is an unmodified stone, which adds to its rarity and unique charm.
The Bulgari Laguna Blu, along with the recent unveiling of the Eternal Pink and the Estrella de FURA 55.22, completes a trilogy of unique and extraordinary colored gemstones sale announcements.
