Rare ‘Golconda Blue’ diamond to sparkle at Geneva auction

The exceptional pear-shaped blue diamond, estimated to fetch between US$ 35-50 million, is associated with Yeshwant Rao Holkar, the Maharaja of Indore and a member of the Holkar dynasty, who along with his wife was known for a grand lifestyle in the 1920s and 1930s

London: A rare ‘Golconda Blue’ diamond with its rich royal history tracing back to the Holkar dynasty is set for a “once in a lifetime” grand appearance on the auction circuit as it goes under the hammer in Christie’s ‘Magnificent Jewels’ sale in Geneva next month.

The exceptional pear-shaped blue diamond, estimated to fetch between US$ 35-50 million, is associated with Yeshwant Rao Holkar, the Maharaja of Indore and a member of the Holkar dynasty, who along with his wife was known for a grand lifestyle in the 1920s and 1930s.

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A Knight of the Order of the Indian Empire, the Maharaja spent much of his time abroad, cultivating a strong affinity for Western art, design, and jewellery.

Over the course of its 259-year history, Christie’s has had the honour of offering some of the world’s most important Golconda diamonds, including the Archduke Joseph, the Princie, and the Wittelsbach. With its royal heritage, extraordinary colour, and exceptional size, the ‘Golconda Blue’ is truly one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world,” the auction house said in a statement.

History

The diamond, set in a contemporary ring by celebrated Parisian designer JAR, has had quite the journey through history.

In 1913, Yeshwant Rao Holkar’s father acquired the famed Indore Pear diamonds from French luxury brand Chaumet, marking the beginning of a long-standing relationship with the historic Parisian Maison.

In 1923, during another visit to Chaumet, he commissioned a diamond bracelet set with his own 23-carat pear-shaped ‘Golconda Blue’ diamond.

Drawn to the firm’s avant-garde flare, Yeshwant Rao Holkar appointed Mauboussin as his official jeweller in 1933. Thereafter, Mauboussin reimagined much of the Maharaja’s collection and created an exceptional necklace including the ‘Golconda Blue’ and the ‘Indore Pears’, worn by the Maharani of Indore Sanyogitabai Devi.

Holkar also collaborated with other iconic international jewellers, including Harry Winston.

In 1946, Winston purchased the Indore Pears from the Maharaja, and the following year, in January 1947, he acquired this 23-carat blue diamond. Winston later set it in a brooch alongside a matching 23-carat white diamond, which he sold to the Maharaja of Baroda.

The brooch was subsequently reacquired by Winston and resold as a newly designed jewel to its current owner. Now, over a century later, this legendary blue diamond is set to be auctioned for the very first time in its ring setting.

Legacy

The legacy of Golconda diamonds begins with a reference found in a fourth-century Sanskrit manuscript.

In 327 BC, Alexander the Great brought diamonds from India to Europe, sparking the West’s enduring fascination with these rare gems. By 1292 AD, Marco Polo famously chronicled the captivating beauty of Indian diamonds in his travel writings.

“Today, the ‘Golconda Blue’ stands not only as a natural marvel but also as a storied jewel — its provenance bridging continents, dynasties, and centuries,” Christie’s states. The auction house’s mega jewellery sale is scheduled at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva on May 14.