HYDERABAD: The famed ‘Golconda Blue’ diamond, a 23.24-carat pear-shaped blue gem linked to India’s royal legacy, is set to go under the hammer for the first time. The diamond, set in a ring designed by celebrated Paris-based jeweller JAR, will be auctioned by Christie’s in Geneva on 14 May.
Christie’s has estimated its value between ₹300 crore and ₹430 crore (USD 35–50 million), calling it one of the rarest and most regal diamonds ever to be offered for sale. The auction house noted that such exceptional stones appear on the market only on rare occasions.
Previously, Christie’s has sold other historic Golconda diamonds, including the Archduke Joseph, Princie, and Wittelsbach stones.
The pear-shaped blue diamond is deeply rooted in India’s aristocratic history. According to Christie’s, the diamond once belonged to Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holkar of Indore, known in the 1920s and 1930s for his luxurious and cosmopolitan lifestyle.
The Indore Pears diamonds, including the Golconda Blue, were originally purchased by the Maharaja’s father from the famed Parisian jewellery house Chaumet. In 1923, he had the 23-carat blue diamond set into a bespoke bracelet.
By 1933, Yashwant Rao appointed Mauboussin as his official jeweller, who redesigned several of his royal ornaments. Among them was a grand necklace incorporating both the Golconda Blue and the Indore Pears.
In later years, legendary American jeweller Harry Winston, often referred to as the “King of Diamonds,” acquired the Indore Pears in 1946 and the blue diamond in 1947. He set them into a brooch that also featured a 23-carat white diamond. This brooch was subsequently purchased by the Maharaja of Baroda, before eventually returning to Winston, who redesigned and resold it.
Now, nearly eight decades later, the Golconda Blue diamond is set to be publicly auctioned once more, reigniting global interest in one of India’s most storied royal jewels.
