A Diamond For Rs 430 Crore! Christie's To Auction India's Historic 'Golconda Blue'

A dazzling piece of India’s royal legacy, ‘The Golconda Blue,’ a 23.24-carat vivid blue diamond, will make its auction debut at Christie’s “Magnificent Jewels” sale in Geneva on May 14.

Once cherished by the Maharajas of Indore and Baroda, this gem from Telangana’s legendary Golconda mines is set in a modern ring by Parisian designer JAR. Experts estimate its value at USD 35-50 million (Rs 300-430 crore), reflecting its rarity and historical significance.

Christie’s Rahul Kadakia described it as “one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world,” noting its royal heritage and vibrant hue. Originating from Golconda, famed for gems like the Koh-i-Noor, the diamond’s journey began with Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II of Indore. In 1923, his father commissioned a bracelet from Chaumet featuring the stone, alongside the iconic “Indore Pears.” By the 1930s, Mauboussin redesigned it into a necklace, immortalized in a portrait of the Maharani of Indore by Bernard Boutet de Monvel.

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In 1947, Harry Winston acquired the diamond, crafting it into a brooch later owned by the Maharaja of Baroda. Its path through India’s royalty underscores its cultural weight. The auction at Geneva’s Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues marks a rare chance to own a gem tying India’s past to global elegance.

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