$25.6 Million: Mellon Blue diamond Sold at Geneva Auction

The rare Mellon Blue diamond, weighing 9.51 carats, was sold in Geneva for 20.5 million Swiss francs ($25.6 million). The diamond previously belonged to American philanthropist Rachel Mellon, a close friend of former U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, according to the Christie’s auction house.

Due to its intense color, the Mellon Blue is classified as a vivid “fancy” diamond, a category that includes less than 1% of all rare blue diamonds. The stone is also free of internal flaws.

According to Max Fawcett, head of the jewelry department at Christie’s Geneva, the gem is considered “one of the most beautiful colored stones ever to appear on the market.”

The diamond was first put up for auction after Mellon’s death in 2014, when it sold for a record $32.6 million. The new owner later had the stone recut to improve its clarity, reducing its original weight from 9.75 carats and transforming it from a pendant into a ring.