Mellon Blue: Rare Blue Diamond Sold for $25 Million

The rare blue diamond "Mellon Blue", weighing 9.51 carats, was sold for over $25 million at a Christie's auction in Geneva. The price is in line with initial estimates.

The diamond, which adorns a ring, had been estimated between $20 and $30 million by the auction house. Rahul Kadakia, head of Jewelry at Christie's, said the diamond is among the most beautiful colored diamonds ever offered at auction.

The final price, after taxes, amounted to $25,592,269. In 2014, the same diamond, then known as the Zoe Diamond, was sold for $32.6 million by Sotheby's in New York.

For decades, the diamond belonged to Rachel Lambert Mellon, known as Bunny Mellon, a garden designer and art collector. Bunny Mellon is known for redesigning the White House Rose Garden in 1961.

In 2016, the "Oppenheimer Blue" diamond (14.62 carats) sold for $57.5 million at a Christie's auction in Geneva, setting a record.