Following Met Gala Debut, ‘Bulgari Laguna Blu’ Sells for $25M
The fancy vivid blue diamond topped the Sotheby’s Geneva “Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels” sale.

The 11.16-carat fancy vivid blue diamond garnered $25.2 million at the “Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels” sale.
It is the most valuable gem set into a piece of Bulgari jewelry ever sold at auction, Sotheby’s said.
Presented as the final jewel of the jewelry auction’s second session, after a four-minute bidding war between one buyer who was present and three on the phone, the blue diamond found its first new owner in 50 years.
Bulgari set the diamond into a ring in 1970 for a private collector in Europe.
Earlier this month, Bulgari unveiled an alternative setting when Priyanka Chopra Jonas wore it to the Met Gala in a diamond necklace inspired by Greco-Roman emperors’ bay laurel wreaths.

“It’s been a privilege to witness the Bulgari Laguna Blu’s glamorous and exciting journey over the past few months, knowing that it was first created in 1970, to its most recent Met Gala appearance where it dazzled on the red carpet,” said Sotheby’s Geneva Head of Jewelry Olivier Wagner.
“So, it’s a special moment to see this extraordinary jewel’s journey take yet a new turn, this evening in our auction room, in the hands of its first new owner in over 50 years.”
Overall, Sotheby’s said the auction was its most profitable Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels Geneva sale in five years, since May 2018.
Expected to sell for at least $25 million, the Bulgari Laguna Blu just hit expectations at $25.2 million, though more than half of the sale’s lots sold for well over their high estimates, and each lot sold fell within or above its estimated range, the auction house said.
Diacore, responsible for cutting many large and notable diamonds, acquired two diamonds at the auction.
It purchased one, the below 21.94-carat cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut fancy intense pink diamond set between 0.51-carat and 0.46-carat half-moon fancy deep grayish blue diamonds in a ring, for $11.8 million.

The other, an 11.57-carat step-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond set in a ring seen below, sold for $1.3 million.

Diacore’s pink diamond ring was the sale’s No. 2 lot. The No. 3 lot was another pink diamond, below.

The 5.01-carat round-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut fancy vivid purplish pink diamond sold for $6.3 million.
Pink diamonds continue to be on the menu for Sotheby’s this spring.
The auction house predicts the 10.57-carat internally flawless, fancy vivid purplish pink diamond, called “The Eternal Pink,” to sell for at least $35 million at the Magnificent Jewels sale in New York on June 8.
That equates to $3.3 million per carat, which Sotheby’s said is the highest price-per-carat estimate placed on any diamond or gemstone offered at auction.
The 11.15-carat “Williamson Pink Star” currently holds the price-per-carat record at $5.2 million per carat, or a total $57.7 million.
The Latest

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The “XO Tacori” collection was designed to blend luxury and accessible pricing.


Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

The winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

The Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.

To mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.

The gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.

Founder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.

If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.

The top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.

Gizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.

Luca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.

Following visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.

The “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.

The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.

The New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.