The 23-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, set to headline Christie’s May jewelry auction, was expected to sell for as much as $50 million.
Want to see Petra’s 122-carat blue? Now’s the time
Beginning Monday in Johannesburg, Petra Diamonds Ltd. will display one of the year’s most spectacular diamond finds, a 122.52-carat blue diamond unearthed at the Cullinan mine in South Africa.

London--Beginning Monday in Johannesburg, Petra Diamonds Ltd. will display one of the year’s most spectacular diamond finds, a 122.52-carat blue diamond unearthed at the Cullinan mine in South Africa.
Petra said Tuesday that the viewing process for the stone will open Monday and run through 11 a.m. CAT (Central Africa Time) on Sept. 12, the deadline for prospective buyers to submit their bids for the diamond.
Those who want to view the stone in Johannesburg can contact Greg Stephenson, Petra’s group marketing and sales manager at greg.stephenson@petradiamonds.com or by phone at +27 11 334 9928 or +27 83 637 9849. Petra said the diamond will remain in the South African city throughout the viewing period.
Found in June, the 122.52-carat blue diamond is one of a number of large rough diamonds recovered this year, and analysts estimate that it could sell for more than $35 million, setting a new world record price for a rough diamond. This spectacular stone emerged from the same mine as the largest rough diamond discovered in history, a 3,106-carat stone called the Cullinan diamond.
Petra Diamonds has not publicly estimated the diamond’s selling price or released details about its quality, other than to call it “exceptional.”
More photos of the stone are available on PetraDiamonds.com.
Based in London, Petra is a publicly traded diamond mining company listed on the London Stock Exchange. In addition the Cullinan mine, the company has five additional producing mines, all in South Africa: the Finsch, Koffiefontein, Kimberley Underground and Helam. Petra also operates the Williamson mine in Tanzania and maintains an exploration program in Botswana.
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