PodcastsAug 19, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
AuctionsMay 25, 2016
‘Cullinan Dream’ Could Sell For $23-$29 Million
The 24.18-carat fancy intense blue diamond is the largest of four blue diamonds cut from a 122.52-carat rough discovered at the Cullinan mine in 2014.
The 24.18-carat “Cullinan Dream,” found to be Type IIb and of VS2 clarity by the Gemological Institute of America, will be the largest fancy intense blue diamond offered at auction, Christie’s said. (Photo credit: Christie’s Images Ltd. 2016)
New York--Another big blue diamond is stepping into the auction spotlight.
A 24.18-carat fancy intense blue diamond dubbed the “Cullinan Dream” is expected to sell in the range of $23 to $29 million when it leads Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale on June 9 in New York.
Flanked by baguette-cut diamonds weighing 2.36 carats total, the stone will be the largest fancy intense blue diamond offered at auction, according to Christie’s.
The Gemological Institute of America determined the diamond to be Type IIb and of VS2 clarity.
The Cullinan Dream is the largest of four blue diamonds cut from a 122.52-carat piece of rough discovered at the Cullinan mine in South Africa in 2014.
That mine is famous for the discovery of the biggest piece of rough in history, which yielded the 530.20-carat Cullinan I, the largest polished white diamond in existence. The Cullinan I is part of the British Crown Jewels, housed in the Tower of London.
Christie’s New York’s Magnificent Jewels sale is comprised of 260 lots, ranging in price estimates from $4,000 to $23 million, including exceptional fancy colored and colorless diamonds, colored gemstones and natural pearls, among others.
Another notable piece in the sale will be an oval diamond ring weighing 52.76 carats, a pair of diamond ear pendants weighing 21.21 carats and 20.80 carats and a 51.06-carat fancy intense yellow diamond ring.
With these platinum ear pendants, each features a cushion brilliant-cut diamond, weighing approximately 21.21 and 20.80 carats, suspended from a graduated trapezoid-cut diamond line. They could garner as much as $1.5 million at Christie’s. (Photo credit: Christie’s Images Ltd. 2016)
This ring is set with a 52.76-carat oval brilliant-cut diamond of K color and VS2 clarity mounted in platinum. Christie’s expects it to sell for between $1.8 and $2.2 million. (Photo credit: Christie’s Images Ltd. 2016)
A cut-cornered square modified brilliant-cut, VS1 fancy intense yellow diamond weighing approximately 51.06 carats and mounted in 18-karat gold is predicted to sell for $1.3 to $1.8 million. (Photo credit: Christie’s Images Ltd. 2016)
It also will include signed pieces from private collections and estates with brands such as Buccellati, Bulgari, Cartier, David Webb, Graff, Tiffany & Co. and Van Cleef & Arpels.
The complete list of items can be found on Christies.com.
The auction house also recently sold a record-breaking diamond when the rectangular-cut, 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue went for $57.5 million, making it the most expensive jewel at auction.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Auctions
The Latest
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every DayThe new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash RobberyOne is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
