WORLD'S LARGEST BLUE DIAMOND SOLD

The “Oppenheimer Blue” is a 14.6-carat rectangular blue diamond, which previously belonged to British diamond entrepreneur Sir Philip Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer was an imposing man in the international diamond industry, and was recognized for his exclusive and peerless gem collection, which included the resplendent “Oppenheimer Blue.”

The unique piece is mounted on a silver ring and flanked on both sides with trapeze-shaped diamonds. 

Bidding for the diamond opened at 30 million Swiss francs, about $30.32 million dollars, and culminated in a rousing applause as Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry, ended a 20-minute battle by two phone-in bidders.

According to Christie’s, blue diamonds comprise only around 0.0001 percent of the world's diamonds. Of this tiny faction, only about one percent are classified as fancy vivid. The Oppenheimer Blue owns this denomination, which explains why it sold at such an exorbitant price.