Infamous Hope Diamond, acquired by French traveller Jean-Baptiste Tavernier during his India travels in the seventeenth century, was the first blue diamond to capture the Western imagination. Blue diamonds are extremely rare and only one is found annually in the mine in the Gauteng province of South Africa, which has been the most significant source of blue diamonds since the last century.

Tavernier, who travelled to India six times between 1638 and 1668, acquired the 112 carat diamond likely from Kollur mine in Golconda during his first trip in 1642. The diamond mines of Golconda were the world’s sole source of diamonds until the discoveries of diamond mines in Brazil in the 1720s. Diamond mining in India is believed to have started about 400 BC. The famous Golconda diamonds include the Koh-i-Noor, Darya-e-Noor and the Hope Diamond. Golconda diamonds are still considered to be the finest and possess superb luminousness and transparency. Experts around the world widely agree that all diamonds which display this special luminousness are of Indian origin.
The rare blue diamond was bought by French King Louis XIV and the rare precious stone became linked with royalty. The French Blue, as it came to be known, was used to adorn the crown of ill-fated Queen Marie Antoinette.
Tavernier, who wrote about his travels in his memoirs, does not reveal where he brought the diamond in India, but continued his jewellery business between India and Europe, selling jewellery and precious stones to Indian and European royals.
A rare blue diamond has come up for auction in Hong Kong next month. The Premier Blue, a 7.59 carat blue diamond, and a flawless 118.28 carat white diamond are estimated to sell for over £30 million by Sotheby’s on October 7. Sotheby’s Quek Chin Yeow described the Primer Blue as “an unusually beautiful and rare treasure of round brilliant cut as well as internally flawless clarity.” No round fancy vivid blue diamond of significance has ever appeared at auction, he said, adding that the auction “offered an unprecedented collecting opportunity for connoisseurs worldwide.”
“No significant round fancy vivid blue diamond has ever appeared at auction worldwide thus making this diamond a rare and exceptional gem. The diamond is of substantial size, has a round brilliant cut, fancy vivid blue colour grading and is internally flawless with clarity,” Sotheby’s said as the two diamonds are being previewed around Asia as well as in Geneva, London, New York and Doha before the auction.
The 7.59 carat diamond is the world’s largest round fancy vivid blue diamond.to be auctioned. It is also a rare round cut blue diamond, which are not cut like white diamonds due to their rarity. The blue diamonds are snapped up quickly, with a 10.48 carat diamond auctioned for $10.8 million in November. The De Beers Millennium Blue Diamond sold for $6.2 million in April 2010.
The 118.28 carat white diamond has been described as the largest oval shaped internally flawless diamond. Discovered in 2011 in a Southern Africa mine, the white diamond is estimated to achieve $28-$35 million, which is in excess of the current highest price ever paid for any white diamond at auction.