102-ct Blue Sapphire Sells for Almost $2m
June 07, 26
(IDEX Online) - The Peacock of Ceylon, a 102.40-carat unmounted sapphire, sold for CHF 1.55 million, or about USD 1.98 million, at Sotheby's Geneva, affirming the strength of the market for unheated colored stones.
The cushion-shaped gem was described by SSEF as a sapphire with strong or "royal blue" saturation.
It narrowly beat its pre-sale estimate of CHF 1 million to CHF 1.5 million (USD 1.27 million to USD 1.90 million).
Unheated blue sapphires have shown a consistent 16% annual growth according to Gems and More.
They have reportedly nearly doubled in price over the last 24 months, and unheated stones are often said to command a 30% to 50% premium over heated ones.
Pic courtesy Sotheby's.