The rare fancy vivid blue gem, estimated at $35 million to $50 million and touted to be the largest of its kind ever presented at auction, was pulled from the sale just weeks before the event. Christie’s confirmed that the consignors chose instead to sell the diamond privately within the family.

In its absence, another blue diamond took centre stage. A 6.24-carat fancy deep blue emerald-cut diamond led the auction, selling for $12.7 million to London-based Moussaieff Jewellers. The sale set a new auction world record price per carat for a deep blue diamond, according to Christie’s.

Further highlights included a 3.68-carat fancy vivid blue oval diamond ring by Graff, which fetched $5.8 million and was acquired by Graff’s founder, Lawrence Graff himself.

A standout collection of 21 pieces by celebrated designer JAR (Joel Arthur Rosenthal) also drew strong bidding. The group totalled $7.1 million, with a diamond necklace commanding $2.8 million—nearly five times its high estimate.

Christie’s reported that 77 per cent of the 115 lots offered sold above their high estimates. The $72.3 million result significantly surpassed the $54.2 million achieved at the equivalent sale in 2024, reinforcing strong market appetite for top-tier coloured diamonds and artist-signed jewels.

Despite the absence of its original star, the sale confirmed Christie’s Geneva as a global leader in high jewellery auctions.