The Hôtel des Ventes de Monte-Carlo enjoyed a successful set of results following the Important Jewellery auction on Tuesday, July 19. The centre of attention that evening was in no doubt ‘Le Grand Bleu’, a stunning sapphire enclosed in a diamond pendant.

The octagonal-cut 208 carat jewel caused quite the stir, as a battle of the bids occurred between two serious collectors, which reached the soaring sum of 2,620,000 euros under the hammer.

The sizeable sapphire may be stunning in appearance but it also owes a portion of its value to its princely provenance. Originally from Sri Lanka, ‘Le Grand Bleu’ has now found its new home.

The auction saw success across the board. A brooch that was originally estimated to be between 25,000 and 30,000 euros in value reached 155,000 euros, and will go to the Van Cleef museum. Meanwhile, Cartier’s Sissi ring was estimated to be worth the lowly sum of just 300,000 euros, but reached 545,000 euros before being claimed by a collector.

Featured image: ‘Le Grand Bleu’