World's largest blue diamond sells for 23.8 mln U.S. dollars

The sparkling 13.22 carat gem known as "the Blue" sold at a Christie's auction in Geneva on Wednesday for more than 21 million Swiss Francs, or some 23.8 million U.S. dollars. (Photo: Xinhua)

The world's largest blue diamond comes with a price tag to match. The sparkling 13.22 carat gem known as "the Blue" sold at a Christie's auction in Geneva on Wednesday for more than 21 million Swiss Francs, or some 23.8 million U.S. dollars.

The pear-shaped stone described as the world's largest flawless vivid blue diamond had been expected to fetch between 21 to 25 million dollars.

An international jewelery specialist with Christie's says the diamond probably came from a mine in South Africa known as Cullinan.

The specialist says only three blue diamonds of 10 carats or more with the same vivid grading for intensity have been sold at auction in the past 10 years. He says all of those diamonds weighed less than 12 carats and none was flawless.