Shirley Temple’s Blue Diamond Ring Estimated to Sell for up to $35M. at Auction
March 20, 16
(IDEX Online News) – A 9.54-carat, internally flawless, VVS2 fancy blue diamond ring belonging to Shirley Temple will be auctioned at Sotheby’s next month and is estimated to sell for $25 million to $35 million.
Temple’s father purchased the ring in early 1940, which coincided with her 12th birthday and the release of her film The Blue Bird. It is thought that the movie’s title was the inspiration for buying the colored stone, which were much less coveted at the time than they are now.
“It’s remarkable to have one stone illustrate the dramatic shift in attitude towards colored diamonds over the course of the last century,” said Co-Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewelry, Americas, Gary Schuler.
“Today we recognize these stones as the definition of rarity, and they are eagerly sought-after in our current market for that very reason. The Shirley Temple Blue in particular has a traditional cushion cut that gives it a certain softness, charm and personality…”
In November, Sotheby’s sold the “Blue Moon of Josephine,” a 12.03-carat cushion-shaped, internally flawless vivid blue diamond, to Hong Kong property tycoon Joseph Lau, for a world-record $48.5 million.