Headlines

Two Bidders Battle for 20 Minutes Before ‘Oppenheimer Blue’ Sets New All-Time Auction Record at $57.5 Million

Published

7 years ago

May 24, 2016

INSTORE Staff

Blue diamond beats previous mark by more than $9 million.

A protracted bidding war ratcheted up the sale price of the “Oppenheimer Blue” diamond to $57.5 million, setting a new record for the highest-priced gemstone ever sold at auction, writes Howard Cohen of The Jeweler Blog. He says that “two bidders battled back and forth for more than 20 minutes in a dramatic exchange that included 44 individual offers,” noting that the bidding started at $30.4 million and moved higher in $1 million increments. When the auctioneer banged his gavel, the final price stood at $51.2 million before commissions and fees inflated the number to $57.5 million – which is $9 million more than what was fetched by the “previous record-holder, Blue Moon of Josephine.”

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Wilkerson: “They Feel Like Family”

Newton’s Jewelers in Fort Smith, Ark., was a true institution. But after being at the helm for most of his life, owner (and descendent of the original founder) Kelly Newton decided it was time to retire. He chose Wilkerson to handle the sale. “I’ve known the owners of Wilkerson for a long, long time. I felt at home with them,” he says. The final retirement sale was just a “blast” and the Wilkerson sales team made it so very simple and straightforward, says Newton. Would he recommend Wilkerson to others? Absolutely. “They’ve done incredible work,” says Newton. “They feel like family.”