A blue diamond of 9.75 carat pear-shaped last night was sold at Sotheby’s in New York for a record price of $ 32.6 million (26 million euros) , the highest ever paid for a diamond that color.

“From the moment I first saw the diamond would u knew the most important gemstones that have the privilege to present at auction, “said the director of Sotheby’s jewelry in a statement.

The precious jewel ended in the hands of an anonymous collector in Hong Kong after twenty minutes of bids in which seven people participated. The previous record was held to date baptized another blue diamond Wittelsbach , which was sold by the auction house Christie’s to an anonymous buyer for $ 24.3 million in December 2008.

The diamond belonged to the collection of Paul Mellon , the banker known for his investments in the banking, industrial and oil sector last century came to amass a fortune only surpassed by other tycoons like John D. Rockefeller and Henry Ford.

During the auction held last night at the New York headquarters of Sotheby’s are sold or after jewelry and objects in the same collection for over 41 million dollars (32.7 million euros), which exceeds the 19.2 million (15 3 million euros) had anticipated Sotheby’s.

Other highlights of the evening were jewelry one pendant 9.14 carat diamond was sold at $ 2.9 million (2.3 million euros) and a necklace of gold and diamonds from Cartier auctioned 2 $ 7 million (2.1 million euros)