A rare blue diamond ring could fetch up to £2 million at auction next month.
The 8.03-carat Fancy Light Blue diamond, set in a ring with pink and white diamonds, will be sold by Auctioneers Elmwood’s in its Fine Jewellery sale in London on Thursday, October 1.
It is only the third blue diamond over eight carats ever to appear at auction in the UK.
Joe Kendrick, head of sale at Elmwood’s auctioneers, said: "An 8.03 carat natural blue diamond is an extraordinary rarity in its own right, but what adds to its allure is its place in British auction history.
"To offer only the third blue diamond above eight carats ever seen at auction in the UK and the largest pear-shaped example, is a remarkable moment for Elmwood’s and for collectors of exceptional coloured diamonds.
"Coming from a Scottish collector, the ring is a truly once-in-a-lifetime piece.
"Its combination of size, colour, clarity and elegant pear shape also gives this stone an exceptionally compelling presence and we therefore expect wide interest."
The only other blue diamonds of this size previously sold at UK auction are the 70.21-carat "Idol’s Eye," sold at Christie’s in London in 1865, and the Wittelsbach Diamond, sold by Sotheby’s in London in 2008.
Blue diamonds are among the rarest of all coloured diamonds.
Their distinctive colour comes from trace amounts of boron in the crystal structure.
Historically sourced from India and Brazil, blue diamonds are now also found in South Africa’s Cullinan Mine.
Rare coins selling for hundreds of times their face value
The auction comes as rare coins are also selling for much more than their face values.
A 20p piece is a “mule” coin dating from 2008 and was minted without a date on the coin due to an error.
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The mistake means the coin is considered a collector’s item.
On eBay, it attracted a winning bid of £50 (250 times its face value).
A rare Blue Peter 50p coin has sold for 350 times its face value, fetching £160 on eBay.
Will you be attending the auction? Let us know in the comments below.
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