Blue diamonds have been at the center of all things considered beautiful and fashionable for many centuries. These are rare stones which everyone in the diamond industry values. It goes without saying that there is a vast range of hues, color, clarity levels, and carat weights where blue diamonds are concerned, and some stones carry such stunning combinations of all four properties that their worth has historically been sky-high. Following is a list of some of the most coveted and famous blue diamonds around the globe.

The Hope Diamond

You have probably already heard of the Hope Diamond. One of a kind weighing in at 45.52 carats, this fancy-dark grayish-blue stone holds VS1 clarity. It is said that Harry Winston sent this precious stone through Registered Mail as a donation to the Smithsonian in 1958. Experts estimate its value at around $250 million.

The Heart of Eternity

Discovered in South Africa and then cut to size by the Steinmetz Group, this fancy vivid blue stone of 27.64 carats was publicized in 2000 by De Beers at the Millennium Dome in London. It was later displayed at the Smithsonian, and since then, appraisers have stated that it would fetch over $3 million on the carat, making the stone worth $80 million.

Wittelsbach-Graff

This stone carries a history every bit as interesting as that of the Hope Diamond. For one, it once adorned the King of Bavaria’s crown. In 2008, Graff acquired it for a record-breaking $23.4 million, following which the stone was re-cut to amplify its brilliance. In today’s market, it would fetch somewhere around $80 million.

The Imperial Blue

Bought in 1984 by Graff, this 39.31-carat stone holds an alluring fancy deep blue color that few other stones of this size possess. In fact, it is the largest fancy Deep Blue Flawless diamond in the world. While it lacks in intensity of color, its size more than make up for it. The current appraisal pits it at $2 million for the carat, meaning this gemstone would easily bring in $79 million on sale.

The Blue Heart

Discovered in the Premier Mine two centuries back, this stone has passed through many ownerships until coming to rest in the Smithsonian’s safekeeping in 1964. They also call it the “Eugenie Blue”, but nothing really proves the Empress ever owned it. Recent diamond record prices place its value at around $61 million.

Blue Moon

The most expensive diamond that ever got sold at auction, the Blue Moon went for a whopping $48 million in 2015, which placed it price per carat at $4 million. This gem is smaller than the Hope and has a cushion shape. Another quality it shares with the latter stone is strong red phosphorescence following UV exposure.

Mouawad Blue

Called the Tereschenko Diamond once, this 42.52 carat pear shaped diamond was bought at auction for $4.6 million, by Robert Mouawad. This was in 1984, and at the time, it was the most anyone had ever paid for a diamond placed on auction. Today, it’s auction estimate is ten times that much.

Zoe Diamond

Having held the price-per-carat record for a about a year among diamonds, the Zoe Diamond sold n November 2014 for over $32.6 million, at Sotheby’s New York. This was miles from its original estimate of $15 million. Per-carat, it cost in excess of $3.3 million.

The Idol’s Eye

This gem was once part of the collection of Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman dynasty. Harry Winston bought and sold it, and then Laurence Graff did the same. Both used it extensively in ad campaigns. The stone even passed through private hands after that. This 70.21 carat stone has a light color to it, as well as impressive size that places its worth at about $30 million.

The Winston Blue

This pear-shaped stone is a vivid blue in color, and it holds no internal flaws. It weighs 13.22 carats, in the same range as the Blue Moon diamond, and holds less color saturation. This goes to show that each blue diamond has a hue almost completely its own. The Winston Blue was bought by Harry Winston for $24 million in 2014.

Blue is about the best color you can get when buying even modestly sized diamonds. These days, you can get your hands on plenty of stones that resemble the above ten in shape, if not in size and intensity. As long as you are willing to compromise on some of the looks, you can get access to some highly appealing gems to show off, or stones which are valuable enough to be great investments in the long term. Just make sure to insist on GIA or AGS certification while buying, because either of those can guarantee that you are getting what you paid for.