‘Mediterranean Blue Diamond’ Could Fetch $20 Million at Auction 

A Sotheby’s staff holds "The Mediterranean Blue", a fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 10.03 carats estimated to reach 20 million Swiss francs during an auction preview in Geneva, Switzerland, May 8, 2025. (Reuters)
A Sotheby’s staff holds "The Mediterranean Blue", a fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 10.03 carats estimated to reach 20 million Swiss francs during an auction preview in Geneva, Switzerland, May 8, 2025. (Reuters)
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‘Mediterranean Blue Diamond’ Could Fetch $20 Million at Auction 

A Sotheby’s staff holds "The Mediterranean Blue", a fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 10.03 carats estimated to reach 20 million Swiss francs during an auction preview in Geneva, Switzerland, May 8, 2025. (Reuters)
A Sotheby’s staff holds "The Mediterranean Blue", a fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 10.03 carats estimated to reach 20 million Swiss francs during an auction preview in Geneva, Switzerland, May 8, 2025. (Reuters)

A 10-carat blue diamond which could fetch $20 million when it goes under the hammer later this month was presented by auction house Sotheby's in Geneva on Thursday.

The cushion-shaped piece, known as the "Mediterranean Blue Diamond," was mined in South Africa and displayed a rare color that qualified as fancy vivid blue, Sotheby's said.

"The market for coloured diamonds continues to go from strength to strength," said Jessica Wyndham of Sotheby's, added that she expected a price in the region of $20 million.

In 2016, another vivid blue diamond sold for 56.8 million Swiss francs ($68.7 million) at a Christie's auction in Geneva.

Sotheby's high jewellery collection, which includes other coloured gemstones, was presented to journalists in Geneva ahead of a live auction scheduled for May 13 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.



US Scientists Forecast Above-normal 2025 Hurricane Season

FILE PHOTO: Hurricane Ernesto moves on in the Atlantic Ocean after making landfall on Bermuda in a composite satellite image August 17, 2024.     NOAA/Handout via REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Hurricane Ernesto moves on in the Atlantic Ocean after making landfall on Bermuda in a composite satellite image August 17, 2024. NOAA/Handout via REUTERS
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US Scientists Forecast Above-normal 2025 Hurricane Season

FILE PHOTO: Hurricane Ernesto moves on in the Atlantic Ocean after making landfall on Bermuda in a composite satellite image August 17, 2024.     NOAA/Handout via REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Hurricane Ernesto moves on in the Atlantic Ocean after making landfall on Bermuda in a composite satellite image August 17, 2024. NOAA/Handout via REUTERS

US government scientists said on Thursday they expect an above-normal hurricane season in 2025, producing three to five major hurricanes with sustained winds of at least 111 miles (179 km) per hour.

The Atlantic hurricane season, which begins on June 1, is forecast to produce 13 to 19 named tropical storms with winds of at least 39 mph, according to the US National Weather Service. Of those storms, six to 10 are forecast to become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher.

"Warmer sea surface temperatures are probably the major contributor to this," said Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service.

Academic and private weather forecasters have issued similar outlooks for the hurricane season, which continues through November 30.

Between 1991 and 2020, there have been an average of 14.4 named tropical storms annually in the Atlantic, including on average 3.2 major hurricanes among 7.2 hurricanes, Reuters reported.

Colorado State University meteorologists said in early April the 2025 hurricane season across the Atlantic basin will be above average, with 17 named tropical storms, including nine hurricanes, of which four are predicted to be major.

AccuWeather issued its 2025 hurricane season forecast in late March. The private weather service calls for between three and five major hurricanes out of seven to 10 hurricanes from 13 to 18 named tropical storms.

The 2024 hurricane season was one of the costliest on record. There were five major hurricanes, out of a total of 11 hurricanes from 18 named storms.