Harwell Godfrey, Sotheby’s Debut Brooch With $20M Blue Diamond for Met Gala

By Annie Davidson Watson | May 08, 2025

In honor of the 2025 Met Gala and its theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” jewelry designer Lauren Harwell Godfrey partnered with Sotheby’s on a one-of-a-kind brooch featuring the Mediterranean Blue, a 10.03 ct. fancy vivid blue diamond valued around $20 million. The diamond will lead Sotheby’s High Jewelry auction in Geneva on May 13.

The brooch, handcrafted of 18k yellow gold, black enamel, and black onyx, honors Black dandyism—a focus of the Met Gala and of the upcoming “Superfine” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art—in several ways. “I designed the brooch inspired by royal medals, reimagined through an African diasporic lens: sharp geometry, symbolic black onyx, and this once-in-a-lifetime gem at its center,” said Harwell Godfrey in a statement.

“This year’s theme celebrates the artistry and rebellion of Black dandyism, where fashion, formal wear, and jewelry tell bold stories of identity and power,” she added.

Mediterranean Blue Diamond — *The Mediterranean Blue*

Unearthed in 2023, the Mediterranean Blue hails from the same South African mine that produced such world-renowned diamonds as the Blue Moon of Josephine and the De Beers Blue.

“Any vivid blue diamond is a discovery worth celebrating, but one as entrancing as this, particularly being over 10 carats, is a newsworthy event,” said Quig Bruning, Sotheby’s head of jewelry for the Americas and Europe, in a statement. “The Mediterranean Blue’s remarkable size, charming cushion-cut, and ocean blue color places it in the rarefied company of some of the most important blue diamonds to come to market in recent years.”

Sotheby’s vice chairman Frank Everett, who tapped Harwell Godfrey for the collaboration, said: “From the moment we thought about setting the Mediterranean Blue in a brooch inspired by the Met Gala theme, I knew Lauren was the right choice. Her designs are bold and graphic, and her work with colored stones is exemplary.”

Catherine and Baz Met — *Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and his wife, costume designer Catherine Martin, at the 2025 Met Gala (photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)*

Harwell Godfrey’s work was on full display on the Met Gala’s red carpet, with pieces by the designer worn by three guests: director Baz Luhrmann, actor Andrew Scott, and Broadway star Audra McDonald.

(Brooch and diamond photos courtesy of Sotheby’s)

Follow me on Instagram: @anniedavidsonwatson