List of famous diamonds
Encyclopedia
A number of large or extraordinary diamond
s have gained fame, both as exquisite examples of the beautiful nature of diamonds, and because of the famous people who wore, bought, and sold them. A partial list of famous diamonds in history follows.
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
s have gained fame, both as exquisite examples of the beautiful nature of diamonds, and because of the famous people who wore, bought, and sold them. A partial list of famous diamonds in history follows.
| Name | Uncut weight (carat Carat (mass) The carat is a unit of mass equal to 200 mg and is used for measuring gemstones and pearls.The current definition, sometimes known as the metric carat, was adopted in 1907 at the Fourth General Conference on Weights and Measures, and soon afterward in many countries around the world... ) |
Cut weight (carat Carat (mass) The carat is a unit of mass equal to 200 mg and is used for measuring gemstones and pearls.The current definition, sometimes known as the metric carat, was adopted in 1907 at the Fourth General Conference on Weights and Measures, and soon afterward in many countries around the world... ) |
Description |
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| Akbar Shah Akbar Shah (diamond) -Overview:The rulers of the [Mughal dynasty]] had a passion for chronicling their reign and almost every emperor in that lineage commissioned lavishly illustrated biographies... |
116 | 71.7 | an Indian diamond with a roughly pear-shaped outline and random faceting, including two Persian Persian language Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence... inscriptions, the first reading "Shah Akbar Akbar the Great Akbar , also known as Shahanshah Akbar-e-Azam or Akbar the Great , was the third Mughal Emperor. He was of Timurid descent; the son of Emperor Humayun, and the grandson of the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India... , the Grand King, 1028 A.H." (the letters mean Anno Hegirae). The second inscription read "To the Lord of Two Worlds, 1039 A.H. Shah Jehan". The diamond was reportedly part of the original Peacock Throne Peacock Throne The Peacock Throne, called Takht-e Tâvus in Persian, is the name originally given to a Mughal throne of India, which was later adopted and used to describe the thrones of the Persian emperors from Nader Shah Afshari and erroneously to Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi whose throne was a reconstruction of... . Purchased in 1886 in Istanbul Istanbul Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and... by London merchant George Blogg, who re-cut it from 116 carats (23.2 g) to a pear-shape of 71.7 carats (14.3 g), thus destroying the historic inscriptions. Blogg was the last known owner and the stone's whereabouts are presently unknown. |
| Allnatt Diamond Allnatt Diamond The Allnatt Diamond is a diamond measuring 101.29 carats with a cushion cut, rated in color as Fancy Vivid Yellow by the Gemological Institute of America. This diamond is named after one of its holders, Major Alfred Ernest Allnatt, a soldier, sportsman, art patron and benefactor... |
101.29 | a 101.29 carats (20.3 g) antique cushion-shaped brilliant fancy vivid yellow diamond. | |
| Agra Diamond | 28 | antique cushion-shaped stellar brilliant, 28 carats (5.6 g). | |
| Amarillo Starlight Amarillo Starlight The Amarillo Starlight is the largest diamond found by a park visitor in the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas since 1972, when it was established as a state park. The Amarillo Starlight was found by W. W. Johnson of Amarillo, Texas in 1975 while he was vacationing at the park with his family... |
16.37 | 7.54 | The largest diamond found by a park visitor in the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas since 1972, when it was established as a state park. It was found by W. W. Johnson of Amarillo, Texas in 1975 and was a 16.37 carats (3.27 g) white diamond, but it has since been cut into a 7.54 carats (1,510 mg) marquise shape. |
| Amsterdam Diamond Amsterdam Diamond The Amsterdam Diamond is a black diamond weighing , and has 145 facets. It is in a pear shape, and cut from a rough. It was sold in 2001 for $US352,000, the highest price paid for a black diamond at auction.-External links:... |
33.74 | a 33.74 carat (6.748 g) pear-shaped black diamond Carbonado Carbonado, commonly known as the "Black Diamond", is a natural polycrystalline diamond found in alluvial deposits in the Central African Republic and Brazil. Its natural colour is black or dark grey, and it is more porous than other diamonds.... which sold for $352,000 in 2001. |
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| Archduke Joseph Archduke Joseph August of Austria Archduke Joseph August Viktor Klemens Maria of Austria, Prince of Hungary and Bohemia was for a short period head of state of Hungary, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and the eldest son of Archduke Joseph Karl of Austria and his wife Princess Clotilde of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha... Diamond |
78.54 | 76.45 | antique cushion-shaped brilliant, originally weighing 78.54 carats (15.7 g), purchased by Molina Jewelers of Arizona Arizona Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix... sometime in the late-1990s and slightly re-cut to 76.45 carats (15.3 g) to improve clarity and symmetry. D color, Internally Flawless. |
| Ashberg Diamond Ashberg Diamond Ashberg Diamond is a diamond, which was once included in the Russian Crown Jewels. It weighs .This is believed to have been mined in South Africa, because of its characteristics. In 1934 the Russian Trade Delegation sold the diamond to Mr. Ashberg, a leading Stockholm banker.-External links:**... |
102.48 | 102.48 carats (20.5 g). | |
| Aurora Butterfly of Peace Aurora Butterfly of Peace The Aurora Butterfly of Peace diamond collection is an artwork consisting of 240 natural, fancy colored diamonds weighing a combined total of . This butterfly-shaped diamond mosaic was created over a period of twelve years by Alan Bronstein and Harry Rodman. The diamonds were collected and... |
various | a display of 240 fancy-colored diamonds. | |
| Aurora Pyramid of Hope | various | a display of 296 diamonds of natural colors. | |
| Beau Sancy | 34 | a 34 carats (6.8 g) diamond not to be confused with the Sancy. | |
| Black Orlov Black Orlov The Black Orlov is a black diamond, also known as the Eye of Brahma Diamond. It weighs . The diamond—originally —is said to have been discovered in the early 19th century in India. It supposedly featured as one of the eyes in a statue of the Hindu god Brahma in Pondicherry, until it was stolen by a... |
67.5 | a 67.5 carats (13.5 g) cushion-cut black diamond Carbonado Carbonado, commonly known as the "Black Diamond", is a natural polycrystalline diamond found in alluvial deposits in the Central African Republic and Brazil. Its natural colour is black or dark grey, and it is more porous than other diamonds.... , also called the Eye of Brahma Diamond. |
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| Blue Heart Diamond | 103 | 30.82 | 30.82 carats (6.2 g) heart brilliant. Part of the Smithsonian collection. |
| Briolette of India Briolette of India The Briolette of India is a colorless diamond found in India. It is cut in a briolette shape, and is a D-coloured type IIa diamond. Its history was thought to date from the 12th century, when it was first acquired by Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Queen consort of King Louis VII of France between 1137... Diamond |
90.38 | 90.38 carats (18.1 g) - possibly the oldest diamond on record. | |
| Centenary Diamond Centenary Diamond The De Beers Centenary Diamond is, at , the third-largest diamond to have been produced in the Premier Mine. The Centenary Diamond is rated in color as grade D color by the Gemological Institute of America, which is the highest grade of colourless diamond and is internally and externally flawless... |
599 | 273.85 | 273.85 carats (54.8 g), modified heart-shaped brilliant, the world's largest colorless (grade D Diamond color A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond is perfectly transparent with no hue, or color. However, in reality almost no gem-sized natural diamonds are absolutely perfect. The color of a diamond may be affected by chemical impurities and/or structural defects in the crystal lattice... ), flawless diamond. |
| Chloe Diamond | largest round brilliant-cut diamond ever put on auction. Sold on November 14, 2007 at Sotheby's Sotheby's Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish... in Geneva Geneva Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland... to Georges Marciano of the Guess clothing line for $16.2 million, the second-highest price ever paid for a diamond on auction. Took 2 years to cut. |
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| Cora Sun-Drop Diamond | 110.30 | largest known pear-shape yellow diamond, found in South-Africa | |
| Cross of Asia | 200 | 142 | discovered in 1902 in South Africa as a 280 carats (56 g) crystal. At first diamond was cut to 142 carats (28.4 g), and next the cut was three times changed to 112 carats (22.4 g), a cushion-cut of 109.28 carats (the weight Lawrence Copeland's "Diamonds - Famous, Notable and Unique" lists it at) measuring 1⅛ × ⅞ × ⅝ inches, and finally into a radiant-cut gem of 79.12 carats (15.8 g) to eliminate all flaws. It is Fancy Yellow and Internally Flawless. |
| Cullinan Diamond Cullinan Diamond The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at .The largest polished gem from the stone is named Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, and at was the largest polished diamond in the world until the 1985 discovery of the Golden Jubilee Diamond, , also from the... |
3106.75 | various | the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found at 3106.75 carats (621.35 g). It was cut into 105 diamonds including the Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, 530.2 carats (106.04 g), and the Cullinan II or the Lesser Star of Africa, 317.4 carats (63.48 g), both of which are now part of the British Crown Jewels Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom The collective term Crown Jewels denotes the regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom during the coronation ceremony and at other state functions... . |
| Cullinan Heritage diamond | set the record for the highest price ever paid for a rough diamond in February 2010 when it was sold for $35.3m (£23m) to a Hong Kong jeweller. Petra Diamonds Petra Diamonds Petra Diamonds Ltd. is a leading diamond mining group. It is headquartered in Jersey, and is the largest diamond producer listed on Alternative Investment Market, part of the London Stock Exchange. It currently operates in South Africa, Tanzania, and Botswana, and previously worked on projects in... mined the stone in 2009 at their Cullinan Diamond Mine (formerly the Premier Mine Premier Mine The Premier Mine is an underground diamond mine owned by Petra Diamonds. It is situated in the town of Cullinan, 40 kilometres east of Pretoria, Gauteng Province, South Africa. Established in 1902, it was renamed the Cullinan Diamond Mine in November 2003 in celebration of its centenary... ) in South Africa. |
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| Darya-ye Noor Diamond | 182 | the largest pink diamond in the world, approximately 182 carats (36.4 g), part of Iranian Crown Jewels Iranian Crown Jewels The Imperial crown jewels of Iran include several elaborate crowns and decorative thrones, thirty tiaras, and numerous aigrettes, a dozen bejewelled swords and shields, a vast number of unset precious gems, numerous plates and other dining services cast in precious metals and encrusted with gems,... . Its exact weight isn't known; 182 carats (36.4 g) is an estimate. |
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| Deepdene | 104.52 | widely considered to be the largest artificially irradiated diamond in the world, at 104.52 carats (20.9 g). | |
| De Young Red Diamond | 5.03 | weighing 5.03 carats (1 g), the third-largest known red diamond, was bought in a flea market on a hatpin by Sidney deYoung a prominent Boston estate jewelry merchant. It was donated by him to the Smithsonian Institution Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines... National Museum of Natural History National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. Admission is free and the museum is open 364 days a year.... . |
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| Dresden Green Diamond Dresden Green Diamond The Dresden Green Diamond, also known as "Dresden Green", is a natural green diamond, which probably originated in the Kollur mine in the state of Andhra Pradesh in the Indian subcontinent.... |
41 | 41 carats (8.2 g) antique pear-shaped brilliant - its color is the result of natural irradiation | |
| Dresden White Diamond | 47 | 47 carats (9.4 g) antique oval brilliant, near-colorless | |
| Dresden Yellow Diamond | 38 | 38 carats (7.6 g) antique round cut | |
| Earth Star Diamond | 111.59 | a 111.59 carats (22.3 g) pear-shaped diamond with a strong coffee-like brown color. | |
| Eureka Diamond Eureka Diamond The Eureka Diamond was the first diamond discovered in South Africa. It weighed , and was found near Hopetown on the Orange River in 1867. The diamond, cut to a cushion-shaped brilliant, is currently on display at the Mine Museum in Kimberley.-Discovery:... |
21.25 | 10.73 | the first diamond found in South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... , a yellow-brown 21.25 carats (4.3 g) stone (before cutting) resulting in a finished diamond 10.73 carats (2.1 g) |
| Empress Eugenie Diamond | 52 | 52 carats (10.4 g) antique pear-shaped brilliant with an odd, random facet pattern | |
| Excelsior Diamond Excelsior Diamond The Excelsior Diamond was found on June 30, 1893 at the Jagersfontein Mine by a worker while loading a truck. The man was able to hide the diamond from the supervisors but delivered it to the manager of the mine himself. Until 1905, when the larger Cullinan diamond was found, the Excelsior was the... |
970 | 68 | the largest known diamond in the world prior to the Cullinan at 970 carats (194 g), it was later cut into 10 pieces of various sizes (13–68 carats) |
| Florentine Diamond Florentine Diamond The Florentine Diamond is a lost diamond of Indian origin. It is light yellow in colour with very slight green overtones. It is cut in the form of an irregular nine-sided 126-facet double rose cut, with a weight of 137.27 carats... |
137.27 | a lost diamond, light yellow with a weight of 137.27 carats (27.45 g). | |
| Golden Eye Diamond Golden Eye Diamond The Golden Eye Diamond is a flawless Canary Yellow diamond, claimed to be the world's largest of its cut and color. It is listed at number four of the top ten notable diamonds. It is believed to come from the Kimberley area of South Africa... |
43.5 | a large, radiant-cut canary yellow diamond (43.5 carats). | |
| Golden Jubilee Diamond | 755.5 | 545.67 | the largest faceted diamond ever cut at 545.67 carats (109.13 g) |
| Graff Blue Diamond | |||
| Graff Pink Graff Pink (diamond) The Graff Pink, a rare 24.78 carat pink diamond, once owned by American celebrity jeweller Harry Winston, has been described as "one of the greatest diamonds ever discovered". The diamond, mounted in a ring, was sold by Sotheby's auctioneers in Geneva, Switzerland on 16 November 2010... |
24.78 | 24.78 carats (5 g) A 24.78-carat Fancy Intense Pink diamond and the most expensive jewel ever sold at auction, previously owned by Harry Winston and an unnamed private collector, and bought by Laurence Graff (November 2010). | |
| Great Chrysanthemum Diamond Great Chrysanthemum Diamond The Great Chrysanthemum Diamond is a diamond measuring 104.15 carats with a Pear-Shaped Modified Brilliant Cut, rated in colour as Fancy Orange-Brown and I1 clarity by the Gemological Institute of America. The diamond's origins are in South Africa, where it was bought by the jeweler Julius Cohen... |
104.15 | 104.15 carats (20.8 g) | |
| Great Mogul Diamond | ≈780 | 280 | fabled 280 carats (56 g) mogul-cut diamond, now lost, although presumed by historians to have been re-cut as the Orlov. |
| Gruosi Diamond | 115.34 | a heart-shaped black diamond Carbonado Carbonado, commonly known as the "Black Diamond", is a natural polycrystalline diamond found in alluvial deposits in the Central African Republic and Brazil. Its natural colour is black or dark grey, and it is more porous than other diamonds.... , weighing 115.34 carats (23.1 g). |
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| Heart of Eternity Diamond Heart of Eternity Diamond The Heart of Eternity is a diamond measuring 27.64 carats , rated in color as "Fancy Vivid Blue" by the Gemological Institute of America. The Heart of Eternity was cut by the Steinmetz Group, who owned the diamond before selling it to the De Beers Group.The Heart of Eternity is a member of an... |
27.64 | perhaps the largest fancy vivid blue, weighing 27.64 carats (5.5 g). | |
| Hope Diamond Hope Diamond The Hope Diamond, also known as "Le bleu de France" or "Le Bijou du Roi", is a large, , deep-blue diamond, now housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. It is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but exhibits red... |
≈112 | 45.52 | 45.52 carats (9.1 g), is a Fancy Dark Grayish-Blue diamond and supposedly cursed. Almost certainly cut from the French Blue Diamond. |
| Hortensia Diamond | 20 | peach color, formerly part of the French Crown Jewels French Crown Jewels The French Crown Jewels were the crowns, orb, sceptres, diadems and jewels that were the symbol of royalty and which were worn by many Kings and Queens of France. The set was finally broken up, with most of it sold off in 1885 by the Third French Republic... . Displayed in the Louvre Louvre The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement... . |
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| Idol's Eye | 70.21 | 70.21 carats | |
| Incomparable Diamond | 890 | 407.48 | a brownish-yellow diamond of 407.48 carats (81.496 g) cut from an 890 carat (178 g) rough diamond of the same name - it appeared on eBay in 2002. Internally Flawless clarity. Several other smaller diamonds were also cut from the crystal. |
| Jacob Diamond Jacob Diamond The Jacob Diamond is a large diamond, ranked seventh in the world, known earlier as the Imperial or Great White Diamond. It is believed to be the Victoria Diamond, owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad and currently owned by the Government of India.... |
184.5 | weighing 184.5 carats (36.90 g) also known as Imperial Diamond & Victoria Diamond. | |
| Jones Diamond Jones Diamond The “Jones Diamond,” also known as the “Punch Jones Diamond,” "The Grover Jones Diamond," or "The Horseshoe Diamond," was an 34.48 carat alluvial diamond found in Peterstown, West Virginia by members of the Jones family... |
34.48 | weighing 34.48 carats (6.9 g), found in West Virginia by the Jones family. | |
| Jubilee Diamond Jubilee Diamond The Jubilee Diamond, originally known as the Reitz Diamond is a colourless, cushion-shaped diamond weighing 245.35 carats , making it the sixth largest diamond in the world... |
245.3 | originally known as the Reitz Diamond; perhaps the sixth-largest in the world at 245.35 carats (49.1 g). | |
| Kazanjian Red Diamond | 35 | 5.05 | a 5.05 carats (1 g) Emerald-cut red diamond Red Diamond Red Diamond Inc. is a coffee, tea, and food service company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Red Diamond, founded in 1906, is one of the three oldest coffee and teas companies in the United States and has continuously been operated by members of the same family.Red Diamond is building a new... formerly known simply as "Red Diamond". It was cut from a 35 carats (7 g) piece of boart discovered near Lichtenburg Lichtenburg, North West Lichtenburg is a town situated in North West Province of South Africa. It is the administrative centre of Ditsobotla Local Municipality.The town was established in 1873 and was named by Transvaal President Thomas François Burgers, Lichtenburg... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... . It reappeared in 2007 after a 37-year absence from sight, and was purchased by Kazanjian Brothers Inc. |
| Kimberley Diamond | 55.09 | 55.09 carats | |
| Koh-i-Noor Koh-i-Noor The Kōh-i Nūr which means "Mountain of Light" in Persian, also spelled Koh-i-noor, Koh-e Noor or Koh-i-Nur, is a 105 carat diamond that was once the largest known diamond in the world. The Kōh-i Nūr originated in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India along with its double, the Darya-ye Noor... |
105. | a 105.6 carat (21.6 g) white of Indian origin, with a long and turbulent history and a good deal of legend surrounding it. After belonging to various Mughal Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids... and Persian rulers, it was gifted away by the Maharaja Duleep Singh of Lahore and was presented to Queen Victoria during the British Raj British Raj British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion... , and is now part of the Crown of Queen Elizabeth Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Crown of the Queen Mother is the platinum crown manufactured for, and worn by, Queen Elizabeth, the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the queen consort of King George VI of the United Kingdom at their coronation in Westminster Abbey in 1937... the Queen Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II... . |
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| Lesotho Brown | 601 | various | was a stone originally 601 carats (120.2 g) with the largest stone 71.73 carats (14.3 g) after cutting. |
| Lesotho Promise Lesotho Promise The Lesotho Promise, a 603 carat diamond stone of exceptional colour was unearthed on 22 August 2006 at the Letseng diamond mine in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Announced on the 4th of October 2006, it is the largest reported find this century and the 15th largest diamond ever found... |
603 | 75 | is the 15th-largest diamond, the tenth-largest white diamond White Diamond White Diamond: A Personal Portrait of Kylie Minogue is a 2007 documentary film directed and produced by William Baker and chronicling the life of Australian singer Kylie Minogue during her Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour... , and the largest diamond to be found in 13 years. The original stone was 603 carats (120.6 g), although the largest diamond after the cutting was 75 carats (15 g). |
| Millennium Star Millennium Star The Millennium Star is a famous diamond owned by De Beers. At 203.04 carats , the world's second largest known top-color , internally and externally flawless, pear-shaped diamond.... |
777 | 203.04 | at 203.04 carats (40.6 g) is the second-largest colorless (grade D Diamond color A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond is perfectly transparent with no hue, or color. However, in reality almost no gem-sized natural diamonds are absolutely perfect. The color of a diamond may be affected by chemical impurities and/or structural defects in the crystal lattice... ), flawless diamond. |
| Moon of Baroda Moon of Baroda The Moon of Baroda is a cut diamond discovered in Vadodara , India. The diamond, canary yellow in colour, is cut in a pear shape. When found, the rough diamond weighed . The Moon of Baroda was originally owned by the Maharajas of Baroda. The royal family of Gaekwad Maharajas was in possession of... |
24.04 | 24.04 carats (4.8 g) | |
| Moussaieff Red Diamond Moussaieff Red Diamond The Moussaieff Red Diamond is a diamond measuring 5.11 carats with a triangular brilliant cut , rated in color as Fancy Red by the Gemological Institute of America... |
13 | 5.11 | the largest known Fancy Red, at 5.11 carats (1 g). |
| Mouna Diamond | 112.53 | 112.53 carats (22.5 g), Fancy Intense Yellow cushion-shaped brilliant. | |
| Nassak Diamond Nassak Diamond The Nassak Diamond is a large, diamond that originated as a larger diamond in the 15th century in India... |
43.38 | 43.38 carats (8.7 g) | |
| Nepal Diamond | 79.41 | 79.41 carats (15.9 g), fine quality antique pear-shaped brilliant, sold by Harry Winston Harry Winston Harry Winston was an American jeweler. He donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after owning it for a decade, and traded the Portuguese Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1963.-History:... to private collector in 1961. Thought to have originated from the Golconda Mines. |
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| Nizam Diamond Nizam Diamond Nizam Diamond is believed to have been the most famous diamond in its time. There are tales about its size, around . The story goes back to the rulers of Golconda, and is believed to found at Kollur Mine. The precious stone gets its name from the Prince Nizam of Hyderabad.The diamond was almond in... |
340 | reportedly 340 carats (68 g). Possibly a large colorless topaz. Whereabouts unknown. | |
| Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond The Noor-ol-Ain is the principal diamond mounted in a tiara of the same name made for Iranian Empress Farah Pahlavi's wedding to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1958... |
60 | around 60 carats (12 g) and part of the Iranian crown jewels. | |
| Ocean Dream Diamond Ocean Dream Diamond The Ocean Dream is a diamond measuring 5.51 carats , rated in color as Fancy Deep Blue-Green by the Gemological Institute of America. The Ocean Dream is the only natural diamond known to the GIA to possess a blue-green hue, making it one of the rarest diamonds in the world... |
5.51 | the only known natural Fancy Deep Blue-Green, and weighs 5.51 carats (1.1 g). | |
| Oppenheimer Diamond Oppenheimer Diamond The Oppenheimer Diamond, a nearly perfectly-formed 253.7 carat yellow diamond crystal, is one of the largest uncut diamonds in the world. It measures approximately 20 × 20 millimeters. It was discovered in the Dutoitspan Mine, Kimberley, South Africa, in 1964... |
253.7 | one of the largest gem-quality uncut diamonds in the world, at 253.7 carats (50.7 g). | |
| Orlov | 190 | an Indian mogul cut rumored to have served as the eye of a Hindu statue, and currently is part of the Kremlin diamond fund, weighing approximately 190 carats (38 g). | |
| Paragon | 137.82 | weighs 137.82 carats. | |
| Polar Star Diamond | 41.28 | a colorless cushion-shaped stellar brilliant diamond weighing 41.28 carats (8.3 g). | |
| Porter Rhodes Diamond | 54 | a colorless 54 carats (10.8 g) Asscher-cut stone. | |
| Portuguese Diamond Portuguese Diamond The Portuguese Diamond is an unusual octagonal-cut diamond known for its flawlessness and clarity. It weighs and is regarded as one of the world's most magnificent diamond gems.The Portuguese Diamond gives out a strong fluorescence under ultraviolet light... |
127.01 | 127 carats (25.4 g) antique emerald cut with a pale yellow body color and very strong blue fluorescence. Part of the Smithsonian's collection. | |
| Premier Rose Diamond Premier Rose Diamond The Premier Rose Diamond was one of the large rare gems produced by Premier Mine, of De Beers in South Africa.-History:It was mined in March 1978. The diamond was purchased by Mouw Diamond Cutting in Johannesburg in partnership with William Goldberg of New York... |
137.0 | 137.02-carat (27.4 g) stone cut from a 353.9-carat (70.8 g) rough gem of the same name | |
| Pumpkin Diamond Pumpkin Diamond The Pumpkin Diamond is a diamond measuring 5.54 carats rated in color as Fancy Vivid Orange by the Gemological Institute of America... |
5.54 | perhaps the largest fancy vivid orange diamond (5.54 carats), modified cushion-shaped brilliant. | |
| Red Cross Diamond | 205.07 | 205.07 carats (41 g), yellow, cushion-shaped stellar brilliant cut. | |
| Regent Diamond Regent Diamond The Regent Diamond is a diamond which is on display in the Louvre. In 1698, a slave found the 410 carat uncut diamond in a Golkonda mine, more specifically Paritala-Kollur Mine in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India and concealed it inside of a large wound in his leg. An English sea captain stole... |
410 | 140.64 | weights 140.64 carats (28.1 g), is cushion-shaped stellar brilliant cut, formerly belonging to Louis XV, Louis XVI, and Napoleon Bonaparte, it now resides in the Louvre Louvre The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement... . |
| Sancy Sancy The Sancy, a pale yellow diamond of , was once reputed to have belonged to the Great Moguls of antiquity, but is more likely of Indian origin owing to its cut which is unusual by Western standards.... |
55.23 | a shield-shaped pale yellow diamond currently in the Louvre Louvre The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement... , weighing 55.23 carats (11 g). |
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| Shah Diamond Shah Diamond The Diamond Shah is 88.7 carat , 3 cm long, yellow diamond, extremely clear. This diamond was found in Central India, probably in 1450.... |
88.7 | very old yellow diamond (found approximately in 1450 in India) currently housed in the Diamond Fund Diamond Fund Diamond Fund is a unique collection of gems, jewelry and natural nuggets, stored and exhibited in Moscow Kremlin, Russia. The Fund dates back to the Russian Crown treasury instituted by emperor Peter I of Russia in 1719.-Imperial treasury:... in Kremlin Kremlin A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there... , weighing 88.7 carats (17.7 g). |
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| Spirit of de Grisogono Diamond Spirit of de Grisogono Diamond The Spirit of de Grisogono is the world's largest cut black diamond and the world's fifth largest diamond overall. Starting at an uncut weight of , it was taken from its origin in west central Africa and cut by Swiss jeweler De Grisogono. The resulting mogul-cut diamond weighs and is set in a... |
312 | 312 carats (62.4 g), the world's largest cut black diamond Black Diamond -Minerals:* Anthracite* Carbonado, a natural diamond that is black in color* A black synthetic diamond, specifically CVD polycrystalline diamonds or HPHT polycrystalline compact diamonds... . |
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| Spoonmaker's Diamond Spoonmaker's Diamond The Spoonmaker's Diamond is a pear-shaped diamond which is considered the pride of the Imperial Treasury exhibitions at the Topkapi Palace Museum and its most valuable single exhibit... |
86 | circa 86-carat (17 g) diamond housed in Topkapı Palace Topkapi Palace The Topkapı Palace is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey, that was the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years of their 624-year reign.... in Istanbul Istanbul Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and... . Also known as Kaşıkçı Elması |
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| Star of Arkansas | |||
| Star of the East Star of the East Star of the East may refer to:* Barney Aaron, English lightweight champion boxer* The Evening Star newspaper, which had this title between 1885 and 1893* Umm Kulthum , an Egyptian singer... |
95 | a 95-carat (19 g) stone once owned by Evalyn Walsh McLean Evalyn Walsh McLean Evalyn Walsh McLean was an American mining heiress and socialite who was famous for being the last private owner of the Hope Diamond as well as another famous diamond, the Star of the East... of Washington DC, who also owned the Hope Diamond Hope Diamond The Hope Diamond, also known as "Le bleu de France" or "Le Bijou du Roi", is a large, , deep-blue diamond, now housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. It is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but exhibits red... . |
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| Star of Sierra Leone Star of Sierra Leone The Star of Sierra Leone diamond was discovered by miners on February 14, 1972 in the Diminco alluvial mines in the Koidu area of Sierra Leone. It ranks as the third-largest gem-quality diamond and the largest alluvial diamond ever discovered.... |
968.9 | various | cut into smaller pieces, the largest of which is 53.96 carats (10.8 g). |
| Star of South Africa | 83.5 | 47.69 | also known as the Dudley Diamond. This must not be confused with the Star of Africa. The Star of South Africa was the initial name given to this diamond, when it was purchased as an 83.5 carats (16.7 g) rough diamond. The diamond is a D-color, pear-shaped stellar brilliant cut stone, weighing 47.69 carats (9.5 g). |
| Star of the Season | 100.10 | a 100.1 carats (20 g) pear-shaped D-color, Internally Flawless stone. At $16,548,750 US it held the world record for the highest price paid for a diamond at auction until the sale of the Wittelsbach-Graff diamond in 2008. | |
| Star of the South Star of the South The Star of the South, also known as Estrela do Sul, is a diamond found in Brazil in 1853. The diamond is cut into a cushion shape and weighs . The Star of the South is graded as a type IIa diamond, with a colour grading of fancy light pinkish-brown and a clarity of VS2. At the time of discovery,... |
128.48 | ||
| Steinmetz Pink Diamond Steinmetz Pink Diamond The Steinmetz Pink is a diamond weighing 59.60 carats , rated in color as Fancy Vivid Pink by the Gemological Institute of America. The Steinmetz Pink is the largest known diamond having been rated Vivid Pink. As a result of this exceptional rarity, the Steinmetz Group took a cautious 20 months to... |
59.60 | modified oval brilliant cut (step cut crown, brilliant pavilion), largest known fancy vivid pink, at 59.6 carats (11.9 g). | |
| Strawn-Wagner Diamond Strawn-Wagner Diamond The Strawn-Wagner Diamond is the world's only perfect diamond so far found, weighing 3.09 carat It was found in 1990 by Shirley Strawn of Murfreesboro, Arkansas, in the Crater of Diamonds State Park public search field... |
3.03 | 1.09 | a diamond which received a "perfect" 0/0/0 rating from the American Gem Society American Gem Society The American Gem Society is a trade association of retail jewelers, independent appraisers, suppliers, and selective industry members, which was founded in 1934 by Robert M. Shipley, who also founded the... , weighing 3.03 carat (0.606 g) rough and 1.09 carat (0.218 g) cut. On exhibit at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas, where it was found in 1990. |
| Taylor-Burton Diamond Taylor-Burton Diamond The Taylor-Burton Diamond is a diamond made famous when purchased by actor Richard Burton for his wife Dame Elizabeth Taylor in 1969, receiving worldwide publicity for its size and value.-Description:... |
68 | purchased by Richard Burton Richard Burton Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid... for his wife Elizabeth Taylor Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age... , weighing 68 carats (13.6 g). |
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| Tereschenko | 42 | 42 carats (8.4 g) antique pear brilliant cut. | |
| Tiffany Yellow Diamond Tiffany Yellow Diamond The Tiffany Yellow Diamond is one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered; it weighed 287.42 carats in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa, and was cut into a cushion shape of 128.54 carats with 90 facets—32 more than a traditional round brilliant—to... |
280 | 128.54 | antique modified cushion-shaped stellar brilliant cut, on display at Tiffany & Co. Tiffany & Co. Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :... 's New York City store. It weighs 128.54 carats (25.7 g). |
| Uncle Sam Uncle Sam (diamond) Uncle Sam is the nickname for the largest diamond ever discovered in the United States. It was found in 1924 in Murfreesboro, Arkansas at the Prairie Creek pipe mine, which later became known as the Crater of Diamonds State Park... |
40.23 | 12 | the largest discovered in the US, emerald-cut, M color (pale brown), VVS2 clarity. |
| Vargas diamond Vargas diamond The Vargas Diamond, discovered in Brazil on August 13, 1938 by Joaquim Venancio Tiago and Manoel Miguel Domingues, was when pulled out of the ground. Twenty nine smaller diamonds were carved from the larger rough Vargas Diamond including the emerald cut diamond named "President Vargas", after the... |
726.6 | various | Cut into 29 smaller diamonds |
| Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond | 35.56 | 35.56 carats (7.1 g), Fancy Deep Grayish Blue, antique oval stellar brilliant cut - was recut! Sold at Christie's Christie's Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , December 10, 2008 for $23.4 million to Lawrence Graff Lawrence Graff Laurence Graff is an English jeweller. He is best known as a supplier of unique jewellery and rare jewels to the wealthy. In 2008, he bought the Wittelsbach Diamond for £16.4 million... , currently the second highest price ever paid for a diamond at auction. |
External links
- Famous Diamonds Overview Site Ryan Thompson's overview site with many stories and photos. Non Commercial.
- Farlang Famous Diamonds Several full text books and article of many famous diamonds. Non Commercial.
- World's largest diamonds Article on famous diamonds with their rare pictures