Top 75 Biggest & Most Famous Legendary Diamonds

In mineralogy, DIAMOND is a metastable 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 standard conditions. Diamond is renowned as a material with superlative physical qualities, most of which originate from the strong covalent bonding between its atoms. In particular, diamond has the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any bulk material. Those properties determine the major industrial application of diamond in cutting and polishing tools and the scientific applications in diamond knives and diamond anvil cells.

Most natural diamonds are formed at high temperature and pressure at depths of 140 to 190 kilometers (87 to 118 mi) in the Earth's mantle. Carbon-containing minerals provide the carbon source, and the growth occurs over periods from 1 billion to 3.3 billion years (25% to 75% of the age of the Earth). Diamonds are brought close to the Earth's surface through deep volcanic eruptions by a magma, which cools into igneous rocks known as kimberlites and lamproites. Diamonds can also be produced synthetically in a high-pressure high-temperature process which approximately simulates the conditions in the Earth's mantle. An alternative, and completely different growth technique is chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Several non-diamond materials, which include cubic zirconia and silicon carbide and are often called diamond simulants, resemble diamond in appearance and many properties. Special gemological techniques have been developed to distinguish natural and synthetic diamonds and diamond simulants.

Diamonds are thought to have been first recognized and mined in India, where significant alluvial deposits of the stone could be found many centuries ago along the rivers Penner, Krishna and Godavari. Diamonds have been known in India for at least 3,000 years but most likely 6,000 years.

Mined rough diamonds are converted into gems through a multi-step process called "cutting". Diamonds are extremely hard, but also brittle and can be split up by a single blow. Therefore, diamond cutting is traditionally considered as a delicate procedure requiring skills, scientific knowledge, tools and experience. Its final goal is to produce a faceted jewel where the specific angles between the facets would optimize the diamond luster, that is dispersion of white light, whereas the number and area of facets would determine the weight of the final product. The weight reduction upon cutting is significant and can be of the order of 50%. Several possible shapes are considered, but the final decision is often determined not only by scientific, but also practical considerations. For example the diamond might be intended for display or for wear, in a ring or a necklace, singled or surrounded by other gems of certain color and shape.

Diamond News, Reviews & Resources

• 2 Fancy Colored Heart-Shaped Diamonds Could Fetch $18.5 Million - "Two hearts, one blue, the other pink, will appear at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels auction as if they were always meant to be together. They will be sold separately during the July 10 sale at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. Combined, their high estimate is $18.5 million."
• 5 years after a $124-million museum heist shocked the world, recovered jewels returned home - "In November 2019, thieves stole pieces that contained more than 4,300 diamonds with an estimated value of over 113 million euros ($124 million), from the Gruenes Gewoelbe (Green Vault) museum in Dresden, in the eastern German state of Saxony."
• 7 Luxury Items You’ll Regret Buying - "What’s the most you’d spend on one particular thing? We’re not talking houses or cars, but rather luxury items that can cost a fortune. Chances are there’s something you feel is worth an extravagant amount of money. But what specific products genuinely justify the splurge?"
• 8 Criteria for diamond evaluation - Private Diamond Club.
• 10 history-making pink diamonds sold at Christie’s - Christie’s.
• 10 most iconic jewels through history - "'Cursed' gemstones, beautiful emblems of famous love affairs, and symbols of dark histories - all these dazzling jewels have intriguing backstories, writes Daisy Woodward."
• 12-Carat Blue Diamond Fetches $15.9 Million At Auction - "A 12.11-carat fancy intense blue diamond sold for $15.9 million (HK$122 million) at Christie’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels auction. The internally flawless marquise-shaped, brilliant-cut gem was sold during a long, drawn-out bidding process that was gradually narrowed down to two phone bidders, as seen through the auction house’s live stream. It blew past its $12.3 million high estimate with a 'hammer price' of $13.6 million (HK$106 million), which doesn’t include the buyer’s premium. The price per carat was $1.31 million."
• 12 spectacular pink diamond engagement rings - "Inspired by the Pink Star diamond?"
• 13-Carat Fancy Vivid Pink Diamond Could Fetch $35 Million At Christie’s - "In a year that has seen more than its share of exceptional fancy-colored diamonds entering the auction market, one more has emerged: a 13.15-carat Fancy Vivid pink diamond that will likely be the top lot at Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels sale on December 6. Its estimate is $25 million - $35 million."
• 28-Carat D-Color Diamond Sets Online Auction Record Of $2.1 Million - A 28.86-carat D-color diamond sold for $2.1 million, setting a record for a jewel sold at an online-only auction. The VVS1 clarity gem was the top lot at Christie’s Jewels Online sale, held June 16 - 30, 2020.
• $30 Million White Diamond Is The Largest To Ever Appear At Auction - "Dubbed 'The Rock,' the jewel is a 228.31-carat pear-shaped diamond that was mined and polished in South Africa 20 years ago, according to Christie’s, which said it was among the finest gemstones to pass through the auction house since its founding in 1766. The gem will break the record for the largest auctioned diamond set in 2017, when a 163.41-carat white diamond sold for $33.7 million, also through Christie’s Geneva. The Gemmological Institute of America graded the gem as a G color, VS1 clarity diamond, and the sale will include a letter from the laboratory stating 'The Rock' is the largest pear-shaped diamond to be graded by the institute, according to Christie’s."
• 101-Carat Diamond Could Fetch $10 Million At Sotheby’s New York Auction - "The 101.41-carat Juno diamond is the top lot at Sotheby’s New York Magnificent Jewels sale on Thursday. The internally flawless, D-color pear-shaped gem is named after the queen of the gods and the goddess of light and fertility. Juno reigned supreme in the Roman pantheon. She was worshipped for her radiance and auspicious nature, serving as an apt namesake for this majestic and exquisitely voluptuous pear-shaped diamond. Its estimate is reportedly $10 million."
• 102-Carat, D-Flawless Diamond To Be Offered Without Reserve By Sotheby’s - "Sotheby’s Hong Kong will offer a 102.39-carat D-color flawless oval diamond in a single-lot combination online and live auction. It will be only the eighth D color internally flawless or flawless white diamond of more than 100 carats sold at auction; and it is the second-largest oval diamond of its kind to be presented in a public sale."
• 103-Carat ‘Light Of Africa’ D-Flawless Diamond Could Fetch $18 Million - "In addition to its other attributes of size and purity, this emerald-shaped diamond also possess excellent polish and symmetry, according to Christie’s. It belongs to the rare Type IIa category, which make up less than 2% of all diamonds, making this one of the most rare and valuable diamonds. It was graded by the Gemological Institute of America. The diamond will go on a world tour beginning in Geneva May 6 - 11, followed by Hong Kong May 22 - 24, before returning to Christie’s New York Rockefeller Center headquarters where it will be on exhibit June 3 - 7, before June 8 auction."
• 115-Carat Diamond Could Fetch $7 Million At Christie’s New York Auction - "Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels sale will be the first live jewelry auction from a major auction house in New York since novel coronavirus pandemic made its way to North America. It’s an ambitious sale of more than 260 lots that includes colorless diamonds, colored diamonds, colored gems, and vintage and contemporary signed jewels. Perhaps the most interesting part of the sale is a large number of high-quality and important signed jewels from a number of high jewelry houses spanning several periods, including Belperron, Bulgari, Cartier, Graff, Harry Winston, JAR, Lacloche, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef & Arpels. Estimates for pieces in the sale range from $10,000 to $7 million."
• $150 million of bling: how Cartier recreated a 1930s masterpiece for Ocean’s 8 - The Telegraph.
• 205-Carat ‘Red Cross Diamond’ To Be Sold, With Some Of Proceeds Going To Namesake Aid Group - "One of the world’s largest diamonds is going up for auction next month, with a portion of proceeds from the sale set to go to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the world’s largest humanitarian organization, which it has been associated with for more than 100 years. The auction will be held May 11 in Geneva, and Christie’s told Forbes a a 'significant' cut of the proceeds will be donated to the International Red Cross."
• 442-Carat Diamond May Be Worth $18 Million - "Gem Diamonds Ltd. said Friday it had an unearthed a 442-carat diamond at its Letseng mine in Lesotho. While it’s hard to establish a price for such stones before cutters can evaluate them, it could sell for as much as $18 million, Edward Sterck, analyst at BMO Capital Markets, wrote in a note."
• 706-Carat Diamond in Sierra Leone - The New York Times.
• 998-Carat Diamond Was Discovered In Botswana - "A 998-carat rough diamond was discovered in Botswana in the Karowe Diamond Mine owned and operated by Lucara Diamond, a mining company that specializes in unearthing large diamonds. It could be the fourth largest gem quality diamond ever discovered. The diamond, which measures 67×49×45mm, was recovered from a direct milling of ore sourced from an area in the open pit mine that has recently resulted in discoveries of diamonds weighing 273, 105, 83, 73, and 69 carats. Lucara announced the discovery Tuesday night."
• 2,492-carat diamond, believed to be world’s second-largest, unearthed in Botswana - "The huge stone is thought to be the biggest found since the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond was discovered in South Africa in 1905. Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp. announced Thursday that the 'exceptional' gem was found intact in its Karowe mine."
• A New Gem That’s More Pure Than the Hope Diamond - "Botswana’s state-owned diamond marketer has unveiled a gem that exceeds the clarity and purity of one of the world’s most famous, the Hope Diamond."
• A quadrillion tons of diamonds lie deep beneath the Earth's surface - CNN style.
• A tour of Antwerp's diamond district - CNN travel.
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• Affair of the Diamond Necklace - incident in 1785 at the court of King Louis XVI of France involving his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette. The reputation of the Queen, already tarnished by gossip, was ruined by the implication that she participated in a crime to defraud the crown jewelers of the cost of a very expensive diamond necklace. The Affair is historically significant as one of the events that led to the French populace's disillusionment with the monarchy, which, among other causes, eventually precipitated the French Revolution.
• Huge diamond necklace linked to Marie Antoinette scandal sells for $4.8 million - "Some of the diamonds from the necklace may have come from the piece at the heart of the 'Affair of the Diamond Necklace' scandal that rocked the French court ahead of the French Revolution, according to Sotheby's."
• After Queen Elizabeth II's Death, Many Indians Are Demanding the Return of the Kohinoor Diamond - "The world's most famous diamond adorned the Queen Mother's crown. Indians say it is theirs and must now be given back."
• Alfred Beit - (1853-1906). Was an Anglo-German gold and diamond magnate in South Africa, and a major donor and profiteer of infrastructure development on the African continent.
• Antwerp diamond district - dubbed the Square Mile is an area within the city of Antwerp, Belgium. While, as of 2012, much of the gem cutting and polishing work historically done in the district had moved to low wage centers elsewhere, about 84% of the world's rough diamonds passed through the district, making it the largest diamond center in the world with a turnover of 54 billion dollars.
• Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair - since 2010. "The Fair is a unique opportunity for jewellery manufacturers, designers and retailers to source their diamonds in the world's diamond capital!"
• antwerpdiamonds.direct - since 1983. "Buy Loose Diamonds at Wholesale Prices Online."
• Are laboratory-grown diamonds the more ethical choice to say 'I do'? - "In addition to cost savings and supposed environmental benefits, lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical and physical properties as mined diamonds."
• Armed Jewel Thieves Rob New York Diamond District Store Popular With Rappers, Celebrities - TIME Magazine.
• Belgium’s trade in Russian diamonds continues despite moral pressure - "Poland and the Baltic states are pressing for diamonds to be included in the EU’s next round of sanctions."
• BeyoncÉ becomes first Black woman to wear iconic 128.54 carat Tiffany Diamond - "The Grammy-winning performer wears the stunning piece of jewelry, which features one of the world's largest yellow diamonds, as she and her rapper husband Jay-Z become the faces of Tiffany & Co's new 'About Love' campaign."
• Billionaire buys 7-year-old daughter Blue Moon diamond for record $48m - The Guardian.
• Blue Diamond Affair - "The mystery of the stolen Saudi jewels. The theft of precious jewels from a Saudi palace in 1989 set off a chain of killings and a diplomatic crisis that continues to this day. Now, in a rare interview, the man behind the theft tells his story."
• Borrowing From Solar & Chip Tech to Make Diamonds Faster & Cheaper - The New York Times.
• Can NFTs work for luxury jewellery? - "The NFT debate is now running through the market for diamonds and luxury jewellery. Royal jeweller Asprey plans to issue NFTs, but others are staying away - for now."
• conflict diamond - (also called conflict diamonds, brown diamonds, hot diamonds, or red diamonds) are diamonds mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, an invading army's war efforts, or a warlord's activity. The term is used to highlight the negative consequences of the diamond trade in certain areas, or to label an individual diamond as having come from such an area. Diamonds mined during the 20th-21st century civil wars in Angola, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Guinea Bissau have been given the label.
• Crater Of Diamonds State Park Is The Road Trip Stop That Could Actually Make You Rich - The Huffington Post.
• Cryptocurrency diamond sale sets new auction record - "Mystery buyer spends $12.3M on a 101-carat diamond -- and pays in cryptocurrency."
• Dazzling pink diamond could fetch more than $21 million at auction - "A dazzling pink diamond, described as one of the world's purest, could fetch more than $21 million when it goes under the hammer in Hong Kong in October, auction house Sotheby's said on Wednesday. At 11.15 carats, the cushion-shaped gem is called 'Williamson Pink Star', in tribute to two other pink diamonds. One is the 'CTF Pink Star', a 59.60-carat oval mixed-cut diamond which sold for a record $71.2 million at auction in 2017. The other is the 'Williamson' stone - a 23.60 carat diamond given to Britain's Queen Elizabeth as a wedding gift by Canadian geologist John Thorburn Williamson. Worn by the monarch in a Cartier brooch, it was discovered in his mine in Tanzania. The 11.15-carat Williamson Pink Star will be sold in a single-lot auction in Hong Kong on October 5."
• DIAMOND - Wikipedia.
• Diamond as big as a tennis ball makes Louis Vuitton debut in Paris - "1,758-carat Sewelô snapped up by luxury brand is world’s second-largest rough diamond."
• diamond bracelets that Marie Antoinette had to have - even if it meant borrowing a fortune from her husband - "Stowed away during the French Revolution, the dazzling jewels - which, miraculously, have remained intact rather than being broken up - have spent the past two centuries hidden from view in a private royal collection." The historic Marie-Antoinette diamonds, a stunning pair of diamond bracelets. 18.7 cm each. Estimate: CHF2,000,000-4,000,000. Offered in Geneva Magnificent Jewels on 9 November 2021 at Christie’s in Geneva, Switzerland.
• DIAMOND CUT - Wikipedia.
• DIAMOND CUTTING - Wikipedia.
• Diamond Exchange District - district of the Israeli city of Ramat Gan. Bordering the Ayalon Highway, the road dividing Ramat Gan and Tel Aviv, the district is home to Israel's diamond industry as well as being a major commercial center.
• DIAMOND FACTS AND FIGURES - Argyle Diamond Mine.
• Diamond Foundry - "I’m proud to invest in Diamond Foundry Inc. — reducing the human and environmental toll of the diamond industry by sustainably culturing diamonds without the destructive use of mining." - Leonardo DiCaprio.
• Diamond Fund of Russia - dates back to the time of Peter I. A collection of masterpieces of jewelry of the 18th-20th centuries, rare precious stones, gold and platinum nuggets of great historic, artistic and scientific importance, as well as vast material value.
• DIAMOND Glossary - Private Diamond Club.
• Diamond in the bluff: Koh-i-noor stories lose their shine - The Guardian.
• DIAMOND Knot - Wikipedia.
• Diamond necklace possibly linked to Marie-Antoinette scandal goes on sale - "Weighing approximately 300 carats, the 18th-century piece, likely created a decade before the French Revolution, is on public display for the first time in 50 years to be sold by Sothebys in Geneva on 11 November, estimate $2.8 million."
• Diamond.net - "Diamond Prices, Rapaport News and Information."
• Diamond Outrage: Audemars Piguet's extraordinary High Jewellery watch - The Telegraph.
• Diamond ring bought for £10 at car boot sale may fetch £350,000 - The Guardian.
• DIAMONDS - by All About Gemstones.
• Diamonds have gone digital - "A new generation of consumers are doing much more than keeping luxury coffers full, they’re changing the entire jewellery world."
• Elizabeth Taylor Auction of a lifetime - YouTube 1:13:11.
• Enigma Black Diamond Sells For $4.3 Million At Auction - "Sotheby’s sold a 555.55-carat Fancy Black Diamond—believed to have come from outer space—for an astronomical $4.28 million at auction on Tuesday. Bidding closed at £3.2 million, excluding buyer’s premium, and the diamond was offered without reserve."
• Farnese Blue diamond could sell for up to £5m - The Guardian.
• First water - means 'highest quality'. The clarity of diamonds is assessed by their translucence; the more like water, the higher the quality. The 1753 edition of Chambers's Encyclopaedia states 'The first water in Diamonds means the greatest purity and perfection of their complexion, which ought to be that of the clearest drop of water. When Diamonds fall short of this perfection, they are said to be of the second or third water, &c. till the stone may be properly called a coloured one.'
• Flawless 102-carat diamond a 'bargain' at $16m - "A rare 102-carat white diamond has sold at auction for $15.7m (£12.1m) in what experts say is a 'bargain'. The gemstone went to an unnamed telephone bidder. The auction was held online by Sotheby's in Hong Kong due to the pandemic. The diamond was taken from a 271-carat stone which was discovered at a Canadian mine in 2018."
• 'Flawless' diamond found in Botswana - "Botswana unveils blue diamond to rival the Hope Diamond."
• For sale: Ring completely made of diamond - "Jony Ive & Marc Newson's all-diamond ring set for auction."
• From Manhattan to Bond Street: the making of a Boodles Ashoka diamond - The Telegraph.
• Golconda diamonds - are mined in the Godavari-Krishna delta region of Andhra Pradesh, India. Golconda Fort in the western part of modern-day Hyderabad was a seat of the Golconda Sultanate and became an important centre for diamond enhancement, lapidary, and trading. Golconda diamonds are graded as Type IIa, are formed of pure carbon, are devoid of nitrogen, and are large with high clarity. They are often described as diamonds of the first water, making them among history's most-celebrated diamonds. The phrase 'Golconda diamond' became synonymous with diamonds of incomparable quality.
• Harry Winston unveils the Legacy collection - a high jewellery love letter to the King of Diamonds.
• Harry Winston Unveils The ‘Winston Pink Legacy’ Ring With 18-Carat Pink Diamond - Forbes.
• How diamonds go from the earth’s crust to the ring on your finger - The Telegraph.
• How the Tamara Ecclestone £25m diamonds case was cracked - Over 14 days, cell site data pinpointed them in Golders Green, London Bridge, New Bond Street, Chelsea, Fulham and Orpington.
• Icecap diamonds - "The Hardest Asset Is Now Liquid." Non-fungible Token Hard Asset Diamond Investment. Safely add diamonds to your investment portfolio via blockchain technology.
• IDEX | International Diamond Excahnge - "Diamond Exchange, Diamond Prices, News, Research and Analysis."
• IGI | International Gemological Institute - a diamond, colored stone and jewelry certification organization. IGI is headquartered in Antwerp.
• ‘Impossibly rare’ violet diamond found in remote mine expected to fetch millions - The Telegraph.
• India to Seek Return of Koh-i-Noor Diamond From Britain - The New York Times.
• It's huge, pink & worth $50 million - "Exceptionally large 'Pink Legacy' diamond sells for record-breaking $50 million at Christie's."
• Jewelers are already nostalgic for the end of pink diamonds - MINING.COM.
• John Hatleberg - "John Hatleberg is a conceptual gem artist recognized for the diversity of his work with jewels. He is the world authority on creating exact replicas of famous diamonds. Hatleberg has created exact replicas of famous diamonds since 1987. His replicas are visually indistinguishable from the original diamonds."
• Jony Ive & Marc Newson designed a $250,000 all-diamond ring for charity - "It’s completely bezel-less."
• Koh-i-noor diamond given to Britain, says Indian government - The Guardian.
• Koh-i-Noor diamond is in Britain illegally. But it should still stay there - The Guardian.
• Lab-grown diamonds are rising in popularity - "Can lab-grown diamonds replace the real thing?"
• Lady Gaga Wears the 128-Carat Tiffany Diamond - "The gem dates back to the beginning of the American firm."
• 'Largest ever auctioned' purple-pink diamond sells for $26.6m - "An extremely rare purple-pink Russian diamond has sold at auction in Switzerland for $26.6m. The 14.8-carat diamond, dubbed 'The Spirit of the Rose,' is the largest of its kind to be auctioned, as 99% of all pink diamonds are under 10 carats."
• Largest known diamond in North America found in Canada - "A 552-carat yellow diamond was recently unearthed in Canada -- the largest ever found in North America."
• LASER INSCRIPTION - Laserscribe: inscribe numbers, letters, trademarks, and logos on the girdle of a diamond allows the diamond to be easily identified.
• List of diamonds - Wikipedia.
• List of famous pink diamonds
• Louis Vuitton brings world's second largest diamond to Dubai - "The 1,758 carat Sewelo diamond is currently on show - and for sale - at the maison's Dubai Mall store."
• Louis Vuitton just bought the world's second-biggest diamond - "The 1,758-carat rough diamond, which was recovered by Lucara Diamond Corp in Botswana last April, is dark in color and about the size of your palm. The mining company named it "Sewelô," meaning 'rare find' in the southern African Tswana language."
• 'Lulo Rose' may be largest pink diamond found in 300 years - "At 170 carats, this may be the largest pink diamond found in 300 years."
• Luxury Investments Around the World Compared - infographic - "Do you enjoy the finer things in life? For many of the world’s wealthy individuals, acquiring luxury goods such as art, fine wine, and watches is a passion. Unlike traditional investments in financial assets, luxury goods can be difficult to value if one does not have an appreciation for their form. A rare painting, for example, does not generate cash flows, meaning its value is truly in the eye of the beholder. To gain some insight into the market for luxury goods, this infographic takes data from Knight Frank’s 2021 Wealth Report to compare the preferences of nine global regions."
• Major jewellers to cease buying Russian-origin diamonds after increased scrutiny - "Several big name brands including Tiffany, Pandora and Chopard announce a pause on buying raw materials of Russian origin amid war in Ukraine."
• Manfredo Horowitz - renowned for introducing big stones and fabulous gems by Harry Winston, to the rich and famous in Europe and the Far East. He had, amongst his clients all the international Jet Set, Sultans, movie stars, heads of state, Saudi Princes, Sheiks, Kings, Emperors and most of the tycoons from the “Fortune 400” list.
• Marie Antoinette's bracelets sell at auction for $8m - "Two diamond bracelets once owned by the queen of France, Marie Antoinette, have sold at auction in Switzerland for more than $8m. They were bought by an anonymous telephone bidder. They sold for more than double than expected."
• Marilyn Monroe - Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend - YouTube 3:34.
• Miner Alrosa Finds Russian Doll-Type Diamond With Another Gem Inside - "Alrosa PJSC found a small, but unique diamond that has another gem moving freely inside it, resembling a traditional Russian Matryoshka doll."
• Miner Finds 442-Carat Diamond That May Be Worth $18 Million - "Gem Diamonds Ltd. said Friday it had an unearthed a 442-carat diamond at its Letseng mine in Lesotho. While it’s hard to establish a price for such stones before cutters can evaluate them, it could sell for as much as $18 million, Edward Sterck, analyst at BMO Capital Markets, wrote in a note."
• Move over diamonds, these little-known gemstones are heating up - "Found in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and some African countries, spinels come in a range of colors, from vivid blue, pink and red to dusky grey, green and purple. Collectors look beyond the so-called 'Big Four' (diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires) for more affordable, niche gemstones that may just be a shrewd investment."
• Natural diamond engagement ring sales are falling. Here's why - "Why lab-grown diamond sales are surging."
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• NEW YORK CITY DIAMOND DISTRICT - located on West 47th Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) in midtown Manhattan, within walking distance of many New York attractions. An estimated 90% of diamonds in the United States enter through New York.
• One of the world's largest diamonds has been unearthed in Botswana - "The 1,098-carat stone, believed to be the third largest 'gem-quality' diamond ever found, was presented to President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Wednesday."
• One of the world's largest diamonds has just been unearthed - "Huge 1,174-carat diamond unearthed in Botswana."
• One sore point for sanctions hawks is Russian diamonds, which have been repeatedly exempt - meaning the gems can continue to be bought by Antwerp dealers.
• Only 132 people can 'afford' to buy that 1,111-carat Botswanan diamond - Business Insider.
• Oscars 2019: Lady Gaga's Priceless 128.54 Carat "Tiffany Diamond" Necklace Was Last Worn by Audrey Hepburn in 1961 - W Magazine.
• Pink diamond found in Botswana expected to fetch over $35 million - ‘Ultra-rare’ pink diamond expected to sell for more than $35 million at auction.
• PRICE OF DIAMONDS - "Where the world comes to find out about diamonds." Comprehensive up to date news and information on diamonds.
• Priceless diamonds stolen in German museum raid - "Burglars have stolen three diamond jewellery sets from one of Europe's largest treasure collections - the Dresden Green Vault in eastern Germany."
• Queen Marie-Antoinette’s Diamonds for Sale in Geneva - "On 9 November 2021 Christie’s will proudly offer THE MARIE ANTOINETTE DIAMONDS as lot 1 of its live Magnificent Jewels Auction to be held at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. Presented in their current form, the 112 diamonds, originally belonging to Queen Marie-Antoinette of France (1755-1793), are set as a historic pair of bracelets (estimated $2,000,000-4,000,000)."
• RAPAPORT DIAMOND REPORT - the diamond industry bible.
• Rare cache of pink diamonds formed when a supercontinent broke apart, study says - "Pink diamonds are extremely rare and coveted - a now-closed mine in Australia has been the source of 90% of the colored gemstones. Polished pink specimens of the highest grade can sell for tens of millions of dollars. But a discovery made in the same area may help reveal new deposits of the jewels, researchers say."
• Record-setting ring weighs nearly a pound & contains 24,679 diamonds - "A ring has made its way into the Guinness World Records for the most diamonds set in one ring. The sparkler is encrusted with more than 24,000 diamonds and weighs nearly a pound. Each stone was hand-placed and took nearly 3 months to complete. The one-of-a-kind ring broke the previous record set two years ago."
• Researchers confirm existence of diamond from outer space - "Meet the mystery diamond from outer space."
• Royal gift or 'stolen' gem? Calls for UK to return 500 carat Great Star of Africa diamond - "Calls are growing in South Africa for Britain's royal family to return the world's largest known clear-cut diamond in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death. Known as the Great Star of Africa or Cullinan I, the diamond is cut from a larger gem that was mined in South Africa in 1905 and handed over to the British royal family by South Africa's colonial authorities. It is currently mounted on a royal scepter belonging to the Queen."
• Russia Fights Efforts to Declare It an Exporter of ‘Blood Diamonds’ - "As a major diamond producer, Russia earns billions of dollars that other nations say help finance war. The clash exposes the many loopholes in regulation of conflict diamonds."
• Scarselli Diamonds - since 1957. "Scarselli Diamonds has provided the world's most exquisite, natural colored diamonds to diamonds connoisseurs." Scarselli Diamonds trades in natural colored diamonds, the majority of which are yellow, pink, red, or blue, in addition to colorless diamonds. They also sell other gemstones including emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. The company is currently best known as the owners of the Aurora Green Diamond, the largest vivid green diamond to ever sell at auction. It was sold by Christie's in May 2016 for a price per carat of $3.3 million to Chinese jewelry company Chow Tai Fook, at a total price of $16.8 million.
• She looked up how to find a diamond on YouTube. Then she found a 3.72-carat one - "Woman finds 3.72-carat yellow diamond while learning how to find diamonds."
• Ships suck diamonds from sea floor - "Diamonds in the deep: How gems are mined from the bottom of the ocean."
• Sierra Leone pastor unearths one of the largest diamonds ever found - The Telegraph.
• Sierra Leone unearths 476-carat gem in new diamond find - Independent.
• Sky Diamonds: Ecotricity founder to grow diamonds 'made entirely from the sky' - "UK millionaire Dale Vince says lab-grown gems will be ‘world’s first zero-impact’ diamonds."
• SOTHEBY'S DIAMONDS - since 1744. "A Marriage of Jewellery and Art." A spectacular array of diamonds is available at Sotheby’s throughout the year: In our global live and online auctions, diamonds appear in extraordinary jewels dating from the 19th century to the present day by the world’s most celebrated designers and jewelry houses. In the Loose Diamonds online auctions, unmounted stones in every cut and color allow the buyer to create bespoke jewels to their own specifications. And Sotheby’s Diamonds presents a contemporary collection of modern masterpieces, available for immediate purchase.
• Sotheby’s To Accept Crypto For 101-Carat D-Flawless Diamond - "The gem in question is 'The Key 101.38,' a pear-shaped diamond of 101.38 carats with flawless clarity and D-color, the highest color and clarity grades for a colorless diamond. Along with fiat, the auction house will also accept bitcoin and ethereum as payment for the gem."
• Sotheby’s unveils the world's 'largest, rarest & most valuable' D-Flawless round diamond - The Telegraph.
• the brilliant work of a diamond grader - "The clarity, colour and cut of a stone has an enormous effect on its value. No machine can do a better job of judging that than a human eye."
• The Diamond Smugglers by Ian Fleming - Amazon.com.
• The future of diamonds is in recaptured CO2 pollution - "They're a greener, less expensive alternative to conventionally mined stones."
• The Largest Blue Diamond At Auction Is Expected To Fetch More Than $48 Million - "Sotheby’s is set to auction the De Beers Cullinan Blue Diamond in April during its Hong Kong Luxury Week sales, starting at an estimate of $48-million. The 15.10-carat step-cut diamond is the largest vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction and the largest internally flawless step-cut vivid blue diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded."
• THE LIGHT OF AFRICA DIAMOND - A SENSATIONAL DIAMOND - "Sold for US$20,084,000 on June 8 at Christie's. 103.49 carats, D color, Flawless, excellent polish and symmetry, Type IIa."
• The price of diamonds is collapsing - Business Insider.
• The priceless jewels stolen in German museum heist - "Dresden museum heist: What we know about the stolen jewels."
• 'The Rock', a record-setting white diamond, goes up for auction - "The largest white diamond ever auctioned will go under the hammer in Geneva this week, part of a sale by Christie's that features two stones weighing more than 200 carats each. 'The Rock', a 228.31 carat pear-shaped stone roughly the size of a golf ball, is expected to sell for up to $30 million, the auctioneer said."
• The search for sustainable diamonds - "The sparkling rise of the lab grown diamond. Young people are falling out of love with mined diamonds because of their high environmental and humanitarian costs. How do their alternative, lab-made diamonds, measure up?"
• The Secret Slang of the Diamond District - "A stroll down 47th Street can be bewildering, if you don’t know the language." The New York Times.
• The story behind Hancock's Diamond Crossover Ring - The Telegraph.
• The Story of The Cullinan diamond - The Telegraph.
• The "super-deep" royal diamonds revealing Earth's secrets - "The largest diamonds in the British Crown Jewels may be pieces of the ancient ocean floor, which have drifted down into the interior of our planet - then come back up again."
• The Teenage Miner, the Village & the 709-Carat Diamond That Changed Everything - TIME Magazine.
• The Untold Story of the World’s Biggest Diamond Heist - Wired.
• Three-way claim between UK, India and Pakistan set for Koh-i-Noor diamond - The Telegraph.
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• Tiaras - Pinterest.
• Tiffany Yellow Diamond - one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered. Its carat weight was originally 287.42 carats (57.484 g) in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa. It was cut into a cushion shape of 128.54 carats (25.108 g) with 82 facets—24 more than a traditional round brilliant—to maximize its brilliance. The facet pattern features eight needle-like facets pointing outward from the culet (bottom) facet. Its permanent home is at the Tiffany & Co. flagship store in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
• War on blood diamond trade loses its lustre in age of digital smuggling - The Telegraph.
• What's so special about the Oppenheimer Blue diamond? - The Telegraph.
• Why people are proposing with 'imperfect' diamonds - "Colored gemstones and 'imperfect' diamonds: Non-traditional engagement rings are here to stay."
• Williamson Pink Star sets world record highest price per carat for a diamond sold at auction - "The 11.15-carat Williamson Pink Star diamond, auctioned by Sotheby's Hong Kong, sold for $392 million Hong Kong dollars ($49.9 million) on October 7, 2022."
• World's largest blue diamond to come to auction has sold for $57.5 million - "Named 'The De Beers Cullinan Blue,' the massive 15.10-carat step-cut gem sold at Sotheby's in Hong Kong after an eight-minute bidding war among four hopeful buyers, according to Sotheby's. The winning bid, which surpassed its high estimate of $48 million, came from an anonymous buyer by telephone."
• world's largest jewelry brand is ditching mined diamonds - "The Copenhagen-based company said it's instead shifting toward the use of diamonds created in labs, which it emphasized have the same 'optical, chemical, thermal and physical characteristics.' The collection, called Pandora Brilliance, is rolling out in the United Kingdom and expected to launch globally next year."
• World’s Largest Uncut Diamond Heads to Auction, a break with tradition - The New York Times.

World's Top 75 Biggest & Most Famous Legendary Diamonds

• 29.6-carat blue diamond found in South Africa's Cullinan mine - "The 29.6-carat stone was recovered by Petra Diamonds at its Cullinan mine, about 40km (25 miles) north-east of Pretoria. Petra unearthed a 25.5 carat blue diamond which sold for $16.9m in 2013."
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• 100-carat 'perfect' diamond sells for $22 million - CNN.com.
• 101-Carat Diamond Could Fetch $10 Million At Sotheby’s New York Auction - "The 101.41-carat Juno diamond is the top lot at Sotheby’s New York Magnificent Jewels sale on Thursday. The internally flawless, D-color pear-shaped gem is named after the queen of the gods and the goddess of light and fertility. Juno reigned supreme in the Roman pantheon. She was worshipped for her radiance and auspicious nature, serving as an apt namesake for this majestic and exquisitely voluptuous pear-shaped diamond. Its estimate is reportedly $10 million."
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• 102.39-carat D Colour Flawless Oval Diamond a 'bargain' at $16m - "A rare 102-carat white diamond has sold at auction for $15.7m (£12.1m) in what experts say is a 'bargain'. The gemstone went to an unnamed telephone bidder. The auction was held online by Sotheby's in Hong Kong due to the pandemic. The diamond was taken from a 271-carat stone which was discovered at a Canadian mine in 2018."
• 2,492-carat diamond, believed to be world’s second-largest, unearthed in Botswana - "The huge stone is thought to be the biggest found since the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond was discovered in South Africa in 1905. Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp. announced Thursday that the 'exceptional' gem was found intact in its Karowe mine."
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• A Heritage of Bloom - called the world’s most expensive diamond necklace, at an estimated cost of US$200 million. Its 11,551 diamonds, with jade pieces to create the butterflies and bats, total 383 carats; the centerpiece diamond alone weighs 104 carats.
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• Annenberg Diamond - square, 32.01-carat emerald-cut diamond that billionaire philanthropist Leonore Annenberg bought for her 90th birthday sold for US$7.7 million at auction on October 22, 2009.
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• ARGYLE PINK DIAMONDS - "Each year the prestigious Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender showcases a number of masterpiece stones that have been named in keeping with a sense of their place in history, and of desirability for the very beautiful and rare.
• Aurora Green Diamond - 5.03-carat (1.006 g) vivid green diamond with VS2 clarity. In May 2016, the Aurora Green became the largest vivid green diamond to ever sell at auction.
• BACKES AND STRAUSS - "Masters of Diamonds since 1789." The oldest diamond company in the world.
• 'Bleu Royal' diamond expected to fetch up to $50 million - "The largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond ever put up for auction could sell for up to $50 million at a Christie’s sale of rare jewels in Geneva on November 7, 2023, the auctioneer said on Thursday. Known as 'Bleu Royal,' this vivid blue diamond - which is set in a ring - is among the rarest ever to be unearthed. 'What makes Bleu Royal so rare and special is its size. At 17.6 carats, it’s the largest of its kind,' said Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s international head of jewelry."
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• Blue Moon of Josephine Diamond - "The 12.03-carat Fancy Vivid Internally Flawles Blue Moon of Josephine Diamond sold for 48.634.000 CHF / US$48.468.158 million at Sotherby's in Geneva on November 11, 2015. The gem also set a world record for any jewel at more than US$4 million per carat.
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• Cartier Classic Diamond Bracelets - 18K white gold, set with 47 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 6.38 carats.
• CECIL RHODES & DIAMONDS - Wikipedia.
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• Cullinan Diamond - largest gem-quality diamond ever found, at 3106.75 carat (621.35 g, 1.37 lb) rough weight.
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• De Beers Cullinan Blue - "Sotheby’s is set to auction the De Beers Cullinan Blue Diamond in April 2022 during its Hong Kong Luxury Week sales, starting at an estimate of $48-million. The 15.10-carat step-cut diamond is the largest vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction and the largest internally flawless step-cut vivid blue diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded."
• DE BEERS JEWELLERY - "Because a diamond is forever."
• DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH - launched in 2003 as a unique fashion statement to showcase the beauty of rough diamonds to individual clients.
• DIAMOND'S HISTORY & GEMOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS - Wikipedia.
• Empress EugÉnie - oval-shaped brilliant diamond, perfectly cut, and weighing 51 carats. It is named for the French empress Eugénie de Montijo, who owned it in the late 19th century. It is currently in the hands of a private collector.
• Enigma Black Diamond Sells For $4.3 Million At Auction - "Sotheby’s sold a 555.55-carat Fancy Black Diamond—believed to have come from outer space—for an astronomical $4.28 million at auction on Tuesday. Bidding closed at £3.2 million, excluding buyer’s premium, and the diamond was offered without reserve."
• FAMOUS DIAMONDS - De Beers: "The World of Famous Diamonds."
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• Farnese Blue Diamond - "Three Centuries of History." Historic and highly important fancy dark grey-blue diamond jewel. Set with a pear-shaped fancy dark grey-blue diamond weighing 6.16 carats, within a frame of pinched-collet set cushion-shaped diamonds. Fancy Dark Grey-Blue, Natural Colour, SI1 Clarity.
• GEM DIAMONDS - "Gem Diamonds is a leading producer of high-value diamonds."
• GRAFF DIAMONDS - since 1960 "The Most Fabulous Jewels in the World." Discovering the most brilliant gem-quality diamonds demands an expedition deep into the earth, the most challenging treasure hunt imaginable. Day after day, our gemologists strive to uncover gemstones that equal or surpass the finest diamonds ever unearthed. Often many millions of years old, every Graff stone is responsibly mined and traceable to its source.
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• Graff Venus - "Our Flawless Heart Shape Diamond." The largest D Colour Flawless, Type IIA 118.78 Carats, heart shaped diamond in the world. Creating diamond history requires good fortune, great skill and tremendous courage. A rare large rough stone holds infinite possibilities beneath its surface and once or twice in a lifetime, a genuine wonder emerges. The Graff Venus is one example - a stone of such beauty, it could only be named after the goddess of love.
• HOUSE OF MOUAWAD - "Over the years, Mouawad has acquired a collection of diamonds that is arguably one of the world's finest in private hands. Some of the largest diamonds in existence take their place among the stunning treasures in this museum-quality collection."
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• Idol's Eye - 70.21-carat Golconda diamond. It has a very light blue colour with nine main facets and was found in 1600 in the Golconda Sultanate in southern India. According to legend, the diamond was initially owned by Prince Rahab of Persia, who gave it to his creditors to settle his debts. The diamond re-appeared on 14 July 1865, when it was introduced by Christie's for auction in London, where it was purchased by Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II. Following World War II, it was sold to the American jeweller Harry Winston, and later purchased by the American philanthropist May Bonfils Stanton. After her death in 1962, it was purchased by the Chicago jewelry store owner Harry Levinson at auction.
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• Koh-i-Noor - large, colourless diamond that was found near the modern city of Hyderabad, India, possibly in the 13th century. It weighed 793 carats (158.6 g) uncut and was first owned by the Kakatiya dynasty. The stone changed hands several times between various feuding factions in South Asia over the next few hundred years, before ending up in the possession of Queen Victoria after the British conquest of the Punjab in 1849.
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• Krupp Diamond | Elizabeth Taylor Diamond - 33.19-carat (6.638 g) stone, sold at Christie's on 16 December 2011, for US$8,818,500, by the estate of Dame Elizabeth Taylor. Welsh actor Richard Burton gave the stone to the British-American actress in 1968 after acquiring it at auction for US$305,000, during the fourth year of their first marriage.
• Largest diamond in 300 years unearthed in Angola - "The Australian site operator named the 170-carat stone The Lulo Rose."
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• LEVIEV - "Home to the World's Most Extraordinary Diamonds." Flagship boutique on London's Old Bond Street, U.K. since 2006.
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• Louis Vuitton Diamond - the 1,758 carat Sewelô diamond. Tthe second largest diamond in modern history displayed at it's Place VendÔme store in Paris.
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• LUCARA MAKES DIAMOND HISTORY RECOVERS 1,111 CARAT DIAMOND - Lucara Diamond: November 18, 2015.
• LUGANO DIAMONDS - established in 2005. Newport Beach, CA, U.S.A. "Dedicated to becoming a client's jeweler for life."
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• Lulo Rose may be largest pink diamond found in 300 years - "At 170 carats, this may be the largest pink diamond found in 300 years."
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• Napoleon Diamond Necklace - diamond necklace commissioned by Napoleon I of France c. 1811–1812. Designed by Etienne Nitôt and Sons of Paris and consists of 234 diamonds. It is currently on display in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., United States.
• NICKY OPPENHEIMER - today's uncrowned 'King of Diamonds'.
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• Nirav Modi - "Haut Diamantaire." Luxury diamond jewellery with over a century of diamantaire legacy. Discover the finest diamond jewels for everyday wear and special ...
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• Okavango Blue - The Okavango Diamond Company's rare find, the Okavango Blue of Botswana, is an exceptional 20.46 carat blue diamond like no other. Botswana’s state-owned diamond marketer has unveiled a gem that exceeds the clarity and purity of one of the world’s most famous, the Hope Diamond.
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• Oppenheimer Blue Diamond - the largest Vivid Blue diamond ever to appear at auction is the latest in a line of historic blue diamonds that have been auctioned at Christie’s on May 18, 2016 selling for history-making CHF56,837,000 / US$58,246,847 earning 'World's Most Expensive' title for a record-setting amount for any jewel sold at auction.
• Orlov Diamond - 189.62 metric carats and it measures 47.6 mm in height, 31.75 mm in width, and 34.92 mm in length.
• Oscars 2019: Lady Gaga's Priceless 128.54 Carat "Tiffany Diamond" Necklace Was Last Worn by Audrey Hepburn in 1961 - W Magazine.
• PETRA DIAMONDS - owner of the Cullinan diamond mine.
• PETRA DIAMONDS' LATEST FIND: 507.55 carat diamond - rough white diamond recovered at the Cullinan mine on 24 September 2009.
• Pink diamond found in Botswana expected to fetch over $35 million - ‘Ultra-rare’ pink diamond expected to sell for more than $35 million at auction.
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• Pink Star - A True Masterpiece of Nature - "The largest Internally Flawless, Fancy Vivid Pink diamond that the GIA has ever graded, this 59.60 carat diamond is a true masterpiece of nature." Sold for 553,037,500 HKD (US$71.2 million), including the buyer's premium, or auction house charge at Sotheby's in Hong Kong on April 4, 2017.
• Princie diamond - approximately 34.65 carat cushion-cut fancy intense pink diamond discovered 300 years ago in the Golconda mines. Christie's (who auctioned it on Tuesday 16/04/2013, when it fetched a price of 39.3 million dollars) say that the Princie Diamond is believed to be the third largest pink diamond in the world after the Darya-ye Noor (ca. 175 to 195 carats) and the Noor-ol-Ain (ca. 60 carats) which are both part of the Iranian Crown Jewels but which were both cut, according to experts, from one single ca. 242 carat pink diamond.
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• Queen Marie-Antoinette’s Diamonds - "On 9 November 2021 Christie’s will proudly offer THE MARIE ANTOINETTE DIAMONDS as lot 1 of its live Magnificent Jewels Auction to be held at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. Presented in their current form, the 112 diamonds, originally belonging to Queen Marie-Antoinette of France (1755-1793), are set as a historic pair of bracelets (estimated $2,000,000-4,000,000)."
• diamond bracelets that Marie Antoinette had to have - even if it meant borrowing a fortune from her husband - "Stowed away during the French Revolution, the dazzling jewels - which, miraculously, have remained intact rather than being broken up - have spent the past two centuries hidden from view in a private royal collection." The historic Marie-Antoinette diamonds, a stunning pair of diamond bracelets. 18.7 cm each. Estimate: CHF2,000,000-4,000,000. Offered in Geneva Magnificent Jewels on 9 November 2021 at Christie’s in Geneva, Switzerland.
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• Queen Sophie's Diamond Tiara - The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor.
• RAIMAN ROCKS - large carat diamonds Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.
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• Regent Diamond - 141-carat (28.2 g) diamond owned by the French state and on display in the Louvre, worth as of 2015 £48,000,000. It is widely considered the most beautiful and the purest diamond in the world. At the current 2016 exchange rate of $1.28 USD / £1, the Regent Diamond value is estimated at $61,440,000.00 USD.
• SAFDICO | SOUTH AFRICAN DIAMOND CORPORATION - "Safdico is one of the world’s leading diamond manufacturing and trading companies. We are synonymous with extraordinary levels of innovation, craftsmanship and professionalism."
• SAFDICO'S MOST NOTABLE DIAMONDS - Gallery.
• samer halimeh new york - since 1999. "Exceptional Diamond Jewellery by Diamond Dealer Samer Halimeh. Rare Diamonds. Famed Diamonds. Rough and Polished Stones. Bridal Jewellery."
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• Sancy - pale yellow diamond of 55.23 carats (11.046 g), was once reputed to have belonged to the Mughals of antiquity, but is more likely of Indian origin owing to its cut, which is unusual by Western standards. The Sancy's known history began circa 1570. The prominent Astor family possessed it for 72 years until the 4th Viscount Astor sold it to the Louvre for $1 million in 1978.
• Scarselli Diamonds - since 1957. "Scarselli Diamonds has provided the world's most exquisite, natural colored diamonds to diamonds connoisseurs." Scarselli Diamonds trades in natural colored diamonds, the majority of which are yellow, pink, red, or blue, in addition to colorless diamonds. They also sell other gemstones including emeralds, sapphires, and rubies.
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• Sotheby's Diamonds - "100 Carats Flawless Perfection." Unveiling a stone of exception – an extraordinarily rare 102.34 carat white diamond. The stone is the only known round brilliant-cut diamond over 100 carats perfect according to every critical criterion: in addition to the high number of carats, the stone is also perfect in colour, clarity and cut ever graded by the G.I.A.
• SOTHEBY'S GENEVA - world's largest flawless blue 7.03 diamond sold for US$9,488,754 on May 12th, 2009.
• SUN-DROP DIAMOND - the world's largest known yellow diamond (110.3 ct.) has been sold at auction for CHF10 mio./US$10,915 mio. at Sotheby's Geneva on November 15, 2011.
• TAYLOR-BURTON DIAMOND - diamond weighing 68 carats (13.6 g), became notable in 1969 when it was purchased by actors Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Burton had previously been the underbidder when jeweller Cartier bought the diamond at auction for $1,050,000, setting a record price for a publicly sold jewel. Thousands of people in New York and Chicago queued to see the diamond after its 1969 sale. It was subsequently worn by Taylor at Princess Grace of Monaco's 40th birthday, and at the 42nd Academy Awards.
• THE CENTENARY - "On March 11th, 1988, the centenary celebrations of De Beers took place in Kimberly and a banquet was held to close the Kimberly Mine (aka the 'Big Hole'). An audience of four hundred people, including representatives of several national governments of diamond-producing countries and dignitaries from various sections of the industry, listened to the welcoming speech of the chairman, Julian Oglivie Thompson, totally unprepared for his final sentence: 'We have recovered at the Premier Mine a diamond of 599 carats which is perfect in color - indeed it is one of the largest top-color diamonds ever found. Naturally it will be called the Centenary Diamond.'"
• THE CULLINAN - "The Star of Africa, a pear shaped diamond weighing 530.20 carats, aka the Cullinan I. It measures 58.9 × 45.4 × 27.7 mm, and has 76 facets (counting the culet and the table). It is called the Cullinan I because it's the largest of the 9 large stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond, and the Cullinan II is the massive 317.40-carat cushion shaped diamond in the center-front of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain. The Crown also features the Black Prince's Ruby, as well as St. Edward's Sapphire, and the Stuart Sapphire. All the stones in the crown seem to have a history. The Star of Africa holds the place of 2nd largest cut diamond in the world and is on display with the other Crown Jewels in the Tower of London."
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• The De Beers Blue - "This extraordinary 15.10 carat step-cut blue has been cut from an exceptional rough stone discovered in April 2021. In its masterfully crafted, newly formed state, it now re-emerges as the largest vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction and the largest internally flawless step cut vivid blue diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded." The world's largest blue diamond ever to come to auction has sold for 450,925,000 HKD, or $57.5 million on April 27, 2022. With a final price of $57,471,960, The De Beers Cullinan Blue just narrowly missed setting the record for the most expensive blue diamond ever to sell at auction. That title is still held by the 14.62-carat 'Oppenheimer Blue,' which sold in 2016 with a final price of $57,541,779, a difference of just under $70,000.
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• The Enigma: 555.55 Carat Fancy Black Diamond - "555.55-carat black diamond that is truly from out of this world has been unveiled by auction house Sotheby's Dubai. The rare gem, which Sotheby's has dubbed 'The Enigma,' is believed to have come from outer space - either created from a meteoric impact or from a 'diamond-bearing' asteroid that collided with Earth."
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• The Eternal Pink: The Most Significant Pink Diamond To Ever Appear at Auction - At 10.57 carats, the cushion-cut Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink Diamond is the most vivid pink diamond ever to come to market. The 23.78 carat rough which yielded The Eternal Pink was mined by De Beers at the Damtshaa mine in Botswana, and was meticulously fashioned into an exquisite cushion cut - over a period of six intense months - by Diacore’s team of artisans, maximizing the diamond’s electric 'bubblegum' color to full potential. The Eternal Pink will be offered as a part of Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels auction on 8 June at Sotheby’s New York.
• THE GRAFF PINK - 24.78 carats, Fancy Intense Pink, Natural Colour, VVS2 Clarity. World's most expensive gem: CHF45,442,500 / US$46,158,674. Bought at Sotheby's Geneva on November 16, 2010 by London jeweller Laurence Graff.
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• THE HOPE DIAMOND - 45.52 carats. On display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
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• THE LIGHT OF AFRICA - A SENSATIONAL DIAMOND - "Sold for US$20,084,000 on June 8, 2022 at Christie's: 103.49 carats, D color, Flawless, excellent polish and symmetry, Type IIa."
• THE MILLENNIUM STAR - "De Beers and the Steinmetz Group has unveiled the world's rarest and arguably the most valuable set of diamonds ever put together to mark the year 2000. Stressing that 'millennia come and go, but diamonds are forever,' the diamond giant's Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer presented the De Beers Millennium Star, a D-color, internally and externally flawless pear-shape, cut to perfect proportions, weighing a hefty 203.04 carats. It is the second largest faceted D-Flawless diamond in the world, the 273.15 carat Centenary Diamond is the first."
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• The Peace Diamond - 709 carats (141.8 g). Alluvial diamond was found in 2017 by Pastor Emmanuel Momoh in river sediment in Koryardu village, Kono district, Sierra Leone.
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• The Pink Legacy - a Fancy Vivid Pink cut-cornered rectangular-cut diamond of 18.96 carats. Sold for CHF50,375,000/US$50 million on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at Christie's auction house in Geneva.
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• The Pink Star - on 4 April 2017 in Hong Kong, Sotheby’s set a new world auction record for any diamond or jewel when the Pink Star, a 59.60-carat oval mixed-cut Fancy Vivid Pink Internally Flawless diamond, sold for HK$553 million/US$71.2 million.
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• The Premier Blue - 7.59 carat round brilliant-cut internally flawless (IF) fancy vivid blue diamond.
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• The Rock - Pear brilliant-cut diamond of 228.31 carats, accompanied by a fitted case; with a round diamond and platinum pendant mounting, signed Cartier. GIA, 2022, report #2175864368: 228.31 carats, G colour, VS1 clarity, excellent polish and symmetry. Accompanied by a letter from the Gemological Institute of America stating that this diamond is the 'largest existing D-to-Z colour range pear-shaped diamond' graded by their laboratory. The Rock was sold for 21,681,000 CHF ($21.9 million) at Christie's in Geneva on May 11, 2022.
• THE SPIRIT OF DE GRISOGONO DIAMOND - world's largest cut black diamond and the world's fifth largest diamond overall.
• THE WORLD OF FAMOUS DIAMONDS
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• Tiffany Yellow Diamond - one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered. Its carat weight was originally 287.42 carats (57.484 g) in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa. It was cut into a cushion shape of 128.54 carats (25.108 g) with 82 facets—24 more than a traditional round brilliant—to maximize its brilliance. The facet pattern features eight needle-like facets pointing outward from the culet (bottom) facet. Its permanent home is at the Tiffany & Co. flagship store in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
• Lady Gaga Wears the 128-Carat Tiffany Diamond - "The gem dates back to the beginning of the American firm."
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• Williamson Pink Star sets world record highest price per carat for a diamond sold at auction - "The 11.15-carat Williamson Pink Star diamond, auctioned by Sotheby's Hong Kong, sold for $392 million Hong Kong dollars ($49.9 million) on October 7, 2022."
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• Winston Legacy - the world's largest pear-shaped, D color, type IIA, flawless diamond: 101.73 carats. Sold at Christie's Geneva on May 15, 2013 for US$26,737,913 (US$254,400 per carat) to American New York 5th Avenue Jewelers Harry Winston (since January 2013 owned by Swatch Group), setting a new world record at auction for a colorless diamond.
• WITTELSBACH-GRAFF DIAMOND - 31.06-carat (6.212 g) deep-blue diamond with internally flawless clarity originated from the Kollur Mine, India. Laurence Graff purchased the Wittelsbach Diamond in 2008 for £16.4 million. In 2010, Graff revealed he had had the diamond cut by three diamond cutters to remove flaws. The diamond was now more than 4 carats (800 mg) lighter and was renamed the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond. There is controversy, as critics claim the recutting has so altered the diamond as to make it unrecognisable, compromising its historical integrity.
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• WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR A WHITE DIAMOND - 118.28-carat D-Flawless diamond sold for of HK$238.68 million / US$30.06 million on October 7, 2015 at Sotheby's Hong Kong.
• WORLD'S 10 MOST FAMOUS DIAMONDS