More than 2000 years ago, people learned what a diamond is and what incredible properties this stone has. For the first time they decided to process it only in the 14th century. But this was only a light polishing of existing edges. It was only in the 17th century that diamonds began to be created into diamonds by applying facets.
There are many of these beautiful gemstones in the world today. The most famous diamonds in the world are either in museum collections or kept by the richest people on the planet. They are even given names. And many of them have a centuries-old mystical and mysterious history.
The biggest diamonds
The Hope Diamond, which brought a lot of trouble to its owners, was found after the sinking of the Titanic. Considered famous, beautiful and one of the largest diamonds
About 130 million carats of diamonds are mined around the world every year. Specimens larger than 15 carats are rare. Diamonds over 100 carats are considered the largest. They make luxurious jewelry. However, jewelers are not always able to make one diamond out of them. More often they are divided into several precious stones.
History includes no more than a hundred 100-carat diamonds. Each is a very rare and valuable specimen. After all, they are completely different and original.
Diamond "Great Mogul"
The famous Great Mughal Diamond is the largest gem of its kind mined in India. Its weight at that time was 787 carats.
After cutting, it was presented to Jehan, the Shah, who built the Taj Mahal for his beloved wife. According to the description of one of the jewelers who saw the stone in the mid-17th century, it was round and shaped like a tall rose.
In 1739, the capital of the Indian state was captured by the Persians. And the “Great Mogul” went to Shah Nadir, like many other treasures. Among the stolen jewelry was the Eye of Light diamond. But, after 8 years, the ruler is killed, and traces of the diamond are lost. To this day, jewelers put forward their own versions of the disappearance of the jewel:
- someone thinks that “Kohinoor” and “Great Mogul” are the same diamond;
- others believe that the identity of the “Great Mogul” with the “Eagles” stone can be traced.
Unlike the “Great Mogul,” the “Eye of Light” was found. It is now the property of Iran and is held in their national bank.
Diamond "Cullinan"
In Africa, at the beginning of the 20th century, a huge Cullinan diamond was found. It was named after the owner of the mine where precious stones were mined. The untouched diamond was presented to the English king, who entrusted the work to the most famous jeweler in all of Europe, Joseph Ascher. It was he who divided the “Cullinan” into a couple of huge, 7 large and almost a hundred small stones.
Here is a list of the largest diamonds produced:
- The “Great Star of Africa” adorns the scepter of the English king. Today it is kept in the Tower.
- The “Second Star of Africa” is kept there, but adorns the crown of the British Empire.
- “Small Stars of Africa” are now set into a brooch. One of the diamonds is pear-shaped, the second is square.
- “Brooch of the Heart” - a stone of an unusual shape in the form of a brooch was presented to Queen Mary.
- "Cullinan VI" is today featured on the Delhi Durbar necklace as a removable pendant.
- "Cullinan VII" and "Cullinan VIII" are brooches adorning the Delhi Durbar corsage.
- "Cullinan" number 9 is a luxurious ring.
Diamond "Cullinan"
Diamond "Golden Jubilee"
The fiery yellow Golden Jubilee diamond is often compared to the eye of the tiger. To look at it, you need to stand in a real live queue (there are so many people who want to see this beauty). It was named after the event for which it was presented to the rulers of Thailand. It was the golden anniversary of the reign of King Bhumibol. Today, this jewel is exhibited at the Royal Museum in Bangkok.
This is interesting! "Golden Jubilee" was found in South Africa. However, no one paid attention to him for 4 years. The fact is that this nugget looked like a large piece of dirt, riddled with a large number of cracks. But Gabi Tolkowsky, a famous jeweler, was able to cut this stone. Today, the Golden Jubilee is the eighth largest diamond in the world.
Diamond "Golden Jubilee"
Diamond "Orlov"
The Russian diamond collection also boasts one of the largest diamonds called “Orlov”. Found in India, the gem was given to Shah Jahan. It was he who gave it to cutting. As a result, the stone was almost halved in size.
Legend has it that this diamond was the “third eye” of the statue of the moon god, which stood in the temple of Somnaut. When the city was captured by Muslims, it was miraculously not destroyed, but transported to a new sanctuary. There, the god Vishnu himself appeared to the invaders, who warned that the stone must remain unharmed. Otherwise, a tragic fate awaits the robber and all his descendants.
The owners of Orlov changed often. One day, he was bought by a merchant from Armenia. For a long time the stone lay in a bank, but then it was sold to Ivan Lazarev, a jeweler at the court of His Majesty. And then he fell into the hands of Count Orlov.
With this jewel he wanted to regain the favor of Catherine II. Thus, the stone ended up in the scepter of the kings of the Russian Empire. And today it is stored in the Diamond Fund.
Diamond "Orlov"
"Great Mogul", 787 carats
Cubic zirconia replica of the Great Mogul diamond
The diamond is considered one of the oldest in the world - it was discovered back in 1640 in Golconda. The weight of the found treasure was 787 carats. Until 1905, it remained the largest diamond in the world. The first owner of the precious stone was the treasurer of Golconda, Margimola.
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Further traces of the stone, which belonged to the Mughal dynasty, are lost. It is believed that he caused wars and other dramatic events. It is also known that the 787-carat diamond was cut into a diamond weighing approximately 279 carats.
The most expensive diamonds and diamonds
Many diamonds are not for sale. They are kept in museums, treasuries or belong to monarchs, collectors and the richest people. Their price is incredibly huge. Moreover, not only large diamonds are of great value, but also small ones, which have their own uniqueness:
- luxurious coloring;
- an unusual story;
- rare form.
Diamond "Sancy"
The Sancy stone had several dozen names. At the end of the 11th century, one rich rajah paid for it:
- 12 camels;
- 2 elephants;
- 80 pure gold coins.
After cutting, he ended up with a gorgeous teardrop-shaped diamond in his hands. Once it was owned by European kings from Great Britain and France, then it came to Russia to Pavel Demidov. Now the stone is kept in the Louvre, where every visitor can see it.
Stone "Sansi"
Diamond "Kohinoor"
Translated from Farsi, “Kohinoor” means “Mountain of Light”. Many are sure that the only possible value of this diamond is life.
Legend: a couple of thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ, in a village near the Yamuna River, a boy was born. He was the offspring of the Sun God. His head was decorated with a cap embroidered with gems. In a place of honor was an 800-carat diamond. The royal family kept this stone for a long time. But the Persians took possession of it by deception.
Kohinoor has been cut many times. As a result, it turned into a small but flawless and priceless diamond of 105 carats. He saw many deaths, uprisings, and royal vicissitudes in his lifetime, until he was placed in the crown of the Queen of Great Britain. Today the gem is guarded within the walls of the Tower.
Diamond "Kohinoor"
Diamond "Hope"
One of the most beautiful diamonds in the whole world is Hope. According to legend, it should bring illness and death to its owner. This is because it has a rare deep blue color. According to Indian legend, this is the Eye of Rama. Myth or not, the owners of Hope were indeed in for some serious bad weather:
- The stone came to Louis along with the plague, which immediately spread throughout Paris. He just asked the jeweler to cut it in the shape of a heart.
- Marie Antoinette, who received the diamond, gave it to her daughter. The latter was killed, and the queen herself was soon executed during a revolutionary coup.
- After looting the treasury, “Hope” ended up with the jeweler Vaals. He and his son soon died.
- Karl of Brunswick, the next owner of the diamond, died during the uprising of his subjects.
- At the beginning of the 19th century, the stone ended up in the hands of the Hope family. Hence its name. The head of the family decided to sell it in order to get rid of a huge amount of debts.
- After the sale, he ended up with the wife of the Sultan of Turkey, who was killed during a robbery. And the ruler himself was overthrown from the throne.
- Prince Korytkovsky from Russia bought “Hope” for his mistress, whom he himself shot in a fit of jealousy. The prince himself was also killed.
- Then the stone came to the hands of a Spaniard sailing on the Titanic.
- At an auction, the diamond was bought by an American family in which a child died, and the owners went crazy from this misfortune.
- Lady Maclean is the next owner of the stone. Upon purchase, she blessed “Hope” in the church. But apparently this didn't help. She lost her husband, two daughters and soon died herself. The granddaughter who took possession of the jewelry died at the age of 25.
- Harry Winston is one of the few who was not affected by the curse of the diamond. But he decided to part with it without permission, sending it by mail to the Smithsonian Institution.
Maybe this is a thread of coincidence, but today no one wants to become the owner of “Hope”.
Diamond "Hope"
Lesedi la Rona, 1109 carats
In November 2015, Lucara Diamond Corporation mined another gem in Botswana - an incomparable diamond weighing 1,109 carats (222.2 grams). It was originally thought to contain 1,111 carats.
The stone, named Lesedi la Rona, is currently the second largest in the world in terms of mass and size of all previously discovered diamonds. In September 2022, the gem was sold to ]Graff Diamonds[/anchor] for $51 million.
Other famous rough and polished diamonds
Unusual jewelry attracts increased attention not only from jewelers, but also from ordinary people. That is why museums where original diamonds are kept are always crowded with visitors. And treasuries are the place that everyone wants to look into.
Diamond "Millennium Star"
In 1990, an extraordinary diamond weighing 777 carats was found in Zaire. I purchased this untreated stone. For several years, specialists from different countries worked to create one of the best diamonds. The result is a jewel that is perfect both inside and out. This is the main highlight of the Millennium collection.
Diamond collection. "Millennium Star" in the center.
Regent's Diamond
At the beginning of the 18th century, another 400-carat diamond was found in Golconda. He was taken to Britain and sold to Philip II, who was regent for the French child king. This is where the stone got its name.
At the end of the 18th century it was stolen, like many other jewels from the royal treasury. Some disappeared without a trace. But the Regent Diamond was found by agents of the French king. He returned to Napoleon. Today the stone is kept in the Louvre.
Diamond Taylor-Barton
The names of famous diamonds are often shrouded in legend, mystery, or related to their appearance. And this stone was named in honor of the love relationship of famous actors: Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The man often gave his lady heart jewelry. But this beautiful diamond, which was found in Africa in 1966, was one of the most expensive gifts.
The actress wore the stone as a pendant or in a ring setting only 30 days a year and was strictly under guard. The rest of the time the jewelry was kept in a safe. When the couple divorced, the diamond was sold at auction. The funds received from it were invested in the construction of a children's hospital.
Taylor-Barton diamond as a pendant for a necklace
"River Woye", 770 carats
A diamond weighing 770 carats was found in 1945 in West Africa (the country of Sierra Leone) on the banks of the Woye River, after which it was named. And since it was in this year that the Second World War ended, the precious stone was given an additional name - “Victory Diamond”.
After processing the diamond, 30 magnificent diamonds were obtained, the largest of which weighs 31.35 carats.
Origin of the largest diamonds in Russia
The largest diamonds found in Russia were mined in Yakutia. Here are the five largest jewelry diamonds:
- “XXVI Congress of the CPSU” weighing almost 343 carats
- "Alexander Pushkin" 321 carats
- “The Creator” weighs about 300 carats
- “Free Russia”, presented to Yeltsin, weighs 242 carats
- "Star of Yakutia" 232 carats
Diamond is rightfully considered the most popular and desirable stone on the planet. This is a real gift from the bowels of the earth. Such a stone requires an attentive and respectful attitude. It is intended for determined and courageous individuals.
Constellation, 813 carats
Constellation diamond weighing 813 carats
On November 19, 2015, Canadian diamond mining company Lucara Diamond announced one of the most significant finds of the century - a D-grade gemstone weighing approximately 813 carats. The stone was mined in Botswana at the Karowe mine.
