The Sancy Diamond has one of the most interesting, colorful, confused and involved histories of all the famous diamonds in Europe. It is a pale yellow 55.23-carat shield-shaped stone, apparently of Indian origin, and is said to be one of the first large diamonds to be cut with symmetrical facets. The stone is also unusual… Continue reading The Sancy Diamond
Category: Gallery of Diamonds
Popularity of the Waterfall
The "waterfall" ring was the most popular ladies ring from 1960 to 1980. It usually had 19 diamonds and cascaded up and then down like flowing water. Photo shown in 14 karat white gold although yellow gold was more popular during this period.
The Shah Diamond
The Shah Diamond The Shah's shape, similar to a quartz crystal, is one of the most unusual in the world of famous diamonds. The Shah is an 88.70-carat, bar-shaped, partially polished diamond bearing three engraved markings. It was probably found in Golconda, India. The first engraving reads "Bourhan-Nizam-Shah-II, 1000" (Mohammedan calender), which places the stone… Continue reading The Shah Diamond
Taylor-Burton Diamond
This 69.42 carat pear-shaped diamond was sold at auction in 1969 with the understanding that it could be named by the buyer. Cartier of New York successfully bid for it and immediately christened it "Cartier". However, the next day Richard Burton bought the stone for Elizabeth Taylor, renaming it the "Taylor-Burton." In June 1979, the… Continue reading Taylor-Burton Diamond
The Orlov Diamond
Legend says this stone, which served as the eye of an Indian idol, found its way into the Court of Russia in the 1700's, where Prince Orlov gave it to his ex-lover, Catherine the Great. This stone is currently held in the Diamond Treasury in Moscow. The stone weighs 194.75 cts.
The Millennium Star Diamond
De Beers has unveiled the world's rarest 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 203.04 carats. It… Continue reading The Millennium Star Diamond
The Moussaieff Red
The William Goldberg Diamond Corporation, famous for outstanding stones like the Premier Rose and the Guinea Star, cut this gem from a 13.90-carat rough. They transformed the piece into a spectacular red diamond weighing 5.11 carats. The GIA states, "It is the largest Fancy Red, natural color diamond that we have graded as of the… Continue reading The Moussaieff Red
The Light of Peace
The Zales Light of Peace was cut from a 434.60 carat rough stone. Its origin is unknown, but it is believed to have come from Sierra Leone. It was acquired by the Zale Corp. in Texas. The stone weighs 130.27 cts and is D in color and VVS1 in clarity. In 1969 the Zale Corporation… Continue reading The Light of Peace
The Incomparable Diamond
The Incomparable was found in its rough state weighing 890 carats, and was found in the Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) in the 1980s. It was found by a young young girl playing in a pile of rubble outside her uncle's house. This rubble had been legitimately collected from old mine dumps from a nearby… Continue reading The Incomparable Diamond
The Pink Condé Diamond
The Pink Condé is one of the most unusual of the world's notable diamonds: a light pink pear-shaped stone of 9.01 carats. Agents of Louis XIII are said to have bought the stone in 1643 after which the King presented it to Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, who had distinguished himself as Commander of… Continue reading The Pink Condé Diamond
The Cullinan, the Star of Africa
The largest rough diamond ever found, the Cullinan originally 3,106 carats (about 1 1/2 pounds!) It was eventually cut into 9 major stones, two of which are in the British Crown Jewels, and 96 smaller stones. The Cullinan I, which is the pear-shaped diamond in this sceptre weighs 530.20 cts. The Cullinan l is the… Continue reading The Cullinan, the Star of Africa
Star of Sierra Leone
Weighing almost a half pound, The Star of Sierra Leone is the third largest rough diamond ever discovered. At 969.80 carats, the Star of Sierra Leone is the third largest rough diamond ever discovered. It was found on February 14, 1972, at the Diminco Mine in Sierra Leone. Harry Winston purchased the Star of Sierra… Continue reading Star of Sierra Leone
The Hope
This natural blue diamond was found by the famous gem dealer Tavernier on one of his voyages to India, tearing the stone from the staute of the god, Rama Sita. After selling the stone to Louis XIV, it is said that Tavernier was ruined, and had to sail again to India, meeting an atrocious death… Continue reading The Hope
Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sparkle of Green
Weekly photo challenge: Green! http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/weekly-photo-challenge-green/ www.GalleryOfDiamonds.com
The Portuguese Diamond
The 127 carat Portugese diamond fluoresces blue under ultraviolet light. The Portuguese Diamond weighs 127.01 carats. It's near flawless clarity and unusual octagonal emerald cut make it one of the world's most magnificent diamond gems. It is perhaps more than a little surprising, then, that so little documented information exists about it's origin and early… Continue reading The Portuguese Diamond