#1 - The Hope Diamond Probably the most well-known of all gems, the 45.52-carat
The Kohinoor gem currently resides at the HM Tower of London where it is displayed as the central diamond of the Queen Mother's Crown. What is the most expensive diamond in the world? The most expensive diamond in the world is the Kohinoor. The unique 105.6-carat colorless diamond is said to be priceless.
Elizabeth Taylor was known for her many expensive jewels, most of which were given to her by her then-husband Richard Burton, but the Hope Diamond was never one of them.
The Golden Jubilee diamond
In 1997, the diamond was presented to the King of Thailand after it took specialists a few years to cut and polish. Today, the largest finished diamond is owned by the Royal Family of Thailand.
The Strawn-Wagner Diamond is regarded as the world's only perfect diamond. It is notable not only for its perfection, but for the fact that it wasn't actually mined.
1. Kohinoor- Priceless. The most expensive diamond in the world, the Kohinoor has been given a priceless status due to its uniqueness and brilliance. The diamond is 105.6 carats and is placed right on top of the UK sovereign's crown.
Red diamonds are the rarest and some of the most expensive in the world. Also known as Fancy Reds, they come in a variety of shades ranging from orange-red to brownish red. Majority of the world's red diamonds come from the Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia.
From its inception in 1888 until the start of the 21st century, De Beers controlled 80% to 85% of rough diamond distribution and was considered a monopoly.
The British Royal Crown is the owner of the most costly diamond in the world. The Kohinoor gem is currently on exhibit as the main diamond of the Queen Mother's Crown at the HM Tower of London.
According to data gathered and analyzed by Learn Bonds, three countries alone control at least 80.6 percent of all the world's diamond reserves globally namely Russia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Botswana. In total, the known global diamond reserves stand at about 1.1 billion carats, the study said.
The Heart of the Ocean in the Titanic film is not a real piece of jewellery, but is hugely popular nonetheless. The jewellery is, however, based on a real diamond, the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond is one of the world's most valuable diamonds; its worth is estimated at around 350 million dollars.
A marquee piece in the historic auction, the gem was renamed The Elizabeth Taylor Diamond. It was a fitting new title for the diamond she loved so much for so long. The final sale price for the diamond of $8,818,500 shattered the pre-sale estimate of $2.5 to $3.5 million.
Red diamonds are the most expensive colored diamonds. Currently, only about 20 to 30 exist in the world. These diamonds derive their red shade during the mining formation. The process is uncommon, explaining why red diamonds are rare and extremely small in size.
1. The Pink Star – $71.2 million. The Pink Star is the first in the list of the 10 most expensive diamond rings and is the ultimate symbol of luxury, boasting a 59.6-carat, oval-cut pink diamond that is simply breathtaking.
A diamond is often referred to as ice. Pop culture has an immense impact on diamond jargon and slang words used today. Due to a series of 007 movies, a diamond has been referred to as 'ice'. And who can forget the hit song 'Ice Ice Baby' from Vanilla Ice?
Thanks to a stockpile of the world's rough diamond supply, indelible marketing schemes and even negotiations with foreign governments for their diamonds, De Beers — owned by the Oppenheimer family since the 1920s — has been the most important name in one of the world's most lucrative businesses for almost a century.
The Winston Legacy
Known throughout the industry and across the globe as the “King of Diamonds,” Mr. Winston built his legacy as the purveyor of the world's most exceptional jewels. The story of the House of Harry Winston is best told through its incredible portfolio of diamonds, which continues today.
The magnificent Cullinan Diamond – the largest diamond ever found- is incorporated into the Crown Jewels. The stone was discovered near Pretoria in modern -day South Africa in 1905, and is named after the chairman of the mining company, Thomas Cullinan.
The world's largest blue diamond, the De Beers Cullinan Blue, has been sold at auction for $US57. 47 million ($AU80. 96 million) at Sotheby's in Hong Kong. The diamond was discovered in South Africa in April of 2021 and on Thursday, was sold to an anonymous buyer who participated in the auction via telephone.
Tavernier first reports possession of an incredible blue diamond ("the Tavernier Blue") weighing 112 carats (nearly size of man's fist), though he never mentions how he acquired the gem. Tavernier sells the diamond to King Louis XIV of France.
A bidding war between four participants lasted for eight minutes before the diamond was finally sold. The auction winner who successfully purchased the diamond was an unnamed client represented by Wenhao Yu, chairman of Jewellery and Watches at Sotheby's Asia.
Although most black diamonds on the market today are either superheated or irradiated to an almost black color, natural black diamonds do exist, though they are extremely rare. Carbonados, sometimes called "black diamonds," are a distinct and unusual polycrystalline diamond material.
The Hope Diamond
The 45.52-carat saturated blue diamond (about the size of a walnut) changed hands on numerous occasions, was stolen several times, and disappeared for decades before it was eventually found, recut, and reshaped. Throughout its history, it famously wreaked havoc on many of its unfortunate owners.
Thought to have been owned by Eleanor of Aquitaine in the early 12th century, by King Richard the Lion Heart who carried it during the third crusade, and King Henry II of France, which makes the Briolette of India the oldest diamond on record in the world, even older than the famous Koh-i-Noor.