Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without ~ Confucius
World's Famous Diamonds
Learn about the world's famous diamonds. How many of them do you know?
The World's Most Famous Diamonds
The Great Star of Africa -- this diamond has 530.20 carats and was discovered in South Africa in 1095; the largest cut diamond in the world. Most ladies would go ga-ga over this single piece of brilliant sparkling precious stone. It is pear shaped with 74 facets and today it is located in the Royal Scepter along with the Crown Jewels stored safely in the Tower of London, England. When the Cullian (as the diamond is more commonly called) was first found, it looked like it was part of a much better diamond-piece but there have never been any evidence found of a larger diamond.
Another famous diamond is the Taylor Burton Diamond. This diamond is 69.42 Carats and it has IF clarity. It is also a pear shaped diamond and was discovered in the Premier Mine, Transvaal, South Africa. Originally, it weighed in at 240.80 carats but was cut down to 69.42 carats. This diamond was a gift from Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor, for which he bought it for $ 1,100.000. After Richard Burton died in 1979, Ms. Taylor sold the diamond for charity and it went for a whopping $ 2.8 million. Ms. Taylor donated the money in Burton's name to a hospital in Biafra. At this point in time, the Taylor Burton Diamond's whereabouts are unknown but it was last seen in Saudi Arabia.
The most famous diamond of them all is the Blue Hope Diamond. The diamond was named after the man who bought it -- Henry Thomas Hope. This diamond measures 45.52 carats. The Blue Hope diamond was purchased by King Louis XIV and was duly cut down to 67.50 carats from the original 112 carats. The stone was stolen during the French Revolution and smaller cut of that diamond were sold in 1830 to a Mr. Hope. It has been said that there is a lot of bad luck associated with this diamond. When Mr. Hope’s son inherited the diamond he lost his fortune, the widow who owned it next, her only child was killed and then the widow lost her money and committed suicide. The famed jeweler Harry Winston bought the diamond, but many people refused to touch it for fear of bad luck. The diamond is now displayed in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.
The Great Star of Africa -- this diamond has 530.20 carats and was discovered in South Africa in 1095; the largest cut diamond in the world. Most ladies would go ga-ga over this single piece of brilliant sparkling precious stone. It is pear shaped with 74 facets and today it is located in the Royal Scepter along with the Crown Jewels stored safely in the Tower of London, England. When the Cullian (as the diamond is more commonly called) was first found, it looked like it was part of a much better diamond-piece but there have never been any evidence found of a larger diamond.
Another famous diamond is the Taylor Burton Diamond. This diamond is 69.42 Carats and it has IF clarity. It is also a pear shaped diamond and was discovered in the Premier Mine, Transvaal, South Africa. Originally, it weighed in at 240.80 carats but was cut down to 69.42 carats. This diamond was a gift from Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor, for which he bought it for $ 1,100.000. After Richard Burton died in 1979, Ms. Taylor sold the diamond for charity and it went for a whopping $ 2.8 million. Ms. Taylor donated the money in Burton's name to a hospital in Biafra. At this point in time, the Taylor Burton Diamond's whereabouts are unknown but it was last seen in Saudi Arabia.
The most famous diamond of them all is the Blue Hope Diamond. The diamond was named after the man who bought it -- Henry Thomas Hope. This diamond measures 45.52 carats. The Blue Hope diamond was purchased by King Louis XIV and was duly cut down to 67.50 carats from the original 112 carats. The stone was stolen during the French Revolution and smaller cut of that diamond were sold in 1830 to a Mr. Hope. It has been said that there is a lot of bad luck associated with this diamond. When Mr. Hope’s son inherited the diamond he lost his fortune, the widow who owned it next, her only child was killed and then the widow lost her money and committed suicide. The famed jeweler Harry Winston bought the diamond, but many people refused to touch it for fear of bad luck. The diamond is now displayed in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.
