Diamond Name: The Most Famous and Rare Diamonds in the World
Diamonds have captivated humanity for centuries because of their exquisite beauty . They didn't have to wait for de Beers and his clever marketing to be desired by ordinary mortals! Diamonds are not that rare. On the other hand, quality stones are! It's so true that some diamonds have been named. What are the names of the most famous and rarest diamonds? Price, origin, weight, history, color, origin of the diamond's name and anecdotes that have made their legend... We tell you everything about the most famous diamond names.
Summary :
- The Koh-i-Noor Diamond
- The Hope
- The Cullinan I (name of the diamond of the crown of England)
- The Pink Star Diamond
- Josephine's Blue Moon
- The Moussaieff Red
- The Orlov Diamond
- The Oppenheimer Blue
- The Pink Graff
- Other Famous Diamond Names
1. The Koh-i-Noor Diamond
- Diamond Name : Koh-i-Noor
- Weight : 108.93 carats
- Date of discovery : antiquity
- Place of discovery : India
- Price : priceless
- Color : colorless
This is the diamond with the oldest documented history. It goes back more than 5,000 years ! This diamond has had many names , ending with " Koh-i-Noor ". This means "Mountain of Light" in Persian. Over the millennia, it has passed through many hands. From wealthy Indian ruling families to the British monarchy, among others.
It is probably the most expensive diamond in the world, although its price is difficult to estimate...
Interesting fact : The diamond was first mentioned over 5,000 years ago in a Sanskrit text, where it was called Syamantaka . It is said to bring bad luck. A cholera epidemic broke out in England while the diamond was being shipped from India to Her Majesty's lands. An event that was blamed on this diamond with the famous name !
2. The Hope
- Diamond Name : Hope
- Weight : 45.52 carats
- Date of discovery : 17th century
- Place of discovery : India
- Price : Estimated between $200 million and $250 million
- Color : deep blue
The Hope is one of the diamonds with the most legendary history. From its discovery in the early 17th century to today, this diamond has traveled a lot. It even disappeared during the French Revolution. In the middle of the 20th century, Harry Winston became the owner of this famous diamond. The stone, a deep blue, was then donated to a museum.
Interesting fact : Legend has it that the Hope Diamond is cursed . It is held responsible for tragedies and misfortunes for its owners. The Hope was notably owned by Louis XIV. It is now on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.
- Ranking of the most popular luxury antique jewelry
3. The Cullinan I (name of the diamond of the crown of England)
- Diamond Name : Cullinan
- Weight : 530.2 carats
- Date of discovery : 1905
- Place of discovery : Premier Mine, South Africa
- Price : over $2 billion (estimated)
- Color : colorless
Until the Golden Jubilee , the Cullinan 1 was the largest cut diamond in the world. It is pear-shaped with 74 facets. Today, it is set on the Royal Scepter of the British throne. It is jealously guarded with the rest of the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. In its original rough form, when it was first discovered in the Transvaal in South Africa, it weighed 3,106 carats .
Fun fact : The Cullinan Diamond is the largest gemstone-quality diamond ever discovered. The rough weighed 3,106 carats. It was later cut into 105 diamonds ! The largest stones (above) adorn the British Crown Jewels, including the Cullinan I.
4. The Pink Star
- Diamond Name : Pink Star
- Weight : 59.6 carats
- Date of discovery : 1999
- Place of discovery : South Africa
- Price : Sold for $71.2 million in 2017
- Color : pink
Originally weighing 132.5 carats in its rough form, the Pink Star Diamond was cut into a stunning 59.60 carat mixed-cut oval stone, making it the largest fancy vivid pink diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Interesting fact : The Pink Star is the most expensive diamond ever sold. Originally, the name of this diamond was the Steinmetz Pink .
5. The Blue Moon Josephine
- Diamond Name : Josephine's Blue Moon
- Weight : 12.03 carats
- Date of discovery : 2014
- Place of discovery : Premier Mine, South Africa
- Price : Sold for $48.5 million in 2015
- Color : blue
Weighing 12.03 carats, the Blue Moon is one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world . Its name reflects its rarity, as the phrase "every blue moon" refers to an event that almost never happens in English.
Fun fact : The diamond was purchased in 2015 by Hong Kong billionaire and Macau fugitive criminal Joseph Lau Luen-hung. He named it after his then 7-year-old daughter, Josephine.
6. The Moussaieff Red
- Diamond Name : Moussaieff Red
- Weight : 5.11 carats
- Date of discovery : 1989
- Place of discovery : Brazil
- Price : Estimated at over $20 million
- Color : red
The Moussaieff Red may only weigh 5.11 carats, but it is one of the rarest diamonds in the world. It was found in the Abaetezinho River. The name of this diamond was first called the Red Shield . It was later renamed after its purchaser, the famous diamond merchant Shlomo Moussaieff . The stone is distinguished by its fascinating color and its significant weight for such a diamond tone.
Fun fact : The Moussaieff is the largest known red diamond in the world , despite weighing only 5.11 carats. Red diamonds are incredibly rare, making this gemstone one of the most sought-after on the planet.
7. The Orlov Diamond
- Diamond Name : Orlov
- Weight : 189.62 carats
- Date of discovery : end of the 17th century
- Place of discovery : India
- Price : priceless
- Color : colorless
The Orlov Diamond is a stunning diamond weighing almost 190 carats. The epic story of this stone has more episodes than a TV series. Legend has it that at one time, the diamond served as the eye of the idol of Vishnu, the Hindu god. It was stolen in the middle of the night from the Sriangam temple. The thief, fearing a curse , quickly sold the giant diamond to an English captain for 2,000 pounds.
The name of the diamond appeared with its acquisition by Empress Catherine of Russia . Count Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov, one of the empress's lovers, bought the diamond for a huge sum. With this gift, he hoped to formalize their relationship. In vain. The Orlov diamond was set on the imperial scepter. Today it is in the Kremlin treasury.
Interesting fact : During Napoleon's invasion of Russia, the Orlov Diamond was hidden in a priest's tomb. Legend has it that a ghost dissuaded the French emperor from taking it!
8. The Oppenheimer Blue
- Diamond Name : Oppenheimer Blue
- Weight : 14.62 carats
- Date of discovery : unknown
- Place of discovery : South Africa
- Color : bright blue
- Value : $57.5 million
This diamond still bears the name of its former owner , Sir Philip Oppenheimer . This diamond is famous for its perfect hue, impeccable proportions and fabulous classic rectangular shape.
The Oppenheimer was sold by Christies Auction in 2016. At the time, a new world record for the sale of a jewel was set. The Oppenheimer Blue sold for $57,541,779. This sale set the room ablaze. It was sold well above its low estimate of $38 million. Two collectors fought hard to get their hands on the Oppenheimer Blue.
Interesting fact : The Oppenheimer Blue is the largest blue diamond ever sold at auction. The identity of its current owner is a mystery.
9. Graff Pink
- Diamond Name : Graff Pink
- Size : 24.78 carats
- Date of discovery : unknown (early 20th century ?)
- Place of discovery : unknown
- Color : Hot Pink
- Value : $46 million
The Graff Pink is a rare fancy vivid pink diamond of 24.78 carats. The Graff Pink is named after its owner Laurence Graff. It was set in a ring, which then became the most expensive ring in the world. The Graff Pink diamond has a classic emerald cut with rounded corners, typical of the American jeweler Harry Winston. He had set this pink diamond in a platinum ring with 2 white diamonds. In 1950, he sold the piece to a private collector. The collector kept it for 60 years before it was sold through Sotheby's, and acquired by its current owner.
Interesting fact : According to Laurence Graff, this stone is " the most fabulous diamond " he has ever seen. He knows a thing or two about diamonds. But the fact that he owns it may have clouded his judgment somewhat! However, it is clearly one of the most beautiful diamonds in the world.
10. Other famous diamond names
For tenth place, here are some diamonds with equally famous names :
- The King of Thailand's Golden Jubilee , the world's largest cut diamond
- The Millennium Star
- The Centenary Diamond
- The Graff Lesedi La Rona
- The Incomparable
- The Constellation
- The Woyie River
- Etc.
