Behold the World's 10 Biggest Cut Diamonds
2014.05.27
Diamonds are beautiful, and their forms and colors have attracted people for centuries. Even though the precious stone can be synthetically produced by man, natural diamonds still stand out and have a bigger price tag than man-made ones.
These sparkling rocks have always been paraded on rings and other types of jewelries, starting with kings and queens. Now, various techniques exist to find diamonds and cut it to a desired shape without losing too much of the carat from the rough diamond.
You've probably seen plenty of small diamonds on engagement rings and in the windows of jewelry stores, but what do the largest cut diamonds in the world look like? Find out below:
1. The De Beers Diamond
The diamond got its name from the mine it was discovered in, in March 1888. The De Beers mine is one of two found on the land of Nicolas and Diederick De Beer near Kimberley in South Africa. This yellow primrose diamond presently weighs 234,65 carats, after being cut. Its original weight was 428,50 carats. The place where it was cut is unknown, but probably in Netherlands because of the superiority of the country for cutting diamonds at the end of the 19th century.
2. The Jubilee
Found in South Africa, the rough diamond was cut into two diamonds; one, a 13.34 carats, and the other a whopping 245.35 carats, or better known as the Jubilee. The stone is an E grade colorless. It was deemed so pure and rare that it was to be presented to Queen Victoria. Unfortunately for the Queen, the owner decided to keep it. In present time, it can be seen in the collection of diamonds of Robert Mouawad, but it changes ownership frequently.
3. The Centenary
Unearthed in 1986 in South Africa, new technologies and X-rays were used to find this diamond. It weighs 273.85 carats and its white color is of D grade, the highest grade for colorless diamonds. The Centenary is also flawless, and is exceptional due to the number of facets - it has 164 on the stone and 83 on the pavilion with heart shaping. This gem is insured for more than $100 million USD. Its owner is an unknown businessman in the United States who purchased it in 2008.
4. The Nizam
The Nizam was found in 1857 in Golconda, India, and was named after the Prince of Hyderabad, Nizam. The rough diamond weighed 440 carats. After being cut into a pear shape, it currently weighs 277.80 carats and belongs to a private collector in India.
5. The Great Mogul
This round pink diamond was discovered in the mine of Kollur in India in 1650. The Great Mogul is 280 carats, but its original stone is believed to have weighed 787 carats. The stone has been lost since its original owner, Nadir Shah, was assassinated in 1747. Before that, French gem merchant and traveler, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier got the chance to see the stone, stating that "The stone is of the same form as if one cut an egg through the middle". Some stories say that either the Orlov, Koh-i-noor, or Darya-ye-Noor diamonds could have been cut from this stone. But another explanation suggested that it was stolen and cut into smaller gems to disguise its origin.
6. The Spirit of Grisogono
This diamond was cut by the famous Swiss jeweler Grisogono, who still owns the ring on which The Spirit of Grisogono has been set. It is the biggest cut black diamond in the world, discovered in Central Africa several decades ago before being imported to Switzerland. The rough stone weighed 587 carats before being cut to 312.24 carats. The black stone was set on a white gold ring with 702 small white diamonds, collectively raising the total number of carats to 348.93.
7. The Cullinan II
Discovered in South Africa in 1905, the Cullinan II weighs 317.40 carats. It has a size "pillow" and is white in color. The Cullinan has been cut into nine stones numbered I to IX. The original stone from which all nine diamonds were cut from had 3106.75 carats. This stone has been set on the British crown.
8. The Incomparable
This stone got its name from its incomparable and unique shape - a triolet shape. It was discovered by a little girl who was playing on a heap of rubble in 1982 in the Congo Republic, in the area of Mbuji Mayi. Weighing 890 carats before being cut, the diamond now weighs 407.48 carats and has been graded flawless in 1988 by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America). It was the biggest brown diamond ever found, and the fourth largest diamond of color ever found. The owner tried to sell it on Ebay for $15 million USD, but didn't find any buyer. It was then offered and displayed at the Ontario Royal Museum in the United States.
9. The Cullinan I
This amazing diamond is the largest part of the 9-piece Cullinan, discovered in the same mine as the Cullinan II mentioned above. Weighing 520.20, it's the largest white cut diamond in the world. The particularity of this diamond is that it doesn’t have 56 verges, but 78 in pear shape, which makes it even more brilliant. Its nickname is the Great Star of Africa. The story is that three lapidaries were needed in order to cut and polish the diamond to its pear shape and weight of 530.20 carats. In 1908, Edward VII obtained the diamond and set it on the British Imperial Scepter. It is now displayed in the London Tower with all the jewels of the British crown.
10. The Golden Jubilee
This is the biggest cut diamond in the world, discovered in 1985 in the Premier mine in South Africa. The brut diamond, which is of a fancy yellow-brown color, weighed 755 carats before being cut by Gabi Tolkowsky. After being cut, the stone weighs 545.67 carats. It was offered to the King of Thailand and set on his crown in honor of the 50th anniversary of his coronation. It is currently displayed in the royal palace in Bangkok with the rest of the royal jewels. Its value is estimated to be anywhere from $4 to 12 million USD.
These sparkling rocks have always been paraded on rings and other types of jewelries, starting with kings and queens. Now, various techniques exist to find diamonds and cut it to a desired shape without losing too much of the carat from the rough diamond.
You've probably seen plenty of small diamonds on engagement rings and in the windows of jewelry stores, but what do the largest cut diamonds in the world look like? Find out below:
1. The De Beers Diamond
The diamond got its name from the mine it was discovered in, in March 1888. The De Beers mine is one of two found on the land of Nicolas and Diederick De Beer near Kimberley in South Africa. This yellow primrose diamond presently weighs 234,65 carats, after being cut. Its original weight was 428,50 carats. The place where it was cut is unknown, but probably in Netherlands because of the superiority of the country for cutting diamonds at the end of the 19th century.
2. The Jubilee
Found in South Africa, the rough diamond was cut into two diamonds; one, a 13.34 carats, and the other a whopping 245.35 carats, or better known as the Jubilee. The stone is an E grade colorless. It was deemed so pure and rare that it was to be presented to Queen Victoria. Unfortunately for the Queen, the owner decided to keep it. In present time, it can be seen in the collection of diamonds of Robert Mouawad, but it changes ownership frequently.
3. The Centenary
Unearthed in 1986 in South Africa, new technologies and X-rays were used to find this diamond. It weighs 273.85 carats and its white color is of D grade, the highest grade for colorless diamonds. The Centenary is also flawless, and is exceptional due to the number of facets - it has 164 on the stone and 83 on the pavilion with heart shaping. This gem is insured for more than $100 million USD. Its owner is an unknown businessman in the United States who purchased it in 2008.
4. The Nizam
The Nizam was found in 1857 in Golconda, India, and was named after the Prince of Hyderabad, Nizam. The rough diamond weighed 440 carats. After being cut into a pear shape, it currently weighs 277.80 carats and belongs to a private collector in India.
5. The Great Mogul
This round pink diamond was discovered in the mine of Kollur in India in 1650. The Great Mogul is 280 carats, but its original stone is believed to have weighed 787 carats. The stone has been lost since its original owner, Nadir Shah, was assassinated in 1747. Before that, French gem merchant and traveler, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier got the chance to see the stone, stating that "The stone is of the same form as if one cut an egg through the middle". Some stories say that either the Orlov, Koh-i-noor, or Darya-ye-Noor diamonds could have been cut from this stone. But another explanation suggested that it was stolen and cut into smaller gems to disguise its origin.
6. The Spirit of Grisogono
This diamond was cut by the famous Swiss jeweler Grisogono, who still owns the ring on which The Spirit of Grisogono has been set. It is the biggest cut black diamond in the world, discovered in Central Africa several decades ago before being imported to Switzerland. The rough stone weighed 587 carats before being cut to 312.24 carats. The black stone was set on a white gold ring with 702 small white diamonds, collectively raising the total number of carats to 348.93.
7. The Cullinan II
Discovered in South Africa in 1905, the Cullinan II weighs 317.40 carats. It has a size "pillow" and is white in color. The Cullinan has been cut into nine stones numbered I to IX. The original stone from which all nine diamonds were cut from had 3106.75 carats. This stone has been set on the British crown.
8. The Incomparable
This stone got its name from its incomparable and unique shape - a triolet shape. It was discovered by a little girl who was playing on a heap of rubble in 1982 in the Congo Republic, in the area of Mbuji Mayi. Weighing 890 carats before being cut, the diamond now weighs 407.48 carats and has been graded flawless in 1988 by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America). It was the biggest brown diamond ever found, and the fourth largest diamond of color ever found. The owner tried to sell it on Ebay for $15 million USD, but didn't find any buyer. It was then offered and displayed at the Ontario Royal Museum in the United States.
9. The Cullinan I
This amazing diamond is the largest part of the 9-piece Cullinan, discovered in the same mine as the Cullinan II mentioned above. Weighing 520.20, it's the largest white cut diamond in the world. The particularity of this diamond is that it doesn’t have 56 verges, but 78 in pear shape, which makes it even more brilliant. Its nickname is the Great Star of Africa. The story is that three lapidaries were needed in order to cut and polish the diamond to its pear shape and weight of 530.20 carats. In 1908, Edward VII obtained the diamond and set it on the British Imperial Scepter. It is now displayed in the London Tower with all the jewels of the British crown.
10. The Golden Jubilee
This is the biggest cut diamond in the world, discovered in 1985 in the Premier mine in South Africa. The brut diamond, which is of a fancy yellow-brown color, weighed 755 carats before being cut by Gabi Tolkowsky. After being cut, the stone weighs 545.67 carats. It was offered to the King of Thailand and set on his crown in honor of the 50th anniversary of his coronation. It is currently displayed in the royal palace in Bangkok with the rest of the royal jewels. Its value is estimated to be anywhere from $4 to 12 million USD.
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