Once man dug up earth and discovered diamond, the beautiful gem has only risen in demand. No one knows the exact where abouts of the first diamond discovery but historians rumor that it could have been India or somewhere close by due to the country's vastly rich history with diamonds, precious stones, and fine jewelry. Throughout the course of history there have been several different diamonds found around the world, below you will find a list of fifty four different diamond discoveries. (read the article - Diamonds)
1. The Archduke Joseph Diamond
This diamond was discovered in one of the ancient Indian diamond mines and is of the Golconda diamond collection. The Archduke Joseph Diamond is unique because of its clarity and color. It has received a flawless D rating and contains 74.65 carats. The diamond was originally the Archduke Joseph of Alcsut's property. He was a member of the Hungarian government and leader of the failed reform movement that forced him into an early retirement. As World War II came upon us the diamond was placed in France for hiding. Post war the diamond's whereabouts were unknown up until a 1961 auction. It was eventually sold at a second auction in 1993 for 6.4 million dollars. Currently, the gem is an heirloom of the Hungarian Hapsburg Family and resides in a gorgeous necklace setting that celebrities borrow on occasion as a special event accessory. The necklace has even graced the neck of Celine Dion who wore the diamond at her 2002 CBS return performance.
2. The Allnatt Diamond
The eye catching vividly yellow Allnat diamond was originally 102.07 carats and was later re-cut to 101.29 carats and has obtained an increased value due to its fancy cushion cut diamond classification. There is no record of the Allnat Diamond until 1950 and experts assume the gem was discovered in South Africa's premier diamond mine. Cartier was commissioned in 1950 to create a beautiful setting for this one of a kind diamond. The ring was later sold at the 1996 Christie's auction for 3 million dollars to the SIBA Corporation. The diamond currently resides at the Smithsonian Museum in the 'Splendor of Diamonds' display.
3. The Blue Crown Diamond - refer to the Hope Diamond
4. The Centenary Diamond
Discovered in the South African DeBeers mine, the Centenary Diamond was the third largest diamond to be extracted from this location. In its uncut form the diamond contains 599 carats and it was displayed in this fashion briefly for the DeBeers Centenary Anniversary. Presently, the cut Centenary Diamond contains 273.85 carats and has received a D color grading for its flawless internal and external quality. The Tower of London had the pleasure of displaying the diamond for many years before the DeBeers company removed the precious stone. The reason for the removal is currently unknown. However, it is popularly believed to have been sold to a private collector. While no sale price has even been revealed, the Centenary Diamond was insured for more than 100 million dollars.
5. Cullinan Diamond
The Cullinan Diamond holds the title of the largest diamond ever discovered. When it was originally extracted, the gem contained 3,160 carats and was awarded to King Edward VII of the United Kingdom as a gift. Eventually, the precious diamond was cut into eleven smaller stones. The largest gem is known as the Star of Africa or as the Cullinan I. It is featured in the United Kingdom's set of Crown Jewels along with the second largest cut stone known as the Lesser Star of Africa or the Cullinan II.
6. The Darya-ye Noor Diamond
This diamond resides in Iran's collection of Crown Jewels. The Darya-ye Noor Diamond is popularly known for its rare pale pink coloring and comparable size of 186 carats. Historical research has uncovered that this diamond may have been a part of an older, larger stone that was taken from the Emperor Mugahl of Shah Jehan's throne. A sister diamond known as the Noor-ol-Ein diamond is rumored to also have been originally a part of the same stone.
7. The Deepdene Diamond
This diamond stands out from the rest due to its blackened history. The Deepdene diamond is named after Mr. & Mrs.Bok of Pennsylvania's estate. The 104.88 carat diamond was later sold to Harry Winston. It too ended up at one of Christie's auctions in 1971 and it was here that Dr.Edward Gybelin discovered that the gem contained a yellow hue during pre-auction inspection making the diamond much more valuable. However, after Arpels & Van Cleef won the diamond in auction, they had it inspected and the tests confirmed the diamond did in fact not contain any yellow coloring. They were extremely displeased and immediately asked for a refund. The present location of the Deepdene diamond is unknown.
8. The Dresden Green Diamond
Natural green diamonds are incredibly rare and the Dresden Green Diamond is the largest in the world. At 41 carats, the diamonds green hue is anything but artificial irradiation due to the fact that the diamond was discovered in 1722 a while before the artificial irradiation technology was invented. The diamond is currently being used as an identifier in a research project studying naturally colored diamonds versus artificially irradiation colored diamonds. The Dresden Green Diamond has spent most of its life in Germany. It was even named after Germany's Saxony Capital. The diamond has only been removed from Germany twice. Once was during World War II when it was given to the Soviet Union for safe keeping and then in 2000 when it graced the Smithsonian Museum's diamond display next to the Hope Diamond. Presently, the diamond resides in Germany at the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.
9. The Eagle Diamond
During 1876, in Eagle Wisconsin, Charles Woods was digging around his rental property and discovered a smoky yellow stone. He believe it to be quartz and did not think much of it, so he sold it to Samuel Boyton for $1 dollar when his family fell on hard times. Once Boyton possessed the stone he immediately had it appraised and to his surprised it was in fact, a genuine diamond. He later sold the Eagle Diamond for $850 dollars to Tiffany's. The Museum of Natural History received the diamond post World War I as a donation from J.P. Morgan after he purchased it from Tiffany's. Unfortunately, the Eagle diamond was one of the many gems Murph the Surf stole. Almost every diamond was recovered from the robbery except the Eagle Diamond. Experts guess that the gem was most likely sold off and re-cut into many smaller diamonds.
10. Eureka Diamond
The Eureka Diamond is famous because it was the very first diamond to be found in South Africa. Otherwise the diamond is pretty run of the mill measuring in at 10.73 carats. This brilliant cut smoky diamond was discovered by Erasmus Jacobs who later gave the gem to his neighbor Schalk van Niekerk who was a collector. It was Schalk van Niekerk who thought to have the gem inspected and Grahamstown Dr. W.G. Atherstone identified it as diamond. The Eureka diamond made its global debut at the 1867 Paris Exhibition.
11. The Excelsior Diamond
When the Excelsior Diamond was discovered in 1893, it took the Cullinan Diamonds thrown as the largest diamond in the world measuring in at 971 carats. The gem contained a bluish white tint and was ultimately cut into thirteen different sized gems ranging from 13 to 68 carats.
12. The French Blue Diamond - refer to the Hope Diamond.
13. The Grand Duke Of Tuscany Diamond
The Grand Duke of Tuscany Diamond aka the Tuscan aka the Tuscany Diamond aka the Austrian Diamond aka the Austrian Yellow Diamond aka the Florentine diamond is a diamond with a very cheeky story if you couldn't already tell by its very many names. This rose cut,yellow-green diamond, measures in at 137.27 carats and was discovered before 1657 but its prior history is unknown and clouded with many different rumors. It was said by the French jeweler, Jean Baptiste Tavernier, that the diamond was one of many in the Ferdinando II de Medici collection. As World War I ended and the Austrian Empire fell, the diamond was exiled to the imperial family of Switzerland. Which leads us into the robbery of 1918, when the diamond was stolen and never seen again. The diamonds where abouts are still unknown but rumors lead us to believe that the stone may have been re-cut into several smaller diamonds.
14. The Golden Jubilee Diamond
Presently, The Golden Jubilee Diamond is the largest faceted diamond in the entire world. This fire cushion cut diamond measures in at 545.67 carats and contains a rare yellow-brow tint. A little known fact about the Golden Jubilee Diamond is that it was used as a guinea pig diamond for test cuts of the Centenary Diamond. Thailand's Henry Ho, owner of the Bangkok Jewelry Trade Center, was first to purchase the diamond. The Golden Jubilee diamond is a sacred gem because it was blessed by Pope John Paul II, the Supreme Buddhist patriarch, and the supreme Imam of Thailand. On the 50th Anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's coronation the diamond was presented as a gift currently placing it in the Royal Thai Palace's crown jewel collection.
15. The Golden Maharaja Diamond
The Golden Maharaja Diamond is rumored to come from a South African mine and is famous for its rare dark brown coloring. It measures in 65.57 carats and debut at the Paris World Fair in 1937. Later on, the diamond was sold for over 1 million dollars and was placed on display from 1975 to 1990. The Golden Maharaja Diamond was later placed into a Christie's auction during 2006.
16. The Great Chrysanthemum Diamond
Originally from South Africa, this brilliant cut, pear shaped, fancy brown diamond measures in at 104.15 carats. S&M Kaufman had the pleasure of cutting the Great Chrysanthemum diamond in New York and naming it after the chrysanthemum flower. Its whereabouts are presently unknown but it is rumored to be located in a private collection.
17. The Great Moghul Diamond
The Great Moghul Diamond is the ancient world's most legendary diamond. Jean Baptiste Tavernier was the first to speak of the diamond after a trip to India in 1665. The diamond is rumored to have been 240 carats, which would have made it the largest diamond to be discovered in the ancient world. Unfortunately, these facts can not be confirmed as the gem has been missing for thousands of years. Some experts believe that the legendary diamond is now known as the Koh-i-Nor diamond, while other experts are convinced it is currently known as the Orolov Diamond.
18. The Heart of Eternity Diamond
Discovered in the premier mine of South Africa, the Heart of Eternity Diamond is apart of the one percent of blue diamonds found within this particular mine making it quite famous. Additionally, this fancy vivid blue diamond was one of the ten highest priced diamonds to be sold from the South African mine. The diamond contains 27.64 carats and was cut from the same stone as the Millennium Star diamond. Both diamonds were once apart of the DeBeers Millennium Jewels Collection but their current ownership has yet to be confirmed. However, they were both recently displayed at the Smithsonian Museum's diamond exhibit on loan from a private collection.
19. The Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond is not only the most historically interesting diamond but is also the most well known. Previously recognized as the Tavernier Blue diamond, the Hope Diamond was once the largest course cut triangular diamond ever discovered. Legend states that the diamond was taken from the Indian Statue of Sita and sold to Jean Baptiste Tavernier in 1660. Later on, King Louis XIV bought the diamond and had it re-cut to 67.125 carats. At this time the diamond was renamed the French Blue and only appeared as ceremonial dress for special events in France.
The diamond resurfaced when Louis XVI gifted the diamond to Marie Antoinette. The diamond was unfortunately stolen during the French Revolution (confirmed stolen in 2005 through new computer technology) and did not resurface until four years later in La Havre. However, shortly after this appearance the gem disappeared again for twenty years until 1812 when it turned up in the possession of diamond merchant Daniel Eliason. In 1824 Henry Philip Hope bought the diamond and it was passed down through his blood line for three generations. When hard times fell upon Henry Francis Hope Pelham-Clint Hope in 1910 he regretfully had to sell the stone to Pierre Cartier. At this time the stone was reset and sold to Evelyn Walsh Mclean, a famous socialite of the time. However, as her family fell into debt the gem was sold again to none other than the noteworthy jeweler Harry Winston. He is known for increasing the stone's brilliance by cutting off the lower portion. The Hope Diamond spent a good amount of time traveling with Winston as a part of his 'court of jewels' exhibit but eventually he donated the diamond to the Smithsonian Museum. The diamond is rumored to be cursed by Sita, the Hindu God whose statue the gem was stolen from because many who have owned the diamond either fell ill or into financial ruin. Additionally, the Hope Diamond was the inspiration behind the blockbuster Titanic 'Heart of the Ocean' legendary blue diamond.
20. The Hortensia Diamond
Originally a part of the French crown jewel collection, this 20 carat pale pink and orange diamond was one of the several stones stolen from Marie Antoinette's possession in the French Revolution. Luckily, the Hortensia Diamonds location was revealed by a man named Depeyron as he faced execution on the guillotine. The Hortensia Diamond is named after the Queen of Holland, Hortense de Beauharnais who frequently wore the diamond. The gem also spent some time mounted to Napoleon's epaulette braid. This diamond is historically known for its highly visible crack along its surface.
21. The Horseshoe Diamond - refer to the Jones Diamond
22. The Idol's Eye Diamond
No one knows the exact location of where the Idol's Eye Diamond originated from but many rumor it to be from a Benghazi temple or idol statue. The bluish diamond made its first debut at an 1865 Christies auction. Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II purchased the 70.21 carat diamond at auction and kept it in his collection of crown jewels.
However, as he felt his rule coming to an end, Ottoman had his wealth moved to a more secure location. The person entrusted to move said items ended up stealing the crown jewels and taking them to Paris. Shortly after, the jewels were purchased by a Spanish Nobleman who took them to London for safekeeping. The diamond resurfaced post World War II when it was purchased by Harry Winston who in turn sold it to the founder of the Denver Post, Frederick Bonfils. Frederick purchased the diamond as a gift for his daughter, May Bonfils Stanton. The Idol's Eye Diamond was one of the first diamonds to begin May's collection, as she later became an accredited diamond collector. After May's unfortunate death the diamond was auctioned off to Harry Levinson. Levinson sold the gem to Laurence Graff soon after. Graff resold the Idol's Eye Diamond along with another set of diamonds through an e commerce transaction which set the e world record for largest diamond sale.
23. The Incomparable Diamond
In its uncut condition, the Incomparable diamond ranks as fourth largest diamond ever discovered. Although, in 1984 the diamond was cut by Zales Jeweler owners Louis Glick, Marvin Samuels, and David Zales. Fifteen stones were made from the Incomparable Diamond. The largest diamond measured out to be 407.48 carats and retained a beautiful golden hue and briolette shape. The fourteen smaller stones kept either a rich brown hue or contained no color at at all. In November of 2002, the Incomparable diamond unexpectedly appeared online in an Ebay auction wearing a price tag of 15 million dollars. However, it still remains unsold.
24. The Jones Diamond
The Jones diamond was discovered in 1928 by William P. Jones and his father Grover while out playing a game of horseshoes. However, the two thought the stone was just an ordinary piece of quartz and kept the diamond in their shed for almost fourteen years. It was in 1942 that they finally took the gem to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute's geology department to have it inspected. Here the stone was identified as an alluvial diamond. Soon after, the diamond was shipped off to the Smithsonian Museum for safekeeping. The Jones diamond was returned to the family in 1964 where they stored it at the Rich Creek First Valley National bank in a safety deposit box. Eventually in 1984, the Jones family decided to sell the diamond to a private collector at a Sotheby's auction. The 34.48 carat Jones Diamond, otherwise known as The Grover Jones Diamond, The Punch Jones Diamond, or The Horseshoe Diamond is the largest alluvial diamond discovered within the United States.
25. The Kimberley Diamond
The Kimberley diamond was discovered in 1921 deep within the South African Kimberley Mine. In 1958 the 70 carat diamond was distinctively cut into an emerald shape. Later on in 1971 the Kimberley diamond was sold to a private collector.
26. The Koh-i-Noor Diamond
The Koh-i-Noor diamond otherwise known as the KohiNoor diamond was originally the world's largest cut diamond. Discovered in India, the KohiNoor diamond was largely coveted by both Indian and Persian rulers alike causing many wars within the region.
In 1849 England successfully seized the region and Benjamin Disraeli, the British Prime Minister took the KohiNoor diamond into his possession. Disraeli eventually gifted the diamond to the proclaimed Empress of India, Queen Victoria. She sent the gem to England to be placed on display. Although the diamond measured out to a massive 186 carats, it lacked brilliance as well as clarity which made it visually displeasing. In order to increase the diamond's brilliance, Prince Albert ordered the gem to be cut down to 105.602 carats. However, the diamond still ceased to impress its onlookers. Nevertheless, the KohiNoor diamond made its way into the Crown of Queens Consort setting and was worn by royals such as Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth. The KohiNoor diamond currently resides in the Tower of London as a key piece in the Crown Jewel Collection. Presently Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India are lobbying to have the diamond returned to its original country of origin.
27. The Krupp Diamond
Originally from the Vera Krupp diamond collection, the Krupp diamond was first purchased by Harry Winston. In 1968 Winston sold the gem to Richard Burton for $305,00 dollars who later gifted the diamond to Elizabeth Taylor. Elizabeth cherished the diamond and has worn it in every single film she has made since she received it. Not to mention, the Krupp diamond was featured in the Simpson's cartoon during 1992.
28. The Lesotho Promise Diamond
Discovered in 2006, The Lesotho Promise is a fairly new diamond from the Lesotho Letseng diamond mine. The Lesotho Promise diamond is classified as D in coloring and is currently uncut measuring in at 603 carats. The diamond recently sold for 12.4 million dollars.
29. The Millennium Star Diamond
This 203.04 carat, colorless diamond received a flawless D rating making it the second largest D rated diamond in the world. The Millennium Star diamond was cut from the same stone as the Heart of Eternity diamond and both were featured in the DeBeers Millennium Collection exhibited at the Millennium Dome. The Millennium Star Diamond was a targeted diamond in the famously failed diamond heist. Once the police and DeBeers officials caught wind of the planned robbery they fabricated a duplicate diamond that was substituted in the display as the real Millennium Star Diamond. Needless to say, the thieves never got their hands on the real or replica gem.
30. The Moussaieff Red Diamond
Originally from Brazil, the gem was first named the Red Shield diamond until purchased by the Moussaieff Jewellers Company who renamed the diamond to the Moussaieff Red. As the largest fancy red classified diamond ever discovered, the Moussaieff Red diamond measures in at 5.11 carats in a beautiful trillion style cut. The diamond was showcased at the Smithsonian Museum in the 'Splendor of Diamonds' exhibit along with the Heart of Eternity diamond, The Dresden Green diamond, the Millennium Star diamond, and the Hope diamond.
31. The Mouawad Splendour Diamond
Included in the Robert Mouawad diamond collection, the unusually cut 11 sided Mouawad Splendor diamond measures in at 101.84 carats with a flawless D grading. The Mouawad Splendor diamond is famous for its feature in the 2006 Victoria's Secret fashion show mounted on the Diamond Fantasy Bra.
32. The Nizam Diamond
Originally from India, this old world diamond contains a convex shape and many irregular facets. The 277 carat Nizam diamond was first owned in 1830 by the Nizams of Hyderabad. Unfortunately, the diamond became a spoil of war and was either stolen, lost, or recut and has not been seen since.
33. The Noor-ol-Ein Diamond
The Noor-ol-Ein diamond otherwise known as the Nur-Ul-Ain diamond is one of the world's largest pink diamonds originating from India. The oval gem measures in at 60 carats and contains a brilliant cut. Presently, the Noor-ol- Ein diamond is set in a Harry Winston tiara along with other pink, yellow, and non colored gems. The tiara made its debut atop the Empress Farah's head on her wedding day in 1957 to the last Shah of Iran.
34. The Ocean Dream
The GIA aka the Gemological Institute of America classified the Ocean Dream diamond as the one and only naturally colored fancy deep blue green diamond in the world. Its unique coloring is due to radiation exposure for over a million years. Quite often many diamond manufacturers try to recreate the diamonds beautiful coloring with artificial irradiation but their value will never compare to that of the Ocean Dream's natural coloring.
35. The Oppenheimer Diamond
This 253.7 carat diamond contains a beautiful yellow hue and is near perfect in its uncut condition. It is one of the world's largest near perfect uncut gems. In 1964 Harry Winston purchased the diamond and donated it to the Smithsonian Institution. The Oppenheimer diamond is named after Sir Ernest Oppenheimer a famous DeBeers Chairman who severed the corporation for many years from 1925 to 1957.
36. The Orlov Diamond
The Orlov Diamond's exact history can not be pinpointed but it was said to have been apart of the Temple of Srirangam as one of the eyes of Lord Ranganatha. Legend states that the statue was guarded by seven secure walls and no Christians were ever allowed to pass the fourth level. However, it is rumored that a deserted man from the French Army converted to Hinduism and over time earned the trust of the temples officials to be allowed to worship the statue up close.
One night to the temple's dismay the man stole one of the statues diamond eyes and escaped. The diamond traveled all the way to England and after many sales found its way into the possession of Count Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov. Count Orlov gave the gem to Augusta Princess Sophie Frederick as a token of love. Although the princess did not feel the same, she went on to become Russia''s Catherine the Great and gave the Count numerous gifts including naming the precious diamond after Orlov and setting it into the Imperial Sceptre. The 189.62 carat diamond's shape is its most unique quality as its Indian Rose cut closely resembles that of an egg which has been cut in half. Experts are unsure of where the Orlov diamond originated from as there is no record of the other eye's gemstone that was not stolen. However, the other gemstone is rumored to be the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
37. The Paragon Diamond
The Paragon diamond was given a flawless D grading and is a highly unusually shaped diamond as it contains 7 sides and measures in at 137.82 carats. The diamond currently resides in a combination necklace/bracelet setting at the Graft Company Jewelers.
38. The Premier Rose Diamond
In 1978, the 137.02 (cut) carat Premier Rose Diamond was discovered in South Africa's Premier Mine. The Premier Rose Diamond set a new standard for symmetry and proportions in larger diamonds. The Mouw Diamond Cutting Company first purchased the diamond in a partnership with William Goldberg. Presently, the Premier Rose Diamond is a piece in the Robert Mouawad Collection and has been valued for more than ten million dollars.
39. The Pumpkin Diamond
Measuring in at 5.54 carats, the Pumpkin diamond seems relatively small in the scheme of things but is actually the world's largest fancy vivid orange diamond. Harry Winston purchased the Pumpkin diamond for 1.3 million at a Sotheby's auction. The gem earned its name from being auctioned off the day before Halloween. Winston placed the gem in the center of a three diamond ring setting. In 2002 the ring was worn by Halle Berry to the Oscars where she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The Pumpkin diamond was also featured in the Smithsonian Museum's 'Splendor of Diamonds' exhibit.
40. The Rob Red Diamond
The extremely rare Rob Red diamond measures in at 0.59 carats. This gem is small but mighty due to the fact that red colored diamonds highly uncommon. The Moussaieff Red diamond may be world's the largest red diamond but the Rob Red is the world's most intensely colored red diamond. The GIA has rated the Rob Red diamond a fancy purplish red grade and is regarded as the most influential red diamond in the world.
41. The Red Cross Diamond
Discovered in 1901 within the Kimberley Mines, the Red Cross diamond is cushion shape and canary colored. Measuring in at 205.07 the diamond contains a highly distinctive Maltese cross that can be seen atop its surface. In 1918 the diamond was auctioned off at Christie's and all proceeds went to the Order of St. John and British Red Cross Society. The gem later found itself in the hands of an anonymous member of England's royal family and then in the possession of an anonymous American businessman. The businessman put the diamond up for auction in 1973 and in 1977 but in both cases the diamond's reserve price was not met. The current whereabouts of the diamond are unknown.
42. The Regent Diamond
The legend states that the Regent Diamond was first discovered in 1962 by a slave in one of India's diamond mines. Rumor has it that the slave stole the Regent diamond by hiding the diamond in a wound on his body. Unfortunately, when the slave was working on a slave ship he was killed and the ship's captain found the hidden diamond. The captain ended up selling the diamond to India's well known merchant trader Thomas Pitt. In 1717, Pitt sold the diamond to the Duke of Orleans, Philippe II. The crown was first set in Louis XV Coronation Crown and then was later set in Louis XVI crown in 1775. Louis XVI eventually gifted the diamond to Marie Antoinette who then placed the diamond in her personal jewelry collection. However, in 1801 Napoleon Bonaparte obtained the diamond and had it set in his sword. After Napoleon died the diamond was sent to Austria but then found its way back to France. In France the Regent diamond was reset in the crowns of Charles X, Louis XVII, and Napoleon III. Presently, the 140.6 carat blue tinted cushion cut diamond resides on display in the Louvre Museum set in the Empress Eugenie's Greek style Diadem Crown.
43. The Sancy Diamond
There is little to no record of the Sancy Diamond before the fourteenth century. Rumor has it that the 100 carat diamond was stolen from India and given to Galeazzo Di Visconti's daughter Valentina as dowry in 1389 when she was wed to Duke D'Orleans. Thus beginning the diamonds long journey of being used and abused as collateral for the next hundred years. After the war, Duke John of Burgundy obtained the gem and it was passed down through several of his family's generations. Charles the Bold believed that the gem was good luck and brought it onto the battlefield with him. Unfortunately, Charles was wrong and died in battle which led the stone to go missing for almost fourteen years. Jacob Fugger resurfaced the gem when he sold it Portugal's King. After Portugal was invaded by Spain, Philip II took claim of the Sancy Diamond and later sold it along with many other crown jewels. Elizabeth I found it in her possession along with the Three Brothers diamond. Elizabeth ended up selling the diamond in secret to fund a war for the Dutch against Spain. The diamonds new owner was Nicolas de Sancy who gifted it to his diamond loving wife. Sancy eventually went bankrupt and had to sell it back to James I of the English Crown. The diamond repeatedly went back and forth out of pawn shops until 1660 when the diamond was utilized to settle a deep debt. Cardinal Mazarin obtained ownership of the diamond until his death when it was given to the French Crown where it was kept in Marie Antoinette's collection until after the French Revolution when it went missing again. For a short time the diamond resurfaced under the ownership of Joseph Bonaparte but very soon after the diamond disappeared again for twenty five years. The diamond turned up again after Nicholas Demidov purchased it as a gift for his wife. It was later sold again to Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy and then in 1865 to William Astor. The gem was kept in the Astor family until 1976 when the Louvre Museum bought the diamond from them for an undisclosed price. The 55.232 carat, yellow colored diamond is recognized for its unique shape as it nearly lays flat on one side. This type of cut is very common in older generations of diamonds but is highly unusual in this day and age.
44. The Shah Diamond
This 90 carat diamond contains extreme clarity and slightly yellow hue. Its history traces all the way back to 1450 in India. However, it was not until 1591 that the Shah diamond was gifted to Shah Nizam. Nizam requested that the gem be inscribed with the words 'Burhan Nizam Shah II. Year 1000'. The Great Moghul Akbar took over the throne as well as the Shah diamond that same year. Once Akbar's grandson took over as Shah he had another inscription added onto the stone which stated his full name as well as his ruling year. In 1738 Nadir Shah stole the gem and took it to Persia after attacking India's current ruler. Then in 1824 yet another inscription was placed on the stone which stated the Persian Sultan's name and year of ruling. As stress fell on the relationship between Russian and Iran after Russian diplomat Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov was murdered the Shah of Iran felt the need for a drastic measure. So, the Shah sent his son off to St.Petersburg where he gifted the Shah diamond to the Russian Government. Presently, the diamond remains in the Russian Diamond fund and is located in Kremlin.
45. The Spirit of de Grisogono Diamond
As the world's largest black cut diamond, the Spirit of de Grisogono diamond measures in at 312.24 carats. There are only three black diamonds of noteworthy size found throughout the globe and the other two are the Amsterdam diamond and the Black Orlov diamond.
46. The Spoonmakers Diamond
The Spoonmakers diamond origin is surrounded by several legends but there is only one that the gemologists and jewelers favor alike. In 1774, the Maharajah of Madras daughter sold the diamond to a French officer who later placed the gem in auction where it was purchased by the Mother of Napoleon. However, when Napoleon was exiled his mother sold the diamond in an attempt to keep her son from exile. Tepedelenli Ali Pasha bought the diamond from her but as he was sentenced to death for treason and the diamond was seized along with all of his other assets by the Ottoman Empire. Napoleon's mother wore a diamond known by the name of the Pigot Diamond which measured in at 86 carats. The Spoonmakers diamond is almost identical in appearance to the Pigot diamond and also measures in at 86 carats. Many experts believe the legend that a fisherman had to trade the gem for three spoons or a spoonmaker was the original finder of the lovely diamond, either way the diamonds discovery is still presently unknown. The Spoonmakers diamond currently resides as the centerpiece for the Topkap Palace Museum's jewel collection located in Istanbul, Turkey.
47. The Steinmetz Pink Diamond
As the world's largest Pink diamond, the Steinmetz Pink diamond measures in at 59.6 carats. The GIA verified the gem and gave it a fancy vivid pink classification. It took more than twenty months to complete the cutting of the diamond due to its rarity. The diamond finally made its public debut in 2003. Actress Jenna Elfman had the honor of wearing the Steinmetz Pink Diamond at the Smithsonian Museums opening day of their 'Splendor of Diamonds' exhibit.
48. The Star of Africa Diamond
The Star of Africa diamond otherwise known as the Cullinan I diamond was once regarded as the world's largest cut and polished diamond measuring in at 530.20 carats. As the Cullinan diamond was cut into 9 smaller gems, including the Star of Africa diamond, each stone was placed into the Tower of London's Crown Jewels. The Star of Africa diamond typically resides in the Royal Scepter setting but it does have the option to be removed and worn as a pendant or pin.
49. The Lesser Star of Africa Diamond
As sister stone to the Star of Africa, the Lesser star of Africa was similarly cut from the Cullinan Diamond. The Lesser Star of Africa otherwise known as the Cullinan II diamond measures in at 317.40 carats and is also located in the Tower of London's Crown Jewels featured in the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain. The diamond contains two small loops that allow it to be versatile and worn as a brooch, in the crown, or by itself.
50. The Star of the South Diamond
As the first Brazilian Diamond to be recognized worldwide, the Star of the South measures in at 128.42 carats and contains a light pink-brown hue. The diamond was discovered in 1853 by a slave mine worker. Her master agreed to free her and pay her an annual stipend for finding the diamond. The Star of the South passed through the hands of many buyers and sellers before finally making its way to Amsterdam where it was cut into its present shape. In 1862 the diamond was displayed in a London exhibit and then in 1867 it was displayed in a Paris Exhibit. The Star of the South Diamond was eventually purchased as a gift for the Maharani of Baroda, Sita Devi, for $400,000 dollars. However, in 2002 the diamond was bought by Cartier for an undisclosed amount.
51. The Taylor Burton Diamond
When discovered in South Africa at the Premier mine, the diamond originally measured in at 240.8 carats. Harry Winston was first to purchase and re-cut the gem. Mrs.Harriet Annenberg Ames purchased the diamond from Harry Winston. Although, she felt as if the diamond was too gaudy to wear in public she did keep the diamond for two years in a bank vault before she sent it to auction. There was only one condition for the diamond at auction, which was that it must be renamed by the next buyer. Richard Burton went neck and neck with Cartier in bidding war for the diamond but Cartier won in the end. However, a private deal was worked out between Cartier and Burton. Burton was given permission to purchase the ring from Cartier as a gift for Elizabeth Taylor on her 40th birthday. In 1978 Elizabeth placed the diamond in a special auction where all of the proceeds went to the construction of a Botswana hospital. Henry Lambert won the diamond in auction but almost immediately resold the gem to jeweler Robert Mouawad. Mouawad re-cut the diamond to 68.09 improving the diamonds shape and brilliance.
52. The Tereschenko Diamond
Although the Tereschenko diamond dates back to over 100 years it was not first seen until it went to auction in 1984 when the Tereschenko family purchased the gem. In 1915 the diamond was set into a beautiful necklace crafted by cartier. Shorty after the necklace was finished in 1916, the gem was sent away for safe keeping from the Russian Revolution. The diamond was eventually sold to a private collector. The Tereschenko diamond was to be auctioned by Christie's in 1984 but was suspended because many buyers wanted the diamond to be re-inspected by the GIA for insurance reasons. After the GIA certified the diamond, it sold at Christie's auction for 4.5 million to Robert Mouawad a well known diamond collector.
53. The Tiffany Diamond
The Tiffany diamond was discovered in the South African Kimberlite mine in 1878. As one of the world's largest classified fancy yellow colored diamonds ever to be discovered, the gem measured in at 287 carats. Once polished and cut into its cushion shape the diamonds final measurements ended up being 128.54 carats. Presently, the diamond resides in the Smithsonian Museum as a piece in their diamond collection. The Tiffany diamond is also the diamond they used for all promotion material regarding the film Breakfast at Tiffany's which starred famous actress, Audrey Hepburn.
54. The Uncle Sam Diamond
Discovered in 1924, the Uncle Sam Diamond is the United State's largest diamond ever mined. The diamond was found in Murfreesboro, Arkansas at the Crater of Diamonds National Park. In its original form the diamond measures in at 40.23 carats. However, the diamond was recut twice and now measures in at 12.43 carats and is cut in a beautiful emerald fashion. In 1971 the Uncle Sam Diamond was sold for $150,000 dollars.