Famous Diamonds
The KIMBERLY 55.09 carats
Originally a 490-carat rough, this champagne colored stone named after the Kimberly Mine in South Africa, was cut to 70 carats in 1921, and to its current emerald shape in 1958. The Kimberly was widely exhibited until it was sold to an undisclosed collector from Texas in 1971.
The NIARCHOS 128.25 carats
This blue-white flawless pear shape was bought by Harry Winston in 1956 as part of an $8.4 million parcel. Winston sold it in 1957 to Stavros Niarchos, the Greek shipping magnate, who gave the diamond its name.
The OPPENHEIMER 253.7 carats (rough
This almost perfect yellow crystal was found in the Dutoitspan Mine, Kimberly, South Africa in 1964. It was acquired by Harry Winston, who presented it to the Smithsonian Institution in memory of the late Sir Ernest Oppenheimer of DeBeers Consolidated Mines.
The STAR of SIERRA LEONE 968.80 carats
Shown in the rough above, this diamond is the third largest ever found, and weighed almost half a pound in the rough. The rough was eventually cut into seventeen exquisite individual diamonds, six of which are now set in the Star of Sierra Leone Brooch.
The SULTAN of MOROCCO 35.27 carats
Very little is known about this diamond. In 1969, Cartier's lent this blue-grey diamond to the New York State Museum for their World of Gems exposition. In 1972 it was sold to a private American collector.
The Tiffany 128.51 carats
The largest golden diamond known today is cut in a unique cushion shape. It was given 90 :facets, 32 more than the standard brilliant cut, and these extra facets give the great yellow diamond the effect of smoldering fire. You can see this fabulous stone at Tiffany's in New York City.
The Arkansas 27.21 carats (rough)
Discovered on a farm near Searcy, Arkansas in 1926, this is the third largest diamond ever found in the United States. Bought by Tiffany & Co. for $8,500 the rough is now valued at over $110,000 and is on display in their Fifth Avenue store, New York City.
The KAHN CANARY 4.25 carats (rough)
Unearthed in Crater of Diamonds State Park, near Murfreesboro, Arkansas in 1977, the Kahn Canary is considered to be an unnofficial symbol of the state. Bought and named by Stan Kahn of Love Story® jeweler Kahn Jewlers of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the Kahn Canary has been lent to Hillary Rodham Clinton to wear at all of her husband’s inaugurals, both as Governor of Arkansas, and as President of the United States.
The Kahn Canary is very rare in comparison to other diamonds. Because of its flawless condition and pleasing natural triangular pillow shape, the Kahn Canary has remained uncut. Its intense yellow color and brilliance impress all those who see it. Because of its natural, uncut form, the Kahn Canary is a perfect example to represent Arkansas, nicknamed “The Natural State.” The diamond is presently mounted in a ring custom-designed for Mrs. Clinton for the 1993 Inaugural.
The diamond was discovered by George Stepp of Carthage, Arkansas. He later sold the stone to Kahn. Crater of Diamonds State Park is the world’s only publicly-owned diamond site where visitors may search for diamonds and other gems and keep what they find, regardless of the value of the stone. The park’s 36&fract12; acre search area is the eroded surface of an ancient gem-bearing volcanic pipe. Besides diamonds, other precious and semi-precious stones found within the volcanic matrix include amethyst, garnet, jasper, agate and quartz.
The BLUE HOPE 45.52 carat
More notorious than any other diamond. The Hope was once owned by Louis XIV and was officially designated the ‘blue diamond of the crown.’ Stolen during the French Revolution, it turned up in London in 1830 and was bought by Henry Philip Hope after whom it is currently named. At that time it acquired its gruesome reputation for bad luck: all the Hope family died in poverty. A similar misfortune befell a later owner, Edward McLean. You can see the Blue Hope today at the Smithsonian in Washington.
The EUREKA 10.73 carats
As one of the first major diamonds found in South Africa, this stone had been appropriately named. In 1867, a boy found a pebble near the banks of the Orange River. A month later a neighbor a neighbor offered to buy it; his mother refused payment and gave the stone to him. Later the 21 carat rough was cut into this 10.73 brilliant.
The HORTENSIA 20 carats
This peach colored stone was named after Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen of Holland, who was Josephine's daughter and the step-daughter of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Hortensia had been part of the French Crown Jewels since Louis XIV bought it. You can see the Hortensia on display in the Louvre, Paris.
The IDOL'S EYE 70.2 carats
A flattened pear shaped stone the size of a bantam's egg. another famous diamond that was once set in the eye of an idol before it was stolen. Legend also had it that it was given as a ransom for Princess Rasheetah by the Sheik of Kashmir to the Sultan of Turkey who had abducted her.
The JUBILEE 245.33 carats
Many gemologists believe the Jubilee is the most perfectly cut of all large diamonds. Its facets are so exact that it can be balanced on the culet point, which is less than two millimeters across. You can see this majestic diamond today at the DeBeers Diamond Pavillion in Johannesberg.
The GREAT CHRYSANTHEMUM 104.15 carats
This pear-shaped diamond was cut from a 198.28 carat brown rough supposedly found in South Africa in 1963. Julius Cohen, a New York City dealer, bought the rough and had it cut to reveal the diamond's rich golden-brown, chrysanthemum-like color. In 1971, the diamond was exhibited at the Kimberly Centenary Exhibition in South Africa. The diamond also was shown in the Diamonds-International Academy Collection at the Diamond Pavilion in Johanesburg in 1965. Recently, Julius Cohen sold the GREAT CHRYSANTHEMUM to an undisclosed foreign buyer.
The DRESDEN GREEN 41 carats
This almond-shaped stone is the largest apple-green diamond known. Although of Indian origin, nothing was known of it until Frederick Augustus II of Saxony purchased the diamond at the Leipzig Fair in 1743 for about $150,000. Set in an elaborate shoulder knot, the stone was exhibited with the other Crown Jewels of Saxony in the famous Green Vaults under the Dresden Palace. After World War II, these gems were confiscated by the Russians, but they were returned to Dresden in 1958, and are again on display in the palace.
The TRANSVAAL BLUE 25 carats
This blue pear shape was cut from a rough found in the Premier Mine, Transvaal, South Africa. It was once owned by Baumgold Bros., but has been sold since then to an undisclosed buyer.
The KOH-I-NOOR 108.93 carats
First reported in 1304 as a diamond in the possession of the Rajah of Malwa, later, it fell into the hands of the Sultan Baber. For the next two centuries, it was one of the precious jewels of the Mogul Emperors. In 1739, Nadir Shah of Persia invaded Delhi. His systematic pillage of the city failed to uncover the huge stone, but then he was told by one of the harem women that the conquered Mogul emperor had hidden it inside his turban. Taking advantage of an Oriental custom, Nadir Shah invited his captive to a feast and suggested they exchange turbans. Retiring from the feast, he unrolled the turban and released the great gem. Seeing it he cried “Koh-i-Noor!” (Mountain of Light). The gem went back to Persia with Nadir Shah, but he was assassinated in 1747 and the diamond was fought over by his successors. It was in the jewel chamber of Lahore, capital of Punjab, but when that state was annexed to British India in 1849, the East India Company took it as a partial indemnity for the Sikh Wars. The KOH-I-NOOR was presented to Queen Victoria in 1850 to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the East India Company. When the large stone was displayed at the Crystal Palace Exposition, people were disappointed that the diamond did not show more fire. So, Victoria decided to have it recut, which reduced the 186-carat diamond to its present size. In 1911 a new crown was made for the coronation of Queen Mary with the KOH-I-NOOR as the center stone. In 1937, it was transferred to the crown of Queen Elizabeth (now Queen Mother) for her coronation. It is now on display with the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.
The CULLINAN 530.2 carats
This was the largest lump of gem diamond crystal ever discovered. In the rough it weighed 3,106 carats, or about one and one half pounds. Because the rough had a cleavage face, many experts believe that the huge stone was only a piece of a much larger diamond which was broken up in the weathering process. The Transvaal Government bought the rough for $750,000 and presented it to King Edward VII on his birthday in 1907. In 1908 King Edward sent the stone to Amsterdam for cutting. The yield was nine major gems; the largest two were retained for the Crown Jewels. This pear shape is the largest cut diamond in the world. Also called the GREAT STAR OF AFRICA, it is set in the Imperial Sceptre and is on permanent display in the Tower of London.
The CULLINAN II — 317.4 carats
This square cut brilliant is the second largest diamond in the world, cut from the same rough as the CULLINAN. Also called the LESSER STAR OF AFRICA, this diamond is in the Imperial State Crown, currently on display in the Tower of London.