Diamonds for the Ages

All diamonds are beautiful but some are famous while others are infamous. There are tales about diamonds that will make your hair stand on end. From curses to evil perpetrated with the ill begotten funds from mining diamonds to the occasional haunting, diamonds are shrouded in lore. We will leave the blood and gore behind and discuss some of the world’s most famous diamonds.

Largest Diamonds

The Excelsior diamond held the title of the largest known diamond in the world until 1905. This diamond weighed 971 carats and was found in 1893. The stone which was bluish in color was eventually cut into ten smaller diamonds, although it’s hard to consider 13-68 carats small!

In 1905 the discovery of the Cullinan diamond usurped the title of the largest uncut diamond in the world. This bad boy weighed in at 3,106 whopping carats. Two of the largest cut diamonds from the Cullinan diamond were relinquished to the British Empire and now are a part of the crown jewels.

The Stars of Africa

Known as the Great Star of Africa, the largest piece of the Cullinan diamond was cut to weigh 530 carats. This stone now resides in the Scepter of the Cross that belongs to the current Queen of England and will be passed down to her son Prince Charles. It still holds the title as the second largest diamond in the world.

The Lesser Star of Africa is the second largest cut piece of the Cullinan diamond. This gem weighs in at over 317 carats! It also belongs to the British royal family and as of now is located within the Imperial State Crown which is worn by the Queen or King at their coronation ceremony and for other stately events. It is another part of the crown jewel collection and as such is also passed down to each successive royal heir. This stone is the fourth largest diamond in the known world.

The diamond known as the Golden Jubilee holds the title of the largest cut stone and it weighs 545 carats. This stone usurped the number one spot from the Greater Star of Africa upon its discovery in 1985. This stone is also in a crown jewel collection currently. This time it doesn’t belong to the British. It belongs to the royal family of Thailand.

The Star of the Sierra Leone is the fourth largest diamond discovered to date. It is also the largest pink diamond in the rough and weighs in at 186 carats. This glorious gem is part of the crown jewels of Iran. The royal families have enough wealth to make these extravagant purchases so it is no wonder they are the ones who own most of them.

The Hope Diamond is a 45 carat blue diamond that has spawned legends since it was still part of the larger stone it was cut from called the Tavernier Blue. This diamond was over 110 carats and came from a mine in India. The stone was cut into the Blue Diamond of the Crown for the French monarchy. It was stolen and later cut into what is now called the Hope Diamond.

There is much confusion among movie goers about the Hope Diamond. It is frequently confused with the blue diamond that was used in the movie Titanic. This movie created the myths and rumors that the deep blue stone in the film was the Hope Diamond. While that is not so, curiously the owner of the diamond at the time of the fateful sailing of that ship nearly booked passage in it!

Diamond Legends

Diamonds are famously known as being the preferred stone to set in engagement rings since they became more affordable. The first diamond engagement ring was given in 1477 by royalty to royalty. These rings were meant to demonstrate the unbreakable joining of the two families to be united in marriage.

Debunking the Myths

The adage that diamonds are forever is not true. While they are extremely durable they are not indestructible by any means. That legend was a marketing ploy that had huge success as nearly everyone has heard that phrase. Another legend that doesn’t hold water is that the diamond is the rarest stone on earth. This is a complete fallacy.

Nor are they the most expensive stones in the world. There are rubies that are far more expensive than diamonds. Some stones are so rare that they are considered exhausted and no more can be found. The green diamond is the rarest of all diamonds.

The myths that surround most famous diamonds are merely byproducts of circumstances and have no bearing on the stone. From the most ancient of times right up to the modern age, jewels, and especially diamonds, have been treasured. It is a tradition that will continue on, as humanity is fascinated with all that glitters.