"also the only significant source of blue diamonds in the world. Cullinan Diamond Mine is a carrot shaped volcanic pipe and has a surface area of . On 22 November 2007, De Beers, the world's largest diamond producer, sold its historic Cullinan mine to Petra Diamonds Cullinan Consortium (PDCC), a consortium led by Petra Diamonds. The Cullinan Diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at . It was found by Frederick Wells, surface manager of the Premier Diamond Mining Company in Cullinan, Gauteng, South Africa, on 25 January 1905. The stone was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the"
"diamond ever found. It is a type II D colour, with potential to yield a cut stone. Chief executive Clifford Elphick said: ""Preliminary examination of this remarkable diamond indicates it will yield a record-breaking polished stone of the very best colour and clarity, and has no inclusions visible in its rough form."" The discovery of two large rough white diamonds was announced in November 2010. They weighed 196ct and 184ct. In January 2018 Gem Diamonds announced the largest diamond yet discovered at Letseng,a Type IIa D color stone measured at 910 carats. Letseng diamond mine The Letseng diamond mine, found"
"emerald cut Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond in the world. Discovered in 2008 at an alluvial mine in South Africa, the 221.81 carat rough diamond. When Laurence Graff unveiled the finished diamond, he named it ""the Delaire Sunrise"". The Constellation is, at 102.79 carats, the largest round shaped, D colour, Internally Flawless diamond ever to be graded by the Gemological Institute of America. The Graff Pink was acquired by Graff in November 2010. A pink diamond with a type IIa classification and modified emerald cut shape, the diamond was previously held in a private collection for over 60 years. The diamond"
"Argyle Pink Jubilee The Argyle Pink Jubilee is a rough pink diamond and the largest rough pink diamond unearthed in Australia. It was found at the Rio Tinto Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia. Large stones like the Jubilee typically go to museums or end up at high-profile auction houses like Christie's. Christie's has only auctioned 18 polished pink diamonds larger than 10 carats in its 244-year history. The Jubilee was expected to tour internationally before sold at an invitation-only tender. Originally weighing , the light pink diamond started its cut in Perth in February 2012 by Richard How Kim"
"largest diamond ever found. The stone is of an exceptional colour, rated D, the top colour for diamonds. Previously the largest diamond found at Letseng was the 601 carat (120 g) Lesotho Brown, recovered in 1967. On 13 September 2007 Gem Diamonds, Ltd. announced that it had found a diamond, making it the 18th largest diamond ever found. It was sold to the Graff-SAFDICO partnership for $10.4 million. In 2004, Gem Diamonds, Ltd. found a large diamond of . On 21 September 2008 Gem Diamonds, Ltd. announced that it found a diamond of high quality, making it the 20th largest"
"paid for a rough diamond. On 18 April 2013 a blue rough diamond was recovered by Petra Diamonds at its Cullinan mine. According to experts it could be worth more than $10m. The find gave a boost to Petra's share price. The mine has produced hundreds of large stones and is famed for its production of blue diamonds. A similar blue rough diamond recovered by Petra in May 2009 was cut into a near perfect stone and fetched just under $10m at Sotheby's. Another deep-blue diamond from Cullinan was auctioned for $10.8m last year and set a world record for"
"world's biggest-ever emerald cut diamond offered at auction. The 163.41-carat D Flawless stone, which was cut from a 404 carat rough, was incorporated into a necklace designed by Fawaz Gruosi. It fetched 33.5 million Swiss francs, beating the previous record for a D Flawless diamond by nearly five million Swiss francs. De Grisogono De Grisogono is a Swiss luxury jeweller. It was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1993 by black diamond specialist Fawaz Gruosi. an Italian of Lebanese origin. The Italian name ""Grisogono"" derives from Latin Chrysogonus, itself coming from Greek ""Chrysogonos χρῡσό-γονος"", which means ""begotten of gold"". In 2017,"
"Jones Diamond The “Jones Diamond,” also known as the “Punch Jones Diamond,” ""The Grover Jones Diamond,"" or ""The Horseshoe Diamond,"" was a 34.48 carat (6.896 g) alluvial diamond found in Peterstown, West Virginia by members of the Jones family. It remains the largest alluvial diamond ever discovered in North America. The bluish-white diamond weighed 34.48 carats (6.896 g), measured 5/8 of an inch (15.8 mm) across and possessed 12 diamond-shaped faces. The diamond was discovered by William P. “Punch” Jones and his father, Grover C. Jones, Sr. while pitching horseshoes in April 1928. Believed to be simply a piece of"
"Cora Sun-Drop Diamond The Cora Sun-Drop Diamond is the largest known yellow pear-shaped diamond, weighing . It was sold for $10.9 million at Sotheby's auction in Geneva and set a world record price for a yellow diamond. The Sun-Drop has a very short history. It was found in South Africa in 2010 within a kimberlite pipe. Tests show that the diamond was formed from 1 to 3 billion years ago. After that, on 24 February 2011, it was kept in The Vault of the London Natural History Museum together with many other precious stones, such as the Duke of Devonshire"
"Tiffany Yellow Diamond The Tiffany Yellow Diamond is one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered; its carat weight is 287.42 carats (57.484 g) in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa, and was cut into a cushion shape of 128.54 carats (25.108 g) with 82 facets—24 more than a traditional round brilliant—to maximize its brilliance. The facet pattern features eight needle-like facets pointing outward from the culet (bottom) facet. Jewelry and diamond historian Herbert Tillander refers to this as a 'stellar brilliant cut', and lists the gem in his book ""Diamond Cuts in"
"Golden Jubilee Diamond The Golden Jubilee Diamond () is the largest cut and faceted diamond in the world. It weighs 545.67 carats (109.13 g). It outweighs the Cullinan I by 15.37 carats (3.07 g). The Golden Jubilee Diamond was discovered in the Premier Mine, which is also the origin of the Cullinan diamond (1905) and other notables such as the Taylor–Burton (1966) and the Centenary (1986). Cullinan I, also known as the Great Star of Africa, had held the title of the largest cut and faceted diamond since 1908. First known as the ""Unnamed Brown"", the Golden Jubilee Diamond was"
"known as the Cullinan Blue Diamond necklace. The Cullinan mine continues to produce large stones. The Cullinan Heritage, a white diamond, was discovered in September 2009. This stone was the 19th biggest uncut diamond ever found and was sold in February 2010 to Chow Tai Fook Jewellery for $35.5m, the highest price ever paid for an uncut diamond. The previous record was held by Gem Diamonds' Leseli La Letšeng, which was bought for $18.4m by Graff Diamonds in December 2008. Koffiefontein mine is one of the world’s top diamond mines by average value per carat and produces exceptional white and"
"has a slight imperfection on the surface that is imperceptible to the human eye, the auction house said. It is the largest colourless diamond to appear on the auction market in the last 18 years, Christie's said. Only three diamonds of more than have appeared at auction. All were sold in Geneva. Naming rights were granted to the new owner. In September 2009, a diamond was found, and is ranked as one of the 20 biggest high quality diamonds ever discovered. Petra Diamonds sold it for $35.3 million on 26 February 2010, breaking a record as the highest price ever"
"for 59 percent of the country's exports. The drop in the value of diamonds on the world market meant that the value of diamond exports decreased by 20.68 percent in 2009 compared to 2008. The largest diamond found in Sierra Leone, and the third largest diamond in the world, was a 969.8 carat (194 g) rough diamond. It was found in 1972 and named the An-al of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone should have been one of the world’s richest countries, being blessed with resources, including gold and diamonds. However, it remains one of the world’s poorest countries, ranking 203 out"
"smaller stones. The rough stone measured 971 carats in weight and was categorized as Color G. The stone was shaped like a half a loaf of bread; it was unique and inspired the name Excelsior, which means ""higher"". It measured by 2 inches by 1 inch thick. The Excelsior was colored a stunning white with a tint of blue. It did contain a number of black carbon inclusions, which are typical of the diamonds from the Jagersfontein mine. The crystalline structure resembled a fractured icicle. From the time of its discovery on June 30, 1893, it was the largest diamond"
"is marked, and many additional diamonds have been found there. Uncle Sam (diamond) Uncle Sam is the nickname for the largest diamond ever discovered in the United States. It was found in 1924 in Murfreesboro, Arkansas at the Prairie Creek pipe mine, which later became known as the Crater of Diamonds State Park. The diamond was named ""Uncle Sam"" after the nickname of its finder, Wesley Oley Basham, a worker at the Arkansas Diamond Corporation. The rough diamond as originally discovered weighed 40.23 carats (8.046 g). It was faceted twice by Schenck & Van Haelen of New York, a a"
"focus of a necklace with 410 oval, pear-shaped, round and marquis diamonds. The Great Chrysanthemum, considered one of the most famous diamonds in the world is the 2nd largest pear-shaped brown diamond and the 5th largest of all Fancy brown diamonds in the world. The Great Chrysanthemum Diamond was discovered in 1963 at the Kimberley Mines in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. Weighing in at 198 carats, the rough diamond is one of about only 300 diamonds in the entire world which weigh in excess of a hundred carats. Julius Cohen, one-time protégé of Harry Winston and custodian"
"In all, twenty-six stones were fashioned from the rough gem, figuring as seven pear shapes, four emerald cuts, thirteen round brilliants and one heart shape. The finished gems total . The Letseng Legacy diamond was unearthed from the same mine as the Lesotho Promise Letseng diamond mine in 2008 and totalled 493cts. Acquired by Graff for $10.4 million, they yielded 20 diamonds totaling 231.67cts from the one rough stone. The Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond is a fancy deep-blue diamond with internally flawless clarity purchased by Laurence Graff in 2008 for £16.4 million. The Delaire Sunrise is, at 118.08 carats, the largest square"
"Graff Pink The Graff Pink, a rare 24.78 carat pink diamond, once owned by American celebrity jeweller Harry Winston, has been described as ""one of the greatest diamonds ever discovered"". The diamond, mounted in a ring, was sold by Sotheby's auctioneers in Geneva, Switzerland on 16 November 2010. Before its sale, the stone was expected to enter the list of the top ten most expensive diamonds in the world; on selling for US $46 million (£29 million) it became the most expensive single jewel ever sold at auction at that time. The gem is classified by the Gemological Institute of"
"believed to range between $4 and $12 million USD. If sold at auction, it is likely that this stone would fetch a significantly higher price. Golden Jubilee Diamond The Golden Jubilee Diamond () is the largest cut and faceted diamond in the world. It weighs 545.67 carats (109.13 g). It outweighs the Cullinan I by 15.37 carats (3.07 g). The Golden Jubilee Diamond was discovered in the Premier Mine, which is also the origin of the Cullinan diamond (1905) and other notables such as the Taylor–Burton (1966) and the Centenary (1986). Cullinan I, also known as the Great Star of"
"cutting. In July 2007 the finished stones were unveiled. The largest gem cut from the crystal is a pear-shaped diamond, and the smallest is a round brilliant. In all, twenty-six stones were fashioned from the rough gem, figuring as seven pear shapes, four emerald cuts, thirteen round brilliants and one heart shape. The finished gems total . The Lesotho Brown (usually simply called the Lesotho) at 601 carats (120 g) was the largest diamond previously found at the mine. Lesotho Promise The Lesotho Promise, a 603 carat (121 g) diamond stone of exceptional colour was unearthed on 22 August 2006"
"owner of the diamond mine. There have been various other notable diamonds that have been recovered from Premier Mine. These include: The Cullinan Heritage— rough—was recovered from the same mine. In February 2010, it was sold for USD 35.3 million. Until now, this is the highest price on record for a rough diamond. In May 2008, a sparkling shield-shaped diamond (about the size of a ping pong ball) mined from the Premier Mine sold for more than US$6.2 million at Christie's in Hong Kong. Cut from a rough, the shield-shaped gem boasts 92 brilliant facets. While internally flawless, the stone"
"Uncle Sam (diamond) Uncle Sam is the nickname for the largest diamond ever discovered in the United States. It was found in 1924 in Murfreesboro, Arkansas at the Prairie Creek pipe mine, which later became known as the Crater of Diamonds State Park. The diamond was named ""Uncle Sam"" after the nickname of its finder, Wesley Oley Basham, a worker at the Arkansas Diamond Corporation. The rough diamond as originally discovered weighed 40.23 carats (8.046 g). It was faceted twice by Schenck & Van Haelen of New York, a a which specialized in Arkansas diamonds, handling over 14,000. The company"
"Moussaieff Red Diamond The Moussaieff Red Diamond (formerly known as the Red Shield Diamond) is a diamond measuring 5.11 carats (1.022 g) with a triangular brilliant cut (sometimes called a trillion or a trilliant cut), rated in color as Fancy Red by the Gemological Institute of America. It is the world's largest known red diamond, the rarest of them all. The Moussaieff Red was discovered in the 1990s by a Brazilian farmer in the Abaetezinho river in 1990, in a region known as Alto Paranaiba. The rough stone weighed 13.9 carats (2.78 g). The diamond was purchased and cut by"
"Kam. While being cut, the diamond was found to have ""one major internal fault line that could not be overcome."" Only roughly formed and polished, and down to , the diamond was donated to the Melbourne Museum. Argyle Pink Jubilee The Argyle Pink Jubilee is a rough pink diamond and the largest rough pink diamond unearthed in Australia. It was found at the Rio Tinto Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia. Large stones like the Jubilee typically go to museums or end up at high-profile auction houses like Christie's. Christie's has only auctioned 18 polished pink diamonds larger than 10"
"seen in early irradiated diamonds, but irradiation techniques have been improved so that it no longer occurs. Deepdene (diamond) The Deepdene is a yellow diamond widely considered to be the largest irradiated diamond in the world. The Deepdene gets its name from the Pennsylvania estate of Mrs. Bok, wife of Cary W. Bok, both the diamond's original owners. At the time, the Deepdene weighed slightly more at and was mounted in a diamond clip. Harry Winston bought the diamond from the Boks in 1954 and it eventually found its way to a London firm in 1960 and later to a"
"Deepdene (diamond) The Deepdene is a yellow diamond widely considered to be the largest irradiated diamond in the world. The Deepdene gets its name from the Pennsylvania estate of Mrs. Bok, wife of Cary W. Bok, both the diamond's original owners. At the time, the Deepdene weighed slightly more at and was mounted in a diamond clip. Harry Winston bought the diamond from the Boks in 1954 and it eventually found its way to a London firm in 1960 and later to a German owner. On 27 May 1971, Christie's auction house in Geneva offered to prospective buyers the cushion-cut,"
"Sceptre of the Crown Jewels, was produced from the Cullinan Diamond, and was until recently acknowledged to be the largest cut diamond in the world, weighing in at . In 1985 it lost the record to the Golden Jubilee, which was found in the same mine as the Cullinan and weighed in its polished state. More than a quarter of all diamonds weighing more than have originated from Cullinan. It is also the world's only significant source of blue diamonds. One of these famous large blue diamonds was cut into several stones and made into a necklace which subsequently became"
"a necklace of white diamonds. It was subsequently worn by Audrey Hepburn in 1961 publicity photographs for ""Breakfast at Tiffany's"". Tiffany Yellow Diamond The Tiffany Yellow Diamond is one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered; its carat weight is 287.42 carats (57.484 g) in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa, and was cut into a cushion shape of 128.54 carats (25.108 g) with 82 facets—24 more than a traditional round brilliant—to maximize its brilliance. The facet pattern features eight needle-like facets pointing outward from the culet (bottom) facet. Jewelry and diamond historian"
"coloured diamonds, a regular proportion of which are of between 5 and 30 carats. In 1994, a 232.34 carat diamond was recovered at Koffiefontein, being the largest rough diamond ever produced by the mine. Diamonds were first discovered on the Koffiefontein farm in 1870. Mining started in the form of small claims that were later amalgamated into Koffiefontein Mine Limited. De Beers acquired control of Koffiefontein Mine Limited in 1911. Mining operations were then continuous until the advent of the Great Depression in 1932 when work was suspended. Between 1950 and 1953, a prospecting shaft was sunk which was followed"
"Archduke Joseph (diamond) The Archduke Joseph is a colorless, antique cushion-shaped brilliant, originally weighing 78.54 carat, purchased by Molina Jewelers of Arizona sometime in the late-1990s and slightly re-cut to 3.45 carat to improve clarity and symmetry. It is, on the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) color and clarity scales, a D grade (colorless to the highest grade), IF (Internally Flawless, flawless to the second highest grade) diamond (in short: a DIF or a DIF diamond) and the largest DIF ever graded at the GIA; and it is of type IIa (as determined by the Gübelin Gem Lab of Lucerne,"
"Lesedi La Rona Lesedi La Rona, formerly known in media as Karowe AK6 or as Quad 1 by the personnel at the mine, is the third-largest diamond ever found, and the second-largest of gem quality. Only the non-gem black Sergio and the gem-quality Cullinan were larger. It was found in the Karowe mine, (formerly called AK6) in Botswana on 16November 2015. The Lesedi La Rona is a colourless/white, type IIa diamond. It weighs and measures . In comparison, the Cullinan, discovered in 1905 in South Africa, weighed . The Lesedi La Rona was mined using Large Diamond Recovery (""LDR"") XRT"
"Ironstone's Crown Jewel Ironstone’s Crown Jewel is the world’s largest piece of crystalline gold. At 44 lbs troy (16.4 kg), it is substantially larger than the Fricot ""Nugget"" (13.8 lb troy; 5.15 kg) and the Whopper (11.7 lb troy; 4.37 kg), the next two largest specimens. Gold found in California is often in quartz, which is typically a hard rock, mined in vertical or horizontal shafts. This contrasts with placer (loose gold, often nuggets) and fine gold that has been recovered by hydraulic mining. The gold specimen was unearthed at the Sonora Mining Corporation mine in Jamestown, California on December"