World Famous Diamonds - By: Ian Maher

The most famous diamonds in the world carry with them rich
histories of the fortune and calamity of the lives which they
have touched throughout time. Some world renowned diamonds have
made the journey through the hands of royalty over centuries
while others have only been unearthed in recent decades. Here we
examine a few of the most coveted diamonds that have ever been
discovered.

-The Hope Diamond: Perhaps the most well-known diamond in the
United States, the Hope diamond endured hundreds of years and
passed through several owners before it was donated by Harry
Winston Inc. to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958. This 45.52
carat dark grayish blue cushion antique cut diamond has long
been thought to bestow upon its owners a curse of tragedy and
misfortune.

-The Cullinan Diamond: The largest rough diamond ever unearthed,
the original Cullinan was discovered in South Africa in 1905 and
weighed an astonishing 3,106 carats. The Cullinan diamond, named
after the owner of the mining company where it was discovered,
was later cut into 105 diamonds, the most notable of which is
the pear shaped Cullinan I, also known as the Star of Africa
diamond, weighing 530.2 carats. For many years the Star of
Africa was known as the largest cut diamond in the world, though
in recent years this record has been surpassed by The Golden
Jubilee, at 545.67 carats, and a nameless fancy black diamond
weighing in at 555.55 carats.

-The Regent Diamond: Thought by many to be the most stunning
diamond worldwide, the perfectly cut Regent Diamond has a
history of both prestige and voracity. The Regent was originally
called the Pitt after Sir Thomas Pitt, a governor who purchased
the diamond in the 1700s and had it cut and polished into the
cushion shaped, 140.5 carat diamond in the French Royal Treasury
today. Becoming known as the Regent in 1717 when it was
purchased for the French Crown, the Regent Diamond has adorned
the Crown of Louis XV and the sword of Napoleon Bonaparte.

-The Centenary Diamond: Esteemed by diamond connoisseurs for its
purity and color, the Centenary Diamond was discovered at the
Premier Mine in July of 1986. Weighing 599.10 carats in the
rough, the Centenary Diamond was carefully cut by Gabi Tolkowsky
into the present day 273.85 carat modern cut flawless diamond
residing since 1991 at the Tower of London.

-The Orlov (sometimes called Orloff): This uniquely shaped
diamond was set in the Imperial Sceptre during the reign of
Catherine the Great in the late 1700s. The shape of this bluish
green tinted diamond weighing in at 189.62 carats has been
widely likened to that of half of a pigeon’s egg. The
distinctive shape of the Orlov leads many to believe that there
exists a counterpart that has yet to be discovered.

The most famous diamonds in the world carry with them rich
histories of the fortune and calamity of the lives which they
have touched throughout time. Some world renowned diamonds have
made the journey through the hands of royalty over centuries
while others have only been unearthed in recent decades. Here we
examine a few of the most coveted diamonds that have ever been
discovered.

Ian Maher is the CEO of Maliere, a leading
provider of eternity rings
and other diamond platinum rings and gold rings. For more
information, please visit www.Maliere.com.