Diamonds are beautifully covered stones. But there are a few that stand out from the others. Today, the world’s most famous diamonds are the 45-carat Hope Diamond (and its famous Curse), the mystical Koh-I-Noor Diamond and the 546 carat Golden Jubilee.
The Hope Diamond
Extracted from the Kollur Mine in India in the 17th century, this Hope Diamond boasts 45.52 carats of blue-coloured diamond. When this diamond was discovered, it was not only one of the largest and quickly most famous diamonds, but it also offered experts important information on how diamonds are formed. The Hope Diamond can be found on permanent display at the National Museum of Natural History in the United States.
The Koh-I-Noor Diamond
The Koh-I-Noor Diamond is another one of the most famous around the world. Though the history of this diamond is not entirely clear, it’s been around for at least two hundred and fifty years. Folklore says that whoever owns this diamond rules the world. This diamond is an oval, brilliant colourless stone that’s 105.6 carats in weight. Today, it is owned by the British Crown.
The Golden Jubilee Diamond
The largest cut diamond in the world, the Golden Jubilee is an incompatible 545.67 carats in weight. It is a beautiful brown diamond discovered at the De Beers Premier Mine in 1985. In fact, it was cut from a large brown diamond at 755 carats in weight found in this South African mine. Today, it is part of the crown jewels at the Royal Museum at Pimammek Golden Temple Throne Hall in Bangkok.
The Story of the Bokassa Diamond
Aside from the three most famous diamonds, there is also the Bokassa Diamond, which is surrounded by a truly fascinating story. In 1977, a Central African dictator named Jean-Bédel Bokassa declared himself emperor and asked Albert Jolis, the president of a diamond mining operation, for a diamond ring.
Jolis did not have the money to buy such a large stone; however, if he did not deliver one, his company would lose the mining concession in Central Africa. And so he devised a clever solution: Jolis found a large piece of black diamond bolt (a poorly crystallised diamond usually fit only to be crushed into abrasive powder) that curiously resembled Africa in shape. He ordered the diamond to be polished and mounted on a large ring. A one-quarter carat white diamond was then set roughly where the country is located on the continent.
Jolis presented this "unique" diamond to the clueless Bokassa, who loved it. He thought that the $500 ring was worth over $500,000.
Want to learn more about diamonds for investment? The experts at BNT Diamonds can help. Get in touch with us today by booking an appointment in one of our showrooms or requesting a quote.
