The top 10 most famous diamonds, in order of largest to smallest, are as follows:
1. The Great Star of Africa
530.20 Carats
Pear shaped, with 74 facets
Discovered in Premier Mine, Transvaal, South Africa, in l095
Cut by Joseph Asscher and Company of Amsterdam
Yielded 9 large and 96 smaller brilliant cut stones
Located in London, set in the Royal Scepter, kept with the other Crown Jewels
2. The Orloff
300 Carats
Color: Light blue-green
Clarity: Exceptionally pure
Cut: Mogul-cut rose
Discovered in India
Located in the Diamond Treasury of Russia, Moscow
3. The Centenary Diamond
273.85 Carats
Discovered in Premier Mine, Transvaal, South Africa, in 1986
Weighed 599.10 carats in the rough
Gabi Tolkowsky, master cutter, took nearly three years to transform the
rough stone into what is now the world’s largest flawless diamond.
Has 247 facets, with164 on the stone and 83 at the girdle
4. The Regent
140.50 Carats
Considered to be the world’s most beautiful diamond due to exceptional limpidity and perfect cut
Discovered in India in 1698
Obtained by Thomas Pitt, the Governor of Madras, who sent it to England to be cut
Purchased from Pitt in 1717 for the French Crown
Located today at the Louvre in Paris
5. Koh-i-Noor
105.60 Carats
Cut: Oval
Koh-i-Noor means “Mountain of Light”
The longest of all famous diamonds
Stolen from Rajahs of Malwa in the 16th century by Sultan Babur of Persia
Originally weighed l986 carats but was eventually cut down to l08.93 carats
Located today in the Tower of London, with the other Crown Jewels
6. The Idol’s Eye
70.20 Carats
Flattened, rounded, pear shaped—similar to that of an eye
Discovered in Golconda in the early 1600s
Legends, stories, and myths abound regarding the history of the Idol’s Eye diamond.
The first factual recorded event was the auctioning off of the diamond
by Christie’s in London, in 1865, to Abdul Hamid II, the 34th Sultan of
the Ottoman Empire.
The diamond was last seen in the early 1980s when it was sold to an unidentified buyer.
Today, the gem’s whereabouts remain unknown, causing the Idol’s Eye diamond to remain shrouded in mystery.
7. The Taylor-Burton
69.42 Carats
Color: F-G
Clarity: IF
Cut: Pear shaped
Discovered in Premier Mine, Transvaal, South Africa, in 1966
The rough diamond weighed 240.80 carats and was cut into a 69.42 pear shaped gem.
Purchased by Richard Burton for $1.1 million as a gift for Elizabeth Taylor
Taylor sold the diamond for charity in 1979 for $2.8 million.
The Taylor-Burton diamond was last seen in Saudi Arabia.
8. The Sancy
55 Carats
Cut: Pear shaped
Originally owned by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, who lost the diamond in battle in 1477
Named after its last known owner, Seigneur de Sancy, a French Ambassador to Turkey in the late 16th century
The diamond disappeared during the French revolution and its current location is unknown.
9. The Blue Hope
45.52 Carats
Purchased by Henry Thomas Hope
Believed to be part of the Blue Tavernier Diamond, brought to Europe from India in l642
The Blue Hope diamond is believed to be cursed, as every owner has befallen tragedy once in possession of the stone.
Because no one would purchase the Blue Hope, it is now displayed at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
10. Hortensia
20 Carats
Color: Peach
Named after the Queen of Holland, step-daughter of Napoleon Bonaparte
Located at the Louvre in Paris, as part of the French Crown Jewels
167.97-carat Mackay Emerald
The stunning 167.97-carat Mackay Emerald was mined in Muzo,
Colombia. The largest cut emerald in the National Gem Collection, it is set in
an Art Deco diamond and platinum necklace designed by Cartier Inc. In 1931,
Clarence H. Mackay presented the necklace as a wedding gift to his wife, Anna
Case, a prima donna of the New York Metropolitan Opera from 1909 to 1920. The
piece was donated to the Smithsonian Institute by Mrs. Anna Case Mackay in
1984.
Source: The National Gem Collection by Jeffrey E. Post.
Promise Ring
What Is a Promise Ring?
The definition of a promise ring varies between couples, but promise rings are widely used as a symbol of commitment. "The appeal of the promise ring is derived largely from the many meanings it can represent," says Kimberly Kanary, vice president of public relations and social media at Kay Jewelers. "While many couples use the symbol as a way to signify a future engagement, others simply wear the ring as a means of reflecting devotion to one another."
As the name suggests, promise rings signify that a promise is being made, but the meaning of a promise ring differs from couple to couple. At its most essential, it symbolizes a partner's love and commitment to the relationship. "You're promising yourself to each other," explains Brooke Brinkman, vice president of marketing and communications at Simon G. Jewelry, who received a promise ring from her now husband a year and a half before he proposed. While in Brinkman's case, the ring was a promise that an engagement would ensue, that's not always the case. "I often think of promise rings as similar to the mid-century tradition of a guy giving a girl his class ring or pin in high school," says Elizabeth Woolf-Willis, GG, AJP, marketing coordinator at Simon G. Jewelry. "Now it's more than just 'dating'—there's a physical symbol of the relationship to show the outside world."
Brinkman has noticed that the rise in popularity of promise rings echoes a growing trend for couples to happily cohabit and/or marry later in life. While they may not be ready or wanting to commit to marriage, a promise ring shows that their commitment does extend beyond merely sharing bills.
History of Promise Rings
According to Brinkman, the idea of giving a ring as a promise of love and affection dates back several hundred years. Posy rings—so named because they were engraved with romantic poems—date back to 16th-century England, while Acrostic rings—spelling out a word in gemstones, for example, a ruby, emerald, garnet, amethyst, ruby and diamond spelling "regard"—were popular in the Georgian and Victorian eras.
It's only in the past decade that promise rings have become a mainstream trend, largely thanks to the publicity surrounding famous owners of such rings like the Jonas brothers and Miley Cyrus. Though, thanks to the young celebrities' public declarations—in 2008, Joe Jonas told Details that the brothers' rings symbolized "a promise to ourselves and to God that we'll stay pure till marriage"—promise rings became synonymous with purity rings. "Some people have gotten the terminology confused," Brinkman says. “When you talk about abstinence, and a ring given by a parent to a child, or to oneself, it's called a purity ring." Promise rings, on the other hand, are typically given as a token of commitment within the confines of a romantic relationship.
The tradition of wearing a ring to demonstrate loyalty and fidelity dates back to ancient times, says Brinkman, who states there's evidence that Roman brides wore engagement bands in the 2nd century BC. The reason they're typically worn on the ring finger of the left hand, she says, is because there's a vein that runs from that finger to the heart.
Promise Ring Etiquette
Although it doesn't carry the same levity of an engagement ring, a promise ring should not be treated lightly. "A promise ring should be given after a couple has dated for a significant amount of time—a year or more—to show how serious you are about the relationship," says Kelly McLeskey-Dolata, founder of Bay Area event planning and design company A Savvy Event.
In terms of style, anything goes when it comes to promise rings. Common themes include hearts, intertwined designs to commemorate the idea of a couple's union, Claddagh rings and eternity rings, as well as bands with a mosaic or composite of stones. "Engagement rings have such a sacred nature; promise rings are often viewed as more of a fashion piece," says Brinkman, who cautions against choosing a style that might compete with an engagement ring, if that's your eventual intention. "They both serve a purpose," Brinkman says. “You want to make sure they don't look the same—or even close." For ideas, browse The Knot roundup of promise rings you can buy now.
Unlike with engagement rings, there are no rules or guidelines around how much to spend on promise rings, but it's usually significantly less. At Simon G. Jewelry, promise rings typically range from $500 to $2,000; at Kay Jewelers, they range from $199 to $599. "Remember, most people purchasing promise rings are younger and don't have the financial means to be spending a lot of money," McLeskey-Dolata says.
There's also no right or wrong way to give a promise ring. It doesn't require the same "on bended knee" tradition as engagement rings, and they're most often given as a birthday, Valentine's or Christmas gift, McLeskey-Dolata says. A romantic dinner for two is sufficient to set the scene. "In the case of a promise ring, it's more of a conversation about the meaning behind it, and the promise that's being made," Brinkman explains. "Whereas for an engagement, the focus is on the ring and the 'moment.'"
Which finger does it go on? It's entirely up to the individual. Promise rings can be worn on any finger, Brinkman says, adding that they're sometimes even worn on a chain around the neck. But usually promise rings are worn on the ring finger of the left hand (if not married) or the right hand (if married).
While promise rings are intended to be a lifelong vow, we all know that things don't always go according to plan. Even if the pledge is rescinded, promise rings are not always returned. "It depends on the nature of the breakup," Brinkman says.
Taylor-Burton diamond
Shortly after being found, the diamond received a pear shaped cut resulting in a diamond of 69,42 carats. It was first sold to Harriet Annenberg Ames who found the diamond too large to be worn as a necklace or ring, fearing to walk the streets with such a precious piece of jewellery. She decided to part with the diamond, because leaving it in a vault would be too much of a waste.
The
buyer was the luxury brand Cartier, who named it the Cartier diamond
and placed it in a necklace. Shortly afterwards it was already sold to
Richard Burton who gifted it to his wife Elizabeth Taylor. It was first
known as the Cartier-Burton diamond before receiving its final name: the
Taylor-Burton diamond.
The auction of the Taylor-Burton
After the second divorce of the Taylor-Burton couple, Elizabeth Taylor auctioned off the diamond in 1978. It went for the impressive value of $5.000.000, the proceeds of this auction were donated to the construction of a hospital in Botswana.
The diamond’s current owner is Robert Mouawad; he found the diamond to have a few rough edges. That’s why he had it recut resulting in a renewed Taylor-Burton diamond weighing 68 carats.
The auction of the Taylor-Burton
After the second divorce of the Taylor-Burton couple, Elizabeth Taylor auctioned off the diamond in 1978. It went for the impressive value of $5.000.000, the proceeds of this auction were donated to the construction of a hospital in Botswana.
The diamond’s current owner is Robert Mouawad; he found the diamond to have a few rough edges. That’s why he had it recut resulting in a renewed Taylor-Burton diamond weighing 68 carats.
The Smithsonian
The Smithsonian is home to the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond, the world’s largest deep blue diamond. The gem has a long and mysterious past—and some people even think it is cursed!
Scholars believe that King Louis XIV of France bought the Hope Diamond in 1668. After King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette attempted to flee France in 1791 during the French Revolution, the diamond was turned over to the French government. The next year it was stolen. It wasn’t until 1812 in London that the diamond appeared again. Though evidence indicated it was the same stone, there is no way to be completely sure. It passed through several owners before an American heiress named Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean brought it to the United States. She added its current setting—it is now surrounded by 16 white diamonds and hangs on a chain of 45 diamonds.
After Mrs. McLean died, jeweler Harry Winston bought the diamond and donated it to the Smithsonian. And how did he send it? Winston simply placed the priceless diamond in a plain brown paper wrapper and sent it by registered first-class mail. He said, “It’s the safest way to mail gems. I’ve sent gems all over the world that way."
Today the Hope Diamond is one of the most visited museum objects in the world. And is it really cursed? Most curators don’t believe so. In fact, the Smithsonian has always looked at the Hope Diamond as a source of good luck!
The Golden Jubilee Diamond
The Golden Jubilee Diamond (not the Diamond Jubilee!) is the
largest faceted diamond in the world weighing 545.67ct. This yellow-brown
diamond was cut by Sir Gabi Tolkowsky, whom we mentioned in our previous post
Diamond Cut: The Human Factor. Gabi had been hired by DeBeers to cut the famous
Centenary Diamond (a 273.85 D-Flawless diamond), however, the tools required to
cut a stone this size had never been conceived. Thus, Gabi took what everyone
thought as a big ugly brown diamond rough in order to practice and develop the
necessary tools to cut the Centenary Diamond. After two years working in a
vibration proof bunker, Gabi emerged with the now famous Golden Jubilee Diamond,
along with all the tools he now needed to cut the Centenary Diamond.
The diamond is currently owned by the King of Thailand. It’s
apparently valued at $4-12 million.
The Great Star of Africa (The Cullinan I)
The largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found was called The Cullinan. It weighed an astonishing 3,106.75 carats. From this stone, nine stones were cut; the largest was The Cullinan I which weighs 530.4 carats. It resides in the Royal Sceptre of the British Crown Jewels. Judging of famous diamonds sold at auction in recent times, the Cullinan I is likely worth over $400 million USD. This is definitely where fairytales come from.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)