Have you ever heard about the diamonds that used to be stolen many times? These gems are so attractive and valuable. Each stone even has its own history with interesting stories. Let’s read the following article to see what they are:
The Great Star of Africa
The Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa is the largest polished gem from the stone in the world with 530.2 carats. It was also the biggest polished diamond in the world until 1985 when the Golden Jubilee Diamond, 545.67 carats was found. The second largest gem from the Cullinan stone is Cullinan II or the Lesser Star of Africa. Cullinan II is considered as the fourth largest polished diamond in the world.
Cullinan I is now put in the head of the St Edward\'s Sceptre.
The Orloff Diamond
The attractive diamond was 300 carats and bluish green in color
The attractive diamond is now in the Diamond Treasury of Russia in Moscow, Russia. t was said to be put in diamond eye of a Hindu God before being stolen by a French deserter in the 1700\'s. After that the stone was brought to Madras and sold to an English sea captain for £2000. It then arrived in Amsterdam and was sold to Russian Count Grigori Orloff for £90,000. From then on, it was called Orloff.
The Centenary Diamond
The Centenary Diamond was discovered in July 1986 at the Premier Mine, South Africa. The diamond weighs 599.10 carats in the rough. After polishing, it weighs 273.85 Carats.
It took nearly three years for the stone to be crafted into the largest, top-color, flawless diamond
Although the stone has never been appraised publicly for value, this modern cut diamond is said to have been insured at more than $100 million USD when it was launched onto the world in 1991 at the Tower of London.
The Regent Diamond
The Regent Diamond is now placed in a Greek diadem designed for Empress Eugenie. It has been there since 1887 and has appraised at $67,885,567 USD in 2010
The 410 carat uncut diamond was found in a Golkonda mine in India in 1698 by a slave. After killing the slave, an English sea captain stole and sold it to an Indian merchant. After that, the diamond belonged to Thomas Pitt in 1792. It became well known and was stolen along with other crown jewels of France. It was found again and put into the crowns of Louis XVIII, Charles X and Napoleon III.
The Koh-i-Noor
The gem was put into the Queen’s brooch and then set in the State Crown. It\'s is now kept in the Tower of London.
The Koh-i-Noor is a superb oval cut diamond which is part of the British Crown Jewels. It is a diamond of 105.60 carats discovered at Kollur, Guntur district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. The stone was once the largest known diamond in the world. Meaning “Mountain of Light”, The Koh-i-Noor has belonged to various Hindu, Mughal, Persian, Afghan, Sikh and British rulers. It was finally re-cut by the East India Company.
The Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond is a 45.52 carats gem. It looks beautiful with its deep-blue. The diamond is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure. It is said that the gem was stolen from an eye of a sculpted statue of the goddess Sita and it was cursed.
The gem looks beautiful with its deep-blue
The Hope Diamond is now placed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. It is reset temporarily in a designed necklace, created by the Harry Winston firm. However, it will return to its traditional setting in late 2010.
Related links:
Famous Diamonds
Infamous Diamonds of Legend
famous diamonds in the world
Highly Valuable Diamond Collection