Diamonds are undoubtedly the most well-known and sought-after gemstones on our planet. Formed 500 km beneath the Earth’s crust, they are created when carbon elements are subjected to enormous pressure and temperature. It is estimated that the oldest discovered diamonds are over 3 billion years old. The rarest finds include stones of exceptionally large size or with unusual color and clarity.When news spread in June of this year that one of the largest known diamonds had been found in Botswana – a stone weighing 1098 carats of gem quality – media attention turned to Africa, a continent whose history is rich in discoveries of the most valuable and largest diamonds in the world.
Below we present the five largest polished diamonds in the world, found in various countries of Africa.
1. Golden Jubilee Diamond – 545.65 carats
At the top of the list is the Golden Jubilee. The yellow-brown stone weighing 755.5 carats was unearthed in 1986 in the town of Cullinan, South Africa. Being the eighth largest gem-quality diamond at the time of discovery, the gemstone had several cracks and inclusions (impurities). The task of polishing the diamond was entrusted to the world-famous cutter, Gabriel Tolkowsky, who needed two years to give it the final “cushion of fiery rose” shape.After the completion of the cutting process in 1990, the diamond weighed 545.65 carats. The stone was purchased by a group of Thai businessmen in 1995 as a gift for King Bhumibol of Thailand on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary) on the throne. It is currently displayed in the Royal Museum in the Golden Temple of Pimammek in Bangkok as part of the Thai crown jewels.
2. The Great Star of Africa or Cullinan I – 530.20 carats
The largest diamond in the world is the Cullinan Diamond, discovered in the Premier Mine in South Africa in 1905. Named after the mine’s owner, Thomas Cullinan, the Cullinan Diamond in its uncut state weighed 3,106 carats. In 1907, the colonial government of the Transvaal province purchased the rough Cullinan and gifted it to King Edward VII of Britain on his 66th birthday in recognition of granting the Transvaal its own constitution the previous year. The rough stone was sent from England to Amsterdam for cutting.The king entrusted this task to an expert in diamond cutting, Joseph Asscher. The diamond was classified as a type IIa, which is characterized by exceptional quality. After almost six months, in 1908, the stone was cut into nine major and 96 smaller diamonds. Today, many of the largest diamonds cut from the Cullinan are part of the English crown jewels, which are on permanent display at the Tower of London.The largest stone cut from the Cullinan is the 530.40-carat Great Star of Africa, also known as the Cullinan I Diamond, set in the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross.
3. Incomparable Diamond – 407.48 carats
The Incomparable Diamond was discovered in 1989 by a young girl in a pile of mining rubble from the nearby MIBA diamond mine in the city of Mbuji Mayi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was estimated to weigh 890 carats. The stone made its way through Africa to De Beers director Sir Philip Oppenheimer, after which it was sold to the Texas jewelry store chain Zale Corporation in collaboration with New York’s Premier Gems Corporation.
After a four-year process of cutting and shaping, the natural, deep yellow diamond in a step cut reduced its weight to 407.48 carats, becoming the third largest diamond in the world. It was later displayed to the public in the natural history wing of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, and then became the centerpiece of a necklace created by the Lebanese jeweler Mouawad.The diamond is accompanied by 90 other white diamonds on a pink gold chain in the shape of a grapevine leaf.
Exposed onDoha Jewellery and Watch ExhibitionIn 2013, the Mouawad necklace with a total weight of 637 carats is the second most expensive necklace in the world and is estimated to be worth 55 million dollars.
4. Cullinan II – 317.4 carats
The second of the nine main diamonds cut from the 3,107-carat Cullinan diamond is Cullinan II – a cushion-cut diamond with 66 facets and a weight of 317.4 carats. This precious stone, which is the fourth largest of its kind in the world, is located on the British Crown Jewels just below the Black Prince’s Ruby and has adorned many coronations at Westminster Abbey. Also known as the Second Star of Africa.
5. Graff Lesedi La Rona – 302.37 carats
Lesedi La Rona by Graff is the largest diamond in the world to receive a Gemological Institute of America certificate for the highest clarity and color (see https://79diamenty.pl/en/how-to-learn-more-about-diamonds-the-4c-method/). It was discovered in November 2015 as a 1,109-carat rough diamond in the Karowe mine in Botswana. After a nationwide competition, the stone was named Lesedi La Rona, which means “our light” in Tswana, the official language of Botswana. Lesedi La Rona is the largest rough diamond of gem quality found since the Cullinan and the largest ever mined in Botswana. It was sold for 53 million dollars in 2017 to the British international jeweler Graff Diamonds.
The diamond required 18 months of expert cutting and polishing by Graff’s team of craftsmen and gemologists to achieve its mirror-smooth surface. After the cutting process, it weighed 302.37 carats and became the world’s largest square emerald-cut diamond. In addition to Lesedi La Rona, 66 other smaller diamonds ranging in weight from less than one to over 26 carats were also produced from the original rough diamond.
Fragments from cutting the stone were donated to the Smithsonian Institution for research on the Earth’s mantle. Lesedi La Rona was identified by GIA as a “super-deep” diamond, a stone that formed three times deeper in the Earth than other diamonds. Like Cullinan, Lesedi La Rona is a type IIa diamond, known for its exceptional quality. Due to its rarity, exceptional size, high quality, and undeniable beauty, the Graff Lesedi La Rona will undoubtedly sell for 100 million dollars or even more.
Custom gold jewelry
Diamonds, like gold, have been objects of dreams and desire since their discovery by humans. Almost every woman would like to have a beautiful trinket adorned with a sparkling diamond in her jewelry box. Jewelry companies specializing in creating unique custom diamond jewelry meet these needs. 79 Diamonds has been operating on the Polish jewelry market for many years, designing unique jewelry, including wedding and engagement pieces – you can find ready-made designs on the 79 Diamonds website – and also dealing with the sale of certified diamonds. Visit the studio’s website and get inspired!