choose a stone…

choose a setting…

choose a metal…

choose a finish…

…choose ring

21 Meeting House Lane
Brighton
East Sussex
BN1 1HB

01273 773 544

choose a stone…

choose a setting…

choose a metal…

choose a finish…

…choose ring

21 Meeting House Lane
Brighton East Sussex
BN1 1HB
1273 773 544

21 Meeting House Lane
Brighton
East Sussex
BN1 1HB

01273 773 544

The top 10 largest diamonds in the world (cut & polished, not rough)

Many customers ask me what the the largest diamond I have ever sold at RING jewellers is. Well, in short the answer is…..nowhere near as big as these beauties!

When diamonds are mined it is a bit of a myth that a beautiful glistening gem catches the light & the miner reaches for his pic axe. When you see a rough diamond it actually looks like something that you may see washed on on the beach. This means that although there are some monster rough diamonds out there it is incredibly rare for a cut & polished natural diamond to still have a large carat weight.


This blog showcases the 10 heaviest cut & polished natural diamonds ever mined. Like all great chart run downs this list runs in reverse from the lightest to the heaviest.

10.

Name – The Millenium Star

Weight – 203.04ct

Similar weight to – Five 50p coins

Mined in – Democratic Republic of the Congo

History – Discovered in 1990 & was purchased by De Beers. This diamond took 3 years to cut & polish.


9.

Name – The Red Cross

Weight – 205.07

Similar weight to – A squash ball

Mined in – South Africa

History – Discovered in 1901. The natural, fancy yellow colour  of this  diamond makes it incredibly rare indeed. This is not to be confused with the yellowish hue of a low grade white diamond. Fancy yellow diamonds are very rare & sought after.


8.

Name – The De Beers

Weight – 234.65

Similar weight to – A golf ball

Mined in – South Africa

History – Discovered in 1888 & was the largest diamond ever unearthed at the De Beers mine.


7.

Name – The Jubilee

Weight – 245.35ct

Similar weight to – A chickens egg

Mined in – South Africa 

History – Discovered in 1895 this diamond was originally known as the Reitz diamond, named after the South African president.


6.

Name – The Centenary

Weight – 273.85ct

Similar weight to – A tennis ball

Mined in – South Africa 

History – Discovered in 1986. Although the current owner in unknown we do know that this diamond was insured for £100,000,000 (£100 million) in 1991.


5.

Name – The Spirit of Grisogono

Weight – 312.24ct

Similar weight to – A plum

Mined in – The Central African Republic

History – Discovered in 2007 The Spirit of Grisogono is the worlds largest black diamond.


4.

Name – The Cullinan II

Weight – 317.40ct

Similar weight to – A kiwi fruit

Mined in – South Africa

History – Discovered in 1905 this stone was part of the heaviest gem quality diamond ever mined. It’s rough, unpolished weight was a staggering 3106.75ct. The Cullinan II was the second heaviest diamond polished from the rough & forms part of the Crown Jewels. It is set into the ‘Imperial State Crown’. The Cullinan II is displayed at The Tower Of London. The estimated value of this diamond is over £150,000,000 (£300 million).


3.

Name – The incomparable 

Weight – 407.48ct

Similar weight to – A deck of cards

Mined in – The Deocratic Republic of the Congo

History – Discovered in 1984 by a child playing in the debris of a nearby diamond mine. This stone is a natural, fancy yellow diamond. The value of the incomparable is estimated to be over £15,000,000 (£15 million).


2.

Name – The Cullinan I (AKA The Star of Africa)

Weight – 530.20ct

Similar weight to – An apple

Mined in – South Africa

History – Discovered in 1905 the Cullinan I is the largest of 9 diamonds cut from the original 3106.75ct rough diamond. The Cullinan I also forms part of the Crown Jewels. It is set into the ‘Sovereign’s Royal Sceptre’. This pear shape diamond is estimated to be worth over £300,000,000 (£300 million).


1.

Name – The Golden Jubilee 

Weight – 545.67ct

Similar weight to – A tangerine

Mined in – South Africa

History – Discovered in 1985 this fancy, yellow brown diamond was cut & polished in a specially designed underground room. This was to avoid vibrations that could cause the included diamond to fracture. The Golden Jubilee is estimated to be worth over £9,000,000 (£9 million). 


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