Diamonds are the ultimate symbol of luxury, elegance, and sophistication. Diamonds are also one of the most valuable and sought-after minerals in the world. But there is more to diamonds than just their beauty and value; there are some that stand out from the rest due to unique characteristics such as size or shape. Every natural diamond has an epic story behind it,
Here are some of the diamonds that made history:
The Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond, which is housed in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., has an exciting and mysterious history that’s made it one of the world’s most famous diamonds. The story of this particular diamond starts in 1642 when a French merchant named Jean Baptiste Tavernier received the rough stone from a trader who had acquired it from a Mughal emperor. After cutting and polishing it, he sold it to Louis XIV (1638–1715). The gem was so stunning that Louis XIV decided he would wear this diamond himself and, subsequently, it became one of his most prized possessions.
The Sancy
The Sancy diamond is an astounding 45.52-carat yellow diamond. It is said to be the only diamond in the world that has been stolen twice—once in the 15th century and again in the 17th century. The Sancy was originally owned by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. Charles gave this amazing stone as a gift to his wife upon their wedding so that she could bring happiness into their marriage.
The Regent
The Regent is the largest cut blue diamond in the world. The brilliant cushion cut diamond was used by the French monarchy for several very important formal occasions, making appearances at state functions, royal weddings, and successive coronations. It was also set into different crowns for multiple monarchs of France, first with Louis XV in 1722, then again in 1775 for Louis XVI, and even into a hat adornment for Marie Antoinette. By 1791, the stone’s value had ballooned to more than four times its last purchase price.
The Koh-i-Noor
This oval-cut diamond is the most famous of all diamonds. It has been said that whoever owned the Koh-I-Noor ruled the world. This diamond was discovered around the 13th century but only received the name Koh-I-Noor in 1739 when a Persian conqueror, Nadir Shah, took Delhi and acquired the diamond. He named it Koh-I-Noor, meaning “Mountain of Light”. The diamond was given to Queen Victoria in 1850. The diamond has been used in the crowns of various kings and queens and is currently on display in the Tower of London.
The Jubilee:
The Jubilee is a magnificent, colourless, cushion-cut diamond that at one time ranked as the sixth largest diamond in the world. When the stone’s exceptional size and purity became evident, it was presented to Queen Victoria on her Diamond Jubilee, and so it was named the Jubilee to commemorate the occasion. Its introduction was also significant in the world of diamonds, with the characteristics of both the rose and brilliant cuts-which was subsequently known as the Jubilee cut.
Diamonds have fascinated people for thousands of years. There are many more famous diamonds in this world, but these are some of our favourites. These precious stones have captured the imagination throughout history. Each one has a unique story and represents the period of its discovery.
