Diamonds are pricey in general, but the most expensive diamond in the world takes things to another level. So, what is the most expensive diamond? These are the five in the world right now.
Koh-i-Noor
This is the best diamond in the world. It is the world’s most renowned priceless diamond, and its name means “Mountain of Light.” It was originally a 793-carat diamond that had been cut and polished into a 105.6-carat gem over the ages.
The diamond is supposed to have been mined in India’s Golconda area. It later fell into the hands of the Mughals. Sikh monarch Maharaja Ranjit Singh then acquired the diamond in 1813 before finally falling into the hands of the British. Since the nineteenth century, the diamond has been in the British royal family’s possession.
The Cullinan
The Cullinan diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905, was the world’s biggest rough diamond, weighing 3,106 carats. However, it is currently a collection of 105 diamonds of various cuts and weights.
The Cullinan, one of the world’s most expensive diamonds, was named after Thomas Cullinan, the mine’s chairman. The stone’s current market value is estimated to be $400 million.
The diamond is cut into nine enormous pieces, totaling roughly 1,055 carats and smaller cuts. Cullinan I, the largest clear-cut diamond globally, measures 530.20 carats.
The Hope
A 112-carat diamond was acquired by a French adventurer named Jean Baptiste Tavernier, and it became known as the Hope. It is said to have been discovered in the same Golconda mine that produced the Koh-i-Noor.
King Louis XIV purchased it from Tavernier. It was dubbed the “Blue Diamond of the Crown” over the years. The diamond, however, was lost in 1792 and discovered in 1812 in London. The diamond arrived at the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after passing through various hands. The diamond is 45 carats in weight but is valued at USD 200–350 million.
De Beers Centenary
Although the De Beers Centenary Diamond was discovered in South Africa’s Premier Mine in 1986, its presence was only revealed two years later in Kimberley for De Beers’ 100th anniversary.
It was one of the best diamonds in the world and the biggest top-color diamond ever discovered, at 599 carats. The Centenary was then cut into a heart-shaped stone with 247 flawlessly matched facets weighing 273.85 carats. The Centenary has never been valued, but it was insured at $100 million before being shown in 1991.
CTF Pink Star diamond
The internally perfect stone is the world’s biggest vibrant pink diamond, with an oval shape. De Beers mined it in Africa in 1999. At the time, the stone weighed 132.5 carats. The Steinmetz Group’s professionals worked on it for nearly two years, cutting and polishing it into a 59.60carat diamond.
The Pink Star was sold for USD 71.2 million to Chow Tai Fook, a Hong Kong-based jewelry manufacturer, during an auction in April 2017.
Final thoughts on the most expensive diamond in the world:
So, what factors make a diamond the most expensive diamond in the world? The 4 Cs of diamonds—carat, cut, clarity, and color—are only a few of them. Like the diamond’s origin, history, and rarity, other factors also influence its market value.
