Top 10 Biggest Diamonds in the World
The World's Largest Diamond - The geological history of planet earth is fascinating. In this history, Diamond is the oldest preserved mineral on earth and has captured the human imagination like no other mineral. Diamonds are geological masterpieces, forged by nature billions of years ago. Until 1725, India was the sole source of diamonds in the world, followed by the discovery of diamond mines in Brazil. Countless diamond discoveries were made, mostly alluvial, until diamond mining became the preferred method of diamond recovery. Discovered rough diamonds are cut, polished and then set in your brilliant jewelry.
Diamonds are among the most sought after and prized possessions in the world. The discovery of large diamonds is front-page news and attracts buyers and the public alike. From a diamond that is thought to have flown from space to a stone discovered by a young girl in a pile of rubble, read the article below to know the top 10 largest diamonds in the world.
The largest diamonds in the world
1. Cullinan Diamond - 3106.75 carats
2. The Lesedi La Rona – 1111 carats
3. Debswana recovered diamond - 1098-carats
4. Hiện chưa đặt tên. 998 carat, được phát hiện ở Botswana trong Mỏ kim cương Karowe do Lucara Diamond sở hữu và vận hành
5. The Excelsior Diamond – 995.2 carats
6. The Star of Sierra Leone – 969 carats
7. The Lesotho Legend - 910 carats
8. The Incomparable – 890 carats
9. The Constellation Diamond – 813 carats
10. The Koh-i-Noor Diamond – 793 carats
11. The Millennium Star – 777 carats
12. The Woyie River Diamond – 770 carats
13. The Vargas - 726.6 carats
Here's a closer look at the stats and photos of these historic and legendary diamonds.
1. THE CULLINAN DIAMOND
Carat Weight: 3,106.75 carats (621,350 g)
Color: Almost colorless
Country of manufacture: South Africa
Mine of Origin: Premier . Mine
cut by: Asscher Brothers
Original owner: Premier . Diamond Mining Company
Owner: Queen Elizabeth II to the right of the Crown (I and II) and in a personal capacity (III – IX)
Cullinan Diamond. Photograph of two models (replicas) of the original rock. The Cullinan diamond was discovered in South Africa in 1905 and presented to King Edward VII in 1907. It was sent to the Asschers (now the Royal Asscher Diamond Company) of Amsterdam to be cracked in 1908. Image: The Royal Collection © Queen Elizabeth II
The Cullinan diamond was presented to King Edward VII of Great Britain, who asked the Asscher brothers to cut it. In 1908, Joseph Asscher cut the stone into 9 large stones and 42 small stones. This is a replica of the Cullinan polished diamonds. Image: Royal Asscher Archives / Image taken by Reena Ahluwalia
Royal Crown. Set in the Royal Crown is a 317.4-carat Cullinan II diamond, also known as the Lesser Star of Africa, cut by the Asscher Diamond Company. Crown of Great Britain. Image: The Royal Collection © Queen Elizabeth II
The Sovereign's Scepter with Cross is set with the largest of the Cullinan diamonds known as the African Star or Cullinan I weighing 530.2 carats. The Scepter is part of the Crown Jewels. Image via: The Jewelery Editor
2. THE LESEDI LA RONA DIAMOND
Carat Weight: 1,111 carats (222.2 g; 7.14 oz)
Dimensions: 65 mm × 56 mm × 40 mm (2.6 in × 2.2 in × 1.6 in)
Color: Colorless / white, Type IIa
Cut: Rough Diamond
National production:
Botswana Mine Origin: Karowe . Mine
Discovered: November 16, 2015
Original owner: Lucara
Diamond owner : Graff Diamonds
Lesedi La Rona is a type IIA diamond. Type IIa diamonds are the highest valued and purest diamonds. They contain little or no nitrogen atoms in the crystal structure. White stones are particularly colorless and fancy colored diamonds are often found in tones of brown, purple, blue, or pink. They represent only 1% - 2% of all diamonds mined in the world.
At 1111 carats, the Lesedi La Rona is the world's second largest diamond ever discovered (as of 2018). Image: Lucara Diamonds
Lesedi La Rona is a type IIA diamond. Type IIa diamonds are the highest valued and purest diamonds. They contain little or no nitrogen atoms in the crystal structure. Image: Lucara Diamonds
The 1111-carat diamond was named Lesedi La Rona which means "Our Light" in Tswana. Image: Lucara Diamonds
3. Debswana recovered diamond - 1098-carats
Carat Weight: 1098 carats
Dimensions: 73 x 52 x 27 mm
Color: Colorless / white. Rough diamond
Country of manufacture: Botswana
Mine of Origin: Jwaneng . Mine
Discovered: June 1, 2021.
Original owner: Debswana Diamond, a joint venture between De Beers and the government of Botswana
Debswana Diamond, a joint venture between De Beers and the government of Botswana, found a 1,098-carat stone, one of only four over 1,000 carats ever excavated (as of June 2021) and the one the company's largest since it began operations five decades ago. The unnamed giant stone was selected on June 1 in Jwaneng, the world's richest diamond mine in terms of value.
The 1098-carat rough diamond was recovered on June 1, 2021 from the southern kimberlite pipeline at the Jwaneng mine. Image: Debswana Diamond Company.
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi inspects Debswana's 1098-carat diamond. Photo: Monirul Bhuiyan / AFP / Getty Images
The 1098-carat rough diamond was recovered on June 1, 2021 from the southern kimberlite pipeline at the Jwaneng mine. Image: Debswana Diamond Company.
4. Not yet named. Rough diamond 998 carat
Carat Weight: 998 carats
Dimensions: 67 x 49 x 45 mm
Colour: Colorless/white, Type IIa. Rough diamond
Country of manufacture: Botswana
Mine of Origin: Karowe . Mine
Discovered: November 10, 2020
Original owner: Lucara Diamond, HB Antwerp
The 998 carat diamond was recovered in the XRT MDR ("Mega Diamond Recovery") circuit allowing the diamond to be recovered after primary grinding and prior to milling. The diamond, measuring 67x49x45mm, was recovered from direct milling of ore sourced from South Lobe's EM/PK(S) unit of the Karowe Diamond Mine. Lucara is working with HB Antwerp, a specialist in cutting and polishing high-quality diamonds, to evaluate next steps to maximize the value of the rare large stone. The two made an agreement to work together to obtain all the diamonds larger than 10.8 carats that Lucara discovered.
The 998-carat rough diamond was discovered at the Karowe Diamond Mine owned by Lucara Diamond in 2020. Image: Lucara
5. THE EXCELSIOR DIAMOND
Carat weight: raw 975.2 carats (194.35 g)
Color: G (almost colorless)
Cut: Assorted (ten total stones, the largest is pear-shaped)
Country of manufacture: South Africa
Mine of Origin: Jagersfontein . Mine
Discovered: June 30, 1893
Cut by: IJ Asscher
Company owner: Multiple owners. My Excelsior was bought by Robert Mouawad
Carat weight: raw 975.2 carats (194.35 g) Color: G (almost colorless) Cut: Assorted (ten total stones, the largest is pear-shaped) Country of manufacture: South Africa Mine of Origin: Jagersfontein . Mine Discovered: June 30, 1893 Cut by: IJ Asscher Company owner: Multiple owners. My Excelsior was bought by Robert Mouawad
6. THE STAR OF SIERRA LEONE
Carat weight: 969 carats (193.78 g) raw
Country of manufacture: Sierra Leone
Mine of Origin: Diminco . Mine
Discovered: February 14, 1972
cut: Harry Vos
Original Owner: Bought by Harry Winston on October 3, 1972
The Star of Sierra Leone diamond was discovered by miners on February 14, 1972 at the Diminco alluvial mine in the Koidu region of Sierra Leone. It ranks as the fourth largest gem-quality diamond and the largest alluvial diamond ever discovered. Image: Unknown
The Star of Sierra Leone VI diamond ring by Harry Winston. Set with a pear-shaped diamond, approximately 21.69 carats, on the tapered shoulder in a bread-cut diamond, ring size 5 ½, set in platinum. Signed Winston for Harry Winston. At Christie's Geneva Magnificent Jewels Sale, November 15. Image: Copyright - High Jewelery Dream / Via Instagram
'The Star of Sierra Leone Diamond Brooch', Harry Winston. Floral motif, set with a pear-shaped diamond, surrounded by a similarly shaped stone weighing 3.25 carats and five marquise diamonds weighing 2.86, 2.97, 3.74 , 3.93 and 4.30 carats, further accentuated by unmarked, marquise-shaped stones, the maker's mark for Jacques Timey. Image: Sotheby's
7. THE LESOTHO LEGEND
Carat weight: 910 carats raw
Color: D-Color, Type IIA
Country of manufacture: Lesotho
Mine of Origin: Letšeng Mine / Gem Diamond Ltd.
Discovered: January 2018
Recreate Ahluwalia with the Legend of Lesotho, a D-Color diamond, type IIa, weighing 910 carats. It was discovered in the Letšeng mine by Gem Diamonds Ltd. and was purchased for $40 million in 2018. Image: Reena Ahluwalia
8. THE INCOMPARABLE DIAMOND
Carat Weight: 890 carats (178 g) raw
Color: Fancy deep fawn
Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mine Origin: A young girl discovered it in a ruin from the old mine yard of the neighboring Mine MIBA Diamond
Discovered : 1984
Owner: Mouawad. In 2013, 637-ct. L'Incomporing diamond necklace (set with a one-of-a-kind diamond) was honored by Guinness World Records as the most expensive necklace in the world with a value of $55 million.
The one-of-a-kind diamond was discovered in 1989 by a young girl playing in a pile of rubble in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Experts took 4 years to analyze and finally cut the diamond, in the end they chose to cut a smaller flawless diamond instead of retaining the larger size but with more impurities. The flawless diamond inside has a fancy light brown color, weighing 407.78 carats, which set a Guinness World Record when it was valued at $55 million. Image: Roger Cullman
9. THE CONSTELLATION DIAMOND
Carat Weight: 813 carats (raw)
Size: 2.4 inches
Color: D Perfect
Country of manufacture: Botswana
Mine Origin: Karowe Mine / Lucara Diamond Corp
Discovered: 2015
Owner: Nemesis International DMCC purchased the diamond for $63.1 million. In 2016, Geneva-based De Grisogono purchased the rights to market Constellation diamonds at the launch of the 28th Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris.
10. THE KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND
Carat weight: 793 carats (raw)
Color: D (colorless), Type IIa
Cut: Polished, Brilliant Oval
Country of Origin: India
Mine of Origin: Kollur . Mine
The legendary Koh-i-Noor diamond came from the alluvial deposits of India thousands of years ago, sifted from the sand. According to Hindu belief, it is revered by gods such as Krishna - although it seems to carry a curse, if the luck of its owner is anything to go by. The gem, known as the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, crept through the intrigues of the Indian court before finally being handed over to Great Britain in the mid-1800s. Image: GIA
Left, the Koh-i-Noor appeared at the coronation of King George VI worn by his wife, Elizabeth. May 12, 1937. Today, Koh-i-Noor sits on the Queen Mother's crown, as part of the front cross. It was last seen in public in April 2002, when the crown was placed on the Queen Mother's coffin during her funeral. Image: Corbis via Getty Images.
Queen Elizabeth Queen's crown of England in 1937. The front cross holds the Koh-i-Noor diamond in a removable platinum holder. The platinum-framed tiara is set with 2,800 diamonds, mostly cushion-shaped but with some rose cuts and some brilliant cuts. The tiara was created for Queen Elizabeth during the coronation of King George VI on 12 May 1937. The Koh-i-Noor diamond has been successively mounted in the crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary, and is again placed for this crown. The crown was created by Garrard & Co. Image: Royal Collection Trust.
11. THE MILLENNIUM STAR DIAMOND
Carat Weight: 777-carat (155.4 g)
Color: D Color, No Picture Color
cut: Brilliant pear
Country of manufacture: Zaire
Origin: Mbuji-Mayi
Discovered: 1990 People
cut: Steinmetz
Group owner : De Beers
The Millennium Star diamond was first displayed as the centerpiece of the De Beers Millennium diamond collection at the Louvre in Paris. I was lucky enough to have a diamond in my hand, I was at the Louvre to receive the 'De Beers Diamonds International Award' for excellence in design. The collection also includes 11 blue diamonds totaling 118 carats (23.6 g) and the Heart of Eternity. They have been on display at London's Millennium Dome for over 2000. Photo: De Beers
12. THE WOYIE RIVER DIAMOND
Carat weight: 770 carats (154 g)
Dimensions: 71 x 53 x 32mm
Color: D-perfect
Country of manufacture: Sierra Leone, alluvial diamond
Discovered: 1945
The largest gemstone cut from the Woyie River Diamond is the Victory Diamond, a 31.34-carat step-cut diamond seen here mounted as a ring between two tapered baguette-shaped diamond shoulders. . D Color, VVS2 Clarity, Type IIa were sold by Sotheby's in 2014. Image: Sotheby's
Top 10 Biggest Diamonds in the World
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