Top 20 Most Expensive Diamonds In The World
The most expensive, rare, and stunning diamonds are usually sold in auctions held worldwide. The fascination for diamonds keeps growing just as their value increases.
But, unfortunately, they are also a symbol of wealth and power, so those who possess them keep them as an heirloom to be passed from generation to generation.
Diamonds, like art pieces, are sought after by the rich to add to their private collections. Diamonds are also known to symbolize love and commitment, just as they are constantly used for engagements.
Therefore if you’d love to have a piece of Diamond as part of your collection, or you wish to give it to the one you love, here’s a list of the most expensive, rare, and dazzling diamonds you can pick from.
- The Graff Vivid Yellow: $16.35 million
Known as one of the largest fancy vivid yellow diamonds ever known, it weighs about 100.09 carats and set a record for the highest price paid for a yellow diamond in the world.
It was sold in 2014 at Sotheby’s Geneva and is known for its stunning yellow color.
- The Archduke Joseph Diamond: $21.5 million
This stunning internally flawless Diamond was sold at Christie’s Geneva auction. Its sale set a record for colorless diamond sales.
The cushion-shaped diamond was discovered in one of the oldest diamond mines in Golconda, India, and weighed about 76 carats.
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- Wittelsbach Graff Diamond: $23.4 million
The stunning Diamond with a royal past weighs 31.06 carats.
It goes far back to the 17th century when it was included in the dowry of King Philip’s daughter and later became a part of the Australian and Bavarian crown jewel.
The Wittelsbach Diamond is one of the most popular globally and was bought by Sir Laurence Graff, a renowned jeweler, in 2008.
The Grayish blue Diamond was also called der Blaue Wittelsbach and was purchased from Christie’s, London.
After Graff purchased it, he hired a diamond cutter to remove its impurities, and the Diamond originally weighed 35.56.
He also had the edge cut and repolished to about 31.06 carats and then renamed Wittelsbach Graff.
- Winston Blue Diamond: $23.8 million
The largest flawless, vivid blue Diamond globally weighs 13.22 carats and is set in a ring flanked by two pear-shaped white diamonds.
It was purchased at Christie’s by Harry Winston and held a world record for blue diamonds, sold for $1.8 million per carat.
- The Perfect Pink Diamond: $23.8 million
The emerald cut diamond was auctioned in 2010 at Christie’s held in Hong Kong.
After heated bidding between four bidders, an anonymous buyer purchased the 14.23-carat rare Diamond.
The Diamond is set in an 18 carat rose and white gold ring, surrounded by smaller colorless emerald’s.
According to Christie’s, pink diamonds are among the most beautiful gemstones and are highly sort after during auctions.
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- The Steinmetz Pink Diamond: $25 million
One of the finest pink diamonds in the world, it was revealed in Monaco in 2003 and was worn by supermodel Helena Christensen in a necklace.
It is classified as the largest fancy vivid pink Diamond globally and was discovered in South Africa.
The 59.60-carat diamond is internally flawless and took 20 months for the Steinmetz Group to cut. The rare pink diamond was displayed at The Splendor of Diamonds exhibition.
- The 101 Diamond: $26.7 million
It is called 101 since it weighs 101.73 carats. It is colorless and pear-shaped and has a high price due to its flawless clarity and D color grade. It was sold in 2013 at a Christie’s auction.
- Sweet Josephine Pink Diamond: $28.5 million
Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau bought this pear-shaped Diamond. He purchased it for his daughter and named it after her.
The 16.08-carat Diamond is pear-shaped and is set with a cushion-shaped pink Diamond.
Joseph Lau buys rare and exquisite diamonds and names them after his two daughters Zoe and Josephine.
- Egg sized Diamond: $30.6 million
Though this oval-cut Diamond has not been named yet, it weighs about 118.28 carats and broke the most expensive colorless diamond to be auctioned.
It was sold in a Sotheby’s auction at Hong King and cost $259,322 per carat.
It is the largest-sized Diamond ever sold at an auction and has a small egg shape.
- The Orange: $35.56 million
Usually, blue and pink colored diamonds are mostly sought after, but the beauty and size of this orange Diamond made it break the record for the highest price per carat for any colored diamond.
The 14.82 carats bright orange Diamond sold at about $2.4 million per carat.
Forbes claims the fiery color of the Diamond and its stunning beauty was why it broke the record.
- The Pink Diamond: $39.3 million
The Diamond has been traced to an ancient mine in Golconda, India.
It is owned by the Hyderabad royal family and was sold by Nizam of Hyderabad in 1960.
The Diamond earned its name during a Paris store party in honor of the Baroda Prince when he was 14.
It was an extravagant party for the circle of the rich living in Paris. The intense pink 34.65-carat Diamond has a cushion cut.
- Graff Vivid Pink Diamond: $46 million
The Graff pink diamond is a rare pink diamond that weighs 24.78 carats.
It was bought by Laurence Graff and placed on a ring. Harry Winston, a renowned jeweler, first owned the Diamond.
Before it was sold, he kept the Diamond for over 60 years in his private collection.
The Diamond was graded by the GIA and had no impurities or nitrogen.
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Most Expensive Diamonds In The World
- Blue Moon Diamond: $48.5 million
These 12.03 carats diamond is internally flawless and was discovered in 2014 by Petra Diamond in South Africa.
It was auctioned at Sotheby’s in Geneva the following year for $48.5 million. It was bought by Mr. Joseph Lau Luen-hung, a Hong Kong billionaire who named it after his daughter Josephine, hence its alternate name, The Blue Moon of Josephine.’
- Oppenheimer Blue Diamond: $57.5 million
Due to its rare beauty, the Oppenheimer sold way above its asking price. It is the largest blue diamond ever auctioned and was sold in Geneva in 2016 for $57.5 million.
The Diamond was named after its previous owner, the former chairman of De Beers, Sir Philip Oppenheimer. The vivid blue Diamond weighs 14.62 Carats.
- The Pink Star: $71 million
It was auctioned at Sotheby’s and was sold for $71 million within five minutes.
The 59.60 Carats is vivid pink and cut in an oval shape. It broke the highest price paid for a jewel record.
- De Beers Centenary Diamond: $100 million
It weighs 273.85 carats and is the 3rd largest Diamond produced by De Beers Premier Mine. It is the highest grade of colorless Diamond and is both internally and externally flawless.
- The Hope Diamond: $250 million
The Hope Diamond looks blue to the physical eye, but when placed under ultraviolet light, it takes on the color of red phosphor.
The Diamond weighed 45.52 carats and was found in India in 1642. It was established in the royal CrownCrown of Luis the 14th and then stolen during the French revolution.
Legend claims whoever owns the Diamond will have bad luck, as a curse was placed on the precious stone.
The name Hope was given to it when Henry Philip Hope possessed it.
- The Cullinan Diamond: $400 million
The colorless pear-shaped Diamond is one of the most prominent gemstones ever found.
It is called the Star of Africa and weighs 530.20 carats. This stone was discovered in 1905 in the South African Premier Mine and was named after Thomas Cullinan, the company’s chairman. It was then given to the King, Edward VII, who gave it to a firm in Amsterdam to cut.
It took eight months for the Diamond to be cut, and it was cut into nine stones and 96 more minor variations.
Currently, the Diamond is part of the crown jewels, majorly the Scepter with the Cross.
- The Sancy Diamond: Priceless
This yellow Diamond can be found in Paris’s French Crown Jewel collection. The Diamond weighs 55.23 carats and is cut in the shape of a shield.
It is known as one of the rarest diamonds ever, and its value has not been calculated yet, hence why it’s termed priceless.
The Sancy Diamond is cursed because it has constantly disappeared and appeared throughout history.
The stone is named after French Soldier and Diplomat Nicolas de Harlay seigneur de Sancy.
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- The Koh-I-Noor Diamond: Priceless
Translated to English, Koh-I-Noor means Mountain of Light in Persia. The Diamond weighs 105.60 carats and is one of the largest Diamond known in the world.
It was first owned by different Sikhs and Persian rulers and originated from India.
Currently, the Diamond is in Britain, and the British CrownCrown is kept in London.
Controversies surrounding the diamond claims that Britain stole the precious stone from India, and the Indian citizens have constantly asked for their Diamond to be returned to them.
Even though it adorns the CrownCrown of the British CrownCrown, no price has been given to the stone, as it’s termed priceless.
