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The most expensive diamond in the world is owned by Queen Elizabeth! It’s part of the British Royal Jewel Collection and it’s the most valuable diamond ever unearthed.

The rare diamonds on this list are all of exceptional size, clarity and color…these are not the average stones you’ll find around a rapper’s neck!

All of these valuable diamonds have either been unearthed, in India or South Africa.

All these expensive diamonds have originated from these two 3rd world countries and are now in the possession of private individuals and institutions located; in America, Europe and Hong Kong.

Queen Elizabeth not only owns one of these diamonds on this top ten list, she in-fact owns two of the most expensive diamonds in the world, and she nor her Royal family, ever paid a dime for them!

Diamonds last forever…

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend…

We have all heard those words before, these slogans were made famous by the De Beers Diamond Mining Company’s marketing campaigns in the 1950’s. Diamonds were not even used in engagement rings before then.

According to conspiracy theories, De Beers is a monopolist diamond company that secretly hoards tons of diamonds away in their safes.

They do this in order to inflate the price of diamonds and make them seem as if they’re so rare when they’re actually really not!

Whatever the truth may be, diamonds have now been ingrained into women’s hearts, as an expression of love…

And the bigger the diamond…the more he loves you!

Enough with the conspiracy theories, let’s get started with our top ten countdown and find out, which one of these precious gemstones below, is the most expensive diamond in the world!

( 10 ) Graff Pink Diamond – $46 Million

Prior to Sotheby’s 2010 auction in Geneva, where it fetched a price of 46 million US dollars, this expensive pink diamond went on an international worldwide tour and was shown to millions of diamond enthusiasts.

The emerald cut pink diamond weighs 24.78 carats (4.956 g). It is mounted on a platinum ring that has 2 shield-shaped clear diamonds flanked on its sides.

Before Sotheby’s auction in Geneva, this diamond was owned by American celebrity jeweler, Harry Winston, who then sold it to an anonymous private collector in the 1950’s! This expensive diamond was in the possession of this collector until 2010.

The Gemological Institute of America has given it a high color rating of, “fancy intense pink” and it’s the 10th most expensive diamond in the world.

The history of this diamond is largely unknown and it went unnamed before diamond dealer, Laurence Graff, bought it at the Geneva auction and named it the Graff Pink Diamond.







( 9 ) Blue Moon of Josephine Diamond – $48.4 Million

This cushion-shaped diamond is the 8th most expensive diamond in the world and was discovered in South Africa in 2014.

The Blue Moon of Josephine weighs 12.03 carats (2.406 g) and has been classified by gemologists, as a flawless diamond with a high color rating of Fancy Vivid Blue.

In 2015, it was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva for 48.4 million US dollars! This vivid blue diamond set a record for the highest price paid per carat.

Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau Luen-Hung, a convicted felon and fugitive, was the diamond collector who bought this blue diamond and named it after his daughter, Josephine.

The Blue Moon of Josephine is the most expensive diamond in his collection of gemstones, that are all named after his daughter, Josephine.

The day before he bought the Blue Moon of Josephine, Joseph Lau purchased a pink diamond at a Christie’s auction for 28.5 million US dollars, which he renamed the “Sweet Josephine” diamond.

He had already acquired another blue diamond in 2009 for 9.5 million US dollars, that he had renamed the “Star of Josephine” diamond.

Joseph Lau must really love his daughter so much!







( 8 ) Oppenheimer Blue Diamond – $57.5 Million

The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond was discovered in South Africa.

It’s the largest “Fancy Vivid Blue” diamond to ever been sold at auction, according to the Gemological Institute of America.

It’s named after its original owner, Philip Oppenheimer, a former chairman of De Beers.

It weighs 14.62 carats (2.924 g) and has a rectangular emerald-cut.

In May 2016, the Oppenheimer Blue Diamond was sold at a Christie’s auction in Geneva, for 57.5 million US dollars!

It’s the 2nd most expensive diamond ever sold at auction and the 8th most expensive diamond on this top ten list.

Two anonymous telephone bidders battled it out for the Oppenheimer Blue diamond, and it had a reserve price of 35 to 45 million US dollars.







( 7 ) Pink Star Diamond – $71.2 Million

Formerly known as the Steinmetz Pink, the Pink Star is the most expensive diamond ever sold at auction and it’s the 7th most expensive diamond in the world.

It weighs 59.60 carats (11.920 g) and the Gemological Institute of America had given it a high color rating of Fancy Vivid Pink.

The Pink Star Diamond weighed 132.5 carats as a rough stone and it took 20 months to cut this valuable diamond into the oval shape that it now has.

It was unearthed in South Africa in 1999, by the De Beers Diamond Mining Company and it was first unveiled in Monaco in 2003.

It’s the largest Vivid Pink Diamond in the world and New York diamond dealer, Isaac Wolf, bought it at a Sotheby’s Geneva auction in 2013.

According to Forbes Magazine, Isaac Wolf never settled the auction price of 83 million US dollars and the diamond was re-added back to Sotheby’s inventory.

In 2017, the Pink Star Diamond was officially sold at an auction in Hong Kong to Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, for a price of 71.2 million US dollars…

Surpassing the Oppenheimer Blue Diamond as the most expensive diamond ever sold at an auction.







( 6 ) Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond – $80 Million

The Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond was discovered in India during the mid 1600’s and it was formerly known as the Wittelsbach Diamond.

It’s the 6th most expensive diamond in the world and it was once part of both, the Austrian and the Bavarian Crown jewels.

It was bought in 2008 by Laurence Graff, for a price of 16.4 million Pounds.

It was renamed the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond in 2010, when Laurence Graff had it re-cut in order to enhance its color and clarity.

Before it was re-cut, the diamond weighed 35.56 carats (7.112 g), had a VS1 clarity and a color rating of fancy deep grayish-blue.

After it was altered, the Gemological Institute of America re-evaluated the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond and upgraded its color grade of “fancy deep grayish-blue” to Fancy Deep Blue. The diamond’s clarity was also upgraded from a VS1 (Very Slightly Included) clarity to “Internally Flawless” (IF).

The modified diamond now weighed 31.06 carats (6.212 g), it had lost over 4 carats (800 mg) in weight.

The re-cutting of the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond was met with heavy criticism, with many citing that the diamond was now unrecognizable as the original Wittelsbach Diamond, making it lose its historical integrity.

None-the-less, Laurence Graff managed to sell the diamond to the Father Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, in mid 2011.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa reportedly paid 80 million US dollars for the 6th most expensive diamond in the world!







( 5 ) Centenary Diamond – $100 Million

This gargantuan diamond was discovered in South Africa on the 17th July 1986.

Weighing an incredible 273.85 carats (54.770 g), the Centenary Diamond is one of the largest diamonds on this top ten list.

Although it has never been publicly appraised, it has been insured for over a 100 million US dollars in 1991, making the Centenary Diamond, the 5th most expensive diamond in the world!

It is internally and externally flawless, and it has a heart-shaped brilliant cut.

The Gemological Institute of America has given it a color rating of Grade D…the highest grade of colorless diamonds!

The De Beers Consolidated Mining Company were the original owners of this rare valuable diamond, before they loaned it to the Tower of London…where the British Royal Jewels are kept.

The secretive De Beers Company have declined to comment whether if they still own the Centenary Diamond or if they’ve gifted it to the British Royal family, just like the other exceptional diamonds they’ve unearthed from Mama Africa.

If we were to guess, it’s more than obvious that the 5th most expensive diamond in the world is now also in the possession of the British Crown.







( 4 ) Hope Diamond – $250 Million

The Hope Diamond weighs 45.552 carats (9.1104 g) and it’s the 4th most expensive diamond in the world.

This fancy blue diamond originated from India and it’s considered as one of the most famous jewels in the world.

Prominent people that had ownership of the Hope Diamond, include:

King Louis XIV, banker Henry Philip Hope, Washington socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean and diamond jeweler Harry Winston.

It’s now owned by the Smithsonian Institution in America and it’s on permanent display in Washington’s National Museum of Natural History.

This Antique-cushion cut diamond is reportedly been insured for 250 million US dollars!

The Hope Diamond is believed to be cursed, as it emits a very intense red glow that lingers for quite some time, after exposure to short-wave ultraviolet light. This phenomena causes the diamond to have a very strong “glow in the dark” effect!

Legend has it, Hindu priests in India placed a curse on the diamond, after they discovered it was stolen from the statue it was embedded in!







( 3 ) Cullinan Diamond – $2 Billion

The Cullinan Diamond, also known as the Star of Africa, is the largest rough diamond ever to be found!

The original Cullinan Diamond weighed 3,106.75 carats (621.350 g), which is about 1.369 pounds!

It’s the 3rd most expensive diamond in the world and is estimated to be worth more than 2 billion US dollars!

It was unearthed in South Africa in 1905 and was presented as a gift to the British Royal family in 1907.

The Cullinan Diamond has since been split up into different sized diamonds of various cuts, the largest of which are the Cullinan I (the Great Star of Africa) and the Cullinan II (the Second Star of Africa).

The Cullinan I is the largest clear cut diamond in the world!

The Cullinan I weighs 530.4 carats (106.08 g) and is mounted in the head of the “Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross”, one of many British Crown Jewels.

While the Cullinan II weighs 317.4 carats (63.48 g) and is mounted on the British Imperial State Crown.

Seven other major diamonds produced from the original Cullinan, weighing a total of 208.29 carats (41.66 g), are also in the possession of the British Royal family.

The British Royal family also owns a set of minor diamonds produced from the original Cullinan, as well as unpolished diamond fragments.







( 2 ) Sancy Diamond – (Priceless)

The Sancy diamond got its name from Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy. The French nobleman acquired this pale yellow diamond in India where he had been the French ambassador.

The shield-shaped diamond weighs 55.23 carats (11.046 g) and was discovered before the 1570’s.

The Sancy diamond was believed to be originally owned by Indian Nobility and it’s the 2nd most expensive diamond in the world!

Since it left India, the Sancy diamond had been under the ownership of many European royal houses.

Most notable royals that owned this exquisite gem include:

Queen of France – Marie de Medicis, King of Holland – William, two Kings of France – Henry III and Henry IV, as well as the King of England – Charles I.

The Sancy diamond is even listed in the Tower of London’s 1605 Inventory of Jewels Journal.

In 1906, the Sancy diamond was sold by the famous Russian collector, A.K. Rudanovsky, to William Waldorf Astor.

The wealthy Astor family had possession of the diamond for 72 years, before selling it to the Louvre Museum in 1978, for 1 million US dollars.

Paris, has been the home of the Sancy diamond since 1978 and it’s situated in the Apollo Gallery of the Louvre Museum.







( 1 ) Koh-I-Noor Diamond – (Priceless)

The Koh-I-Noor diamond is the most expensive diamond in the world and is part of the British Crown Jewels.

The Koh-I-Noor diamond is more priceless than the Sancy, due to its sheer size and high colorless grade.

The British acquired it in India, during their conquest of Punjab in 1849.

Koh-i-Noor is Persian for “Mountain of Light” and it weighs 105.602 carats (21.1204 g)!

By 1851, it was in the possession of the British Royal family and has only been worn by its female members.

Today, the Koh-i-Noor is displayed at the Tower of London, with the rest of the royal jewels.

The government of India have been asking for the return of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, ever since it gained independence from Britain in 1947.

The British government insists the Koh-i-Noor was legally obtained and venomously rejects all other claims.

And there you have it…the Koh-i-Noor is the most expensive diamond in the world!

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References

Wikipedia.org > Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond

Wikipedia.org > Sancy Diamond

Wikipedia.org > Pink Star Diamond

Wikipedia.org > Oppenheimer Blue Diamond

Wikipedia.org > Koh-i-Noor Diamond

Wikipedia.org > Hope Diamond

Wikipedia.org > Graff Pink Diamond

Wikipedia.org > Cullinan Diamond

Wikipedia.org > Centenary Diamond

Wikipedia.org > Blue Moon of Josephine Diamond