Often referred to as a woman’s best friend, a diamond has the capacity to attract practically everyone.
These beautiful yet strongest materials got their name from an ancient Greek word, Adamas, which means indestructible.
The Most Expensive Diamonds in the World (Source: Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong)
Moreover, they are virtually impossible to break or even scratch.
It was only after the invention of Graphene that Diamond scientifically lost its position as the strongest material on Earth.
Nevertheless, Diamonds are the most valued stones in the world because each stone has an interesting backstory that frequently goes along with it.
Here is a list of the 20 most expensive diamonds in the world, along with their prices.
Enjoy the article, and you might find something to propose to your girl with.
Quick Overview
S. No
Most Expensive Diamonds
Price
1.
Kohinoor
Priceless
2.
The Cullinan Diamond
$400 Million Upward
3.
The Hope Diamond
UP to $350 Million
4.
De Beers Centenary Diamond
$100 Million
5.
CTF Pink Star Diamond
$71.2 Million
6.
The Regent Diamond
$61 Million
7.
The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond
$57.5 Million
8.
The Graff Lesedi La Rona
$53 Million
9.
The Winston Pink Legacy
$50.4 Million
10.
The Blue Moon of Josephine Diamond:
$48.4 Million
11.
The Graff Pink Diamond
$46.2 Million
12.
Lesotho Legend
$40 Million
13.
The Princie Diamond
$39.3 Million
14.
The Orange Diamond
$35.5 Million
15.
The Sakura Diamond
$29.3 Million
16.
Archduke Joseph Diamond
$21.5 Million
17.
The Heart of Eternity
$16 Million
18.
Golden Jubilee Diamond
$12 Million
19.
The Sancy Diamond
$6 Million
20.
Allnatt Diamond
$3.043 Million
Most Expensive Diamonds
20. Allnatt Diamond
The Allnatt diamond got its name from its first owner, Ernest Allnatt. Ernest was an Englishman who was also a philanthropist.
The Allnatt diamond has a vibrant yellow color that glows and reflects light and weighs an astonishing 101.29 carats.
Even more remarkable is the fact that it possesses VS2 clarity, which is relatively uncommon for a diamond of its size.
Allnatt Diamond (Source: Worthly)
Moreover, the diamond is highly precious, as organizers of The Splendor of Diamonds showcased it as a part of their exhibition.
In addition to looking stunning, it has an aura of mystery around it because no one knows where it came from. However, some think that South Africa could be the diamond’s place of origin.
In May 1996, the diamond was sold at Christie’s Geneva auction for a whopping $3.043 million.
The Sancy was one of the first large diamonds to be cut with symmetrical facets. It is a shield-shaped light yellow diamond.
People believe that it belonged to the Mughals. In fact, the shape indicates that it is of Indian origin, which actually supports the testament.
The Sancy Diamond (Source: Pinterest)
Sancy diamond is also notable for having symmetrical facets and no pavilion, as well as two crowns stacked on top of each other.
It was one of the earliest diamonds to achieve recognition in Europe, with documentation beginning around 1570.
Even though it has never been valued, it is estimated to be worth around $6 million.
18. Golden Jubilee Diamond
The Golden Jubilee Diamond was discovered in De Beers’ Premier Mine in South Africa in 1986.
Because of the internal cracks, De Beers hired professional diamond cutter Gabriel Tolkowsky to cut it.
After months of thorough research, he was able to eventually cut the 148-facet cushion shape from a 700-carat stone.
The Golden Jubilee Diamond (Source: Pinterest)
The stone weighed 545.65 carats when it was finished in 1990, making it the world’s largest faceted diamond.
De Beers sold the diamond to the Royal family of Thailand, who put it on the royal scepter to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Rama IX’s reign.
The diamond is currently valued at $12 million.
17. The Heart of Eternity
The beautiful bright blue Heart of Eternity was discovered at South Africa’s Premier Diamond Mine.
The Steinmetz Group cut this magnificent heart-shaped diamond from 777 carats of raw stone.
De Beers later purchased the diamond in 2000.
The Heart of Eternity (Source: REENA AHLUWALIA)
According to rumors, boxer Floyd Mayweather bought the diamond for his then-fiancée, Shantel Jackson, in 2012. De Beers, however, has not confirmed this.
With a valuation of over $16 million, it is the 17th most expensive diamond in the world.
16. Archduke Joseph Diamond
An antique cushion-shaped diamond Archduke Joseph is one of the most expensive colorless diamonds.
This exquisite diamond got its name after Archduke Joseph August of Austria. His family had the diamond for many years until Molina Fine Jewelers of Phoenix purchased it.
Archduke Joseph Diamond (Source: CBS News)
Consequently, in 2021, Christie’s sold the diamond for $21.5 million to an anonymous bidder at an auction in Geneva.
Sakura in Japanese means cherry blossom, which wonderfully depicts the delicate colors of this purple-pink diamond.
The Sakura Diamond, graded as fancy bright, is in the top 4% of pink diamonds in this category.
Shakura Diamond (Source: International Gemological Institute)
In addition, the diamond was cut from a 27.8-carat rough diamond discovered in the Yakutia mines’ freezing grounds.
The diamond was sold for $29.29 million (226 million Hong Kong dollars) in 2021, which fell short of the auction house’s initial top estimate of $38 million (300 million Hong Kong dollars).
14. The Orange Diamond
Sometimes referred to as “fire diamonds,” the pear-shaped Orange Diamond weighs 14.82 carats.
It is a one-of-a-kind, pure orange fancy dazzling diamond.
Orange Diamond (Source: Pinterest)
This diamond is four times the size of the usual gem of its kind. As a result, it broke the record for the biggest and most costly orange rock ever sold.
It was sold at Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels Sale for $35.5 million.
13. The Princie Diamond
The Princie Diamond is a historically significant cushion-cut beautiful intense pink diamond measuring about 34.65 carats.
Since Christie’s auctioned it to the Qatari royal family in 2013 for a staggering $39.3 million, the Princie diamond has been the subject of several disputes.
The Princie Diamond (source: Pinterest)
The descendants of an Italian senator sued the auction firm.
In fact, they have alleged that the property was legitimately theirs, but a stepbrother illegally sold it to Christie’s.
12. Lesotho Legend
The Lesotho Legend is a class IIa colorless diamond that was discovered in the Kingdom of Lesotho in 2018.
The rough diamond is the size of two golf balls and of outstanding quality.
Lesotho Legend (Source: Pinterest)
An anonymous bidder bought the diamond in Belgium for $40 million barely two months after it was discovered.
11. The Graff Pink Diamond
A renowned diamond trader Lawrence Graff purchased this exquisite pink diamond in 2010 at the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels Sale in Geneva.
Graff trimmed and polished it to bring an even more brilliant pink hue.
Graff Pink Diamond (Source: Robb Report)
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) subsequently declared it to be internally perfect.
The pink diamond was formerly owned by legendary jeweler Harry Winston.
Hong Kong millionaire Joseph Lau purchased the Blue Moon diamond in 2015 for $48.4 million.
He changed the name to The Blue Moon of Josephine in honor of his daughter.
The Blue Moon of Josephine Diamond
When observed under UV light, this form of the fancy blue diamond is believed to emit a red glow.
9. The Winston Pink Legacy
In 2018, Harry Winston purchased The Pink Legacy diamond from the Oppenheimer family at a Christie’s auction for $50.4 million.
It set the record for the most expensive pink diamond ever sold at Christie’s.
The Winston Pink Legacy (source: Pinterest)
It is now exquisitely set in rose gold and platinum ring with two shield-cut colorless diamonds on either side.
8. The Graff Lesedi La Rona
Graff Diamonds purchased the magnificent Lesedi La Rona as a raw diamond of 1,109 carats in 2017.
It took them just over 18 months to cut and polish the diamond into one large 302.37-carat jewel and 66 smaller cut diamonds.
The Graff Lesedi La Rona (Source: Graff.com)
The diamond has set two world records. First, it is the world’s biggest square emerald cut diamond.
Second, it is the biggest diamond of the greatest color and clarity ever certified by the GIA.
The diamond is valued at $53 million.
7. The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond
The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond has the finest possible color grade for colored diamonds, being a fancy intense blue.
The huge rectangular diamond is in a platinum ring with an emerald cut.
The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond (Source: CNN)
Moreover, it boasts a colorless, trapeze-shaped diamond on each side.
When this exceptional diamond was auctioned off for $57.5 million in May 2016, it set a new world record for the highest amount ever paid for a gemstone.
6. The Regent Diamond
The Regent Diamond is a one-of-a-kind white diamond with delicate blue undertones.
According to rumors, the magnificent diamond was discovered in 1698 by a slave in India’s Kollur Mine.
The Regent Diamond (Source: Diamond Buzz)
Moreover, this diamond has a more than 300-year history, traveling across countries through the hands of Dukes, Queens, and Kings until arriving in the Louvre in Paris in 1887.
The diamond owned by the French state and displayed in the Louvre is worth around $61 million.
De Beers discovered the Pink Star in 1999 in South Africa, measuring 132.5 carats in the rough.
The Pink Star, originally known as the Steinmetz Pink, is a 59.60-carat diamond certified Fancy Vivid Pink by the Gemological Institute of America.
CTF Pink Star Diamond (Source: NPR)
It was auctioned off in 2017 to Chow Tai Fook Enterprises in Hong Kong for $71.2 million.
4. De Beers Centenary Diamond
This massive 273.85-carat jewel is the third biggest diamond discovered in South Africa’s Premier Mine.
The magnificent Centenary diamond boasts the highest color grade (D) and perfect clarity.
De Beers Centenary Diamond (Source: Pinterest)
In addition, the rough diamond was presented at De Beers’ Centenary celebration in 1988, giving origin to the diamond’s name.
According to reports, De Beers no longer owns the diamond. The $100 million diamond’s current owner remains a mystery.
3. The Hope Diamond
The fancy dark grayish-blue diamond, discovered in the 1600s, has a history of hardship and tragedy.
It was stolen after being purchased by King Louis XIV in 1668 and rediscovered nearly 50 years later.
The Hope Diamond (Source: Wikipedia)
Interestingly, stories of bad luck followed individuals who were affiliated with the diamond.
Harry Winston purchased this diamond in 1949 and donated it to the Smithsonian Institution. The Hope diamond is currently on exhibition in the Smithsonian Museum and is valued between $200–$350 million.
2. The Cullinan Diamond
It was the biggest rough diamond ever found when it was unearthed at the Premier No. 2 mine in Cullinan, South Africa.
The Cullinan Diamond originally had a weight of 3,106.75 carats, and over time, it split into 9 diamonds, all of which are now a part of the British Crown Jewels.
Cullinan Diamond (Source: Pinterest)
Often known as the Great Star of Africa, Cullinan Diamond was the largest diamond until 1985, when the Golden Jubilee of 545.67 carats from the same mine dethroned it.
However, it is still the biggest clean-cut diamond.
If the rough Cullinan was discovered today, it would potentially be worth more than $400 million.
1. Koh-i-Noor
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is the most expensive in the world, with priceless status owing to its brightness and uniqueness.
Koh-i-Noor is a Persian word that means “mountain of light.” The jewel was part of the Mughal Peacock Throne and was thought to have been discovered in India.
Koh-i-Noor (Source: Wikipedia)
This colorless gemstone, weighing 105.6 carats, is currently part of the British Crown Jewels.
Although the Koh-i-Noor diamond is regarded as priceless, the Crown as a whole is estimated to be worth more than $1 billion.
Conclusion
The value of a diamond is determined by several aspects, including its weight, color, clarity, reflecting edges, and cultural and historical importance.
However, there are additional factors to consider, like where the diamond was mined and its rarity.
I hope the article has given you an understanding of the most expensive diamonds on the planet.
