Famous Diamonds
Famous Diamonds
A diamond’s fame can be owed to its size, its beauty and at times its historical provenance—sometimes factual, sometimes legendary. Much of a diamond’s fame is earned by virtue of the fame of its owner. The following include a few examples of diamonds which come with a legacy.
The Sancy Diamond, is a 55-carat, light-yellow diamond, which is the most famous natural color fancy yellow diamond in existence. Originating in India and named for its first verified owner, French Ambassador to the Turkish court Nicholas Harlai of Sancy, it was purchased in Constantinople in the late 1500’s. Beginning with that date, it was loaned to French royalty, including Kings Henri III and IV, the former placed it in his cap to cover his baldness and the latter used it as security to finance his army. It then changed hands to English royalty. It later returned to France, purchased by Cardinal Mazarin for Louis XIV, was stolen during the French Revolution, and then was bought and sold, and vanished again until it re-surfaced in and crossed the ocean to America, having been purchased by William Waldorf Astor, whose wife Lady Astor wore it on special occasions. In 1978 it was sold by the Astor family to the Louvre for $1 million, where today it is on exhibit.
The 287-carat Tiffany Diamond is also a member of the family of natural color yellow diamonds. Its appearance of smoldering fire is the result of its unique cut and it is one of the largest diamonds in this color group. Found in South Africa’s Kimberley Mine in 1877, it was purchased by Charles Tiffany for $18,000, thus earning its name. Much of its fame is due to the publicity it acquired after its use in the film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey Hepburn. Today it can be viewed at Tiffany’s New York flagship store.
Color and size are part of the fame of the Moussaieff Red, which at 5.11 carats is the largest known natural color red diamond. It was purported to have been discovered in the 1990’s by a Brazilian farmer in its rough form weighing 13.90 carats. The William Goldberg Diamond Corporation purchased and cut the stone into its triangular shape (sometimes referred to as a trillion or trilliant), and the GIA grade determined that it was the largest red diamond ever graded. Eventually it was purchased by the Moussaieff Jewellers Ltd. around 2001for an undisclosed amount. Although its price was undoubtedly high, this red diamond is internally flawless, which has probably made its value only increase.
When famous actor Richard Burton purchased the diamond, which has come to be known as the Taylor-Burton diamond, for his equally famous wife, Elizabeth Taylor, for her 40th birthday in 1972, it earned its place in the pantheon of famous diamonds. In its original rough form the stone weighed 241 carats, and was found in the Premier Mine in South Africa in 1966. It received a pear-shape cut, weighing 69.42 carats, by Harry Winston. Jewelers. Its original owner was Harriet Annenberg Ames, who sold it to Cartier’s owner, Robert Kenmore for $1,050,000. Part of its fame is its claim to be the world’s first million-dollar diamond. Cartier’s agreed to sell the diamond to Richard Burton on condition that it could be displayed in its store windows, and it was set in a diamond necklace, which then became the property of the Taylor-Burtons. Upon the couple’s divorce, the diamond was sold at auction in 1978 and went for $5,000,000, purchased by Henry Lambert, a New York-based jeweler. Part of the proceeds went to build a hospital in Botswana. The owner of the diamond today, Robert Mouawad, had the diamond re-cut to 68.09 carats.
The Koh-i Noor Diamond (translated to “Mountain of Light” in Persian) once possessed the title of the largest known diamond in the world, and its current weight is 108.93 carats. Its history, the longest of any known diamond, has its origin in India. Its past is fraught with combat to possess it among its previous Mughal and Indian royal owners. Seized by the East India Company as partial indemnity after conflict with the Sikhs, the Koh-i Noor was presented to Queen Victoria on being proclaimed Empress of India in 1877, and ever since it has been part of the British Crown Jewels kept in the Tower of London. This diamond’s associated legend gives its possessor dominion over the world.
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