Fancy Colored Diamonds
Recently, there has been a move away from colorless diamonds in engagement rings to those which are brightly colored, also known as “Fancy Colored Diamonds.” These diamonds, especially naturally occurring diamonds are quite rare are very expensive. In addition, they are not as well known outside of what may be displayed by a celebrity at an awards ceremony. Here is a list of the most famous colored diamonds.
1) The Eureka Diamond. This yellow diamond was the first discovered in South Africa, in 1867. It is a 21 carat stone that is cushion cut. Its diamond color grading is unknown. After its discovery it spent 100 years in England and was returned to South Africa by the DeBeers diamond cartel and now is in the Kimberly Mine Museum.
2) The Hope Diamond. This diamond has the deepest shade of blue known to man. It is one of the oldest diamonds known to man outside of those that were part of the various Indian rulers’ crown jewels, having been existence since the 17th century. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a French explorer, was given this gem by a slave. Its origins are unknown but it is said to have originated as part of an idol. It disappeared for close 20 years and was also known for bringing bad luck upon its owner. It currently resides in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.
3) The Steinmetz Pink. This gem is the finest pink gem in the world. It was unveiled in 2003 and its origins are unknown although it is assumed to come from one other Sub-Saharan African nations. It is cut is unique combination of the oval, step and brilliant cuts.
4) The Alnatt. This massive diamond is a Fancy Vivid Yellow color and is named for its owner, Alfred Allnatt. The stone hails from South Africa, most likely from the DeBeers diamond mine. It currently belongs to the SIBA Corporation.
5) The Moussaieff Red. The Moussaieff red is the largest Fancy Red diamond known to man and is cut in the trillion cut. It was fist cut someone in the 1990s and it is named for its purchasers, who bought it in 2002.
6) Darya An-noor. This gem, which hails from Iran and has been a part of the Iranian crown jewels for centuries, is a 182 carat gem that is also the largest pink diamond in the world. It was originally found in India, but was seized by the Persians in the 1700s. It is suspected to have been part of much larger stone that was part of the Mughal Emperor’s throne.
