1. The Koh-i-Noor Diamond which also means Mountain of Light is a 105 carat diamond that weighs 21.6 grams. This is the diamond that was once called the largest known diamond in the entire world.
It is from the part of history that once had a Mughal Kingdom of Indo-Pakistan. Many kingdoms fought for it in history such as Hindus, Mughals, Persian, Afghan, Sikh and British rulers. It later finally became part of the British Crown Jewels when Queen Victoria was chosen as Empress of India in 1877.
2. The Darya-ye Noor Diamond is also called the Ocean of Light. It is an estimated 182 carats and weighs 36 g. It has a beautiful light pink color, and is said to be a phenomenal, amongst diamonds. The Darya-ye Noor is currently part of the Iranian Crown Jewels. It is on display in Tehran at the Central Bank of Iran. ‘
Nader Shah of Persia invaded, and controlled Delhi, and he slaughtered most of its residents. As compensation for returning the crown he took possession of the entire treasure, including the Darya-ye Noor, the Koh-i-noor and the Peacock throne. This abundant treasure was brought to Iran and the Darya-ye Noor has been there since then.
3. In the 3rd position and one of my favorite pieces is The Great Star of Africa. The Great Star of Africa diamond is definitely one of the largest rough diamonds ever found. It is 3,106.75 carats and weighs 621.35 grams. It was discovered in South Africa in 1905. It was cut into 105 gems from that one diamond. Mr. Cullinan was the owner of the mine so it is also called the Cullinan diamond.
The largest of the cuts is a 530 carats stone that is known as the Great Star of Africa. King Edward VII of England got this stone in 1907 and it was then set into the Royal Scepter. This one at least hasn’t disappeared; it is safely tucked away with the other British Crown Jewels, in the Tower of London.
4. At number 4 we have The Sancy Diamond. It is 55 Carats, and is also cut in a pear shape. Its very first owner was the Duke of Burgundy. The Duke lost the stone during a fight in 1477. Later the stone was owner by Seigneur de Sancy. He was the French Ambassador to Turkey and he is whom the stone is named after.
He lent the stone to numerous royals such Henry III, and Henry IV of France. Henry III wore it in a cap that he wore to cover up his balding. The stone was later sold in 1664 to James I of England. In 1688, the final owner, James II disappeared with it during the French revolution. It is believed that he vanished to Paris with it and he was the last of the Stuart kings of England.
5. At number 5 we have The Spoonmaker’s Diamond which is also referred to as the pride of the Topkapi Palace Museum. It is the most valuable part of the Imperial Treasury exhibit. It is 86 carats, weighs 17 grams and is cut into a pear-shaped. There are a lot of different stories associated with the Spoonmaker’s Diamond.
In one of the best stories, a fisherman in Istanbul found a shiny stone not knowing what it was. He later went to a jewelry store, and showed it to the jeweler. The jeweler looked at it and said it was glass. The jeweler traded the piece of glass for three spoons. The fisherman happily took the spoons, and left the jeweler with his treasure. This is how the diamond got its name “Spoonmaker’s Diamond”.
The top 5 diamonds in history,
