Culture
Diamond, whose name from Greek means “indestructible”
, is formed at a depth of about 200 km underground under enormous pressure and heat.
They come to the surface during volcanic eruptions, or are mined in old volcanic zones. The diamond is between 990 million and 4.2 billion years old
.
A diamond is a diamond that has been cut in such a way as to highlight the natural brilliance of the stone.
To find out how perfect a diamond is, it is assessed according to the 4 characteristics of the “4Cs”
: carat, color, cut and clarity.
A carat is used as a unit of measurement for the weight of a gemstone and is equivalent to 1/5 of a gram. The higher the carat of a diamond, the higher its price.
Several outstanding diamonds have gained worldwide fame due to their history.
The Orange Diamond
$35.5 million
A unique diamond of incredibly intense bright orange color weighing 14.32 carats was auctioned at Christie's in November 2013. The stone belonged to an unknown collector for more than 30 years, and when it was put up for sale, it was valued at $35.5 million, thereby setting two value records at once. Firstly, it became the most expensive orange diamond. And secondly, it became the diamond with the highest cost per 1 carat.
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The biggest diamonds
Diamond "Great Mogul"
"Great Mughal" was named after Shah Jahan, the ruler of the Mughal Empire who built the Taj Mahal. The diamond was discovered in the Golconda diamond mines in the 1650s, and its weight of 787 carats made it the largest diamond in India.
.
The diamond was cut into a rose-shaped diamond with a bluish hue. However, the stone was lost first during the war with Persia, and then after the assassination of Nadir Shah, who acquired it in 1739.
After 1747 the "Great Mogul" disappeared
, and was never seen again, at least not in his original form.
There are many versions regarding the fate of this diamond. It is believed that the famous Orlov diamond was subsequently made from it, but the secret has not yet been revealed.
Diamond Cullinan
The Cullinan I was the largest diamond in the world until the Golden Jubilee was discovered.
It was made from a fragment of the largest diamond in history - the Cullinan diamond weighing 3106 carats.
. The diamond, also called the “Great Star of Africa,” was found on January 26, 1905 in South Africa. It was named after the mine owner, Thomas Cullinan.
The Cullinan was given to King Edward VII on his birthday. The cutting of the largest diamond was entrusted to the famous cutters, the Assker brothers from Amsterdam. Since the diamond had cracks, it could not be made into one large diamond
.
Cutting maker Josef Asker spent several months preparing to make one single sure blow on the stone, which would split it along natural cracks. The excitement was so strong that after the ceremonial blow, Asker lost consciousness, but the diamond split into two halves.
The largest of the nine fragments received,
the Cullinan I diamond, adorns the scepter of the British Queen
, and can be seen in the Tower of London with the rest of the British crown jewels.
Diamond "Golden Jubilee"
The Golden Jubilee is the largest cut diamond in the world
. The golden-brown diamond supplanted the Great Star of Africa and was discovered in 1980 at the Premier mine. For a long time it remained unnoticed, and it was given to the famous cutter Gabriel Tolkowsky to test new cutting tools.
Much to the surprise of many, the Golden Jubilee turned out to be a real treasure weighing 545.6 carats.
(up to cut 755.5 carats).
The resulting diamond was blessed by Pope John Paul II, the Supreme Buddhist Patriarch and Grand Imam of Thailand. It was presented to the richest king in the world - the King of Thailand
while celebrating his anniversary.
Diamond "Orlov"
"Orlov" is considered the largest diamond of the Diamond Fund
Moscow Kremlin. The origin of the stone, which has the shape and proportions of half a hen's egg, dates back to the 18th century in southern India. Although part of the Orlov's history has been lost, it is believed that it once served as the eye of a statue in an Indian temple.
The stone was stolen by a Frenchman who converted to Hinduism and even became a novice in the temple to carry out his plan.
As a result, the diamond was sold to Count Orlov, who presented it to Catherine II
.
The Orlov is a pure white diamond with a bluish-green tint and is very rare as it has retained its original Indian rose cut.
Pink Diamond Princie
$39.3 million
In addition to the undeniable beauty of this soft pink diamond weighing 34.65 carats, the news associated with it is not only the successful sale at a fantastically high price. 2 years after the sale, which took place in 2013, the Christie's auction house was sued by the alleged real owners of the stone, demanding the return of the gem and compensation for moral damages. Details of the story can be found in the article.
Apollo Blue Diamond
$42.08 million
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Apollo Blue pear-shaped diamond weighing 14.54 carats
Apollo Blue and Artemis Pink Diamond Twin Pair
In May 2021, Sotheby's auction house sold a pair of colored diamonds, Apollo and Artemis, in the form of pendants for diamond earrings. Both diamonds certainly deserve a standing ovation, but in this article we will focus on the intensely blue stone, weighing 14.54 carats, called Apollo Blue.
The diamond became the largest flawless bright blue diamond in the history of the auction house and was sold for $42.08 million.
Bvlgari
Serpenti gold bracelet with diamonds from Bvlgari
Necklace and ring from the Diva collection from Bvlgari
The Bvlgari brand was created in 1884 by Sotirio Bulgari, a jeweler from an old Greek family. The company name is spelled BVLGARI because the traditional Latin alphabet uses V instead of U.
The fifties of the last century made Bvlgari incredibly popular. Designer jewelry that used unexpected combinations - blue sapphires and diamonds, green emerald and pink spinel - made the brand incredibly recognizable.
The jewelry company's favorite metals have always been platinum and yellow gold. And Serpenti watches and jewelry in the form of a snake gained particular popularity and recognition. Some of them were sold for a million dollars in 2015.
In addition to impressive status jewels, Bulgari also has bright and charming Wild Pop jewelry in the style of the 80s, as well as the “sweet” Roman Sorbet.
Bvlgari's fans include members of the royal families and the entire aristocracy of Europe, including Gina Lollobrigida. Today Bulgari is part of the LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) group.
Graff Pink Diamond
$46.2 million
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The Graff Pink diamond was owned by Harry Winston before being auctioned at Sotheby's Geneva in 2010. The magnificent stone of intense fancy pink color and weighing 24.78 carats became at one time a record holder - the most expensive precious stone sold at auction. The diamond's new owner, Lawrence Graff, paid $46.2 million for it.
Toi & Moi and the interweaving of emotions
In the spring-summer season, Toi & Moi rings and triad rings are replacing the popular natural diamond engagement rings for decades. The Toi & Moi style has excited the hearts of fashionistas since the time of Napoleon - this is exactly the ring the future emperor gave to his beloved Josephine as a sign of love and fidelity.
Ruby Toi et Moi ring, Photo pansjewelry
The two main stones in the Toi & Moi ring symbolize the intertwining of emotions, equality, independence and mutual support in marriage. A triad ring, in which three stones are located along the hoop, will become a symbol of the past, present and common future for lovers.
Who is this trend for: newlyweds and those married couples who want to renew their vows and bring romance into their relationship.
Blue Diamond Blue Moon of Josephine
$48.5 million
The sale of the bright blue diamond “Blue Moon” became a truly global event. And there were several reasons for this. The first is, of course, a unique color, which is extremely rare to find in a diamond. Even when the diamond was found, mining company Petra Diamonds called it “exceptional,” adding that the stone has “an outstanding, vibrant blue color of extraordinary intensity.”
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Secondly, the weight of the Blue Moon of Josephine diamond was 12.03 carats, which is absolutely incredible for a blue diamond. And, of course, this fact greatly influenced the value of the stone (and, as a result, the price).
Thirdly, “Blue Moon”, which has a unique color and outstanding size, also boasts exceptional purity. Add to this the excellent cut - the last point of the famous 4C diamond grading system (Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight) - we can conclude that the gem was literally doomed to success.
Predictably, the Blue Moon of Josephine's price has made it the new record holder for the most expensive gemstone sold by Sotheby's.
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Art Deco and the geometry of meanings
Originating in 1920, the Art Deco style influenced a number of fields, including design, art and architecture.
Luminous Diamonds, Photo ALROSA
It became the most influential style of the millennium thanks to its boldness, sophistication and geometric lines. More than 100 years later, we are returning to symmetrical figures and shapes.
Now style turns into a geometry of meaning and is filled with a global idea: the desire for peace, harmony and stability - both internal and external.
In 2021, jewelers combine diamonds of various cuts, such as squares, triangles and baguettes, and rely on massiveness, symmetry and eye-catching decor of jewelry. All this adds zest to familiar images not only on the screen during Zoom parties, but also in real life.
How and where to wear Art Deco jewelry
Art Deco pieces are suitable for formal events, business dinners and trips to the theater. We recommend wearing Art Deco accessories as a set, since each individual item contributes to the whole.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Law Roach (@luxurylaw)
Law Roach, celebrity stylist for Zendaya, Celine Dion and Ariana Grande, suggests pairing statement art deco earrings with everyday looks.
“It’s important to play with fashion, and we all need to have a little fun now, so people are taking out earrings that were previously only worn on special occasions and rethinking everyday looks with them. A flawless pair of earrings will elevate any look, whether it's a T-shirt with jeans or a dress for the red carpet,” Roach said.
Oppenheimer Blue Diamond
$57.5 million
In second place, just a step away from Olympus, is the Oppenheimer Blue gem, sold by Christie's in May of this year. Everything that has been said about the magnificent Blue Moon in the case of Oppenheimer Blue should be raised to a superlative degree. Here is 14.62 carats of perfect color and impeccable clarity, framed in an incredibly capricious and demanding emerald cut.
The cost of the world's most expensive colored diamond was $57.5 million. The buyer was identified after 25 minutes of active trading, but his name remained unknown.
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Personalized Jewelry
On the wave of popularity are already familiar chains and rings with personal messages - letters and words reminiscent of what is important, but only now studded with natural diamonds.
Chain by Single Stone, And “M” pendant, “C” heart lock, “K” Shield pendants, “J” signet ring, Love bracelet by Zoe Chicco, Photo Joshua Pestka
Do you still remember the famous pendant of Carrie Bradshaw from the cult series, without which she could not imagine any of her fashionable looks?
Who is the trend suitable for: young buyers who are buying a diamond product for the first time. Young mothers can be given jewelry with the child’s initials or their own as a sign of gratitude and love, and men can be given a signet with a significant letter.
