There is a saying that diamonds are forever. But are all of them the same? They are not! Some gemstones are simply bigger, shinier and more expensive than the others. Here are five of largest diamonds ever to be discovered.
The Jonker: This massive gem was found in South Africa during the mid-1930s. It was 726 carats and was discovered by Johannes Jacobus Jonker hence its name. It is believe that it was cut into 13 smaller gems, the largest of which is known as the Jonker I and weights 142.9 carats. Jewellers have evaluated it at £2.5 million.
The Golden Jubilee: Discovered in 1985, in South Africa, the Golden Jubilee was a 755 carat diamond. It was cut and its weight was reduced to 545.67 carats. It is also one of the few gemstones to receive a papal blessing. It is credited as the largest finished diamond in the world and is owned by the Thai Royal Family. If it was a colourless gem it would have worth the staggering £9.5 million. However because of its yellow colour it is valued somewhere between £2.7 million to £8.1 million.
Millennium Star: Extracted during the early 1990s in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Millennium Star is one of the most famous gemstones in the world. It is regarded as the second largest, flawless and colourless diamond on the planet. At carat weight alone the gem is valued £3.3 million but due to its purity and international reputation the overall value of the Millennium Star is £108 million. It is owned by the De Beers Group which is a diamond controlling company established by British mining magnate Cecil Rhodes in 1888.
Cullinan Diamond: The Cullinan Diamond is perhaps the most prolific diamond in the world. It weights three times the weight of the Excelsior Diamond and was discovered in South Africa in 1905. At the time of this extraction it weighed 0.6 kilograms. It is named after Sir Thomas Cullinan who was the owner of the mine in which the gemstone was found and given to Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom as a gift. The Cullinan Diamond was cut in Amsterdam and a total of nine large and 96 small stones were created from it, including the legendary Star of Africa which is 530.2 carats and inserted into the Sceptre with the Cross from the Crown Jewels. You can see this astonishing gem by visiting the Tower of London. But before you do so, make sure that you arrange all the details with the man and van company that provided you removal services. Relocating by using professional man with a van services is also more efficient than moving on your own.
Sergio: Found in Brazil in 1893, Sergio is the largest gemstone ever to be discovered with a total of 3167 carats. It is one of the few black diamonds known to mankind. Geologists and scientists are still debating over the origins of black gems as their colour isn’t natural. Many believe that they have been formed in space while they were part of meteors.