Top ten diamonds: part 2

The Centenary Diamond
This unique diamond, that weighs 273.85 carats, is considered to be the third-largest diamond to have been produced in the Premier Mine (an underground diamond mine owned by Petra Diamonds). It also rated by GI

A (the Gemological Institute of America) as grade D color, the highest grade of colorless diamond.
History: The Centenary Diamond was first presented at De Beers 100 year’s celebration on 1988. It was 599 carats but had to be cut 50 carats down.

The Taylor-Burton Diamond
This famous Diamond that actor Richard Burton bought as a gift for his wifw, Elizabeth Taylor, stars on every ‘famous diamonds’ list, and for a good reason. It is a 69.42 carats pear shape diamond.
History: The Taylor-Burton was first found in the premier Mine in South Africa and weighted 240.80 carats. Burton bought it for $1,100,000 in 1969 and after the couple’s divorce, Taylor auctioned the Diamond for $5,000,000 and it was purchased by a New york based jeweler.

The Hope Diamond

This blue diamond, weighting 45.52 has an infamous reputation, not to say even deadly.
History: The stone was first sold to king Louis XIV in 1669, that had it cut down to 67 carats and renamed it “French Blue”. In the mid 1700 it was Marie Antoinette’s favorite diamond pendant and in 1792 it disappeared, only to suddenly merge 20 years later. In 1910 it was Pierre Cartier that purchased the Diamond and sold it to an American socialite called Evalyn Walsh McLean. After her death in 1949 the gem sold to Harry Winston, who later donated it to the Smithsonian.
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» Top ten diamonds: part 1