That title goes to the Cullinan Diamond, which was unearthed in a South African mine back in 1905, and weighed a hefty 3,106 carats (621 grams). For context, that's about as heavy as the heaviest NBA-standard basketballs, or around 7,692 bees (a very scientific measure we're sure you'll agree).
The Cullinan is the largest rough diamond of gem quality ever found, weighing an incredible 3,106.75ct . Discovered in Cullinan, South Africa in 1905, it was then gifted to King Edward VII.
The Cullinan Diamond is the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, weighing 3,106 carats (621.20 g), discovered at the Premier No. 2 mine in Cullinan, South Africa, on 26 January 1905. It was named after Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the mine.
Botswana has once again made global headlines with the discovery of a 2,492-carat diamond, the second-largest gem ever found. Unearthed in the renowned Karowe Mine, this gem weighs over a pound and is valued between $40 million to $60 million.
World's second-largest diamond found in Botswana | BBC News
Is there a 1000 carat diamond?
Canada's Lucara Diamond (TSX: LUC) has dug up a 1,094-carat diamond from its Karowe mine in Botswana. This is the sixth diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats to be recovered at the mine, and it comes only weeks after the recovery of a 2,492 carat diamond — the second-largest diamond ever recovered.
Cullinan VI and VIII were later brought privately by King Edward VII as a gift for Queen Alexandra, and the others were acquired by the South African Government and given to Queen Mary in 1910, in memory of the Inauguration of the Union. They were bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
The British Royal Crown is the owner of the most costly diamond in the world. The Kohinoor gem is currently on exhibit as the main diamond of the Queen Mother's Crown at the HM Tower of London.
The coronation has led to renewed calls for the return of the stones to South Africa. These calls are part of the growing demands by former colonial people for the return of the cultural artefacts removed from their countries by colonial powers.
1. Koh-i-Noor. Koh-i-Noor is one of the rarest diamonds on Earth. It is believed that it is mined over 5,000 years ago during the reign of the Kakatiya dynasty in India's Golconda region.
Type 2a diamonds are renowned for their exceptional purity and lack of color, which is a result of their unique composition. These diamonds are considered the purest among all other types, as they lack significant impurities that affect color and thermal properties.
Even though, the Cullinan diamond is known for being one of the largest gemstones ever to be found, the black carbonado diamond named, Sergio is known for outweighing the stone in carat weight. The beautiful rare black diamond was found in Brazil, in 1893 and weighs 3167 carats in total.
What is the largest diamond ever found in the universe?
The largest diamond ever discovered is the Cullinan Diamond. It was found in 1905 and weighed 3106 carats (1.37 pounds, 0.62 kilograms). It was so large that it wound up being cut into nine large pieces and almost 100 smaller pieces. Some Cullinan Diamond pieces are part of the British crown jewels.
Enormous Diamond Nearly Sets World Record, Likely Worth Millions The only larger diamond ever discovered was cut down into the British Crown Jewels. The largest diamond discovered in over a century and the second largest ever dug out of a mine has been unearthed in Botswana.
When Rhodes died in 1902, De Beers controlled 90% of the world's diamond production. Ernest Oppenheimer took over the chairmanship of the company in 1929, after buying shares and being appointed to the board in 1926.
Which Gemstones Are More Expensive Than Diamonds? While diamonds are renowned for their high value, some gemstones surpass their rarity and price. Notable amongst these are red diamonds, blue garnets, and red beryl. Red diamonds are particularly scarce and are valued for their enchanting hue and brilliance.
Russia. Russia holds what is believed to be the world's largest and richest diamond resources. They are the world's largest producer and exporter of rough diamonds by volume.
The 105-carat Koh-i-Noor, which means "Mountain of Light" in Persian, was taken from India by the British in the 19th century and also became part of the crown jewels. As with the controversial Cullinan, the Queen's death prompted renewed calls for the Koh-i-Noor to be repatriated to India.
However, the diamond's history is marred by tales of misfortune befalling its male possessors, spanning empires and civilizations. The Curse Unveiled: Legend has it that the Koh-i-noor bears a curse, leading to the downfall of any prince or king who claims ownership.
An Incredible Discovery January 26, 1905, was a lucky day indeed for Captain Frederick Wells, superintendent of Premier Mine in South Africa. He found the Cullinan diamond during his daily rounds, originally believing it to be a shard of glass embedded in the mine wall as a practical joke.
Gem-quality rubies are significantly rarer than diamonds, though there are certain types of diamonds that are very rare too. If we weigh the most spectacular examples of rubies and diamonds against one another, diamonds that show color are even rarer.
So which is rarer, gold or diamonds? Gold is rarer than diamonds, despite what the diamond industry would have you believe. The diamond industry is very good at marketing, portraying diamonds as luxurious, rare gemstones, and increasing diamond prices.
Red diamonds are the rarest. The best known example is probably the Moussaieff Red Diamond, now cut to a 5.11 carats (1.022 g) gem. The Moussaieff Red diamond was discovered in the Abaetezinho river, Alto Paranaiba region, Brazil in 1990. Its raw weight was 13.9 carats (2.78 g) before being cut.
