Section D · Famous Diamonds

Famous diamonds of the world

Seven diamonds that changed history, found in India's Golconda mines, fought over by empires, cut in Antwerp and Amsterdam, and now displayed in the Crown Jewels, the Smithsonian, the Louvre, and the vaults of Geneva auction houses. Each one is a compressed record of trade routes, conquests, and the human desire to possess the extraordinary.

Diamond	Weight (current)	Origin	Current location	Defining characteristic
Koh-i-Noor	105.6ct	Golconda, India	Tower of London, UK	India's most contested historic diamond; held by British Crown since 1849
Hope Diamond	45.52ct	Golconda, India	Smithsonian, Washington DC	Deep blue; one of the world's largest blue diamonds; cursed legend
Cullinan	3,106.75ct rough (9 major cut stones)	Premier Mine, South Africa	Crown Jewels, Tower of London	Largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found
Pink Star	59.60ct	South Africa	Private (sold 2017, Chow Tai Fook)	Largest Fancy Vivid Pink diamond graded by GIA; record auction price 2017
Regent	140.64ct	Golconda, India	Louvre, Paris	Considered the finest large diamond in the world for clarity; once Napoleon's
Sancy	55.23ct	Golconda, India	Louvre, Paris	Unusual double rose cut; owned by monarchs across three centuries
Orlov	189.62ct	Golconda, India	Diamond Fund, Kremlin, Moscow	Former eye of a temple idol; mounted in Catherine the Great's imperial sceptre

India's diamond heritage
Six of the seven diamonds on this page originated in the Golconda region of India, the ancient mines of what is now Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. For centuries before South African mines were discovered in the 1860s, India was the world's only source of gem diamonds. The Golconda mines produced stones of legendary purity, including the specific Type IIa diamonds that characterise the Koh-i-Noor, Hope, Regent, Orlov, Sancy, and many others. Understanding famous diamonds means understanding India's ancient diamond heritage.

India · Golconda

Koh-i-Noor

105.6ct · Tower of London. India's most contested historic diamond, with documented ownership from the Kakatiya dynasty through Mughal emperors, Persian conquerors, Afghan rulers, Sikh maharajas, and the British Crown.

India · Golconda

Hope Diamond

45.52ct · Smithsonian. Deep blue, Type IIb, with a remarkable red phosphorescence under UV. Donated to the Smithsonian by Harry Winston in 1958 via ordinary post.

South Africa

Cullinan

3,106.75ct rough · Crown Jewels. The largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, cleaved into nine major stones including the Great Star of Africa (530.2ct) in the Sovereign's Sceptre.

South Africa

Pink Star

59.60ct · Private. Largest Fancy Vivid Pink diamond graded by GIA. Sold at Sotheby's Geneva in 2017 for USD 71.2 million, the highest price ever paid for a gemstone at auction.

India · Golconda

Regent

140.64ct · Louvre. Called the finest large diamond in the world for purity. Worn by Louis XV, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and Napoleon I. On public display at the Louvre since 1887.

India · Golconda

Sancy

55.23ct · Louvre. Pale yellow, double rose cut, an unusual form predating the development of the brilliant cut. Owned by Henri III of France, James I of England, and the Astor family.

India · Golconda

Orlov

189.62ct · Kremlin. Stolen from a Hindu temple, sold in Amsterdam, gifted to Catherine the Great by Count Grigory Orlov. Now mounted in the Imperial Sceptre on display in the Diamond Fund.