The World’s Largest Diamonds

Diamonds are one of the most popular, sought-after, and prized gemstones in the world. It is a crystallized form of carbon that is naturally occurring in nature and comes in different shapes and sizes. Diamonds in Las Vegas are always an eye-catcher, and diamond collectors would want to get their hands on them. There are a lot of diamonds in the area that can dazzle you as you cruise down its lanes. But below, we’ve listed the top 10 largest diamonds in the world today.

Woyie River

Let’s start with the 10th largest diamond, the Woyie River. It was discovered in 1945 in a river of the same name in Sierra Leone and was the largest known diamond at that time. The diamond was then brought to England in 1947 to be shown to Queen Mary and later in 1949 at the British Industries Fair. It weighed 777 carats at its largest. Unfortunately, the diamond was cut into 30 pieces, and the largest is called the Victory Diamond, which weighs 31.35 carats and is graded D in color.

Millennium Star

The Millennium Star was discovered in 1990 in the Mbuji-Mayi mine of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It weighs 777 carats uncut. The De Beers company eventually bought the uncut diamond at an undisclosed amount. The Steinmetz Group eventually cut it into a pear-shaped diamond that weighed 203.04 carats and was graded D-flawless.

In addition to the pear-shaped diamond, a 27.64-carat heart-shaped blue diamond and 11 other blue diamonds weighing a total of 118 carats were also cut.

Koh-i-Noor

The Koh-i-Noor diamond was said to be discovered in the 13th century in the Kollur Mine in India. It was said to weigh 793-carats—the diamond owned by the Kakatiya dynasty before passing it unto the succeeding dynasty to the next. The Mughal, Persian, and Sikhs have also fought over the diamond. 

And in 1849, after the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the diamond came into Queen Victoria’s possession. Then in 1852, Prince Albert had the diamond cut, which resulted in a 186-carat oval-cut diamond. Today, the diamond is still the property of the British crown.

Constellation 

The Constellation was mined in 2015 in the Karowe Mine in Botswana. It weighed a whooping 813-carats. The Lucara Diamond Corporation owned it, and it was later bought by De Beers and was sold to the Zale Corporation. And in 2016, the Dubai-based company Nemesis International bought it for $63.1 million.

Incomparable 

The discovery of this diamond was quite interesting, which involved a girl playing in a pile of rubble in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Experts took four years to analyze the diamond. The uncut diamond weighed 890 carats, but it was eventually cut to a smaller flawless size. Its final weight is 407.78 carats. It was a dark brownish yellow with a flawless clarity rating, and it was valued at $55 million.

Star of Sierra Leone

This diamond was found in the Diminico mine in Sierra Leone in 1972 and weighed 969 carats uncut. Jeweler Harry Winston bought it for $2.5 million and cut the diamond into a 143.2-carat emerald cut. However, internal flaws were later found, which resulted in the diamond being recut into 17 smaller pieces. The largest cut was a 53.96-carat pear-shaped diamond.

Excelsior Diamond

The Excelsior diamond was found in 1893 in the Jagersontein mine in South Africa. It was considered the largest diamond in the world until the Cullinan diamond was found. Finding a buyer for this one was difficult because of the diamond’s sheer size—995.2 carats—and flawlessness. Eventually, the diamond was sent to I. J. Asscher of Amsterdam in 1904 to be cut into ten smaller pieces. The largest one is a 69.69-carat pear-shaped diamond.

Lesedi La Rona

The Lesedi La Rona was discovered in 2015, making it one of the most recently discovered diamonds. It was found in the Karowe mine in Botswana and weighs 1,111 carats. Sotheby auctioned it in 2016 and, unfortunately, was not sold. Instead, the diamond is expected to be sold privately.

Cullinan Diamond

Diamond magnate Sir Thomas Cullinan found the Cullinan diamond at the Premier Mine in South Africa in 1905. After it was discovered, it was brought to England and presented to King Edward VII. The Cullinan Diamond weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut, which was later cut into 96 smaller gems and nine larger gems. One of the largest ones is called the Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, which weighs 530.40 carats. Today, it is set in the Sovereign’s Scepter with Cross and is part of the British Crown Jewels.

Sergio

Lastly, we have the largest diamond on our list, the Sergio, which was found in Bahia, Brazil around 1895. It is a black carbonado diamond that weighs a staggering 3,167 carats. Carbonado diamonds are also extremely rare and durable.

Popular Luxury Jewelry Brands

Nowadays, jewelry has become more than just pieces of accessories and has turned into works of art. People have also begun wearing jewelry to show their unique style and personality. Designers and brands have picked up this practice, making them come up with more fresh and original concepts for their craft. Naturally, certain people gravitate towards specific concepts, making brands compete more with each other, resulting in even more luxurious brands. But not all brands stand the test of time, especially in Las Vegas, where fast-paced trends only last a couple of years. Below, we have listed the top 5 luxury jewelry brands in Las Vegas that we now consider timeless.

Cartier

Cartier is probably the most popular jewelry brand in the world today. Louis-François Cartier established it in Paris, France, back in 1847. It is also a favorite among royalty. Britain's King Edward VII even referred to Cartier as "the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers." Eventually, Cartier got a royal warrant—a charter that allows a business to supply a royal court—in 1904. And for centuries, Cartier created and designed jewelry that is fit for royalty.

Perhaps the most popular Cartier item today is the Love bracelet, which has become synonymous to the brand. Its iconic design is attributed to its one-of-a-kind locking mechanism, which can only be secured and opened using a special screwdriver that comes with every bracelet purchase. The concept of this is the commitment of one person to another. This bracelet is very popular amongst couples who are committed to each other.

Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & co. is another household name when it comes to jewelry. Tiffany & Co. was established in 1837 in Brooklyn, Connecticut by businessman and jeweler Charles Lewis Tiffany and his partner John B. Young. While it began as a stationery store, it eventually transitioned to the jewelry giant we know today.

The most well-known Tiffany & Co jewelry item is the sterling silver Tiffany heart tag charm. It is simple and quaint, and it can be worn as a bracelet charm or a necklace pendant. However, it is infamous for its engraving, saying, "Please return to Tiffany & Co. New York, 925".

Mikimoto

Mikimoto is world-famous for its cultured pearls. Unfortunately, natural pearls are extremely rare and are not sustainable to farm, and only the ultra-rich could afford them. So Koukichi Mikimoto decided to give culturing pearls a try. He eventually became successful and established Mikimoto in 1893. Today, when you hear Mikimoto, you know that it is pertaining to pearls.

The most popular item from the Mikimoto collection is the Mikimoto Classic 18k White Gold Cultured Akoya Pearl & Diamond Pendant Necklace. It showcases a single Akoya pearl with a diamond accent, known for its classic elegance and timelessness.

De Beers

We cannot talk about jewelry without talking about De Beers. The De Beers Group is a conglomerate that specializes in everything diamonds. It was established in 1888 by British businessman Cecil Rhodes. The company is the largest diamond miner in the world, thus making them the authority when it comes to diamonds. They also came up with the slogan "A diamond is forever."

Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels is a French company specializing in luxury items such as jewelry, watches, and perfumes. It was established in Paris in 1896 by Salomon Arpels and his son-in-law Alfred Van Cleef. The company is known for its nature-themed design for its jewelry collection, which often features depictions of flowers, animals, and fairies. 

Its most recognizable jewelry item is the Flora, a four-petal flower made of a carnelian set on gold. It often comes in the form of a ring or a necklace pendant.