The 10 most expensive diamonds in the world

What are the most expensive diamonds in the world? Always a symbol of luxury and beauty, these gems enchant women and collectors with their priceless shine.

Marylin Monroe also said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but they also have a certain effect on men, if only for their great value. It is no coincidence that they are often considered a real investment.

In general, the most precious diamonds are those that are exceptionally large or have a particular color and purity. Below is the ranking of the 10 most expensive diamonds in the world, drawn from various observations by experts in the sector and valid for 2025.

1) Koh-i-Noor

The Koh-i-Noor, which in Persian means “mountain of light”, is a very famous white diamond, because it was long considered the largest ever known in the world. It was probably mined in 1300 in India.

There is still an air of mystery about its ownership. According to some sources, in fact, Great Britain stole the gem from India and therefore it should rightfully belong to the Indians.

Rightly or wrongly, Great Britain purchased the stone in 1850 and in 1852 Prince Albert had it cut from 186 ct to 105.6 ct to increase its brilliance and sparkle.

Such a precious specimen could only be set in the crown of a queen, specifically that of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, today preserved in the museum of the Tower of London. It is a diamond too precious to have a cost.

2) Cullinan, Star of Africa

This wonderful teardrop specimen, known as Cullinan I, was cut from the largest and most valuable rough diamond ever mined, weighing over 3 thousand carats. The stone, found in South Africa in 1905, has produced more than 100 diamonds of various shapes, many of which are currently part of the British Crown Jewels.

The largest one, also called the Star of Africa, is set in the sceptre of St. Edward, preserved in the Tower of London. At 530.2 carats, it is the second largest diamond ever cut in the world. It could be worth even more than 2 billion dollars.

3) Hope Diamond

The so-called “Hope Diamond” is believed to have been discovered in India in 1600 and purchased by King Louis XIV in 1668. With its 45.42 carats, deep dark blue color and cushion cut, it manages to fascinate anyone who observes it.

Legend has it that the stone is cursed, as it has brought bad luck to those who have owned it over the centuries. In 1949 Harry Winston purchased this diamond and donated it to the Smithsonian Institution, attracting many tourists. Today it is located at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. Its value is approximately 250 million dollars.

4) De Beers Centenary

The De Beers Centenary, mined in the rough in the summer of 1986, was worked by one of the best diamond cutters in history, the great Tolkowsky. To create its 247 facets, he used the ancient method of hand cleavage and took 3 years to bring it to its current shape of 273.85 carats.

Of course, as the name itself suggests, it belongs to the De Beers house, but there are many theories behind its history, including that it was sold to a secret buyer.

In fact, its current whereabouts are unknown. It is worth 100 million dollars and rightfully enters the ranking of the most expensive diamonds.

5) Pink Star

This enormous fancy diamond of 59.60 carats is called Pink Star for its intense pink color. In 2017 it was sold at auction set in a ring for 71.2 million dollars, at the time the highest price ever for a jewel at auction.

The oval, internally flawless gem was purchased at Sotheby’s by the Hong Kong jewelry company Chow Tai Fook. The stone was mined by De Beers in an unspecified location in Africa in 1999 and then meticulously cut and polished over a period of two years.

Its estimated value is $71.2 million.

6) The Princie

This 34.65-carat pink diamond was named the Princie Diamond in honor of the “little prince” son of Sita Devi, Maharani of Baroda, the land of the Indian mine of Golconda where it was mined, like many other legendary stones. Its history is more than 300 years old.

It was purchased by the Hyderabad royal family in 1960, from jewelers Van Cleef & Arpels, for 33 million euros. Then flaunted by the lady of the Italian salons Maria Girani Angiolillo, who passed away in 2009, since last year it has been the subject of a dispute between her children, one of whom apparently sold it overseas. The brothers are now claiming paternity. Meanwhile, a Qatari sheik bought it for an estimated $40 million and is holding on to it.

7)The Winston Blue

Originally called the Fancy Vivid Blue diamond, this stone was renamed The Winston Blue after Harry Winston purchased it in 2014. Weighing 13.22 carats, it is the largest diamond of its kind graded by the GIA.

This pear-shaped, internally flawless gem fetched nearly $2 million per carat when it sold in 2014, setting a new world record for the price per carat of a blue diamond.

Today, it is estimated to be worth around $24 million.

8) Wittelsbach Graff

This 31.06-carat diamond is characterized by an intense blue color with gray reflections, the latter considered the most valuable of all. Extremely clear, it is the size of a hazelnut.

The English jeweler Laurence Graff purchased the Wittelsbach diamond in 2008 for 21 million euros and then had it cut, reducing it by 4 carats, but eliminating some imperfections, since then it took the name Wittelsbach-Graff. An emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, purchased it for 67.4 million euros in 2011.

Its estimated value is around 24 million dollars.

9) Heart of Eternity

Blue diamonds represent only 1% of all fancy colored diamonds mined. The Heart of Eternity, a vivid fancy blue, was mined at the South African Premier diamond mine.

An exceptionally rare diamond due to its lack of grey or black undertones, this stunning heart-shaped stone was originally cut from a 777-carat rough diamond.

The original owner of The Heart of Eternity was the Steinmetz Group, but De Beers later purchased it in 2000. Boxer Floyd Mayweather is said to have purchased the diamond for his then-girlfriend Shantel Jackson in 2012. However, De Beers has not confirmed this.

It is estimated to be worth around $16 million.

10) Moussaieff Red Diamond

The Moussaieff Red Diamond, weighing 5.11 carats, is the largest red diamond in existence with such clarity. We close our ranking of the most expensive diamonds in the world 2020 with this very famous gem.

Brazilian in origin and cut by the William Goldberg Diamond Corporation, it is currently owned by Moussaieff Jewelers Ltd. Since it is a unique and extremely precious stone, it is difficult to attribute a definite value to it, but it is estimated that it costs at least 8 million dollars.

Original article published on Money.it Italy. Original title: I 10 diamanti più costosi al mondo