The Most Expensive Diamonds To Ever Be Sold
Diamonds that are sold at auction are in a class of their own and are the world's most expensive diamonds. They sell at auctions for more money than most of us will ever see in our lifetimes. Diamonds have continued to increase in price as they are sold and re-sold at auction.
There are diamond 'hunters' out there that are on a mission to create the perfect collection of heirloom diamonds and gemstones. The auctions feature some of the most beautiful diamonds at staggering prices.
Pink Star Diamond
The Pink Star diamond is the largest known to receive a Vivid Pink color grade and is an oval-shaped 59.6-carat diamond. It sold in 2017 at Sotheby's Auction for seventy-one million dollars.
It is prized for its clarity, size, and intensity of color. The diamond sold at an auction in Hong Kong and sold after only five minutes of bidding. The sale shattered every price record.
Oppenheimer Blue Diamond
The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond is the largest vivid blue diamond to ever be sold at an auction. It is a 14.62-carat diamond that was sold in 2016 in Geneva for $57.5 million.
The diamond was named after its previous owner, Sir Philip Oppenheimer, the chairman of De Beers. The original asking price was thirty-five to forty-five million dollars, and it sold for much more than that due to its unusual beauty.
Graff Pink Diamond
The Graff Pink Diamond is a rare diamond that was once owned by Harry Winston. It is a 24.78-carat pink emerald cut with round corners. After being assessed, the diamond was placed in the top two percent of the world's diamonds.
The diamond sold for forty-six million dollars in a 2010 Sotheby's auction. It has a rare, light pink hue and was purchased by billionaire Laurence Graff.
Princie Diamond
The Princie Diamond is another fancy diamond that was discovered more than three hundred years ago. It was discovered in the famous Golconda Mine in India and weighs 34.65-carats. The diamond's lineage dates to the Nizams of Hyderabad and is the most expensive Golconda diamond ever sold.
The diamond has been the subject of a nasty family feud. Renato Angiolillo once owned it, and after his death, his children battled over his estate. They claimed that their stepsiblings stole the stone. It was sold for $39.3 million at Christie's in 2013.
Orange Diamond
The Orange diamond was sold for $35.54 million in 2013 and is 14.82-carats. It is the highest price paid per carat for a colored diamond at auction. It is often called "fire diamond" and is one of the rarest in the world.
The diamond is four times bigger than the average gem of its type and is a pure orange fancy vivid diamond. Its origin is South Africa, and its rare, fiery color is why the stunning diamond set a world record.
Largest Diamond Ever Sold: 118.28
'The Largest Diamond Ever Sold' is 118.28-carats and was purchased at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong in 2013. The diamond is priced at $30.6 million, and it does not hold a unique name like the others. It is the most expensive colorless diamond to ever be auctioned.
It is cut in the shape of an oval and is usually referred to as the "Magnificent Oval Diamond." The diamond was originally mined in an unknown area of southern Africa in 2011.
Sweet Josephine Pink Diamond
The Sweet Josephine Pink Diamond is a cushion-shaped, vivid pink diamond that is 16.08-carats. The diamond was purchased for $28.5 million by billionaire Joseph Lau at a Christie's auction in Geneva in 2015.
Lau named the jewel after his seven-year-old daughter, Josephine. He is known for purchasing extravagant jewels and renaming them after his two daughters, Josephine and Zoe.
101 Diamond
The 101 Diamond was purchased by Harry Winston from Christie's auction in Geneva in 2013. He purchased the diamonds for $26.7 million. It is 101.73-carats and is a colorless pear-shaped diamond that has a flawless clarity grade and a D color grade.
Its roots are traced to Botswana, where it got its name 101. It has been called the "Perfect Diamond" and has set a colorless diamond world record.
Winston Blue Diamond
The Winston Blue Diamond is the world's largest flawless, vivid blue diamond. The diamond weighs in at 13.22-carats and is a flawless fancy vivid blue pear-shaped diamond. It was purchased by Harry Winston at Christie's auction in 2014 for $23.8 million. It was renamed in honor of its founder and carried on his legacy as the King of Diamonds.
Nayla Hayek, the CEO of Harry Winston Inc., stated, "In January 2013, we purchased Harry Winston, and since then, my ambition has been to acquire the most desirable and unique gems. When Christie's announced they were offering the largest flawless fancy-vivid blue the GIA had ever graded, I had to buy it. Today, I am proud to own the most beautiful blue diamond in the world: The Winston Blue."
Perfect Pink Diamond
The Perfect Pink Diamond is a 14.23-carat fancy pink emerald cut diamond. The diamond was sold to Harry Winston at Christie's auction in 2010 for $23.8 million.
It is a rectangular cut, type IIA diamond and is the most expensive diamond ever sold in Asia. The fascination with pink diamonds dates back to the Elizabethan Era when they were held as a symbol of happiness. Today, pink is thought to symbolize love and tenderness.
Memory Of Autumn Leaves & Dream Of Autumn Leaves
The Memory of Autumn Leaves & Dream of Autumn Leaves earrings is a set of fancy-colored pear-shaped diamonds. The earrings are a 14.54-carat fancy vivid blue diamond and a 16-carat fancy intense pink, with both being similar in size and shape.
It has one of the most unique names and is one of the finest pairs of diamond earrings. The diamond earrings sold at auction for $57.4 million.
Winston Pink Legacy Diamond
The Winston Pink Legacy diamond was originally found in South Africa and cut in 1920. It originally belonged to the Oppenheimer family, who controlled De Beers but is now famously named for its current owner, Harry Winston.
Winston purchased the 18.96-carat diamond for $50 million at a Christie's auction. It is a cut-cornered rectangular cut and hasn't been altered since it was first cut in 1920.
Blue Moon Of Josephine Diamond
The Blue Moon of Josephine is 12.03-carats and is an internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond. Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau bought the diamond for $28.5 million at a Christie's auction in 2015.
Lau purchased the diamond for his young daughter and named it after his daughter, Josephine, just like he did with the Sweet Josephine Diamond. The diamond is a fancy vivid blue and is said to give a red glow when observed under ultraviolet light.
Queen Marie Antoinette's Pearl And Diamond
Queen Marie Antoinette's Pearl and Diamond is a natural pearl and diamond pendant. The jewels belonged to the French Queen Marie Antoinette and were sold by Italy's royal Bourbon-Parma house.
Sotheby's said, "It is one of the most important royal jewelry collections ever to come to auction." The pearl and diamond necklace was purchased for $36 million at an auction.
De Grisogono Diamond
The De Grisogono Diamond and Emerald Necklace holds a 163.41-carat D color, flawless diamond. It was previously owned by Fawaz Gruosi, who created the necklace in order to showcase the De Grisogono Diamond.
It was the twenty-seventh largest rough white diamond ever discovered. The diamond is set in a necklace that took seventeen hundred hours to create and also has 5,949 brilliant-cut emeralds. You can view the necklace at Christie's New York.
Zoe Diamond
The Zoe Diamond is a 9.75-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which is the highest color grading possible for blue diamonds. Bunny Mellon, one of the most famous bankers, sold the diamond to Hong Kong property tycoon Joseph Lau for $32 million.
He quickly renamed it, Zoe, after his daughter. Not much is known about this diamond's history. Lau bought the diamond at an auction by Sotheby's, NY.
Pink Promise Diamond
The Pink Promise Diamond was described by Christie as "the Picasso of the pink diamond world." It is a 14.93-carat fancy vivid pink stone in an oval shape. The diamond was originally purchased by gemologist and jeweler Stephen Silver in 2013 for $30 million.
Rahul Kadakia stated, "When you look at the shape of the stone, it's so elegant. It's a cross between an oval and a marquise, what we call a moval." Silver had the stone cut differently to allow more light to go through it.
Unique Pink Diamond
The Unique Pink Diamond is a 15.38-carat fancy vivid pink pear-shaped diamond. It was sold for $30 million at an auction. Pink diamonds can encompass a variety of hues, from purplish to orangish to reddish, and it also has a wonderful energetic pink that seems to display a slight tinge of red, making it unique indeed.
The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) wrote: "The Unique Pink is a most distinctive item in the fascinating world of gemstones. It is exceptionally rare for any natural diamond to reveal fancy vivid pink color, but for one of the 15.38-carats to exhibit such tone and saturation is astonishing."
Cartier Sunrise Ruby Diamond
The Cartier Sunrise Ruby Diamond is a Burmese pigeon blood ruby and is the rarest and most valuable. The diamond stands apart for its deeply saturated color and natural fluorescence.
It gives the stone a lively inner fire. It is a 25.59-carat cushion-cut diamond that sits between two shield-cut diamonds in a Cartier-signed ring. It is the most beautiful of its kind.
Winston Legacy Diamond
The Winston Legacy Diamond is a 101.73-carat D flawless pear-shaped stone that sold for $30 million. The diamond was cut from a 234-carat rough diamond that was discovered in a De Beers mine in Jwaneng, Botswana.
It took almost two years to cut and polish and then went to auction as what Christie's called the "perfect diamond." The diamond was purchased by Harry Winston and added to his collection of the world's premiere diamonds.
Spirit Of The Rose Diamond
The Spirit of the Rose Diamond is the most expensive purple-pink diamond to be sold at auction. It is named for its stunning rosy hue and is a 14.83-carat fancy vivid purple-pink oval diamond.
The diamond was discovered in 2017 in Russia's remote Republic of Sakha and was cut from the original 28-carat pink crystal. It was transformed into a perfectly proportioned diamond and sold for $26.6 million.
Cullinan Dream Diamond
The Cullinan Dream Diamond is a 24.18-carat fancy intense blue diamond that is pear-shaped. It is the largest rough gem quality ever found and is known as the Star of Africa. The diamond was discovered in 2014 in the South African Cullinan mine, which is famous for producing some of the world's most historic stones.
The original Cullinan diamond was discovered in 1905 and was named after the mining company's chairman, Thomas Cullinan. The diamond was given to King Edward VII as a token of loyalty but is now part of the crown jewels. It was sold for $25 million at a Christie's auction.
Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond
The Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond is 31.06-carat and has a color of fancy deep blue. The diamond's history dates back to the 1600s when it was found in the mines of Kollur in India.
Laurence Graff purchased the stone in 2008 for $24.3 million at a Christie's auction. The original diamond was 35.56 carats and was grayish blue. The diamond is now rated Internally Flawless.
Ultimate Emerald-Cut Diamond
The Ultimate Emerald-Cut Diamond is labeled as the 'perfect' 100-carat emerald-cut diamond. The diamond was sold for $22.1 million and, at the time, was one of only six diamonds over 100 carats to hit the auction block.
Any diamond of this quality and size is considered a natural wonder. This diamond is a D flawless type IIa stone, which is the whitest and clearest stone imaginable.
Archduke Joseph Diamond
The Archduke Joseph Diamond is a 76-carat D flawless diamond of historical significance. It was originally discovered in the ancient Golconda mines of India, which were the world's only diamond source until the early eighteenth century.
It once belonged to Archduke Joseph August and is a colorless, elongated cushion-shaped diamond. It was sold to an unknown bidder in 2012 for $21.5 million.
Magnificent Fancy Intense Pink Diamond
The Magnificent Fancy Intense Pink Diamond is a 17-carat fancy intense pink diamond. It is definitely an investment-worthy jewel. The Argyle mine was depleted and closed in 2020, which means the prices for pinks have skyrocketed. It sold for $28 million.
"Pink diamonds gain their highly desirable color as a result of a rare, naturally occurring slippage of the crystal lattice in the stone while it is forming deep within the Earth's crust." ----- Christie's.
Moussaieff Blue And Pink Diamond
The Moussaieff Blue and Pink Diamond ring is an exquisite ring with two exceptional diamonds. The ring features an 8-carat fancy vivid blue, internally flawless, pear-shaped diamond.
In addition, it features a 1.60-carat fancy intense pink round diamond. Both diamonds were mounted on a golden double ring by Moussaieff. It was sold for $20.3 million during Christie's Hong Kong sale.
Rare Fancy Vivid Purplish-Pink Diamond
The Rare Fancy Vivid Purplish-Pink Diamond is 10.64-carats and sits in a ring between trapeze diamonds. The diamonds are mounted in 18-carat white and pink gold. The diamond is from the Argyle mine and has risen five hundred percent in value.
It was sold for $20 million at Sotheby's in Hong Kong, and it is a rare gem because of its carat weight, color, clarity, and cut. It is the fourth item that reached HK$100m.
Crimson Flame Ruby And Diamond
The Crimson Flame Ruby and Diamond is surrounded by a halo of white diamonds. It is a rare 15.04-carat cushion-shaped Burmese ruby surrounded by diamonds. The ring sold for $1.2 million.
The ring's vivid and saturated color is due to a combination of well-balanced trace elements in the stone. The Crimson Ruby and Diamond ring set a world record at Christie's Magnificent Jewels sale in Hong Kong.
Fancy Vivid Blue Cushion-Cut Diamond
The Fancy Vivid Blue Cushion-Cut Diamond is an 8.08-carat diamond, which is made even more valuable as a signed Bulgari ring. The diamond gets its color from traces of boron in the stone's structure.
It was sold for $18 million at Christie's New York Magnificent Jewels sale. It is a brilliant-cut diamond on a platinum ring with triangular-cut diamonds designed by Bulgari. The auction house said it is "among the finest blue diamonds ever to have come to market."
Pear-Shaped Fancy Vivid Pink Diamond
The Pear-Shaped Fancy Vivid Pink Diamond is a 9.14-carat pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond. The demand for top-quality pink diamonds far exceeds the supply, which is why the price has increased significantly.
The ring was renamed The Light of Memory and sold for more than $18 million at Christie's Geneva. The diamond achieved the second-highest price for a pink pear-shaped diamond sold at auction.
Highly Important Vivid Purple-Pink Diamond
The Highly Important Vivid Purple-Pink Diamond is 8.41-carats, which is remarkable for its crisp crystal and internally flawless clarity. In addition, it is remarkable for being 'highly transparent and very clear.' It sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong auction for $17.77 million in 2014.
There were at least seven buyers that bid on the diamond. Quek Chin Yeow said, "It was tremendous. When they started bidding, they were quite enthusiastic, and we had at least seven bidders on the pink. And that was quite a big thrill."
Miroir De L'Amour (Mirror Of Love)
The Miroir De L'Amour (Mirror of Love) is a sensational pair of diamond earrings that are pear-shaped and 50 carats each. They are D-color, flawless diamond earrings that sold for $17.6 million at Christie's Geneva.
The earrings were signed by Boehmer et Bassenge. They were a standout in the Geneva 'Magnificent Jewels' auction, and the buyer was not identified other than as a collector.
Maria Cristina Royal Belle Epoque Diamond Brooch
The Maria Cristina Royal Belle Epoque Diamond Brooch is the epitome of love and romance. It was a wedding gift from King Alfonso XII of Spain to his wife, the Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria, in 1879.
The trio of large diamonds features a 34.8-carat pear-shaped, 23.55-carat oval-shaped, and 6.5-carat marquise-shaped diamond. It also features lily-of-the-valley diamond links. The brooch was sold for $17.6 million.
Superb Vivid Blue Diamond
The Superb Vivid Blue Diamond Ring is a 7.32-carat pear-shaped diamond. The ring sold for $17.1 million at Sotheby's Geneva Magnificent Jewels and Nobel Jewels sale in 2016.
Blue diamonds are believed to have originated in India and were possibly cut from the French Blue. The diamond is an exceptional and rare jewel that is a discreet collectible.
Martian Pink Diamond
The Martian Pink Diamond is a 12-carat fancy intense pink stone. Most natural pink diamonds have a tinge of purple or orange, but this diamond is pure pink. Harry Winston originally owned it, but he sold it to a private buyer in 1976.
It was Winston's heir, Ronald Winston, who named it the Martian Pink to mark the historic milestone of the U.S. launching a satellite mission to Mars. In 2012, the diamond was sold to a private collector for $17.4 million through Christie's Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels auction.
Sky Blue Diamond
The Sky Blue Diamond is an 8.01-carat fancy vivid blue diamond in a Cartier-signed diamond ring. Worldwide chairman of Sotheby's international jewelry division David Bennett described the diamond as a "wonderful clear celestial blue. It really is the color of a summer sky, with this beautiful brilliance and subtlety about the stone."
It is very rare and ranks among the top one percent of blue diamonds examined by the Gemological Institute of America. The diamond could currently be purchased for $25 million.
Star Of The Season Diamond
The Star of the Season Diamond was given its name by its owner, Sheik Ahmed Hassan Fitaihi. Sheik is a renowned Saudi jeweler, collector, and connoisseur of diamonds.
He purchased the 100.10-carat D flawless diamond in 1995 for $16.5 million. Sheik also owns The Star of the Desert and The Star of Happiness. Its history is unknown, but it appears to be of South African origin and was cut by The Steinmetz Group.
Graff Vivid Yellow Diamond
The Graff Vivid Yellow Diamond is often described as the color of a daffodil and is a 100.09-carat diamond. It is one of the largest and most valuable top-quality yellow diamonds. It was originally a 190-carat rough diamond, which was discovered in South Africa in 2005.
The diamond was purchased by Laurence Graff, who then had the diamond cut to perfection. He had to sacrifice almost fifty percent of the diamond to achieve that perfection. The diamond was purchased for $16.2 million, which is $162,000 per carat.
Sakura Diamond
The Sakura Diamond is a 15.81-carat purple-pink diamond. It was cut from a 27.8-carat rough diamond mined in the frozen grounds of the Yakutia mines. It is actually the largest pink diamond to be found in Russia.
The Sakura Diamond sold for $29.3 million at Christie's auction in Hong Kong in 2021. Sakura is Japanese for cherry blossom. This diamond earned the number one spot for the most expensive purple-pink diamond.
Lesotho Legend Diamond
The Lesotho Legend Diamond is a 910-carat, colorless type IIa diamond that was found in 2018 in the Kingdom of Lesotho. It was sold for roughly $40 million to an unnamed buyer just a few months after it was discovered. It is the fifth largest diamond ever found and was discovered by Gem Diamonds. However, since the diamond was sold, it has vanished, and no one knows where it is.
Mr. Bos stated, "There is almost an infinity of possibilities with a rough of that size and that quality. There are certain rules, and I would say even obligations, to try to maximize the use of the stone that will produce the most important sizes out of the rough. This is usually the view of the diamond dealer. But in our world jewelry, what matters is the shape and size of the diamonds."
Graff Lesedi La Rona Diamond
The Graff Lesedi La Rona is one main 302.37-carat gem and sixty-six smaller cut diamonds. Graff Diamonds purchased a rough diamond of 1,109 carats in 2017 and took eighteen months to cut and polish it. It was the fourth-largest diamond ever found and was mined in Botswana in 2015.
It was purchased by Graff Diamonds for $53 million. It is a colorless white diamond featuring an emerald cut and high quality. The Gemological Institute of America said that it is the highest-color and highest-clarity diamond they have ever graded.
Regent Diamond
The Regent Diamond is a 140.64-carat cushion-shaped diamond that is internally flawless. It was first discovered in 1698 and is a white diamond with pale blue undertones. It was rumored to have been discovered by a slave in the Kollur mines but then stolen from him by a British sea captain. The stone was passed through Dukes, Queens, and Kings before ending up at the Louvre in Paris in 1887.
The Louvre in Paris bought the diamond for $61 million. It was owned by the French Regent, Philippe II Duke of Orleans, adorned the crown of Louis XV during his coronation, and was used to decorate a hat belonging to Marie Antoinette. It is now considered to be the most beautiful diamond in the world.
De Beers Centenary Diamond
The De Beers Centenary Diamond is 273.85 carats and is one of the world's largest top-color diamonds. The rough diamond was unveiled at the De Beers centennial celebration in 1988 after being discovered in the Premier Mine in South Africa in 1986.
De Beers is no longer the owner of the diamond as they sold it for $100 million to someone unknown to the public. It is a heart-shaped gem with two hundred and forty-seven perfectly aligned facets. Its current location remains a mystery.
Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond was first discovered in the 1600s and was bought by King Louis XIV. It was stolen from him and resurfaced about fifty years later, and since then, tales of bad luck followed those who came to be associated with the diamond.
It is thought to have been originally found in the same Golconda mine where the Koh-i-Noor was found. It is a 112-carat fancy dark grayish-blue diamond. In 1958, the diamond ended up in the Smithsonian Institution and remains there today.
Kohinoor Diamond
The Kohinoor is the most expensive diamond in the world and is said to be priceless due to its brilliance and uniqueness. Its name means "Mountain of Light" in Persian and is 105.6 carats. The diamond is part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom and is currently set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
The controversy surrounding ownership of the diamond has been ongoing. There have been claims that it was stolen from India by the British. Since the diamond arrived in the U.K., it has only ever been worn by female members of the royal family. Today, the diamond can be seen on public display in the Jewel House.
Sancy Diamond
The Sancy Diamond is 55 carats, and it originated in India. The diamond's first owner was Charles the Bold, Duke Burgundy. It was then owned by King Manuel I of Portugal, Dom Antonio, who later used it to fund his battle.
In 1570, it was in the possession of Nicolas de Harlay, and then it came into possession of William Waldorf Astor in 1906. In 1978, the diamond was sold for $1 million to The Louvre.
Golden Jubilee Diamond
The Golden Jubilee Diamond is 545.67 carats and is the largest cut and faceted diamond in the world. It is an unusual brown diamond with a golden hue. It was first discovered in the Premier Mine in South Africa in 1985 but was cut due to cracks in the interior.
They built a vibration underground chamber to work on the diamond, which took two years. The diamond was purchased by a team led by Thai businessman Henry Ho. It is said to be worth $4 to $12 million today.
Grand Mazarin Diamond
The Grand Mazarin is a 19.07-carat, light pink brilliant-cut diamond. It was given to Louis XIV in 1661 by Cardinal Mazarin. It was part of the French crown jewels for two hundred and twenty-five years.
In 1887, the royal treasury was dispersed, and the diamond's whereabouts became unknown. The diamond was later found and sold in 2017 for $14.4 million at Christie's in Geneva.