The Blue Hope
More notorious than any other diamond, the Hope was once owned by Louis XIV and was officialy designated "the blue diamond of the crown". Stolen during the Fench revolution, it turned up in London in 1930 and was bought by Henry Philip Hope after whom it is currently named. While the diamond was in the possetion of the Hope fammily it aquired its grusem reputation for bad luck, all hopes family dying in poverty. A similar misfortune befell a later owner, Mr Edward McLean.
It weighs 45.52 carats and is now in the Smithsonian institutin in Washington.
The Regent
A truly historic diamond dicovered in 1701 by an Indian slave near Golconda, it weighed 410 carats in the rough. Once owned by William Pitt the English Prime Minister, it was cut into a cushion-shaped brilliant of 140.50 carats until it was sold in 1717 to the Duke of New Orleans, Regent of France when Louis XV wore at his coronation. After the French revoloution, it was owned by Napoloeon Bonaparte who set it in the hilt of his sword. It is now on display at the Louvre.
The Millenium Star
The Millenium star is one of the finest diamonds ever discovered. Weighing 203 carats, it is internaly and externaly flawless, tp colour and cut to perfect proportions. It was revealed to the world at the London Millenium Dome on 31st December 1999.
The Centenary Diamond
Discovered at the Premier Mine, in july 1986. The Centenary diamond weighed 599.10 carats in the rough. Master cutter Gabi Tolkowsky, together with a small select team, took almost three years to complete its transformation into the worlds largest, most modern cut, top colour, flawless, diamond.
Possessing 247 facets - 164 on the stone and 83 on the girdle, the aptly named Centenary diamond weighs 273.85cts.
Koh-I-Noor
("Mountain of Light") First mentioned in 1304, it weighed 108.93 carats and was an oval cut stone. It is beleived to have once been set in the famous peacock throne of Shah Jehan as one of the peacocks eyes. It is now amongst the Crown jewels and weighs 105.60 carats.
