The Darya-i-Nur
Also known as ‘Sea of Light’ this is one of the greatest diamonds in history. Estimated at between 175 and 195 carats, it is a rectangular step cut, pale pink, flawless diamond, with a transparency characteristic of only the finest Indian diamonds. The stone is reputed to be in Teheran as part of the crown jewels of Iran.

The Reagent
A breathtaking 140.5 carat cushion cut diamond considered the most perfectly cut of all the celebrated diamonds of old - without question the single most important item in the French crown jewels. This highly treasured diamond was adorned by Marie Antoinette, endured the French revolution and was set in the sword of Napolian Bonaparte himself. The origins of the stone date back over 300 years when a slave concealed the original 410 carat stone under a bandage on his leg. He later used the stone to secure his freedom, but was double crossed and killed for his cargo. Often referred to as ‘the national diamond of France’ this unique gem once secured the money to fund France’s army. You can see this magnificent diamond on display at the Galerie d’Apollon of the Louvre in Paris.

Great Star of Africa Diamond
A staggering 530.2 carat pear shaped diamond; it is the second largest cut diamond in existence. Also known as Cullinan I, it was cut from the Cullinan, the largest diamond in the world. Before being cut the Cullinan diamond weighed over 3000 carats. It was colourless, with perfect transparency known as ’fine water’ and few inclusions meant it was also the purest of the really big diamonds. Over 60% of the original stone was sacrificed in the cutting and polishing process which took almost a year of relentless work to complete. The largest of the 9 stones that were left; it was presented to King Edward VII in November 1908, who gave it its name and had it set in the Royal Sceptre. This marvellous diamond is on display among the British crown jewels in the Tower of London.

The Centenary
In March 1988 De Beers celebrated 100 years of achievement by unveiling a 273.85 carat ‘D’ colour, internally flawless modified heart shaped diamond. It is one of the largest top coloured stones ever found. Originally discovered in July 1986, only a handful of trusted people were aware of its existence. It took a year of observation before cutting tools were even touched. 5 years after its original discovery, the largest modern cut diamond in the world was finally completed in 1991. Unless its current owner decides to put it on public display, it is unlikely that we will ever know the exact location of this extraordinary stone.

The Orloff
Cloaked in legend and superstition, this diamond’s shape is quite unique, once described as resembling half a pigeon’s egg. Weighing 189.6 carats, the most famous tale surrounding this unusual diamond dates back to the 18th century. It is that of a French soldier who deserted the army and found shelter in a neighbourhood of Southern India. He soon learnt of an idol of the Hindu god Vishnu with eyes formed by diamonds of great value. In order to gain access to the inner enclosures he embraced the Hindu faith. Patiently he waited and after many years was eventually allowed access to the inner shrine to worship. When one night a severe storm set in and cast the idol into the shadows he seized his moment and prized one of the diamonds from the idol before escaping. Named after Count Grigori Grigorievich Orlov who purchased the stone on behalf of a Russian Empress, the Orloff currently resides within the buildings of the Kremlin in Moscow.

The Koh-i-Nur
The ‘Mountain of Light’ is a 105.6 carat oval shape diamond. It has the longest history of all the famous diamonds, dating back over 700 years. One of the countless stories surrounding this stone talks of a great warrior called Babur, a descendant of Genghis Khan, who became ruler of the Indian province Agra. In 1526 he received an already famous diamond, so valued that at the time it was judged to be half the daily expense of the whole wide world. When his faithful son and heir Humeyun fell ill it was suggested to Babur that he sacrifice the great stone to save his son. The Emperor maintained that his most precious possession was his own life. Legend has it that Babur knelt by the bed of his dying son praying that his life be spared and his own be sacrificed instead. Humeyun’s condition slowly improved while Babur’s declined. Before he died Babur handed the diamond to his son. For the next 200 years few were privileged to momentarily lay claim to this legendary diamond. It was eventually surrendered into the hands of the conquering Queen when the region became part of the British Empire. It has remained with the royal family ever since. The Koh-i-Nur is set in the Maltese Cross at the front of the crown made for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and is kept safe in the Tower of London.

The Hope
The most celebrated of a very exclusive club, this 45.52 carat antique cushion cut blue stone is pure Hollywood! Once nicknamed the ‘Diamond of Disaster’ the story of the Hope spans over 300 years. Jean Baptiste Tavernier, the original king of diamonds, purchased the gem as early as 1642, possibly in Venice where it resided after arriving from the East. Initially named the Tavernier Blue it was bought by King Louis XIV in 1668 along with literally thousands of other diamonds that Tavernier had purchased. At some point in 1820 the stone was transferred to the Hope family. Originally bankers Hope & Co the stone was described in a catalogue of their jewellery which stated that “to try and convey a just conception of the beauty and splendour of this unique production of nature would be a vain attempt.” Early in the 19th century the Hope passed into the hands of Pierre Cartier. It is believed that it was at this time rumours of the stone’s misfortunes were born, mainly due to a prospective buyer by the name of Mrs McLean. Daughter to a gold mining tycoon, she believed that objects of ill-fate had the opposite effect on her. It worked - Mrs McLean became the proud owner in 1910. With a love of diamonds and the financial muscle to indulge in her obsession Mrs McLean became inseparable from the stone. She even had it blessed. However she suffered a series of personal tragedies before dying at the age of 60. In 1949 Harry Winston purchased Mrs McLean’s jewellery collection for what is thought to be about $1.5 million. The Blue Hope is now part of a national collection on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.