8 Rare Fancy Diamonds

Gemstones are already considered rare, and diamonds are among the rarest. Of the most desirable diamonds, the ones that are the closest to colorless are typically desired. However, on the opposite side of the spectrum, once a diamond’s color reaches vivid, you have an extremely valuable fancy-colored stone. Fancy-colored diamonds come in all shades of the rainbow, some easier found than others, but these colorful gems are rarer than most D-colored diamonds. Check out this list to see some of the most valuable fancy diamonds in the world.

8. The Moussaieff Red
Red diamonds are some of the rarest fancy-colored diamonds — only 20-30 have been discovered, and the majority are around a half carat.The Moussaieff Red is the largest ever discovered. When first discovered in Brazil by a fisherman in the ’90s, the raw stone was 13.9 carats. However, the internally flawless stone had to be cut to 5.5 carats. The stone was bought in the early 2000s by Moussaieff Jewelers for about $8 million — that’s almost $1.5 million per carat.

7. The Dresden Green
This 41-carat diamond has a long history that can be dated back to a 1722 London news article about the stone. The rare green gem likely originated in India, but was then bought in 1942 by a London jeweler. The stone eventually made it to the Green Vault of Frederick Augustus I, the first King of Saxony. The King had it reset in 1768, the setting in which the stone remains.

The gem was on display in Dresden until the beginning of WWII when it was moved for safekeeping. However, the USSR took the jewels to Moscow during the war. The USSR returned the jewels in 1958.

6. The Sun-Drop Diamond
The Sun-Drop diamond is the largest known yellow diamond. This massive diamond is estimated to have formed in Earth’s crust 1-3 billion years ago. The fancy vivid yellow weighs a massive 110.3 carats and is cut into a pear shape.

In 2011, the Sun-Drop broke a world auction record for a yellow diamond, selling for $10.9 million to an anonymous bidder. However, the record has since been beat by the 100-carat Graff Vivid Yellow, which sold for $16 million.

5. The Ocean Dream
Name for the blue-green hue that brings the ocean to mind, the Ocean Dream is exceptionally rare as the first and one of the only diamonds naturally colored ever discovered.

The stone is also remarkably large at 5.51 carats and it was found in Central Africa, but the mine and exact origins are unknown. It was auctioned by Christie’s in 2014 as a ring set in gold and platinum with pave set white and pink diamonds. It sold for over $8 million to an unknown bidder.

4. The Spirit of de Grisogono
The Spirit of de Grisogono is notable on two accounts. First, it’s the largest black diamond ever discovered. Second, it’s also the fifth largest cut diamond. The massive raw stone was 587 carats before cutting.

In the end, the moghul-cut diamond weighs in at a whopping 312.24 carats. The stone was mounted in white gold set with 702 smaller white diamonds which totaled 36.69 carats. The owner and sale of the ring is unknown. However, it’s said that the Swiss jeweler de Grisogono has sold the ring.

3. The Golden Jubilee Diamond
This is the largest cut and faceted diamond in the world. The fancy brown diamond weight 755.5 carats before it was cut to 546.67 carats. It’s also the largest brown diamond known.

The stone was discovered in 1985 in South Africa, and it was first thought to be an ugly stone. Now, with improved cutting technology, brown diamonds are coveted champagne diamonds. The cutting process took De Beers two years. After a series of transactions, the stone was gifted to the King of Thailand Rama IX for the 50th anniversary of his coronation in 1997.

2. The Pink Star
This vivid pink diamond is the largest of its color to have been discovered. It was mined in South Africa by De Beers in 199. The pink diamond weighed 132.5 carats in its rough state. The diamond was then cut to 59.6 carats.

In 2013 the gem broke a world record at a Sotheby’s auction, with the stone selling for about $83 million — the most paid for a gemstone of any kind at auction. However, Sotheby’s had to buy the diamond back after the buyer from the auction didn’t pay and defaulted. Sotheby’s had guaranteed the original seller $60 million and had to pay in accordance to their agreement. Now, the diamond remains in Sotheby’s inventory valued at $72 million.

1. The Hope Diamond
The hope diamond is known as the most famous diamond in the world with a long and detailed history as one of the rarest gemstones in the world. The vivid blue weighs 45.52 carats. The origins are unknown as transactions only suggest that a French gem merchant may have obtained the gem in the 17th century. However, the gem is believed to have been mined in India.

Since the gem was discovered, the gem has passed through many hands, including Kind Louis XIV of France, King George IV of the U.K., Pierre Cartier and Harry Winston. Now, it resides at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. The diamond has been surrounded by mystery and tales of a curse that affects the owner and wearer of the diamond. It’s valued between $200-250 million.

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