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The biggest and most famous diamonds in the world unveiled

Diamonds have always captured the human imagination, either as symbols of opulence or as marvels of natural history. Their grandeur and brilliance make them some of the most sought-after gemstones worldwide. In this blog post, we take you on a captivating journey through some of the most famous and largest diamonds in the world. Whether you're a gemstone enthusiast, an avid diamond jewellery collector, or a history buff, these diamonds offer a tantalising glimpse into a world of luxury and craftsmanship. 
 

  • The world's largest coloured diamonds 

  • The world’s largest heart-shaped diamond 

  • The largest diamond in the universe 

  • Top-5 most expensive diamonds in the world 

  • Another five famous diamonds 

  • Discover the BAUNAT diamond rings 

 

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What are the most famous and largest diamonds in the world?

The world's most famous and largest diamonds include the Cullinan diamond, a 3106.75 carat giant; the Lesedi La Rona, the second-largest at 1109 carats; and the Golden Jubilee, the largest coloured diamond at 545.67 carats. Noteworthy heart-shaped diamonds such as 'Love at First Sight' are also significant. The Koh-i-Noor and the Hope Diamond are among the most expensive diamonds with rich histories. Additionally, a diamond-encrusted white dwarf star in space highlights the natural marvel of diamonds.

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Most viewed diamond jewels

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The largest white diamonds in the world

The average diamond size that BAUNAT sells in our jewellery is 1 to 3 carats. The biggest diamonds in the world are several times that size, and of inestimable value. Let's introduce you to the top 5 largest diamonds ever. 
Image of nine Cullinan diamonds, cut from the world's largest diamond - BAUNAT - sparkling Cullinan diamond set against a dark background with dazzling diamonds

1. The Cullinan diamond: rivalled by very few

The highest carat diamond found on earth so far is the Cullinan diamond, and is the source of 105 famous diamonds, including the famous Cullinan I and the Cullinan II. This diamond was discovered in Premier Mine near Pretoria, South Africa in 1905 and weighed a stunning 3106.75 carat before the diamond was cut into 105 different diamonds by the Asscher brothers from Amsterdam. It was cut in Amsterdam and processed in the British Crown Jewels.  
It happens very rarely, but sometimes nature donates ‘us' a giant diamond. A diamond so big, that it’s beyond every imagination.
BAUNAT - a woman holding The Lesedi La Rona Diamond, one of the largest colourless diamonds in the world

2. The Lesedi La Rona diamond: a symbol of wonder

The Lesedi La Rona, or ‘Our Life’ in Tswana (the language of Botswana), is the second-largest colourless diamond in the world. The rough diamond was found in the Karowe mine in 2015 and weighed 1,109 carats. A year later, the rough stone was sold for $53 million. 

3. The Excelsior Diamond: a most remarkable gemstone

BAUNAT - the famous Excelsior diamond which was founded in South Africa and sold for a big sum.
With a scale of 995.2 carats, the Excelsior Diamond  takes third place in the line-up. Found in South Africa, it took a long time for the diamond to be sold. Apparently, there was no one who could afford it. After some time, it was sent to Amsterdam to be cut into 10 smaller precious stones. The largest diamond, Excelsior I, was eventually sold for $2.64 million.

4. The Star of Sierra Leone diamond: a jewel that commands global admiration

BAUNAT - a woman holding the Star of Sierra Leone diamond radiating a bright light
The Star of Sierra Leone  of 968.9 carats is the largest diamond ever extracted from the mine with the same name. It was soon sold to Harry Winston for a $2.5 million spot price, who had it cut in 17 separate diamonds. The largest precious stone left was still 54 carats.

5. The Lesotho Legend diamond: a modern marvel that continues to amaze

BAUNAT - the Lesotho Legend diamond, one of the most prestigious colourless diamonds, weighing 910 carats
This stone, the size of two golf balls, weighs a pretty 910 carats and thus takes fifth place. The diamond is not only very large but also has a D-colour sorting and an IIa chemical composition. These are the best scores a colourless diamond can get.
The Love at First Sight: the world's largest heart-shaped diamond. - BAUNAT - the biggest internally flawless heart-shaped diamond on white

The world's largest heart-shaped diamond

The colourless internally flawless diamond of 56.15 carat was originally part of the legendary Cullinan. The heart-shaped diamond was put to auction by Christie’s on Valentine’s Day 2011. That’s where the romantic nickname ‘Love at First Sight’ came from. The current owner paid nothing less than 11 million dollars for it.

The largest coloured diamonds in the world

Three of the five largest diamonds in the world are colourless diamonds. That in itself is not surprising, as most diamonds mined worldwide are colourless diamonds. However, there are several coloured diamonds that are definitely worth mentioning.
Image with the largest diamonds in the world. – BAUNAT - the most famous diamonds featuring the golden jubilee diamond on the first spot

The largest brown diamond: the Golden Jubilee Diamond

The world's largest coloured diamond was found in 1985: the Golden Jubilee Diamond. It is a brown diamond of 545.67 carats and was discovered in the famous Premier Mine in South Africa. It was only found in 1985 and took over two years to cut the rough diamond into its current shape.
The Daria-I-Noor: the largest pink diamond in the world. – BAUNAT - the famous Daria-I-Noor pink diamond brooch in a stunning gold frame

The largest pink diamond in the world: the Daria-I-Noor diamond

The largest pink diamond in the world is the Daria-I-Noor. It weighs about 182 carats and is part of the Iranian crown jewels. The diamond was originally found in India. As far as quality is concerned, it's not the best pink diamond. That honour befalls the vivid pink diamond Pink Star.

Browse our pink diamond ring

The largest blue diamond in the world: the Okavango Blue diamond

The world's largest blue diamond was discovered in Botswana in April 2019. The rough diamond weighed 41 carats, the cut stone weighs 20 carats. This stone was named the Okavango Blue, after the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
The Tiffany diamond: the largest yellow diamond in the world. - BAUNAT - Iconic yellow Tiffany diamond against black backdrop

The world's largest yellow diamond: the Tiffany diamond

The famous Tiffany diamond is the largest yellow diamond in the world. It was discovered in 1888 in the mine of De Beers, the largest diamond company in the world. It is the seventh largest coloured diamond in the world. New York jeweller Tiffany and Co bought the exceptional stone that was cut into a pillow shape and bears witness to excellent craftsmanship. But it is the wearers of this expensive gemstone that ensured the diamond became a world-famous diamond. That honour was only bestowed on two women. One was Mrs Sheldon who wore it at the Tiffany Ball in Newport, the other was Audrey Hepburn who shined in the blockbuster Breakfast at Tiffany's in 1961.

The largest diamond in the universe: beyond earthly boundaries

The largest diamond in the universe is not found on Earth, but in the vast expanse of space. In 2014 a remarkable discovery was made: a dwarf star adorned with diamonds. Although it is beyond our capability to process this star into jewellery, its existence is a testament to the wonders of the cosmos.

On the 26th of June 2014, American astronomers identified a white dwarf in the sky. Unlike typical stars, this white dwarf is extraordinarily dark and emits incredibly low temperatures. However, this particular white dwarf is no ordinary celestial body. It is as large as Earth and encrusted with gemstones — none other than diamonds. This makes it the darkest and coldest white dwarf star ever recorded.

The extremely low temperatures have caused the carbon present in the white dwarf to crystallise, forming an immense diamond the size of Earth. The process is akin to how diamonds form on Earth, where carbon crystallises under intense pressure and heat. This white dwarf star is essentially a colossal diamond, a breathtaking spectacle of crystallised carbon.

A white dwarf forms when a star exhausts all its nuclear fuel. Although humanity has developed techniques to produce synthetic diamonds through various chemical and physical methods, natural diamonds remain rare and valuable. This celestial diamond serves as a poignant reminder of the unparalleled beauty and craftsmanship inherent in nature.

Discover the elegance and sophistication that only natural diamonds can offer. Explore our exquisite collection of diamond jewellery, crafted to perfection.

Top-5 Most Expensive Diamonds In The World

The largest diamonds in the world are not necessarily the most expensive diamonds. Often, the unique history of diamonds also plays a major role to determine the price. We'll introduce you to the five most expensive diamonds in the world.
Crown of Queen Elizabeth II with one of the most famous diamonds in the world. - BAUNAT - royal crown of Queen Elizabeth II adorned with the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond

1. The Koh-i-Noor diamond

The Koh-i-Noor was found in the Kolkonda mine in India and now weighs 109 carats. Koh-i-Noor means 'mountain of light' in Persian. That name came from the Persian general Nadir Shah who shouted this out when he saw the diamond. How much the Koh-i-Noor is worth, is unknown. This is undoubtedly a diamond of indefinable value. The diamond is now incorporated into the crown of Queen Elizabeth II and can be admired in the Tower of London.

Read more about the exclusive collections of crown jewels

2. The Sancy Diamond

Another invaluable diamond is the Sancy diamond. This diamond first emerged in 1477 and has since been at the centre of many an intrigue, thefts and violence. It was in the hands of the Portuguese, the French court and the British royal family over the years. Today you can admire this exceptional diamond at the Louvre in Paris.

3. The Cullinan diamond

You know the third most expensive diamond in the world already: the raw Cullinan diamond. This rough diamond would have been worth about $400 million before it was cut into the Cullinan I, Cullinan II and about a hundred smaller diamonds.
The Hope diamond, one of the most expensive diamonds in the world - BAUNAT - the dazzling blue diamond pendant, the famous Hope Diamond, exhibited on a surface

4. The Hope diamond

The Hope diamond worth $350 million cannot be left out in this section. It is the rare blue colour that bestowed the well-deserved fame on the expensive stone. Because the diamond was once owned by Sun King Louis XIV, it was named 'Le bleu de France'. It was only since 1830 that the stone was called the Hope diamond, named after its London owner at the time.
It is said there is a curse on the Hope diamond that brings misfortune to the wearer. The first stories of a possible curse surfaced in 1909.
The Centenary Diamond: one of the most expensive diamonds in the world - BAUNAT - the Beer's Century Diamond, the largest diamond ever found, sparkling with unparalleled brilliance

5. De Beers Centenary Diamond

The De Beers Centenary Diamond weighs 273.85 carats and is worth around $100 million dollars. It was found in 1986 and put on public display in 1991. As the name suggests, it was found in the Premier Mine operated by De Beers in South Africa.

Another five famous diamonds to get inspired by

There are so many diamonds with exceptional qualities, they cannot all be listed in the top 5 of the world's largest, most expensive or best-known diamonds. We would like to show you a few more diamonds worthy of introduction.

The Orloff diamond

At 189 carats, the Orloff diamond is one of the largest precious stones in the world. The stone is of Indian origin but is now in the Kremlin's diamond collection. The diamond used to be in the scepter of the Russian empress Catharina the Great.
Charles X with crown. The crown holds the Regent diamond: one of the most famous diamonds in the world – BAUNAT - The Regent diamond in the French royal crown

The Regent diamond

The Regent diamond is a 141 carat diamond that you can now view at the Louvre. This diamond carries a whole history with it and according to some legends, it is even cursed. The diamond used to be in the French royal crown.

The Taylor-Burton diamond

The Taylor-Burton diamond was owned by the famous actor couple Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in 1969. The diamond weighs 68 carats and the necklace in which the diamond is set, was specially designed to hide Taylor's tracheotomy scar. In 1979, the diamond was sold to the famous jeweller Robert Mouawad.

The Millennium Star diamond

The Millennium Star is a diamond of De Beers and the largest pear-shaped diamond in the world. The cutting process lasted more than 3 years. This diamond was found in the Congo in 1990 but was only put on public display in 1999 at the London Millennium Dome.
The Oppenheimer Blue: one of the most famous diamonds in the world. - BAUNAT - The exquisite Oppenheimer Blue diamond, an emerald cut gem, among the most expensive diamonds globally

The Oppenheimer Blue diamond

The Oppenheimer Blue is a 14.62 carat blue diamond that was sold at an auction for $50.6 million in 2016. That was a record at the time, but the Pink Star broke the record again in 2017. The well-known British diamond expert Philipp Oppenheimer used to own the diamond, but the current owner is not known.

Discover diamond rings at BAUNAT

Diamonds are more than mere stones; they are timeless symbols of luxury, craftsmanship, and elegance. From the Cullinan to the Lesotho Legend, each of these magnificent gems offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of high-quality diamond jewellery. Whether you are a gemstone enthusiast, a jewellery collector, or a history buff, these diamonds provide endless stories and inspiration.

Ready to explore the world of exquisite diamonds further? Discover the diamond rings of BAUNAT!

  • Fabienne Rauw

  • BAUNAT Antwerp

  • Fabienne, manager of the German market is able to guide every client with finding the right jewel. She takes care of most of the German orders, but also takes other task on her plate. Thanks to her six  years of experience at BAUNAT she acquainted well with the product and the marketing around it. Her degree in PR ensures that BAUNAT is well presented across all media channels. For anyone looking into a new investment opportunity, Fabienne is the perfect guide in this process. No question will be left unanswered, and she will help you every step of the way.

Fabienne, manager of the German market is able to guide every client with finding the right jewel. She takes care of most of the German orders, but also takes other task on her plate. Thanks to her six  years of experience at BAUNAT she acquainted well with the product and the marketing around it. Her degree in PR ensures that BAUNAT is well presented across all media channels. For anyone looking into a new investment opportunity, Fabienne is the perfect guide in this process. No question will be left unanswered, and she will help you every step of the way.