Value Of The Centenary Diamond

The original stone from which the Centenary Diamond was cut, weighed a massive 599 carats. It was discovered in 1986, in the DeBeers diamond mines in South Africa. As the raw stone had a very rough shape, it was considered to be very difficult to cut. Some people also suggested cutting it into a number of smaller stones.

Finally, a renowned diamond cutter named Gabi Towkowsky said that the raw diamond would be cut in one huge modern-cut stone. A special room was prepared, in which the 599 carat diamond would be cut in. This itself took a whole year.

The D-Colour Centenary Diamond

The actual process of cutting the raw diamond stone took almost another year to complete, and three diamonds were finally cut from it. The largest of these diamonds weighed 273.85 carats, and had the shape of a modified heart. It was named the Centenary Diamond.

Why is the Centenary Diamond so special?

The main point that sets the Centenary Diamond apart from other large diamonds is its remarkable clarity. In fact, diamond experts have graded the sparkling stone as internally flawless. The Centenary Diamond is believed to be the biggest, faceted, D-colour diamond in the world.

While the value of the Centenary Diamond has never been appraised, it was reported that the diamond was insured for about $100 million, when it was unveiled in May 1991, after its cutting. So, you can expect the value and price to be something around that figure.

Other Large Diamonds Of The World:

• The Cullinan I Diamond
• The Mouawad Jubillee Diamond
• The DeBeers Diamond
• The Millenium Star Diamond
• The Mouawad Magic Diamond
• Other Famous Diamonds and Diamond-Studded Items