Modern Era

On March 11, 1988, the Centenary celebration of the DeBeers Company was being held in Kimberly Western Australia, to commemorate the closing of the “Big Hole”, the Kimberly Mine. A speech was given to celebrate the day and to announce, surprisingly, the find of a 599 carat diamond of top color having been found in the Premier Mine in South Africa. Dignitaries and representatives from national governments and the diamond...

The Hope diamond currently in the Smithsonian Museum, weighs 45.52 carats, is VS1 in clarity and is a natural fancy deep grayish blue color. This fantastic stone has had a mysterious, ever changing and cursed history as described below. The first recorded finding of the diamond was in the late 1600’s when Jean Baptiste either stole the diamond from a slave he later murdered or it was purchased for an...

The Premier Rose diamond was found in March 1978 at the Premier mine in South Africa and weighs 137.02 carats. It was graded by the Gemological Institute of America as flawless, D color. Like the Niarchos diamond, it made its way thru the various stages of mining until the final step, the grease table in the recovery plant. The grease table is a conveyer belt with grease which attracts diamonds....

The Taylor-Burton Diamond stands as one of the most mesmerizing gemstones in celebrity history, intertwining the allure of precious jewels with a tale of legendary romance. This pear-shaped diamond, once owned by Elizabeth Taylor, symbolizes opulence and the Hollywood golden era's excess. Discovered in the mines of South Africa, its journey to stardom began when it was purchased by actor Richard Burton, marking one of the grandest gestures of love...