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Magazine 58F
When Diamonds Become Fancy
THE white diamonds are too classic for you? Nature has done things well by creating varieties of colors called Fancy. These “fantasies” of nature are even rarer than white diamonds and 58 Facettes invites you to discover them through great history.
The blue diamond of the crown of France
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Known in a fictionalized way in the film Titanic, the Hope diamond is the most famous blue diamond. This diamond has passed through history between many countries and many hands, often with a tragic end for its owners. Brought from India in 1668 by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier for King Louis XIV, it took the name of the Blue Diamond of the Crown of France weighing 67.50 carats. Stolen during the French Revolution in 1792, the diamond reappeared in England with Baron Hope who gave it its name, but experienced terrible family and financial tragedies. In 1911, the Hope was acquired by the wealthy American socialite Evelyn Walsh McLean and in 1949, the American jeweler Harry Winston bought it to offer it in 1958 to the Smithsonian Institute of Washington museum. Today, this diamond is the dream of the entire planet. With its mysterious blue, it capsizes hearts like Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in the famous film Titanic.
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The pink diamond: the Grand Condé
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Today, nestled in the vaults of the Château de Chantilly, the 9.01 carat pink diamond was offered by Louis XIV to his cousin Louis II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé. This magnificent diamond with delicate hues will be preciously transmitted within the Condé family and travel after the Revolution throughout Europe under counter-republican protection. In 1897, the last Condé, Duke of Aumale, bequeathed the castle with the famous pink diamond and a prodigious collection of paintings to the Institut de France. With their delicate color, pink diamonds are particularly sought after by newlyweds for their engagement rings and can be combined in Toi & Moi including a yellow or blue diamond.
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Tiffany's yellow diamond
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The most famous intense yellow diamond in the world belongs to the house of Tiffany & Co, which acquired it in Paris in 1837. This 128.54-carat cushion-cut diamond with 90 facets was featured by the American jeweler through various creations : from the Rosette ribbon necklace worn by Audrey Hepburn in 1961, to the Bird on the rock brooch from 1995, to the current necklace, worn by Lady Gaga, during the Oscars ceremony in 2019. Particularly popular with an international clientele, diamonds yellows offer 6 color shades ranging from Fancy Light to Fancy Dark to Fancy Vivid. Yellow diamonds illuminate the jewelry playing with different shades ranging from soft morning light to a blazing sunset.
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The mysterious black diamond Korloff
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The French brand Korloff built its name in the 1980s by purchasing an 88-carat black diamond. This diamond belonged to a Russian noble family Korloff-Sapojnikoff and was sold after the revolution of 1917. The black diamond reappeared to the general public in November 2019, during the inauguration of the new boutique concept, rue de la Paix and gave birth to new emblematic collections. Even if black diamonds are not very valuable, they bring a chic touch to jewelry and above all a mysterious note.
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The rarest diamonds: green and red
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Green diamonds are in 3rd place among the most sought-after diamonds for their rarity (after blue). The most famous is found in northern Germany: the Dresden green diamond (40.70 carats). It is one of the splendors of Dresden Castle and its famous “green vault” which contains the most important collection of goldsmith objects and exceptional diamonds of Prince Augustus the Strong since 1723.
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Red diamonds are the most sought after on the planet. According to the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), there are only 20 red diamonds in the world, notably from the famous Argyle mine in Australia which has just closed its doors. For example, in 2013, a red diamond from this mine weighing only 1.56 carats was sold for $2 million.
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The polychromatic power of the diamond fascinates us and reminds us of the preciousness of our planet with its incomparable stones.
File produced by Kyra Brenzinger - Editor-in-Chief.
Cover photo: Blue cubic zirconia replica of the French Blue diamond © MNHN
Photo 1: Bleu de France © MNHN - Bernard Faye
Photo 2: The pink diamond. Chantilly, Condé museum © RMN-Grand Palais (Chantilly estate) © Michel Urtado
Photo 3: Necklace platinum, white diamonds and a 128-carat yellow diamond, Tiffany & Co. Tiffany / Press photo
Photo 4: Black Diamond Korloff. QuentinDupont, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo 5: Green Diamond of Dresden. The Encyclopedia of Gems. Gemfrance.
Photo 6: Red Diamond “The Hancock Red”. An extremely rare diamond: the red diamond. Diamond-Gems The Blog.