Diamonds have been prized for more than 3,000 years, yet only a handful ever climb from precious stone to legend. In Hatton Garden, London's historic diamond quarter in EC1N, the world's most famous diamonds remain a constant point of reference for collectors and jewellers alike. The dealers around Greville Street and Leather Lane handle exceptional diamonds every day, and the great historic stones set the standard against which they are judged. Carat weight, cut, clarity and a story worth telling all play their part. Here are several celebrated diamonds whose reputations endure across centuries and continents.
The Great Star of Africa
This colossal stone is the largest cut diamond in the world, with a total weight of 530.20 carats. It was cut from the 3,106 carat Cullinan crystal, the largest gem-quality rough ever found, by Joseph Asscher and Company of Amsterdam.
The cutters reportedly studied the rough for months before committing, eventually shaping a pear cut with 74 facets. The Great Star of Africa now sits within the royal sceptre, displayed with the other Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. For anyone weighing up an engagement ring, it is a vivid reminder of how cut transforms rough stone into brilliance.
The Orloff
The Orloff is a substantial stone with a gentle blue-green tinge and an exceptionally pure level of clarity. Its elegant Mogul cut sets it apart from later European styles and reflects a different tradition of stonework.
Its history reads like an adventure. Legend places its origins as the eye in a statue of a Hindu deity, with a long and disputed journey westward thereafter. Today it rests in the Diamond Treasury in Moscow.
The Koh-i-Noor
The Koh-i-Noor is a gem of international renown, as divisive as it is beautiful. At 105.60 carats and measuring roughly 36.00 by 31.90 by 13.04 millimetres, it is neither the largest nor the brightest famous diamond.
Its fame rests on history rather than dimensions. As an artefact of conquest tied to long power struggles across the South Asian subcontinent, it has been housed with the British Crown Jewels for generations and remains one of the most studied stones in the Tower of London.
What famous diamonds teach buyers
The lesson behind every legendary stone is that character comes from more than size. Cut quality, clarity and provenance shape both beauty and value, which is why independent certification matters.
When buying in Hatton Garden, near Farringdon, Holborn and Chancery Lane, ask for a GIA or IGI report and look for the London Assay Office hallmark on any setting. A trusted dealer will walk you through the paperwork before you ever discuss price.
Fun fact: The Asscher team studied the Cullinan rough for months before the first cleaving blow, such was the value at stake.
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