Famous Black Diamonds

The Spirit of de Grisogono

The Spirit of de Grisogono is a spectactular 312.24 carat mogul-cut black diamond. It was patiently cut over the course of more than a year from a 587 carat rough and is believed to be the largest natural black diamond in the world. It is currently set in a white-gold ring with over 700 white diamonds (36 carat total weight). It's really a spectacular piece of jewelry in every respect!. The Spirit of de Grisogono was last sold to a private client of Grisogono Jewelers.

The Gruosi Diamond

The world's largest heart-shaped black diamond, weighing in 115.34 carats. Cut from a 300 carat rough, the Gruosi is said to have taken 3 years (and a lot of patience) to cut, due to it's fragility - a challenge common to working black diamonds. It is set in a necklace along with smaller black diamonds, white diamonds and green tsavorite garnets.

Black Star of Africa

A 202 carat black diamond. It's current whereabouts are unknown- it was last seen in Tokyo at an exhibit in 1971, when it was estimated to be worth over a million dollars. It is rumored to have been sold to an Asian buyer in the 1980's, but this sale has not been verified.

The Table of Islam

A 160 carat black diamond believed to be emerald-cut.

The Korloff Noir

The Korloff Noir is a round-cut, 88 carat black diamond of uncertain origin. It is said by some to have originated in Russia, but this is highly unlikely since all black diamonds found to date have originated from Brazil or from the Central African Republic. What we do know is that is spent many decades in the hands of the Korloff-Sapozhnikov family and was purchased during the 1970's by French jeweler Daniel Paillasseur, who subsequently named his jewelry business Korloff Jewelers in honor of this beautiful stone. It has been on public display many times since it's purchase, primarily at events coinciding with the opening of a new Korloff boutique.

The Black Orlov (Orloff), aka The Eye of Brahma

There's a wonderful story about this 67.50 carat black (actually a very dark gray) diamond having been a raw stone plucked from the eye of an idol in Pondicherry India. The sacrilegious theft put a curse upon the stone, and three subsequent owners, including a Russian princess by the name of Nadia Vyegin-Orlov, are said to have been miserably unhappy and eventually killed themselves! However none of this has basis in fact and modern-day consensus is that the story is just that - a fanciful tale, concocted to create an air of romance and perhaps to increase the auction price of the stone. However, the true origins of this spectacular gemstone remain a mystery.

We do know that this cushion-cut diamond, currently in set in a diamond and platinum necklace, was widely exhibited during the mid 20th century and owned for a time by Charles Winston. It's last known sale was in 2006 at a Christie's auction where it sold for the sum of $352,000.

The Amsterdam Diamond

The Amsterdam Diamond is a pure black, pear shaped 33.74 carat diamond cut from a nearly 56 carat rough found in Africa. It was first exhibited in the early 1970's and reportedly sold at a Christie's auction in 2001.

The Black Diamond of Bahia

Discovered in Brazil, this massive, 350 carat rough was exhibited at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851.