The Millennium Star
Over the coming weeks, we will be taking a look at some of the world’s most incredible and well-known diamonds.
We begin our series with the Millennium Star, a beautiful pear shaped diamond. Originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this rock was discovered in the alluvial mines of the Mbuji-Muyi region. The original stone weighed an incredible 777 carats, and remains the second largest D colour diamond ever to be polished. It is also internally and externally flawless! The rough diamond was purchased by luxury jewellers De Beers in 1990, and was carved into the classic pear shape by expert craftsmen; who took more than three years to produce the finished cut.
The Millennium Star is a highly coveted diamond, and has seen much publicity and even attempts of robbery! In October 1999, the diamond was the centrepiece of an exhibition in London’s Natural History Museum. Whilst it was on display, the Metropolitan Police received information that criminals were plotting to steal gems on display, including the Millennium Star itself. The exhibition was immediately closed under the recommendation of Scotland Yard.
In 2000, the Millennium Star was the centre of another robbery attempt. A collection of the world’s rarest and most valuable diamonds were displayed in London’s Millennium Dome to mark the turn of the Century. Once again, the Metropolitan Police foiled plans of a robbery; this time, they intercepted plans of a daring smash attempt to steal the priceless diamond and escape by speedboat! In a dramatic Hollywood-style twist, the police replaced the real diamond with a replica before the arranged break-in, and were on hand to arrest the robbers before they could escape. It is generally considered that, had the criminals been successful in their attempts, this would have been the largest robbery in the world!
To view our collection of beautiful loose pear shaped diamonds, click here
Coloured Diamonds
Classic white diamonds are the ultimate elegance, but coloured diamonds can add dramatic impact to any piece of jewellery. Seventy Seven Diamonds have just launched an array of stunning fancy coloured loose diamonds to their collection, which includes pink, blue and grey diamonds!
How are coloured diamonds formed?
Diamonds can become coloured in two ways. Firstly, tiny particles or impurities such as Nitrogen or Boron within the stone can alter the appearance, giving the diamond a coloured hue. Also, structural defects in the crystal lattice can affect the way light passes through the diamond. White diamonds have hardly any impurities or structural defects, giving them their clear transparency. Here is a selection of some of our favourite diamond colours...
Blue Pear-Shaped Diamond
Blue diamonds are one of the rarest coloured diamonds in existence, and are caused by the presence of Boron particles inside the diamond's structure. The best known blue diamond is the infamous Hope Diamond. Weighing a total of 45.52 carats, this dark greyish-blue coloured diamond was supposedly cursed, bringing bad luck to it's owner.
Yellow Round Brilliant Diamond
Yellow diamonds are created when Nitrogen particles appear within the stone. They exist in a wide range of shades, depending on the amount of Nitrogen present. Pale yellow is the most common hue, while stronger coloured vivid yellow shades are rarer and more sought-after. An example of this rare vivid colour can be seen in the Tiffany diamond, which weighs an incredible 280 carats.
Black Princess Cut Diamond
Black diamonds are not actually black! The stone instead contains a large amount of dark inclusions, which give the diamond it's black appearance. One of the best known black diamonds is the Black Star of Africa, a beautiful 202 carat rock.
To view more of these exquisite coloured stones and purchase loose diamonds, click here. Alternatively, bespoke pieces of jewellery can be created- our in house design team can work with you to design the perfect piece of jewellery. What would you create?
Ring Sizing: How to Get it Right!
Christmas is fast approaching, and what better way to surprise your loved one than with a glittering diamond ring? And we don't just mean engagement rings; cocktail rings make a glamorous gift, and eternity rings are a timeless symbol of love and partnership- the ultimate present!
However, it's not always as simple as picking out the perfect style. Finding the correct ring size can be difficult, especially if you want to keep her from finding out about your planned present! So, how can you ensure that you get the perfect fit? Here are some of our top tips...
Find an Accomplice
This could be the simplest solution to finding out your loved one's ring size. Providing they can keep a secret, asking Mothers, Sisters or best friends for a bit of help is an excellent idea. If they don't already know the ring size needed, they will no doubt be able to come up with subtle ways of finding it out.. so she won't expect a thing!
Size an Existing Ring
If nobody can help you out, another good idea is to find the size of a ring that your loved one already owns. Raid her jewellery box when she's not looking and take it to your nearest jewellers, who can size the ring for you. Alternatively, we can send you a free Finger Sizer by post. A word of warning: make sure that the ring you measure is one that fits her comfortably, and isn't too big or small!
For more information about our free Finger Sizers, please click here.