* Astronomy

The Cullinan diamond was found by Thomas Evan Powell, a miner who brought it to the surface and gave it to Frederick Wells, surface manager of the Premier Diamond Mining Company in Cullinan, on January 26, 1905. The stone was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the diamond mine.
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The 10 Biggest and famous Diamonds in the World

10. The Millennium Star, Weight: 203.04 carats
The Millennium Star is internally and externally flawless pear-shaped diamond (total of 54 facets). With the weight of 203.04 carats it is the 10th largest diamond in the world. Originally, the rough stone was 777 carats found in the Mbuji-Mayi district of Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1990. After 5 months of studying and planning the cutting of the stone, it was decided to cut the rough diamond into three pieces. The Millennium Star is the outcome of the largest piece. The value of the stone hasn't been revealed but the Millennium Star was insured for 100 million English pounds, this is believed to be a fraction of its true worth.
9. The Red Cross, Weight: 205.07 carats
The Red Cross is canary yellow cushion-shaped diamond with weight of 205.07 carats. The rough stone weighed 375 carats and was found in Kimberly mines (South Africa) in 1901. The diamond was presented as a gift to the art sale held in London by Christies in 1918, on behalf of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John. Another rare feature is that a Maltese Cross is distinctly visible in the top facet, hence the double appropriateness of its name, the Red Cross Diamond.
8. The De Beers - Weight: 234.65 carats
The De Beers diamond was found in Kimberly mines in 1888, the rough stone weighed 428.50 carats and measured 47.6 mm through its longest axis and 38.1 mm square. Weighing 234.65 carats, the De Beers is the 8th largest faceted diamond in the world. After its display in Paris the Maharaja of Patiala bought the De Beers. In 1928 Cartier of Paris set it as the centerpiece of a ceremonial necklace that came to be known as the Patiala Necklace. The necklace originally contained about 2,930 diamonds weighing about 962.25 carats. Today's whereabouts of the De Beers diamond and the Patiala Nacklace is unknown.
7. The Jubilee - Weight: 245.35 carats
The Jubilee is a colorless cushion-shaped diamond with a weight of 245.35 carats. The original rough stone, an irregular octahedron without definite faces or shape weighed 650.80 carats and was found in the Jagersfontein Mine towards the end of 1895. When during the cutting it became evident that a superb diamond of exceptional purity and size was being produced, it was planned to present it to Queen Victoria. In the end this did not happen and the diamond remained with its owners. The following year marked the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (the 75th anniversary of her coronation) so the gem was renamed the Jubilee to commemorate the occasion.
6. The Centenary - Weight: 273.85 carats
The Centenary was found in Premier mine in 1986, in its rough form it weighed 599 carats. When cutting was completed the Centenary weighed 273.85 carats, measured 39.90 x 50.50 x 24.55 mm, and had 247 facets - 164 on the stone and 83 around its girdle. Never before had such a high number of facets been polished onto a diamond. The true value of the Centenary diamond is unknown, but the diamond was insured for around $100 million in 1991.
5. The Spirit of de Grisogono - Weight: 312.24
The Spirit of de Grisogono, at 312.24 carats, is the world's largest cut black diamond, and world's 5th largest diamond. In a white gold mounting, it is set with 702 white diamonds totaling 36.69 carats. This diamond originally had a rough weight of 587 carats and was mined several decades ago in west Central Africa before being imported into Switzerland.
4. The Cullinan II - Weight: 317.40 carats
The Cullinan II is the massive 317.40 carat cushion shaped diamond in the center-front of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain. Cullinan II was cut from the largest gem-quality diamond ever found, it weighed 3106 carats, or about 1 1/3 pounds. It was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, who opened the mine and was visiting on that eventful day. The nine larger stones of the Cullinan diamond remain either in the British Crown Jewels or in the personal possession of the Royal Family.
3. The Incomparable - Weight: 407.48 carats
2. The Cullinan I - aka the Star of Africa
Weight: 530.20 carats
1. The Golden Jubilee
Weight: 545.67 carats

$13 million diamond

An enormous pink diamond is expected to fetch $13 million when it goes for auction in the US.

Sun-drop diamond in Swiss auction

A 110-carat diamond is expected to fetch up to $15m (£9m) at auction in Geneva next week, Sotheby's says. The so-called Sun-Drop Diamond is described as fancy vivid yellow, the highest colour grading, and is the largest known diamond of its kind, at 110.3 carats.
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25,000-year-old pendant found in Basque Country

A pendant of about 25,000 years old was found by archaeologists from the Sociedad Aranzadi in the Irikaitz dig near the town of Zestoa in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country.
According to the director of the excavation, Alvaro Arrizabalaga, the pendant is older than other such items found so far in the Praileaitz cave which are estimated to be some 15,000 years old.
The piece, an oblong gray smooth stone some 10 centimetres in length, is perforated at one end and apparently was hung from a thong or cord around a person's neck. Arrizabalaga added that the other end of the stone was used as a tool to retouch the edges of tools made from flint, like arrows or scrapers.
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