Like all diamonds in the so-called fancy colors, blue diamonds are also a real rarity. Fancy colors refers to all bright colors of diamonds - in contrast to the common white and yellowish shades.
Famous blue diamonds
By far the most famous blue diamond is the Hope Diamond, originally weighing 112 carats, which is said to be cursed and bring bad luck to its owners. It comes from the Golconda mines in India, although most blue diamonds are found in the Cullinan mine in South Africa. The mine is named after its owner, Sir Thomas Cullinan, who owned so many blue diamonds that he was able to give his wife a necklace that alternated white and blue diamonds.
In 2008, a seven-carat blue diamond was discovered in this mine, which achieved an absolute record price of around one million euros per carat at its subsequent auction.
Other well-known blue diamonds are the Stars of Mithras, named after a Persian deity. Originally there were three identical 145-carat diamonds; since they are now privately owned, nothing is known about their size when cut.
Also impressive are some blue heart-shaped diamonds, such as the 30.82-carat blue heart-cut diamond called Blue Heart, which weighed 103 carats in its uncut form.
The 27.64 carat Heart of Eternity diamond from South Africa stands out for its particularly vibrant blue color, which has been qualified as Fancy Vivid Blue by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America).
Until 1918, the Bavarian Crown Jewels were adorned with another blue diamond of 35.56 carats, the blue Wittelsbacher . It was considered one of the oldest brilliant-cut diamonds, but has since been recut.
Blue diamonds – the color Fancy Blue
Blue diamonds get their color from the inclusion of the element boron in the crystal lattice structure. The more boron there is, the stronger and more intense the blue is. However, unlike most diamonds, these gemstones contain almost no nitrogen.
Blue diamonds are usually not as deeply colored as blue sapphires, but are usually paler in color. A gray nuance is often visible.
In the 1990s, it was discovered that there are also blue diamonds that have acquired their color through natural irradiation, which changes the crystal structure and creates a blue appearance.
Another type was found in 1992 in the Australian Argyle Mine, where blue diamonds with embedded hydrogen were discovered.
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