Blue Diamonds

When it comes to blue diamonds there is one that out shines them all. The Hope Diamond is likely the most famous of all the blue diamonds.

Discovered back in the middle of the Seventeenth Century, the diamond was far from beautiful when first released into the public domain. Crudely cut though it was, many remarked on its dazzling "violet beauty". Becoming obsessed with the gem, King Louis XIV of France had the stone re-cut and reset to be worn for ceremonial occasions.

Following years of ownership, the stone went missing from all records following its suspected theft during the French Revolution. It is now widely believed that a stone that turned up in a London merchant's collection in the early Nineteenth Century was the re-cut gem. This stone passed into the ownership of the then English Monarch, King George IV.

Following the death of the King, it is believed the gem was used to pay off his considerable debts, and passed into the hands of Henry Philip Hope, from which the stone gets its current name.

The constant trade of the diamond continued; either to pay off debts or through others fascination with it. It finally passed into the ownership of the Smithsonian Institution in 1958, where it remains to this day.

In 1974, the gem was weighed for the first time as records could recall, and surprised experts when it was revealed to be an amazing 45.52 carats. Estimations until this point suggested it would come in just above forty-four carats. If the sale of the unnamed blue diamond in Geneva in May of this year is anything to go by; the minimum valuation of the Hope Diamond can be put at somewhere around the sixty to seventy million dollar mark. And even more value may be in order given it's storied history.

In addition to the world famous Hope Diamond, there are many others known by name to the world, including the Blue Empress, the Regent Diamond, and the Queen of Holland. However, these won't be sold the way they once were. Today, the owners of blue diamonds hold on to them all of their lives as a testament of their own riches and of the diamonds' fame.

There are many different shades of these diamonds in the world. You won't go shopping for any of the most famous, but you might for much smaller ones, and knowing about the colors will help you to make a good purchase. You might want to look for a specific tone of blue, or you might want to judge by which are most prized among collectors. A blue diamond set on a ring or earrings makes for a beautiful show piece.

Finally, a diamond that is cut well can make up for a slightly off color as a badly cut diamond can ruin the beauty. Thankfully, most people are very skilled at what they do and we are presented with a range of diamonds in all sorts of beautiful shapes. Anybody who has a blue diamond should realize just how special and important it really is.