The Millennium Star is a diamond owned by De Beers.At 203.04 carats (40.608 g), it is the world's second largest known top-color (grade D, i.e.

The robbery was “planned professionally and carefully down to the last detail”. The Millennium Star diamond originated from a unique rough stone, with a magic weight of 777 carats that was discovered in 1990, in the Mbugi-Mayi district of Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo). It is “reputed to be worth around £200million” and was the target of a high-profile robbery in November 2000. The finished diamond was first displayed in October 1999 as the centerpiece of the De Beers Millennium diamond collection. The Millennium Star Diamond was mined in Zaire in 1990 and purchased by mining giant De Beers. Note: Make sure your bookmarks are visible. The Millennium Star Diamond is the largest flawless pear-shaped diamond, it was 777 carats in the rough, making it the 6th largest diamond ever found. 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. It’s value is unknown … De Beers has been “careful not to put a value on the Millennium Star, saying that any figure [it] would give would be purely academic”. It was discovered in the Mbuji-Mayi district of Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1990 in alluvial deposits and cut from a 777 carat original stone. Its rarity and notoriety (particular since the Millennium Dome raid) suggest that such estimates are not necessarily excessive. The Millennium Star is an internally and externally flawless (clarity ) top-colour (‘D’) diamond, weighing 203.04 carats (40.608g). It was studied for six months after discovery, before the cutting process commenced. It is “reputed to be worth around £200million” and was the target of a high-profile robbery in November 2000. The Millennium Star was first displayed in October 1999 as the centerpiece of the De Beers Millennium diamond collection to celebrate the company’s 100 first years. The Cullinan is the largest rough diamond ever recovered. However, what would have been “the world's biggest robbery” was foiled by “a massive and meticulous police operation”, codenamed Magician. All diamonds now belong to the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. On 7th November, a criminal gang consisting of five men attempted to steal the collection of diamonds from the venue. Cut by the Steinmetz Group, it was split in Belgium, polished in South Africa and finished in New York. There isn't a precise number value for the Millenium Star Diamond. Characteristics The worth of all nine diamonds cut from the Cullinan is unknown but estimated at several billions of dollars.

Their intention was to “escape by speedboat, moored outside on the River Thames”. The bookmarklet lets you save things you find to your collections.

Almost a month afterwards, a Pakistani lawyer named Jawaid Iqbal Jafree filed a petition at the high court in Lahore claiming that the stone belonged to Pakistan’s Punjab province and was “forcibly and under duress” taken by the British. In 2000, it was displayed as part of the De Beers’ diamond exhibition at London’s Millennium Dome. ). colourless), internally and externally flawless, pear-shaped diamond. After eight months of work by three polishers working 14 hours a day, the huge stone was cut to nine principal numbered stones (I through IX), 96 small brilliants and nine carats of unpolished fragments. The number 777 was considered a magic number, and the discovery of a diamond having a carat weight of 777 was considered a good omen, and a harbinger of good things to come. The Red Cross Weight: 205.07 carats The Red Cross is canary yellow cushion-shaped diamond with weight of 205.07 carats.