|
Yellow diamonds are cherished for their subtly dramatic appeal.
The glow of a yellow stone illuminates a woman with an aura, no
matter which shade she chooses.
There are dozen of different shades of yellow diamonds,
depending on the lightness and intensity of the yellow hue. While
pure, rich shades are the most prized, lighter tones are softly
dramatic.
The yellow diamond is becoming more popular each year,
attracting elegant, sophisticated and glamorous women from
different walks of life.
Origin
Light to vivid yellow diamonds are found in different countries,
but the notably large and intense yellows have been discovered
primarily in South Africa. These include the largest known canary
diamond, the Red Cross, which was once presented to Christies on
behalf of the British Red Cross Society. A rare feature of this
stone is that a Maltese Cross is clearly visible in its top facet.
Another famous yellow diamond discovered in South Africa is the
Allnatt, a 100-carat fancy vivid canary yellow.
Record Breaker
The largest yellow diamond is a deep brownish yellow called the
Incomparable. It is the third largest diamond in the world,
weighing 407.48 carats and is also the world's largest internally
flawless diamond. It was originally discovered by a young girl
playing in a pile of rubble in the town of Mbuji Mayi in the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
Little Known Fact
The first diamond ever to be authenticated in Africa was the
Eureka, a pale yellow stone weighing 10.7 carats. It was discovered
in 1866 by the child of a Boer farmer, in a small hole probably
made by a bushman digging for roots.
Die Hard Fans
Former First Lady, Hillary Clinton, wore her 4.23 carat "Kahn
Canary" flawless diamond to President Bill Clinton's Inaugural Ball
and other important events. The Academy Awards, where fashion can
make or break the image of movie stars, actress Whoopi Goldberg
wore a $5 million canary yellow diamond pendant that weighed 80
carats, and actress Julianne Moore wore a 7.52 carat fancy vivid
yellow diamond. In the fashion industry, supermodel Christy
Turlington set her cushion-shaped yellow diamond in a navel ring.
Designer Donatella Versace has also been spotted showing off her
yellow diamonds. In the hit series, "Sex and the City," the chic
Samantha Jones character receives a yellow diamond stunner from her
boyfriend, Richard, after his indiscretion.
Historical Trivia
Light yellow with a slight green undertone and weighing almost
140 carats in the rough, the Florentine diamond initially belonged
to the Medicis, one of the most powerful families in Europe. After
it changed hands in 1743, the Emperor Francis I wore the Florentine
in his crown at his coronation. After the collapse of the Habsburg
Empire in 1918, the stone accompanied the royal family into exile
in Switzerland, but since then the diamond has vanished; nothing
definite is known of its whereabouts.
|