Since the dawn of times, people have always been attracted to beautiful, mystified and rare objects. Diamonds are among the most beautiful natural creations. Reflecting light from its edges, it is no wonder that they have been called founts of light and stars of hope. While all diamonds are mined from the Earth, not all diamonds are created equal. Over the years, diamonds have both mesmerized gemologists and continued to shatter price records.
Formed at 500km below the Earth’s crust, often over 3 billion years old, diamonds are created when carbon is subjected to both huge pressure and heat. The most precious among stones, the price of a diamond depends on a number of other factors like the number of reflecting edges, size, color, clarity, weight and historical and cultural significance. The rich and powerful still race against each other to acquire them, and the costliest of gems have often been their best possessions.
Here are the 20 most expensive diamonds in the world.
| Rank | Diamond | Carats | Price |
| 1. | The Koh-i-Noor (Mountain of Light Diamond) | 105.6 | $1 billion |
| 2. | The Cullinan Diamond | 3,106.75 | $400 million |
| 3. | The Hope Diamond | 45.55 | $250 million |
| 4. | De Beers Centenary Diamond | 273.8 | $100 million |
| 5. | The Steinmetz Pink Diamond | 59.6 | $71.2 million |
| 6. | The Regent Diamond | 140.64 | $61 million |
| 7. | The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond | 14.62 | $57.5 million |
| 8. | The Blue Moon of Josephine Diamond | 12.03 | $48.4 million |
| 9. | The Graff Pink Diamond | 24.78 | $46.2 million |
| 10. | The Princie Diamond | 36.65 | $39.3 million |
| 11. | The Orange Diamond | 14.82 | $35.5 million |
| 12. | The Winston Blue Diamond | 13.22 | $23.8 million |
| 13. | The Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond | 31.06 | $23.4 million |
| 14. | The Perfect Pink Diamond | 14.23 | $23.17 million |
| 15. | Archduke Joseph Diamond | 76.45 | $21.5 million |
| 16. | The Heart of Eternity | 27.64 | $16 million |
| 17. | Golden Jubilee Diamond | 545.67 | $12 million |
| 18. | Moussaieff Red Diamond | 5.11 | $7 million |
| 19. | The Sancy Diamond | 55.23 | $6 million |
| 20. | Allnatt Diamond | 101.29 | $3.04 million |
