The Tiffany Diamond: The Rarest of Gems

Photo: The Vancouverite

Sometimes you get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a rare piece of jewellery. My chance came recently with the arrival of the Tiffany Diamond. 

One of the largest and finest fancy yellow diamonds in the world, the Tiffany Diamond was discovered in a diamond mine in South Africa in 1877. The 287-carat rough stone was purchased the following year by Tiffany founder Charles Lewis Tiffany for $18,000. 

The stone was brought to Paris where it was cut into a cushion brilliant shape weighing 128.5-carats. Just over an inch wide and 7/8 of an inch from top to bottom, the diamond carries an intense sparkle.

Over the next several decades, the diamond went across the globe showcased at a number of exhibitions. To date, only two women have ever worn the Tiffany Diamond. Mrs. Mary Whitehouse, a  socialite, and actress Audrey Hepburn, whose movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s made the New York-based retailer a household name. 

As you can see in the photo above, the Tiffany Diamond is absolutely stunning and worth a visit to the Tiffany store in Downtown Vancouver while it’s still on display throughout the Holidays.