Royal Diamonds belonging to Queen Elizabeth go on display at Buckingham Palace [VIDEO]
Items include parts of the world's largest ever diamond, the Cullinan Diamond
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee is set to continue to sparkle for the public, as more than 10,000 royal diamonds belonging to the Queen are due to go on display at Buckingham Palace.
The public will be able to see various jewels, crowns and diamonds from 30 June in a special exhibition called 'Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration'. Some of the items have never been displayed to the public before.
Seven pieces of jewellery on show will be from stones cut from the world's largest ever diamond, the Cullinan Diamond. Mined in South Africa in 1905 and weighing 3,106 carats, when first discovered it was thrown out of a window as the clerks could not believe that something so big was a diamond.
Items to include Cullinan Diamonds include a huge pear-shaped drop brooch and the pendant of the Delhi Dubar Necklace of diamonds and emeralds.
Caroline de Guitaut, curator of the exhibit, noted the unique properties of the diamond.
"The Cullinan Diamond is one of the most famous diamonds in the world. It is in fact the largest diamond ever discovered and in its rough state it weighed 3,106 carats. A truly exceptional diamond both in terms of its size but also in terms of its clarity and colour. It is completely flawless and has a wonderful blue, white colour."
Stones made from the Cullinan Diamond are also found in the Crown and Sceptre that the Queen wore at her coronation, and now wears at the state opening of parliament. Both those items form part of the crown jewels kept in the Tower of London.
Due to the unique history of the jewels, it is impossible to estimate how much they're worth. de Guitaut went on to state that many of the diamonds in the jewels and tiaras have been redesigned over the years to suit the fashions of the time.
"They have been passed down through generations of the royal family and as they have gone through the different hands of different members of the royal family, of course as tastes change, fashion and personal taste of the wearer has meant that some of them have been altered and that is what is so fascinating about some of them."
The exhibition will run until early October.
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