AncientWorldArtifacts: Purple Diamonds

Purple diamonds are the result of plastic deformation of a diamond's crystal structure, the same condition that produces red diamonds.

Purple stones are as equally rare as red diamonds and command the same high prices when they (rarely) appear for sale.

Purple is the colour of royalty, of courage and honor. For hundreds of years, it was the colour of kings, as only royalty could wear purple. Purple heart medals are given to soldiers killed or wounded in action, as a recognition of their bravery and sacrifice.

Pure purple diamonds are nearly impossible to find. Most natural purple diamonds are lightly shaded with hints of pink, red, blue, gray or even brown, tinting the diamond slightly and lowering the overall perceived quality of the gem. Purple diamonds are most commonly found in Australian mines.

The Royal Purple Heart Diamond is the largest Fancy Vivid Purple diamond known to exist.

The stone, believed to have originated in Russia, weighs 7.34 carats, has a clarity of I-1, and was cut into its perfect heart shape by the Julius Klein Diamond Corporation. The diamond's current owners are unknown.

Even more mysterious is the Supreme Purple Heart. Despite its name, the diamond is a round brilliant cut. Its precise color grade is not known, nor is its clarity. Even its weight is a matter of conjecture, with estimates ranging from two to five carats.

Like the Royal Purple Heart Diamond, the Supreme Purple Heart's origins have not been confirmed, but most believe it was mined in the Amazon basin within the last 30 years. The diamond is remarkable in that its color changes – when viewed from one angle, it appears deep purple, and from another angle looks deep red.

Even celebrities have a hard time getting their hands on purple diamonds.

In 2003, Lakers star Kobe Bryant – who at the time was facing rape charges – appeased his wife, Vanessa, by buying her an eight-carat purple diamond ring worth about $4 million.