Portuguese Diamond

Portuguese Diamond is a world famous diamond residing in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. There are several legends regarding the origin of the Portuguese Diamond. According to one of these legends, the diamond was found in the early 20th century at the Premiere Mine in Kimberly, South Africa.

There is no mention of the Portuguese Diamond having any Portuguese or Brazilian connections in the historical documents related to it. Instead, in most accounts there is an indication about the diamond being owned by an organization of American diamond dealers. This diamond appeared in Amsterdam quite mysteriously. The stone was of a rough cut and was shaped like a cushion. It weighed around 187 carats.

According to another legend the Portuguese Diamond was owned by an Indian monarch who had pawned the diamond in London. At that time the Portuguese Diamond had placed itself as a pendant to a platinum choker band studded with 380 smaller diamonds.

In 1928 the choker was purchased by a woman named Peggy Hopkins Joyce. She exchanged a pearl necklace worth $350,000 and had to pay another $23,000 for the Portuguese Diamond studded platinum choker. Later on, she sold it to a collector named Harry Winston in 1951. Mr. Winston possessed the Portuguese Diamond for several years and exhibited it throughout the country. An industrialist purchased the diamond from Winston and sold it back to the Smithsonian Institute in 1963.

The Portuguese Diamond has a dazzling glow with a faint bluish tinge. The diamond was once considered and titled as the “largest blue diamond in the world”.