ANDREA LI

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13 Of The Most Valuable Jewels In the World - 8th The Dresden Green

Green Giant

Luck Of The Irish

This rare anomaly is an embodiment of billions of years worth of extraordinary sedimentary conditions so specific in creating such a scarce stone. Green diamonds in particular are the rarest amongst their other color diamond counterparts. Mostly due to the type of radiation the carbon receives over a long period of time that is seldom ever seen in diamond formation. While most other green diamonds attribute their color to their surface 'skins', which can be taken away during the cutting process, the Dresden's green color is solid throughout.

The Dresden's earliest known reference was in the 1700's. Frederick Augustus II (1733-1763) who became its first royal owner had the court jeweller Dinglinger set the stone in its first iteration of decoration 'The Golden Fleece' brooch. The setting was broken up four years later in 1746. The center third of the ornament containing the Dresden was saved from being disassembled.

Fabulous Final Form

In 1768 another jeweller, Diessbach, worked the green diamond into a hat clasp along with two other white brilliants, weighing almost 40 carats total, and a number of smaller diamonds. This was the final version of adornment to showcase the historical jewel and exists today on display at the Albertinium Museum in Dresden.