not a fan of jewelry in any way, especially the the overtly expensive ones, but i can see the desire of owning the rarest in any thing… it surely gives you the illusion of being special, perhaps even when you aren’t.

laurence graff paid more than $25,000,000 for this gem attaching his name to the original: “i’ve been privileged over the years to own some of the world’s most important and famous diamonds, but i would say that the wittelsbach diamond is the most valuable and the most beautiful. i had the opportunity to examine and value it in my own offices, and i came to the conclusion it was one of the rarest stones i’d ever seen. i knew it was a stone we had to have,”

initially valued at around $15,000,000, graff paid more than $25,000,000. in a controversial move he had it re-cut and polished, reducing it from 35.5 carats to little over 31 carats. critics say the act compromised the historical integrity of the stone, but mr. graff disagrees.

“every diamond that was ever mined, every diamond that was ever polished and cut, is still with us. who knows the story that this stone will tell in a thousand years time.” got a point the buddy. but 25 million dollars is a lot to make a point. by dd