Diamond Jubilee Dish: Carats, Crowns and The Culinan

Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations are in full swing with Derby dalliances, flotilla festivities and Sirs Elton and Paul waiting in the wings (pun intended) somewhere in the rain to honor Her Majesty's 60th year on the throne (click here for the full schedule of Jubilee fun).


Even though everyone really wants to see what flotilla fashion Duchess Kate will wear (or wear again) on the Thames today, a jewelry hound like myself is going in search of the crown jewels. With a name like DIAMOND Jubilee, how can I resist, right?


First? I have to feature this hip new portrait of Her Majesty by artist Chris Levine, which highlights a new diadem created by royal jewelers, Asprey, just for the Diamond Jubilee celebration. The headpiece is a re-creation of the original worn by The Queen to her coronation in 1953 and features 1,000 white, brilliant-cut diamonds, 25 pearls and a rare yellow diamond centerpiece.

Jewelry made from the Culinan Diamond

Next? Some major bling at Buckingham is going on display under the moniker: "Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration". According to their official website, "an unprecedented number of the Queen's personal jewels will go on display," including treasures made from the largest diamond in the WORLD, folks - The Culinan Diamond.

Queen Victoria's diamond crown worn to her Diamond Jubilee - the only other Queen to reign for 60 years

For the uninitiated, The Culinan, was discovered in 1905 at the Culinan Diamond Mine in South Africa and weighed in at (wait for it.....) 3,000 carats! They even threw it away at first thinking it had to be a lowly crystal.

Royal Sceptre featuring the Culinan I or Star of David (530 carats!)

But those wily Brits got major mileage out of the rock, and the Queen now has several significant pieces made from the Culinan - including the Royal Sceptre which features the Culinan I (or Star of Africa), which as the largest colorless white cut diamond in the world weighs in at 530 carats.

How's THAT for a diamond jubilee?


And just to make us even more drunk with diamond glee, I convinced the higher-ups at Jewelry.com to give us 20% Off any diamond not already on sale through Tuesday in honor of the celebrations.

Just use code 20JUBILEE at checkout, jewelry hounds. And be sure check out our What's Hot section for our personally curated collection of royal-inspired rocks.

I'm getting more 'jubilant' by the minute....