The World's Most Expensive Diamonds

I just love checking out expensive items, I mean really expensive items like diamonds, so expensive I'll never be able to afford them. Not that I begrudge those who can, more luck to them, it's a dirty job being filthy rich but someone's got to do it! Right up there in the expense stakes are some of the worlds largest and most beautiful diamonds. Here's a little information that will either cause you to pop your eyes or make you want to buy some, depending on your bank account.

The biggest buyers of expensive diamonds are men who buy them for their collections, (sorry ladies). These collectors are unsurprisingly amongst the world's wealthiest men, they prize perfection and will pay in large amounts to aquire it. The chase for perfect diamonds may be a worldwide one involving international dealers and auction houses and diamond mines in South Africa, Australia and elsewhere.

It may surprise you to learn that size is not everything, clarity, color and hte absence of flaws are the more important factors in a diamonds value.

Forbes.com estimated values on several of the worlds most expensive diamonds last year and among them were:

The Mouawad Diamond Necklace at USD 12m which contains a 70 carat stone at its centre

Sotheby's D-Grade Flawless Diamond, 108 carats at USD 16m

The Leviev Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond, 77.12 carats at USD 10m

The Graff Fancy Vivid Pink Pear Shaped Diamond at USD 10m

The Darya-ye Noor Diamond of the Iranian Crown Jewels is reported to be the largest pink diamond at about 186 carats

These might sound impressive but they pale against monsters like the "Star of Africa" at 530.2 carats carats on display in the Tower of London or the "Golden Jubilee" at 545.67 carats.