A Unique Blue Moon Diamond Now on Display at Natural History Museum

Petra Diamond Mine is a birthplace of exceptional world-know diamonds that cause a jaw-dropping effect at any auction they appear: first off, by their unique properties and, second, by their extremely high price tags. Since it would take much time to name all those notable diamonds found in Petra mine, let's focus on two latest blue diamonds that were discovered in South African's mine this year.

Early this year a 29.6-carat fancy vivid blue diamond was found and later sold at a record $25.6 million price to Cora International, the leading supplier and manufacturer of white and colored diamonds in the world. Little time passed after that when another blue diamond made headlines due to its unbelievable huge size — 122.5 carats. Petra again proved its status of the mine that produces giant gems. To give you a vivid illustration of what size that is, it's as big as a wall-nut. Taking into account its blue, it looks like it's priceless. So far the fate of the last is still unknown, while there's a follow-up story of a smaller fancy vivid blue.

The Blue Moon Diamond, this is how it's called now, was cut to a smaller 12-carat gem, which is currently on display at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. This is not the largest blue diamond gem known, though it shouldn't be underestimated. According to Eloise Gaillou, a known geologist who studied rare colored diamonds including the Hope Diamond, the Blue Moon is a historic mineral. Gaillou believes that diamonds, that are born and crystallized deep inside the Earth's mantle, are messangers that brings information about the past of the planet. The unique feature about blue diamond is that it contains boron element that gives it a hue, however boron is normally found on the surface of the Earth. With that it gives a glimpse to the history of the Earth's formation. It seems unreal when thinking about boron being so deep inside the Earth. Diamonds in a way help to study Earth's plates, which definitely moved in the past. If you want to feel that spirit of Earth's formation coming to us from the distant past, you can visit the exhibition and enjoy observing the Blue Moon Diamond alongside other gems.