The diamond the Incomparable was discovered in the 1980s, in Mbuji Mayi (Democratic Republic of the Congo) by a girl playing on a heap of rubbles near the house of his(her) uncle. This waste was old rejections(discharges) of the MIBA Diamond Mine. This waste had been considered as too voluminous to be able to be sorted out.
The rough diamond weighed 890 carats. It was sold to diverse intermediaries, then to De Beers, before being bought by Donald Zale for Zale Corporation, a chain of American jewelers.
The size was entrusted to Mr. Samuel, renowned for his experience and its expertise in the size of big diamonds. Four years were necessary for its study and for its size.
The Incomparable establishes the biggest diamond stemming from the rough diamond. It was cut in shape badge. It weighs 407.48 carats. It presents a brownish yellow color, and is of a purity YEW (Internally flawless, that is without any defect).
Measuring 53,9 x 35,19 x 28,18mm; it is the third biggest ever cut diamond, after Golden Jubilee and Cullinan I.
Diamant L'Incomparable 407.48ct - The Incomparable diamond 407.48ctThe gross stone was not of homogeneous color. Fourteen other diamonds were also extracted from it, going of the colorless to the bright yellow with a light nuance of brown: the smallest of them weighed 1.33 carats and the last one, cut in diamond, 15.66 carats.
The Incomparable was presented during the 75th birthday of Zale Corporation in November, 1984. Then, it was exposed in the department of natural history to Smithsonian Institute in Washington.
During its auctioning has New York, in 1988, it was the biggest diamond never presented in public sale. It was removed from the bids not to have reached the reserve price (20 million dollars). In November, 2002, it experienced the same fate during its sale on e-bay. It is the property of a private individual.
Collier L'incomparable Mouawad - Mouawad Incomparable necklace
