LONDON – SEPTEMBER 1997: The Centenary diamond on display at the Diamond Trading Company in London. It was found on July 17th, 1986 by the electric X-ray recovery system at the Premier Mine in SOuth Africa, owned by De Beers. Only a handful of people knew about it and all were sworn to silence. The diamond is 599 carats, and is perfect in colour. It is one of the largest top-colour diamonds ever found. It was named ‘Centenary’ by De Beers because Cecil Rhodes discovered it around a century after the creation of London Diamond Syndicate. Over the years the Premier Mine has produced several outstanding diamonds of the most superb colour, which have been cut into famous gems: The Cullinan in 1905, the Niarchos in 1954, the Taylor-Burton in 1966, and the Premier Rose in 1978. (Photo by Patrick Landmann/Getty Images)