The Hardest Thing in the World Quiz

Answer: Paragon

A flawless diamond of any color that is free from all inclusions and over 99 carats is referred to as paragon. There are very few of these gemstones in the world, as most large diamonds are not flawless. The largest flawless diamond in the world in 2011 bore the name The Paragon Diamond and weighed in at 137.82 carats.

It was the 10th largest white diamond in the world in 2011 and was cut in an unusual seven sided shield cut.

Answer: The Pumpkin Diamond

Because he bought this unique gem on the day before Halloween, Harry Winston named it The Pumpkin Diamond. The five and one half carat vivid orange diamond was set into a ring that was worn by Halle Berry to the 2002 Academy Awards where she won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the movie "Monsters Ball" (2002).

It was later put in the private collection of an unknown collector and has had an estimated value of over three million US dollars.

Answer: The Krupp Diamond

At the time that Richard Burton bought the 33.19 carat Krupp Diamond for Elizabeth Taylor, it was the most expensive price ever paid for a diamond ring. Set in platinum, this flawless diamond was cut in an asscher cut which is similar to an emerald cut. Taylor claimed it was her favorite piece of jewelry and wore it almost every day for the rest of her life.

Answer: Millions of years of exposure to natural radiation

This beautiful five carat diamond has a very unusual and brilliant color. It is not its size nor clarity but rather the color that makes this diamond famous. The GIA believes it got its color after billions of years of natural radiation. This diamond was included in the Smithsonian's "Splendor of Diamonds" exhibit along with other priceless diamonds of the world.

Answer: Brazil

Discovered in the mid 1990s, the Moussaieff Red is said to have been found in an unknown or unnamed stream, by an unknown farmer in the country of Brazil. Cut in a trillion style, it triangular shape lead to it being called "The Red Shield" until it was bought by the Moussaieff Jewelers in 2002.

It is a little over five carats and is listed by the GIA as "the largest Fancy Red, natural color diamond that we have ever graded as of the date the report was issued" (2011). Red diamonds are the rarest and most valuable of the colored diamonds.

Answer: Black

Found in the Central African Republic, the Spirit of de Grisogono diamond is a magnificent black diamond that weighed 587 carats when found, and after cutting weighed in at 312 carats. This stone is set in a white gold ring that has over 700 white diamonds. Flamboyant to say the least.

Answer: It was stolen by Murph the Surf

The Eagle Diamond was on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City along with a grouping of other priceless diamonds, when it was stolen my master thief Jack Roland Murphy (a.k.a. Murph the Surf). It was taken with other priceless gems including the Star of India and the de Long Ruby in what was popularly known as the "Jewel Heist of the Century". All the gems were recovered other than the Eagle Diamond, a 16 carat golden colored diamond which is believed to have been cut down into smaller stones.

It is one of the largest diamonds to have ever been found in North America and is believed to have ridden a glacier down to Wisconsin during the Ice Age.

Answer: It is the only public diamond mine in the world

The Crater of Diamonds State Park is the world only public diamond mine. It is open to the public for a small entrance fee and anything that anyone finds they may keep regardless of the value. Over 29,000 diamonds have been found in the park since it opened as well as amethyst, citrine and garnet.

The largest diamond found in North America, The Uncle Sam Diamond (40.23 carats), was found in this park. This park is the reason the Arkansas commemorative quarter features a diamond on the back.

Answer: Hospital in Botswana

Found in 1966 in South Africa, the Taylor-Burton diamond originally weighed 241 carats. Gemologist Harry Winston cut it into a pear shape that weighed 69.42 carats. Bought by Richard Burton for his then-wife Elizabeth Taylor, the magnificent stone was set in a white gold and diamond pendent. Upon their second divorce, Taylor sold the diamond to New York jeweler Harry Lambert and donated the proceeds to build a hospital in Botswana.

Answer: True

An alluvial diamond is a loose diamond as opposed to one that is part of another rock. And as strange as it sounds, at the start of the Great Depression, William "Punch" Jones did find a 34.48 carat diamond. Unaware of what he had found, he put the rock in a wooden cigar box in a tool shed for 18 years.

In 1942, the stone was authenticated by one of Punch's professors and was put on display at the Smithsonian Institute. The stone is recorded as having 12 natural facets and a slightly bluish white color and is listed as the largest alluvial diamond found in North America.