Winston Red: "Precise Origin Remains Unknown"
June 17, 25
(IDEX Online) - Experts from the GIA, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), and the Paris School of Mines have completed an exhaustive study of the Winston Red - one of the most famous fancy-color diamonds in the world - but still can't say for certain where it comes from.
They examined the "exquisite" 2.33-carat gem and concluded it was probably recovered in Venezuela or Brazil, but acknowledged that "its precise origin remains unknown".
They did, however, gather together a treasure trove of technical and gemological insights, which are published online as an 11,000-word article - A Study of the Winston Red: The Smithsonian's New Fancy Red Diamond - in GIA's Gems & Gemology edition for Spring 2025
The Winston Red is currently on display at the NMNH's Winston Gallery, in Washington DC, as the highlight of a dazzling collection of 41 fancy color diamonds owned by the late Harry Winston.
It was to coincide with the display that experts conducted what they describe as "the first scientific and historical study conducted on this noteworthy stone".
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Unmodified Fancy red diamonds are among the rarest objects of natural history on the planets," say the authors in their introduction, with only 24 stones over one carat known to exist.
"The history of the Winston Red diamond can now be traced back to 1938, but its old mine brilliant cut suggests an even richer story."