The Red Cross Diamond

The Red Cross Diamond is a magnificent natural yellow diamond weighing 205.07 carats.

GIA graded the stone Fancy Intense Yellow with VS2 clarity.

It is fashioned as a cushion modified brilliant and is especially famous for an unusual facet pattern in its pavilion that resembles a Maltese cross when viewed through the table.

Its combination of enormous size, strong natural yellow color, unusual cutting and humanitarian history makes it one of the most recognizable colored diamonds of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Diamond at a Glance

Name:
Red Cross Diamond

Weight:
205.07 carats

Color:
Fancy Intense Yellow

Clarity:
VS2

Cut:
Cushion Modified Brilliant

Original Rough:
Approximately 375 carats

Origin:
South Africa

Distinctive Feature:
Maltese-cross facet pattern

Discovery in South Africa

The story of the Red Cross Diamond began in 1901, during the great era of South African diamond mining.

According to Christie’s, the original rough diamond weighed approximately 375 carats and was recovered from a De Beers-controlled mine in South Africa.

Other historical descriptions place the original rough weight between approximately 370 and 380 carats.

The rough crystal was notable for its strong yellow coloration and substantial size, making it an important find even before cutting began.

From Rough to Polished Diamond

Cutting such an enormous rough diamond required careful planning to preserve both weight and color.

The resulting polished gemstone retained more than 200 carats and was fashioned into the cushion-like shape still associated with the Red Cross Diamond today.

Its finished weight of 205.07 carats placed it among the world's largest polished yellow diamonds.

The Maltese Cross

The most unusual feature of the stone is hidden within its faceting.

When viewed through the diamond's table, facets in the pavilion form an image resembling a Maltese cross.

This remarkable visual effect became especially appropriate once the gemstone became associated with both the Red Cross and the Order of St John, whose traditional symbol is the Maltese cross.

An Unusual Optical Characteristic

Historical descriptions of the Red Cross Diamond also note unusual phosphorescence.

Phosphorescence occurs when certain diamonds continue to emit visible light for a short period after exposure to an energy source has ended.

Although this optical characteristic is secondary to the diamond's size and color, it adds another unusual feature to an already exceptional gemstone.

World War I and the Red Cross Auctions

The diamond acquired its famous name during the final year of the First World War.

From 1915 through 1918, Christie’s in London conducted a series of major charity auctions to raise funds for humanitarian relief.

Jewelry, works of art and other valuable objects were donated for sale in support of organizations assisting wounded soldiers and civilians affected by the war.

The auctions benefited the British Red Cross Society and related humanitarian organizations.

The Historic 1918 Sale

On April 10, 1918, the great yellow diamond was offered at Christie’s London as part of the Red Cross charity auction.

The stone was offered by the Diamond Syndicate to raise funds for the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John.

The diamond immediately became the star lot of the event.

Purchased by S.J. Phillips

Bidding reportedly opened at approximately £3,000.

After intense competition, the famous London jeweler S.J. Phillips purchased the diamond for £10,000.

The price was more than three times the opening bid and made the Red Cross Diamond the leading lot of the sale.

Christie’s estimates that the £10,000 purchase represented approximately £600,000 in modern equivalent value at the time of its 2022 historical review.

How the Red Cross Diamond Got Its Name

The name Red Cross Diamond reflects the circumstances of its first celebrated public sale.

Its appearance at the 1918 wartime charity auction permanently associated the stone with the Red Cross humanitarian movement.

The coincidence of the diamond's internal Maltese-cross facet pattern with the symbolism of the Red Cross and Order of St John gave the name an additional historical resonance.

Unlike many famous diamonds named for monarchs, owners or geographic locations, the Red Cross Diamond became known principally through its association with charitable relief.

Return to Christie’s in 1973

More than half a century passed before the Red Cross Diamond again appeared publicly at auction.

On November 21, 1973, the gemstone returned to Christie’s, this time in Geneva.

The diamond sold for approximately CHF 1.8 million.

Following the auction, the famous gemstone returned to private ownership and largely disappeared from public view for decades.

Nearly Fifty Years in Private Hands

After the 1973 Christie’s sale, the Red Cross Diamond remained in the same family collection for almost half a century.

Unlike many famous stones that frequently appear in museum exhibitions or high-profile jewelry collections, the Red Cross Diamond was seldom seen publicly during this period.

Its long absence from the market increased interest when Christie’s announced its return in 2022.

A Continuing Charitable Legacy

The owners of the stone maintained a connection between the diamond and the humanitarian ideals represented by its name.

When the family decided to sell the diamond again, a significant portion of the proceeds was designated to benefit the International Committee of the Red Cross.

This decision renewed the diamond's original century-old association with humanitarian relief.

The Red Cross Diamond Returns in 2022

In 2022, Christie’s announced that the Red Cross Diamond would return to auction for only the third time in more than a century.

The event attracted considerable attention because of the stone's immense size, historical significance and rarity.

Before the auction, GIA examined the diamond and issued a report confirming its important gemological characteristics.

The stone was identified as a 205.07-carat Fancy Intense Yellow, natural-color, VS2 clarity, cushion modified brilliant-cut diamond.

The 2022 Geneva Auction

The Red Cross Diamond was offered at Christie’s Geneva on May 11, 2022.

Competitive bidding reportedly continued for about eleven minutes.

The diamond ultimately realized CHF 14,181,250.

Christie’s reported the equivalent sale price as approximately US $14.32 million.

A New Auction Record

GIA reported that the approximately $14.3 million result established an auction price record at that time for a Fancy Intense yellow diamond.

The result amounted to approximately $70,000 per carat.

A significant portion of the sale proceeds again benefited the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Three Historic Christie’s Auctions

One unusual aspect of the Red Cross Diamond's history is its repeated association with the same auction house across more than a century.

1918 — Christie’s London
£10,000

1973 — Christie’s Geneva
CHF 1.8 Million

2022 — Christie’s Geneva
CHF 14.18 Million

Few famous diamonds have such a clearly documented auction history spanning more than 100 years.

Red Cross Diamond Historical Timeline

1901
An approximately 375-carat yellow rough diamond is discovered in a De Beers-controlled mine in South Africa.

Early 20th Century
The rough stone is fashioned into the approximately 205-carat cushion-shaped diamond now known as the Red Cross Diamond.

April 10, 1918
The diamond is sold by Christie’s London in a major charity auction benefiting the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John.

1918
London jeweler S.J. Phillips purchases the diamond for £10,000.

November 21, 1973
The Red Cross Diamond returns to Christie’s in Geneva and sells for CHF 1.8 million.

1973–2022
The stone remains in private family ownership for almost half a century.

2021
GIA issues a report identifying the diamond as 205.07 carats, Fancy Intense Yellow, natural color and VS2 clarity.

May 11, 2022
The Red Cross Diamond is offered at Christie’s Geneva for the third time in its documented auction history.

2022
The stone sells for CHF 14,181,250, approximately US $14.32 million, with a significant portion of the proceeds benefiting the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Why the Red Cross Diamond Is Famous

The Red Cross Diamond is famous because it combines exceptional gemological characteristics with an unusual humanitarian legacy.

• It weighs an extraordinary 205.07 carats.
• It is graded Fancy Intense Yellow.
• Its clarity grade is VS2.
• Its pavilion facets create a distinctive Maltese-cross pattern.
• It originated from an approximately 375-carat South African rough diamond.
• Its famous name dates from a 1918 wartime charity auction.
• It has been sold by Christie’s in 1918, 1973 and 2022.
• Its 2022 auction again generated funds for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
• Its 2022 sale established an auction record at the time for a Fancy Intense yellow diamond.

Legacy of the Red Cross Diamond

Most famous diamonds are remembered for royal ownership, exceptional size, legendary curses or record-setting prices.

The Red Cross Diamond possesses many of the characteristics that make a gemstone famous, but its history is unusual because charitable giving is central to its identity.

More than a century separates its landmark 1918 auction from its return to Christie’s in 2022, yet on both occasions the gemstone was used to support humanitarian relief.

Its extraordinary yellow color, 205.07-carat weight, Maltese-cross facet pattern and enduring association with the Red Cross have secured its place among the world's most distinctive historic diamonds.