- unique, matchless and incomparable

Renowned as a symbol and bringer of good fortune, the Dresden Green is the largest and most famous natural green diamond in history.  Weighing a spectacular 41 carats, it is believed to originate from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India, a source renowned for many of the world's largest legendary diamonds such as the Hope Diamond and the Koh-I-Noor.  In its exceptional clarity and brilliance, the Dresden Green is unique, matchless and incomparable - and we are dedicated to providing service that is just as unique, matchless and incomparable to our clients and partners.

The Dresden Green was first purchased by Friedrich Augustus II, the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, in 1741. He had the precious gem set into a badge of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the most important chivalric order in Europe for Catholic princes and other noblemen. Friedrich Augustus II knew that the incredible rarity of this enormous, near-flawless green diamond signalled the purity and constancy of its owner and wearer. Furthermore, by incorporating it into his Golden Fleece badge, he also knew that it would bring great glory to his stature amongst royalty and the aristocracy. It is estimated that the king paid a fortune worth four tons of gold to acquire this spectacular jewel, and he named it after his capital city of Dresden, in Saxony.

The Dresden Green later developed its reputation for being a lucky diamond because it survived unscathed through wars, destruction and misfortune over many centuries. Unlike its infamous sister, the blue Hope Diamond, the Dresden Green has not changed owners rapidly over the years, having stayed mainly in the ownership of the Saxon royal family and then the German state of Saxony. Its main residence has been the Green Vault of the Dresden Royal Palace. After Saxony lost in the Seven Years War, the magnificent diamond was pawned in Warsaw, Poland, but was then redeemed back in 1764. Even when the Green Vault was destroyed in an air raid in World War II, the lucky stone escaped harm by being kept safe in nearby Konigsberg Castle. After the war, it was purloined by the Soviet Trophies Commission. Nonetheless, the Soviets eventually returned it to Saxony in 1958.

The Dresden Green’s auspicious run of good luck continues to this day. More recently, on 25th November 2019, a brazen team of burglars broke into the restored Green Vault museum and stole an estimated billion dollars-worth of jewels from the Dresden Royal Palace. The theft has been described as the biggest heist since the looting of treasure in World War II. Most fortunately, the Dresden Green was on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York when that happened. Thus, it escaped being stolen along with the Dresden White Diamond and other precious treasures from the Green Vault’s historic collection.