Within the realm of colourless diamonds, with their perfect chemical profile and luminous beauty, Type IIa stones reign above all others in terms of their purity of colour and optical transparency.

Since diamonds of this nature were first discovered they have been described by travellers and diamond merchants alike as 'gems of the finest water', likening their exceptional limpidity to that of a pool of crystal clear water.

Type IIa diamonds were first identified as originating from India (particularly from the Golconda region in Hyderabad) but have since been recovered in all major diamond-producing regions of the world. Amongst other famous gem diamonds, the 530.20 carat Cullinan and the 105.60 carat Koh-i-Noor belong to the Type IIa grouping. This category of diamonds is incredibly rare, accounting for less than 1% percent of diamond production worldwide.