About Us
The duo behind Museum Diamonds combine decades of expertise, passion, and education to bring legendary diamonds back to life.
At the age of 8, Scott Sucher’s fascination with diamonds and gemstones began during a visit to the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Arts, where he marveled at a display of glass replicas. That moment ignited a lifelong passion for stones and crystals. By 14, Scott was cutting opal, and by 19, he was faceting gems and exploring the world of cubic zirconia. This passion only grew stronger over the years, leading him to a career as a Combat Search and Rescue/Special Operations Instructor Pilot with the Air Force, where his global travels provided him the perfect opportunities to continue his research in far-flung locations.
Throughout Scott’s journey, his wife, Karen Sucher, has been a constant source of support, both technical and moral, and played a pivotal role in the early financial backing of his work, long before they were married. As a 30+ year educator, Karen has brought Scott’s incredible collection of diamond replicas into the classroom, using them as tools to teach STEM concepts, from crystallography to economics. With her guidance, Scott’s work has become an inspiring bridge between the worlds of science and history, touching the lives of thousands of students over the years.
Together, Scott and Karen have turned a shared passion for diamonds and education into a legacy of craftsmanship, discovery, and inspiration—one that continues to grow and captivate minds around the world.
Scott Sucher
→ Famous diamonds have always fascinated Scott since he was eight after he saw a display of glass replicas at the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Arts, now located in Oak Brook, IL. His interest in rocks continued and he started cutting opal when he was 14. At 19, he learned to facet, and cubic zirconia had just hit the market. After a bit of thinking, he put the two together and started researching famous diamonds to create his own replica collection. Now, over 4 1/2 decades later, he is still researching and his collection has grown.
→ Unlike many in the gem trade, he has always held an outside job to pay the bills (You can view all the details on his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sucherscott/). His career as an Air Force Combat Search and Rescue/Special Operations Instructor Pilot sent him all over the world, a benefit when one wants to do research in far-off locations. Once he retired from the Air Force, the next 30 years or so were in the civilian sector, but research and replica creation continued. After a while, his body of work became noticed on the web, leading to work with the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, museums and jewelers all over the world, TV and movie productions, and traveling to give presentations with invitations to display his work.
→ Although well-known for his replicas, he has also cut a nice collection of natural stones. He has actually concave-faceted sulfur, a first, as this material is frail and sensitive to both thermal and physical shock (so sensitive that putting the material in your hand could shatter it). Follow him on Facebook or Instagram (#MuseumDiamonds) to view some of his latest creations. And if you see something you want, or have a special project, feel free to contact him.
Karen
→ Karen has been an integral part, providing technical, moral, and early financial support for Scott’s efforts since before they were married. As a 30+ year educator (MS Ed), she has used the replica collection in her science classes as props to discuss topics as varied as crystallography, the science of color, optics, politics, fungible assets and economics, politics, and a host of others as they all have a place in famous diamond history. Her students have been able to handle the replicas (3,000–4,000 students on several continents over 30 years) as it brings the STEM curriculum to life as they see the practical applications of what they learn in school.
→ Although the collection has been valued quite highly by Lloyds of London, the reward of seeing the changes in the kids as they walked proudly back to their desks, as someone entrusted them with something not only fragile but very valuable. This made the risk to the collection worthwhile. And after all, Scott could always replace a damaged one if it got dropped!
Karen
→ Karen has been an integral part, providing technical, moral, and early financial support for Scott’s efforts since before they were married. As a 30+ year educator (MS Ed), she has used the replica collection in her science classes as props to discuss topics as varied as crystallography, the science of color, optics, politics, fungible assets and economics, politics, and a host of others as they all have a place in famous diamond history. Her students have been able to handle the replicas (3,000–4,000 students on several continents over 30 years) as it brings the STEM curriculum to life as they see the practical applications of what they learn in school. This has been shown numerous times as she receives letters from former students a number of years later.
→ Although the collection has been valued quite highly by Lloyds of London, the reward of seeing the changes in the kids as they walked proudly back to their desks, as someone entrusted them with something not only fragile but very valuable. This made the risk to the collection worthwhile. And after all, Scott could always replace a damaged one if it got dropped!
Why MuseumDiamonds.com?
To provide accurate historical insights and museum-quality replicas of legendary diamonds, once lost to history and now brought to life for today.
Some of the original diamonds described on this site, such as the 90-carat version of the Nassak, the Great Table, the Florentine, and others, have been lost to history and are no longer available for viewing.
It is only through exhaustive research of historical records, and the participation of organizations such as the Smithsonian, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Natural History Museum in London, Coster Diamonds and Asscher Diamonds in Amsterdam, the Tower of London, and others, that these stones have come back from the dustbin of history as high-quality, historically-accurate replicas.
Replicating famous diamonds is not an easy task. The historical record on many is scant. Much has been written about these diamonds, but often what is written is contradictory. For example, the Tavernier Blue has been reported to be the size of a hen’s egg or a man’s fist. Actually, at 115 carats, you can fit five or six of them easily into the palm of your hand.
It was precisely this kind of misinformation that led Scott to create this site — to clarify historical inaccuracies and present the true stories behind these legendary diamonds.
Separating Fact from Fiction
With honesty and integrity at its core, this site provides verified facts about legendary diamonds, ensuring myths are replaced with truth and understanding.
This site is dedicated to those who wish to learn verified facts about famous diamonds. Scott hopes that visitors will find this site to be informative and educational — and that it further sparks their interest to dig deeper into famous diamond history. Enjoy!
If you want detailed histories of each diamond, including ownership records, alleged curses, and other fascinating facts, you won’t find them on this site. Scott recommends visiting Ryan Thompson’s excellent and informative site, famousdiamonds.tripod.com, which offers the most comprehensive histories of these legendary stones available anywhere on the Web.
Preserving History, Innovating the Future
At Museum Diamonds, our mission has always been to faithfully recreate the world’s most iconic historic diamonds. For decades, Scott Sucher’s replicas have brought these legendary gems back to life, capturing their beauty, history, and cultural significance. These works do more than shine — they tell stories of artistry, legacy, and the fascinating journeys behind each stone.
Each of these legendary diamonds carries a legacy — a story that transcends time. Whether it’s the diamond lost to a royal family’s downfall, the one stolen in a daring heist, or the stone that was lost to the ravages of history, the diamonds with fascinating pasts have always been more than mere jewels. They are the keepers of our shared heritage, representatives of many cultures waiting to be rediscovered and reimagined.
To carry this vision into the future, we have partnered with Vibranium Lab Grown Diamonds, a London-based brand with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in India. While Museum Diamonds specializes in historical accuracy and research, Vibranium leads in lab-grown diamond innovation, ethical practices, and fine jewelry creation.
Together, through the fusion of master craftsmanship and technological innovation, we offer you the chance to experience the true magnificence of these diamonds with royal significance — not as mere objects of luxury, but as revived treasures, cut with precision and restored with painstaking care. It’s not just about bringing diamonds back; it’s about reigniting the stories they hold, and giving future generations the chance to touch the brilliance of the past.
This collaboration merges two complementary strengths:
● Heritage & Accuracy — Museum Diamonds’ decades of research and precision in recreating historic diamonds.
● Innovation & Craftsmanship — Vibranium’s expertise in growing high-quality lab diamonds and transforming them into elegant fine jewelry.
Together, we are breaking new ground by creating the world’s first historically accurate lab-grown diamond replicas — works that honor the past while embracing the future. Learn more about this groundbreaking achievement:
Lab-Grown Replicas – A Historic First in Diamond Replication
We are proud to be the pioneers in this revolutionary journey, breathing new life into diamonds that once defined kingdoms and empires. The world may have lost these rare historic diamonds, but we are here to ensure that their legacy is never forgotten.