De Beers is turning up the hype for its "Diamonds for the Millennium" campaign with its "Millennium Collection" of diamonds.

The highlight of the collection is the 203-carat "Millennium Star" — the largest internally and externally flawless, top color, pear-shaped diamond in the world.

The Millennium Star originated in what was once know as Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was purchased many years ago by De Beers and held for the proper moment. De Beers’ former chairman, Harry Oppenheimer, who has probably handled more important diamonds in his 70-year career than any other person in the world, describes the De Beers Millennium Star as "the most beautiful diamond I have ever seen." It is due to be featured next year in the new James Bond movie.

The De Beers Millennium Jewels also include eleven exceptionally rare blue diamonds, cut in a variety of different shapes, weighing a total of 113 carts. Each of these came from the famous De Beers Premier mine in South Africa and range in size from 5.16 carats to a phenomenal 27.64 carat heart-shaped stone, the Heart of Eternity.

The De Beers Millennium Jewels will be shown to the world for the first time from the very first seconds of the new Millennium at the Dome in London. They will remain there on view in a specially designed exhibit for the entire year.

De Beers say that any discussion of the collection’s value is academic, since the collection is unique and unlike any other the world has ever seen.