History of Diamonds

8/2/2019 History of Diamonds

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DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

The diamond is more than just aesthetically beautifulits an enduring symbol oflove, romance, and commitment. The stones name is derived from the Greek word

adamas, which translates to unconquerable and indestructible. Diamonds havebeen sought the world over, fought over, worshipped and used to cast love spells.

Diamond History

The earliest diamonds were found in India in 4th century BC, although the youngestof these deposits were formed 900 million years ago. A majority of these earlystones were transported along the network of trade routes that connected India andChina, commonly known as the Silk Road. At the time of their discovery, diamondswere valued because of their strength and brilliance, and for their ability to refractlight and engrave metal. Diamonds were worn as adornments, used as cutting tools,served as a talisman to ward off evil, and were believed to provide protection inbattle. In the Dark Ages, diamonds were also used as a medical aid and werethought to cure illness and heal wounds when ingested.

Surprisingly, diamonds share some common characteristics with coal. Both arecomposed of the most common substance on earth: carbon. What makes diamondsdifferent from coal is the way the carbon atoms are arranged and how the carbon isformed. Diamonds are created when carbon is subjected to the extremely highpressures and temperatures found at the earths lithosphere, which liesapproximately 90-240 miles below the earths surface.

Until the 18th century, India was thought to be the only source of diamonds. Whenthe Indian diamond mines were depleted, the quest for alternate sources began.Although a small deposit was found in Brazil in 1725, the supply was not enough tomeet world demands.

In 1866, 15-year-old Erasmus Jacobs was exploring the banks of the Orange Riverwhen he came across what he thought was an ordinary pebble, but turned out to bea 21.25-carat diamond. In 1871, a colossal 83.50-carat deposit was unearthed on ashallow hill called Colesberg Kopje. These findings sparked a rush of thousands ofdiamond prospectors to the region and led to the opening of the first large-scale

mining operation which came to be known as the Kimberly Mine. This newlydiscovered diamond source increased the worlds diamond supply substantially,resulting in a significant decrease in their value. The elite no longer considered thediamond a rarity, and began to replace this common stone with colouredgemstones. Emeralds, rubies, and sapphires became more popular choices forengagement ring stones among the upper class.

In 1880, Englishman Cecil John Rhodes formed De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltdin an effort to control the diamond supply. Although DeBeers was successful in theirefforts to control the supply of diamonds, demand for the stone was weak. By 1919,diamonds were devalued by nearly 50%.


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The History Of The Engagement Ring

The use of rings as a symbol of commitment dates back to ancient history,specifically to the betrothal (truth) rings of the Romans. These early rings, oftenformed from twisted copper or braided hair, were worn on the third finger of the left

hand. For Romans, betrothal rings were given as a sign of affection or friendship,and did not always represent the rite of marriage.

The history of the engagement ring began in 1215, when Pope Innocent III, one ofthe most powerful popes of the Middle Ages, declared a waiting period between abetrothal and the marriage ceremony. The rings were used to signify the couplescommitment in the interim. It was around this same time that rings were introducedas a major component of the wedding ceremony, and it was mandated by theRoman government that all marriage ceremonies be held in a church. In addition toserving as symbols of an intention to marry, these early rings also represented socialrank; only the elite were permitted to wear ornate rings or rings with jewels.

For the last 3000 to 4000 years, diamonds have held special magic for Kings,Queens and their subjects. Diamonds have stood for wealth, power, love, spirit andmagical powers. Kings in olden days would wear into battle heavy leather breastplates studded with diamonds and other precious stones. It was believed thatdiamonds were fragments of stars and the teardrops of the Gods. The diamondspossessed magical qualities of the Gods and held powers far beyond theunderstanding of the common man. Because of these beliefs, the warriors stayedclear of the Kings and others who were fortunate to have the magical diamonds intheir breast plates.

Until the 15thCentury only Kings wore diamonds as a symbol of strength, courageand invincibility. Over the centuries, the diamond acquired its unique status as theultimate gift of love. It was said that cupids arrows were tipped with diamonds thathave a magic that nothing else can equal.

Since the creation of diamonds they have been associated with romance andlegend. The Greeks believed the fire in the diamond reflected the constant flame oflove.

For millions of people around the world, the mystery and magic, the beauty andromance shining out from a simple solitaire says all the heart feels but words cannot

express. It wasnt until 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamondring to Mary of Burgundy, that the diamond engagement ring was introduced. Placingthe ring on the third finger of the left hand, dates back to the early Egyptian beliefthat the Vena Amors, vein of love, runs directly from the heart to the tip of the thirdfinger. This symbolic meaning lends itself well to the diamonds historiccommemoration of eternal love.

Discovery And Making

The first river-bed (alluvial) diamonds were probably discovered in India, in around800 B.C. The volcanic source of these diamonds was never discovered, but the

alluvial deposits were rich enough to supply most of the worlds diamonds until theeighteenth century, when dwindling Indian supplies probably spurred the exploration


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that led to the discovery of diamonds in Brazil, which became the next importantdiamond source. Beginning in l866, South Africas massive diamond deposits werediscovered, and a world-wide diamond rush was on. The South African diamondoutput was unravelled until major deposits were found in Siberian permafrost in l954.And currently Western Canada is the site of the worlds newest diamond rush.

Throughout much of history, diamonds were mined from the sand and gravelsurrounding rivers. But in South Africa in 1870 diamond was found in the earth farfrom a river source, and the practice of dry-digging for diamonds was born. Moresophisticated mining techniques allowed deeper subterranean digging, as well asmore efficient river (and, most recently, marine) mining, than ever before.

CuttingThe cutting of diamonds into the complex faceted forms we now associate with thesegems is actually a relatively recent practice. For centuries, rough diamonds werekept as talismans, and often not worn at all, though natural octahedral (eight-sided

stones) were sometimes set in rings. A Hungarian queens crown set with uncutdiamonds, dating from approximately l074, is perhaps the earliest example ofdiamond jewellery. The royalty of France and England wore diamonds by the 1300s.In sixteenth century England, fashionable lovers etched romantic pledges onwindow-panes with the points of their diamond rings, known as scribbling rings.

The earliest record of diamond-polishing (with diamond powder) is Indian, andprobably dates from the fourteenth century. There are also contemporary referencesto the practice of diamond polishing in Venice. The earliest reference to diamondcutting is in l550 in Antwerp, the most important diamond centre of the period, wherea diamond-cutters guild was soon to be established.

Diamond Routes and Centres:Indian diamonds reached Venice by two Mediterranean routes: the southern routewas by way of Aden, Ethiopia, and Egypt, and the northern route was throughArabia, Persia, Armenia, and Turkey. Then, thanks to the Portuguese discovery ofthe direct sea route to India, Antwerp flourished as a diamond centre, as the city waswell-situated to receive vast supplies of rough from Lisbon as well as from Venice.

After Spanish attacks on Antwerp in1585, many diamond cutters relocated toAmsterdam. And the Netherlands, with its liberal civil policies, attracted diamondcraftsmen (including many Jews) who were fleeing religious persecution in Spain,

Portugal, Germany and Poland.

In the late1600s, as the English fortified their interest in India, which was still theworlds central diamond source, London became an important cutting centre. Later,London became the primary world market of diamond rough.

Today, there are cutting centres all over the world, most notably in Belgium, India,Israel, South Africa, and the USA.

Diamond Magic

Diamonds were once believed to hold many magical, mystical and medicinalproperties. The phosphorescence of certain diamonds (their ability to glow in the


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dark) was considered a proof of the stones extraordinary powers. Diamonds werethought to calm the mentally ill, and to ward off devils, phantoms and evennightmares. They were supposed to impart virtue, generosity and courage in battle,and to cause lawsuits to be determined in the wearers favour. A house or gardentouched at each corner with a diamond was supposed to be protected from lightning,

storms and blight.

The ancient Indians believed that the human soul could pass through variousincarnations, animating gemstones as well as plants and animals. Plato, the Greekphilosopher, shared the belief that gems were living beings, produced by a chemicalreaction t o vivifying astral spirits. Later philosophers divided precious stones intomale and female specimens, and even claimed that they could marry andreproduce!

Minerals were among the first medicinal ingredients. In the middle ages it wasbelieved that a diamond could heal if the sick person took it bed and warmed it with

his body, of breathed upon it while fasting or wore it next to the skin. A diamond heldin t he mouth would correct the bad habits of liars and scolds. And diamonds wereworn as a talisman against poisoning.

Diamond powder administered internally, however, was a legendary poison. TheTurkish Sultan Bajazet (1447 1513) was perhaps murdered by his son, whoslipped a large quantity of powdered diamond in his fathers food. In l532, his doctorsdosed Pope Clement VII with fourteen spoonfuls of pulverized gems, includingdiamonds, which resulted in death for the patient, as well as a very high bill for histreatment. In the same century, Catherine de Medici was famous for dealing outdeath by diamond powder, and Benvenuto Cellini, the famous s Italian goldsmith,

described an attempt on his life by an enemy who ordered diamond powder to bemixed in his salad. But the lapidary responsible for grinding the diamond filched thestone, replacing it with powdered glass (thereby saving Cellini).

A Modern-Day Resurgence

In 1947, DeBeers commissioned the services of leading advertising agency N.W.Ayer, and the slogan A diamond is forever was coined, later immortalised in theJames Bond movie, Diamonds are Forever. The premise of this large-scale

marketing campaign was the suggestion that diamonds should be the only choice forengagement rings. The DeBeers advertising campaign was wildly successful, andwas a contributing factor to todays widespread embracing of the tradition of diamondengagement rings. In todays fine jewellery market, more than 78% of engagementrings sold contain diamonds.

With the surge in popularity of the precious stone, many companies andorganizations began campaigns to educate jewellers and consumers about what tolook for when selecting a diamond. As jewellers experimented with ways to enhancethe diamonds visual appeal and presentation, new cutting techniques were adoptedto help increase the stones brilliance. Over time, several prominent shapes emerged

as the most popular varieties, including round, oval, marquise, square (princess),and rectangular (emerald).


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Today, the worlds diamond deposits are slowly becoming depleted. Less than 20%of the diamonds mined are of gem quality; less than 2% are considered investmentdiamonds. 75-80% of mined diamonds are used for industrial applications, such asgrinding, sawing, and drilling. Typically, more than 250 tons of ore must be mined in

order to produce a one-carat, gem-quality stone.

The diamonds rarity, beauty, and strength make it a fitting symbol of the resilienceand longevity of marriage. In addition to engagement rings, diamonds aretraditionally given as gifts to commemorate the milestone of the sixtieth anniversary.With their rich history, sense of permanence, and lustrous brilliance, diamonds are anatural choice to signify a lasting union.

History of the Koh-I-Noor

MYTH-The origin of the diamond is unclear. According to some sources, the Koh-i-Noor was originally found more than 5000 years ago, and is mentioned inancient Sanskrit writings under the name Syamantaka. According to some Hindumythological accounts, the Lord Krishna obtained the Syamantakafrom Jambavantha, whose daughter Jambavati later married Krishna. Krishna wasblamed for the theft of the diamond from Satrajith's dead brother, killed by a lion(itself having been killed by Jambavantha). Satrajith accused Krishna of having killedhis brother. Krishna fought a fierce battle with Jmbavn to restore his reputationand gave the jewel back to Satrajith. In shame, Satrajith offered Krishna hisdaughter, as well as the Koh-i-Noor. Krishna accepted his daughter Satyabhm, but

refused to take the Syamantaka.The diamond originated in the Kollur region of Guntur district in present day AndhraPradesh, one of the world's earliest diamond producing regions, sometime in the1200s during the Kakatiya rule. This region was the only known source of diamondsuntil 1730 when diamonds were discovered in Brazil. The term "Golconda" diamondhas come to define diamonds of the finest white colour, clarity and transparency.They are very rare and highly sought after. The diamond became the propertyof Kakatiya kings who installed it as one of the eyes of the presiding Goddess in atemple in their capital city of Warangal.

The Khilji rule at Delhi ended in 1320 AD and Ghias ud Din Tughluq ascended the

throne. Tughluq sent his commander Ulugh Khan in 1323 to defeat the Kakatiya kingPrataprudra. Ulugh Khans raid was repulsed but he returned in a month with alarger and determined army. The unprepared army of Kakatiya was defeated.

The loot, plunder and destruction of Orugallu (present day Warangal), the capitalof Kakatiya Kingdom, continued for months. Loads of gold, diamonds, pearls andivory were carried away to Delhi on elephants, horses and camels. The Koh-i-Noordiamond was part of the bounty.

From then onwards, the stone passed through the hands of successive rulers ofthe Delhi Sultanate, finally passing to Babur, the first Mughal Emperor, in 1526.

The first confirmed historical mention of the Koh-i-Noor by an identifiable name datesfrom 1526. Babur mentions in his memoirs, the Baburnama, that the stone had
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi


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belonged to an unnamed Rajah of Malwa in 1294. Babur held the stone's value to besuch as to feed the whole world for two and a half days.

The Baburnama recounts how Rajah of Malwa was compelled to yield his prizedpossession to Alaud din Khilji; it was then owned by a succession of dynasties that

ruled the Delhi Sultanate, finally coming into the possession of Babur himselfin 1526, following his victory over the last ruler of that kingdom. However,the Baburnama was written c.1526-30; Babur's source for this information isunknown, and he may have been recounting the hearsay of his day and mixed upthe Emperor of Warangal with the Rajah of Malwa. He did not at that time call thestone by its present name, but despite some debate about the identity of 'Babur'sDiamond' it seems likely that it was the stone which later became known as Koh-i-Noor.

Both Babur and Humayun mention very clearly in their memoirs the origins of'Babur's Diamond'. Humayun had much bad luck throughout his life. Sher Shah Suri,

who defeated Humayun, died in an accident. Humayun's son, Akbar, never kept thediamond with himself and later only Shah Jahan took it out of his treasury. Akbar'sgrandson, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his own son, Aurangzeb.

Shah Jahan had the stone placed into his ornate Peacock Throne. His son,Auranzeb, imprisoned his ailing father at Agra Fort. Legend has it that he had theKoh-i-Noor positioned near a window so that Shah Jahan could see the Taj only bylooking at its reflection in the stone. Aurangazeb later brought it to hiscapital Lahore and placed it in his own personal Badshah Mosque. There it stayeduntil the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739 and the sacking of Agra and Delhi. Alongwith the Peacock Throne, he also carried off the Koh-i-Noor to Persia in 1739 and

who is attributed, allegedly, to the name Koh-i Noor since there is no reference tothis name before 1739.

The valuation of the Koh-i-Noor is given in the legend that one of Nader Shah'sconsorts supposedly said, "If a strong man should take five stones, and throw onenorth, one south, one east, and one west, and the last straight up into the air, andthe space between filled with gold and gems, that would equal the value of the Koh-i-Noor."

After the assassination of Nader Shah in 1747, the stone came into the handsof Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan. In 1830, Shah Shuja, the deposed rulerof Afghanistan, managed to flee with the Kohinoor diamond. He then came

to Lahore where it was given to the Maharaja of Ranjit Singh; in return for thisMaharaja Ranjit Singh won back the Afghan throne for Shah Shuja.

Passage from India

Maharaja Ranjit Singh willed the Koh-i-Noor to the Jagannath Temple but after hisdeath the British administrators did not execute his will. On 29 March 1849, theBritish raised their flag on the citadel of Lahore and the Punjab was formallyproclaimed to be part of the British Empire. One of the terms of the Treaty of Lahore,the legal agreement formalising this occupation, was as follows:


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The gem called the Koh-i-Noor which was taken from Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk by

Maharajah Ranjit Singh shall be surrendered by the Maharaja of Lahore to the queen

of England.

The diamond is now set into the crown worn by the female consort to Monarch of the

United Kingdom.

The Curse of the Koh-i-Noor

It is believed that the Koh-i-Noor carries with it a curse which affects men whowear it, but not women. All the men who owned it have either lost their throneor had other misfortunes befall them. Queen Victoria is the only reigningmonarch to have worn the gem. Since Victoria's reign, the stone hasgenerally been worn by the British Queen Consort, never by a male ruler.

The possibility of a curse pertaining to ownership of the diamond dates backto a Indian text relating to the first authenticated appearance of the diamond

in 1306: "He who owns this diamond will own the world, butwill also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, canwear it with impunity."

TEN FAMOUS DIAMONDS

The Great Star of Africa530.20 Carats - the Cullinan I or Star Africa

diamond is the largest cut diamond in theworld. Pear shaped, with 74 facets, it is setin the Royal Sceptre (kept with the otherCrown Jewels in the Tower of London). Itwas cut from the 3,106-carat Cullinan, thelargest diamond crystal ever found. TheCullinan was discovered in Transvaal, SouthAfrica in l095 on an inspection tour of thePremier Mine. The Cullinan was cut byJoseph Asscher and Company ofAmsterdam, who examined the enormous

crystal for around six months beforedetermining how to divide it. Legend has itthat immediately after applying the hammer,Asscher fainted fearful that he may havebroken the diamond. It eventually yieldednine major, and 96 smaller brilliant cutstones. When the Cullinan was firstdiscovered, certain signs suggested that itmay have been part of a much larger crystal.But no discovery of the "missing half" hasever been authenticated.


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The Orloff300 Carats when found, colour: slightlybluish green, clarity: exceptionally pure, cut:Moghul-cut rose, source: India.This gem may be found in the DiamondTreasury of Russia in Moscow.There are so many historical episodesinvolving the Orloff. First, it may have beenset at one time as the diamond eye ofVishnu's idol (one of the Hindu Gods) in theinnermost sanctuary temple in Sriangam,

before being stolen in the 1700s by a Frenchdeserter. However, the deserter just dug oneeye from its socket, because he was terror-stricken at the thought of retribution, so hecouldn't take the other. He went to Madras,and sold the stone quickly to an English sea-captain for 2,000 pounds.The time passed, the stone arrived atAmsterdam where the Russian count GrigoriOrloff, an ex-lover of Empress Catherine theGreat was residing. He heard about rumoursof the stone, and he bought the diamond for90,000 pounds and took it back to Russia forCatherine's favour. The stone has beencalled the Orloff since then. Catherinereceived his gift and had it mounted in theImperial Sceptre. She gave a marble palaceto Grigori in exchange for the Orloff.However, Grigori couldn't get Catherine'slove. Grigori Orloff passed away at the nadirof disappointment in 1783.

In 1812 the Russians, fearing that Napoleonwith his Grand Army was about to enterMoscow, hid the Orloff in a priest's tomb.Napoleon supposedly discovered the Orloff'slocation and went to claim it. However, as asolider of the Army was about to touch theOrloff, a priest's ghost appeared andpronounced a terrible curse upon the Army.The Emperor, Napoleon scampered awaywithout the Orloff.


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The Centenary Diamond273.85 Carats, discovered at the PremierMine, in July 1986. The 'Centenary' diamondweighed 599.10 carats in the rough.Together with a small select team, master-cutter Gabi Tolkowsky took almost threeyears to complete its transformation into theworld's largest, most modern-cut, top-colour,flawless diamond.

Possessing 247 facets - 164 on the stoneand 83 on its girdle - the aptly-named'Centenary' diamond weighs 273.85 carats,and is only surpassed in size by the 530.20carat 'Great Star of Africa' and the 317.40carat 'Lesser Star of Africa', both of whichare set into the British Crown Jewels.

The Regent140.50 Carats, although it is now surpassedin weight by other famous diamonds, theexceptional limpidity and perfect cut of theRegent give it an reputation as the mostbeautiful diamond in the world. Discovered inIndia in 1698, it was acquired by ThomasPitt, Governor of Madras, who sent it toEngland where it was cut. In 1717 theRegent purchased it from Pitt for the FrenchCrown. It first adorned the band of LouisXV's silver gilt crown (in the Louvre) at his

coronation in 1722, going then to Louis XVI'scrown in 1775. Later in 1801 it figured on thehilt of the First Consul's sword(Fontainebleau, Muse Napolon 1st), andthen on the Emperor's two-edged sword in1812. In 1825 it was worn on the crown atthe coronation of Charles x, and during theSecond Empire it embellished the "Greciandiadem" of the Empress Eugenie. It can beseen today at the Louvre in Paris.


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Koh-i-Noor (Mountain of Light)105.60 Carats, an oval cut gem, now part ofthe British Crown Jewels. The name of thisdiamond means "Mountain of Light" and itshistory, dating back to1304, is the longest ofall famous diamonds. It was captured by theRajahs of Malwa in the sixteenth century bythe Mogul, Sultan Babur and remained in thepossession of later Mogul emperors. It mayhave been set in the famous PeacockThrone made for Shah Jehan. After the

break-up of the Persian empire the diamondfound its way to India. It may have travelledto Afghanistan with a bodyguard of NadirShah, who fled with the stone when theShah was murdered, to be later offered toRanjit Singh of the Punjab in exchange formilitary help (which was never delivered).After fighting broke out between the Sikhsand the British, The East India Companyclaimed the diamond as a partial indemnity,and then presented it to Queen Victoria in1850. When the stone came from India, itweighed l986 carats; it was later recut tol08.93 carats. It was first worn by the Queenin a brooch. It was later set in the StateCrown, worn by Queen Alexandra andQueen Mary, and 1937 was worn for byQueen Elizabeth for her coronation. It is keptin the Tower of London, with the otherCrown Jewels.

The Idol's Eye70.20 Carats, a flattened pear-shaped stonethe size of a bantam's egg. Another famousdiamond that was once set in the eye of anidol before it was stolen. Legend also has itthat it was given as ransom for PrincessRasheedah by the Sheikh of Kashmir to theSultan of Turkey who had abducted her.


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The Taylor-Burton69.42 Carats, Pear-shape.

It was found in 1966 in the Premier Mine inSouth Africa. The rough, which weighted240.80 carats, was cut into a 69.42 pearshape diamond.Richard Burton bought and named this stoneas a gift for Elizabeth Taylor. Richard Burtonbought it $1,100,000. He also named thisstone as an engagement. After Burton'sdeath in 1979, Liz Taylor sold the stone forcharity and reportedly received $2.8 million.She donated in his memory to a hospital in

Biafra. It was last seen in Saudi Arabia.

Sancy DiamondLittle is known of the Sancy Diamond beforethe 14th century when it was most likelystolen from India. It was first recorded asmeasuring 100 carats when it was part of thedowry of Valentina, Galeazzo di Visconti'sdaughter in 1389. She married Duked'Orleans who was the brother of Charles VIof France. This began a long history of thediamond being used as collateral and goingin and out of pawn over the next fewhundred years. Duke John of Burgundyacquired the stone as a spoil of war victoryand passed it down through his family forseveral generations including Charles theBold. Charles brought the stone into battlebelieving it was good luck. This turned outnot to be true as he lost the battle and his lifeand the stone was missing for 14 years. It

then turned up in the possession of JacobFugger who sold it to the King of Portugal.When Phillip II of Spain Invaded Portugal heclaimed the Sancy, however, the kingescaped with several other jewels which hesold the French and English Crown. TheSancy found itself in the ownership ofElizabeth I, who also owned the ThreeBrothers stone which was also lost byCharles the Bold. Elizabeth secretly pawnedthe stone to finance a Dutch war against

Spain. The diamond changed hands againand found a new owner Nicolas Harlay de


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Sancy whose wife had an appetite fordiamonds. Elizabeth I wanted the diamondback and Sancy who eventually wentbankrupt was convinced to sell it back toJames I of the English Crown. The diamond

disappeared again for 25 years long enoughfor the statue of limitations to expire, when itsurfaced to be purchased by NicholasDemidov, who gave it to his wife. It was thensold to Sir Jamsetee Jeejeebhoy andeventually to William Astor in 1865. TheAstor family kept possession of the stoneuntil 1976 when they sold it for anundisclosed amount to the Louvre Museumwhere it still resides today.. Most expertsagree that the Sancy was part of a much

larger diamond that was re-cut at some pointhowever there is no consensus whichdiamond it originally came from.

Hope DiamondThe Hope Diamond is the previous recordholder for being the largest faceted diamondand is probably the most well known andhistorically interesting of all diamonds. TheHope Diamond was originally known as theTavernier Blue which was a crudely cuttriangular diamond. According to legend, itwas stolen from an Indian statue of Sita andpurchased by Jean-Baptiste Tavernieraround 1660. The diamond was sold to KingLouis XIV of France who had it cut into a67.125 carat stone. It was renamed theFrench Blue and worn for ceremonialfunctions in France. The diamond was rarely

seen until Louis XVI gave it to MarieAntoinette who added it to her jewellerycollection. When the French Revolutionstarted the diamond was stolen andresurfaced in La Havre four years later. Thediamond disappeared for another 20 years(which coincidentally is exactly how long ittook for the statute of limitations to run outon the crime) when it resurfaced in thehands of a London diamond merchantDaniel Eliason in 1812. Henry Philip Hope

purchased the diamond in 1824, after hisdeath his heirs fought over the diamond. It


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passedthroughthreegenerations of the

Hopefamily untilHenryFrancisHopePelham-ClintonHope fellinto bankruptcy and was forced to sell thestone. The diamond continued to changehands until Pierre Cartier acquired it in 1910.

They reset the stone and sold it to socialiteEvelyn Walsh McLean. She left the stone toher heirs, however it had to be sold again tosettle outstanding debt. The stone waspurchased by legendary jeweller HarryWinston who had the lower portion of thestone cut to increase its brilliance. Afterhaving the diamond as part of his travelingexhibit known as "the court of jewels," hedonated it to the Smithsonian Institutionwhere he sent it through the US postalservice in plain brown wrapper. The diamondis said to have been cursed by the HinduGod from whose statue it was originallystolen because financial ruin or suddendeath occurred to many who owned it. Thediamond was also the inspiration for thefictional "Heart of the Ocean" in the movieTitanic. In 2005 new computer researchproved that the Hope Diamond was indeedthe French Blue that was stolen from the

jewellery collection of Marie Antoinette.

Hortensia Diamond


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The Hortensia Diamond is a pale pink,orange diamond that was originally part ofthe jewel collection of the French Crown.named after the Queen of Holland, the step-daughter of Napoleon Bonaparte, this gem is

part of the French Crown Jewels and may beviewed at the Louvre in Paris. It waslost/stolen with all of the other gems in MarieAntoinette's collection during the FrenchRevolution. A man named Depeyronconfessed its secret location while on thechoppingblockfacingexecution.The

RegentDiamondwas alsorecoveredfrom thesecrethidingspot. Thediamondgets itsname from Hortense de Beauharnais theQueen of Holland who wore the diamond. Itwas also mounted on the epaulette braid ofNapoleon for a short time.


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MORE FAMOUS AND HISTORIC DIAMONDS

Archduke Joseph Diamond: The Archduke Joseph Diamonds is one of theGolconda diamonds (an ancient Indian diamond mine), what makes it unique is its

colour and clarity. It measures 74.65 carats and is rated a flawless D. The diamondis a family heirloom of the Hapsburg Family from Hungary. During World War II thegem was put in hiding in France. The whereabouts of the diamond were unknownuntil 1961 when it came up for auction. In 1993 it went on auction a second time andsold for 6.4 million dollars. It is set in a remarkable necklace and is quite often lent tocelebrities for special functions. Celine Dion wore the necklace on her returnperformance on CBS in April of 2002 when she premiered "A New Day Has Come".

Allnat Diamond: The Allnat diamond is a cushion cut fancy vivid yellow diamond.Prior to 1950 there is no recorded history for this diamond although experts guess itcame from the premier diamond mine in South Africa. In 1950 Major Allnat

commissioned Cartier to make a setting for the diamond. The stone was re-cut from102.07 carats to 101.29 carats and it was regarded as a vivid fancy yellow increasingits value. It's currently in the "Splendour of Diamonds" collection at the SmithsonianMuseum.

Centenary Diamond: The Centenary Diamond isthe third largest diamond to have been extractedfrom the DeBeers mine in South Africa. Its 273.85carats is internally and externally flawless with a Dcolour rating. It was displayed in its uncut form at599 carats for the DeBeers Centenary Anniversary.It was displayed in the Tower of London for severalyears before it was removed. While no sale pricewas ever made public it was insured for over 100million.

Darya-ye Noor Diamond: Is one of the Crown Jewels from thecountry of Iran. It is well known not only for its large size of 182carats but also its pale pink colour which is exceptionally rare indiamonds. Modern research also indicates this may have beenpart of a larger stone that was originally part of the throne ofMughahl Emperor Shah Jahan.

The Noor-ol-Ein is also part of the same stone.


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Dresden Green Diamond: The Dresden Green Diamond is thelargest of the very rare natural green diamonds. It is 41 carats andits green colour comes from natural and not artificial irradiation. Thediamond was discovered in 1722 before the technology for artificialirradiation existed. This diamond is currently part of a researchproject to help identify diamonds which are naturally coloured. Thediamond is named after the Saxony Capital in Germany. For most of

its history the diamond has stayed in Germany, except during WorldWar II when it was in the Soviet Union.

Excelsior Diamond: At the time of its discovery in 1893 theExcelsior Diamond was the largest diamond discovered at971 carats. It was displaced by the Cullinan Diamond in1905. The stone had a blue and white colour and waseventually cut into 13 stones ranging from 68 carats to 13carats.

The Golden Jubilee Diamond: The GoldenJubilee is currently the world's largest faceteddiamond displacing the Cullinan I or Star of Africaby over 15 carats. The diamond is cut into a firecushion shape and weighs a total of 545.67 carats.What's most remarkable about the stone is itsyellow brown colour. It was presented as a gift to

King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand tocommemorate the 50th anniversary of hiscoronation. It is currently part of the crown jewels inthe Royal Thai Palace.

Great Moghul Diamond: The Great Moghul diamond is the most legendarydiamond of the ancient world. It was first described by traveller Jean BaptisteTavernier from a visit to India he made in 1665. The Great Moghul Diamond wassaid to have measured 240 carats, a size unheard of in the ancient world. However

the stone disappeared and hasn't been seen for thousands of years. Experts are


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divided some believing that the Koh-i-Nor diamond is the Great Moghul Diamondother experts believe it's the Orloff Diamond.

Heart of Eternity: The Heart of Eternity diamond isone the most famous fancy blue diamonds. It came

from the premier mine in South Africa which has thelargest production of fancy coloured diamonds. Theheart of eternity is the sister stone of the MillenniumStar which were both cut from the same stone.They were part of the DeBeers Millennium JewelsCollection and were the target of an unsuccessfuldiamond heist at the Millennium Dome during theyear 2000 celebration. The gem is 27.64 carats andis classified as fancy vivid blue.

Idol's Eye Diamond: Where the Idol's Eyediamond originally came from is something of amystery. Many claim it was the eye of an idol orstatue from a temple in Benghazi. That is highlyunlikely since that area has been Muslim since the8th Century and devoid of idols. The diamond firstappears in recorded history at a Christie's auctionin 1865. At the time of the auction the buyer wasanonymous, but history later revealed the buyerwas the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II. Towardsthe end of his rule Hamid sensed he was going tobe forced out of power and started to move hiswealth to a secure location, this included his collection of jewels. However theperson responsible for moving the jewels stole them and turned up in Paris. Thediamond was purchased by a Spanish Nobleman who kept them in London. Thegemstone remained hidden until after World War II when a Dutch Merchant acquiredthem and sold it to Harry Winston. The Idol's Eye diamond is a triangular old mine

cut measuring 70. 21 carats and has a slight bluish colour.

Incomparable Diamond: The Incomparable Diamond was the fourthlargest uncut diamond when it was discovered. In 1984 ownersMarvin Samuels, Louis Glick, and David Zale of Zales Jewellers hadthe diamond cut. The largest stone was 407.48 carat triolette shape.There were also 14 smaller diamonds from the same stone. Thelargest diamond retained the name Incomparable diamond and isgolden in colour. The smaller stones range from colourless to deeprich brown. The Incomparable diamond made an unexpectedappearance on the internet auction site EBay in November of 2002

with a reserve price of 15 million pounds sterling but remained unsold.


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Lesotho Promise: The Lesotho Promise is a new diamond that was discovered in2006. It was discovered in the Letseng diamond mine in Lesotho. In its uncut formatit is 603 carats in size and the diamond sold for 12.4 million in its uncut form.

Millennium Star: The Millennium Star is the sisterstone to the Heart of Eternity diamond as both wereoriginally cut from the same stone. Unlike its sisterstone Millennium Star is a colourless diamond rated aflawless D. It's also the second largest D diamond inthe world measuring at 203.04 carats. This diamond ispart of the DeBeers Millennium Collection and waspart of the exhibit at the Millennium Dome. The stonewas also the target of a failed diamond heist. When thepolice, security, and DeBeers officials learned of the

planned robbery a duplicate stone was created andplaced on display as a precaution. The thieves failed toget their hands on the real diamond or the replica.

Moussaieff Red:The Moussaieff Red is the largestfancy red coloured diamond known. It measures 5.11 carats and has atrillion style cut. The stone was discovered in Brazil. The stone wasoriginally known as the Red Shield until it was bought by theMoussaieff Jewelers Company. The diamond was also part of"Splendour of Diamonds" show at the Smithsonian along with theMillennium Star, Heart of Eternity, Hope Diamond, and Dresden Green.

Nizam Diamond: The Nizam Diamond was an old world diamond from India. It wasa convex shape with irregular facets measuring 277 carats. It was owned by Nizamsof Hyderabad in the 1830's, however, it was lost, stolen or was re-cut as a result ofbecoming a spoil of war.


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Noor-ol-Ein Diamond: this diamond is also known by the alternate spelling Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond. It's one of the largest pink diamond in the world said to have originatedfrom India. It's an oval diamond brilliant cut diamond that measures 60 carats. It iscurrently set in a platinum tiara with other pink, yellow, and colourless diamonds. Thetiara was fashioned by Harry Winston for Empress Farah for her wedding to the last

Shah of Iran in 1957

Red Cross Diamond: The Red Cross Diamond was discovered in the

Kimberly Mines in 1901. It's a canary coloured cushioned shapeddiamond that measures 205.07 carats. It is very distinct having aMaltese Cross visible from the top. The diamond was auctioned atChristies in 1918 with the benefits going to the British Red CrossSociety and the Order of St. John. The stone later passed in anunknown member of the royal family of England and then to an unnamed Americanbusinessman who put it up for auction in 1973. The stone failed to meet its reserveprice and the auction was removed and tried again in 1977. The stone again failed tomeet the reserve price and was withdrawn, the current owner and location areunknown.

Regent Diamond: The Regent Diamond has longpast with many unexpected twists and turns.According to legend it was discovered by a slave ina diamond mine in 1692 in India. He stole thediamond and hid it in a wound inside of his body.The slave was killed on a ship and the captain tookthe diamond. It was sold to Thomas Pitt a wellknown merchant trader in India. He finallymanaged to sell it to Philippe II, Duke of Orleans in1717. It was set in a Crown for the Coronation

crown for Louis XV and then in another crown forLouis XVI in 1775. He gave it to Marie Antoinette


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who added it to her jewellery collection. The diamond was, stolen, hidden, andeventually recovered. It then found its way into the hands of Napoleon Bonaparte in1801. It was set into his sword until his death when it was sent to Austria. It waseventually returned to France and was set into the crowns of Louis XVIII, Charles Xand Napoleon III. It was then set in a Greek style Diadem crown for Empress

Eugenie where it remains today, and is displayed in the Louvre Museum. Thediamond measures 140.6 carats and is a cushion style cut. It is white with a slightblue tint in colour.

Shah Diamond: The Shah diamond traces itshistory back to India at about 1450. In 1591 it wasgiven to the court of Nizam, who ordered that it beinscribed with "Burhan-Nizam-Shah Second. Year1000 on one of the facets. That same yearEmperor Akbar seized the throne and the

diamond. When his grandson took the throne hehad another inscription put on the stone "The sonof Jehangir-Shah Jehan-Shah. Year 1051. Thediamond remained in India until 1738. That yearNadir Shah attacked and took the stone as a spoilof war back with him to Persia. In 1824 anotherinscription was made on the stone "The ruler of theKadgar-Fath ali-shah Sultan. Year 1242. In 1829 Alexander Sergeevich Griboedova Russian Diplomat was murdered in Russia. This put a lot of strain and pressure onthe relations between Russia and Iran. The Shah of Iran sent his son Hosrov-Mirzato St. Petersburg where they gave the diamond as a gift to the Russian Government.The diamond remains part of the Russian Diamond Fund and is housed in theKremlin. The Shah diamond weighs 90 carats, is 3cm long, and is extremely clearwith a slight yellow tint.

Spirit of de Grisogono Diamond: The Spirit of de GrisogonoDiamond has the honour of being the worlds largest cut blackdiamond, measuring 312.24 carats. There are only two other blackdiamonds of noteworthy size the Black Orloff and the AmsterdamDiamond.

Spoonmakers Diamond: There are several stories surroundingthe origin of the Spoonmakers diamond, however, here is the onefavored by most leading jewelers and gemologists. In 1774 a French officerpurchased a diamond from the daughter of the Maharajah of Madras. The diamondwas put up for auction and was purchased by Napoleon's mother. When Napoleonwas sent into exile, his mother sold the diamond to try save her son. The diamondwas purchased by an agent for Tepedelenli Ali Pasha. Pasha was sentenced todeath for crimes against the state and all his assets were seized including thediamond. All of his possessions were moved to the treasury of the Ottoman Empire.


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Lesser Star of Africa: The Lesser Star of Africa is the sister stone to the Star ofAfrica also cut from the Cullinan Stone. Also known as the Cullinan II this stonemeasures 317.40 carats. The Lesser star of Africa is part of the Crown Jewels of thetower of London and is mounted in the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain. The

stone also has two small loops that allow it to be worn as a brooch, by itself, or withthe Star of Africa.

Star of the South Diamond: The Star of the South was the firstBrazilian Diamond to achieve world recognition. It was found by aslave worker in a mine 1853. Her master freed her and also agreed topay her an annual stipend. After passing through several buyers andsellers, the stone made its way to Amsterdam for cutting. The result isa stone that measures 128.42 carats and is a light pinkish browncolour. The stone was displayed in the London Exhibit in 1862 and theParis Exhibit in 1867, after which it was purchased for $400,000 as a gift for Sita

Devi, the Maharani of Baroda. The stone was then purchased by Cartier in 2002 foran undisclosed sum.

Tereschenko Diamond: While the Tereschenko Diamondwas known to be in existence for 100 years, it wasn't knownby most of the world until it went on auction in 1984. It waspart of the Tereschenko family as a loose stone until it wasset in a diamond necklace by Cartier in 1915. Just after itscompletion and right before the Russian Revolution in 1916the stone was removed from the country for safekeepingand eventually sold to a private collector.

Tiffany Diamond: The Tiffany Diamond is one of the largest yellow diamonds everdiscovered. It was discovered at the Kimberlite mine in South Africa in 1878 and was

originally 287 carats. After being cut and polished into a cushion shape, it measured128.54 carats and was classified as a fancy yellow. The diamond is part of thecollection at the Smithsonian Museum. The diamond is also part of the promotionmaterial for the film Breakfast at Tiffany's featuring Audrey Hepburn.

Acknowledgments: To many and most of all to the class of Wndow Shoppers.

Documents

History of Diamonds