Want to know everything about famous diamonds before you purchase jewelry?
Guide to Famous Diamonds
There are many
diamonds around the world that have been written about or talked
about in various stories and official and historical documents.
Famous diamonds have always been part of the world or our history and
have been found in various parts of the world. Famous diamonds are
often are well known as the people who owned them, because all unique
and beautiful diamonds have a history that made them famous.
Diamonds were
used in the armor of knight, warriors and the crowns of emperors and
queens as a symbol of power and fearlessness.
The
Mountain of Light
Known in India
as the Kohinoor, also known as the "Mountain of Light" is
one of the few oval shaped famous diamonds. The Mountain of Light is
a 105 carat (21.6 g) diamond that was once the largest known diamond
in the world and it is said that the diamond was set in the peacock
throne of Shah Jehan as an eye of one of the peacocks.
The shape of
this famous diamond was altered a bit during Queen Victoria's reign,
and it was re cut to weigh 108.93 carats. The diamond is currently
part of the British Crown Jewels.
The Orloff
The Orloff
diamond was found, it was said it weighed around 300 carats. This
famous diamonds is currently held at the Diamond Treasury of Russia
located in Moscow.
Like the
diamond, the Orlov's story has also been lost with time, but it is
widely reported that the diamond once served as an eye of the statue
of the presiding deity of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple of Srirangam
in southern India.
The Regent
Another
diamond from India which became famous is the "The regent".
It is said that this incredibly large diamond was weighed 410 carats!
Originally called "The Pitt", it was cut into a rounded
shape and consisted of more than 140 carats.
It was sold to
the French Prince, Philippe II, Duke of Orleans in 1717, Regent of
France. It was then that the diamond was renamed "The
Regent". The royals used the stone in many ways including being
set in the crown of Louis XV for his coronation in 1722. Napoleon
used it to embellish his sword, and in 1812, it appeared on the
Emperor's two-edged sword, the work of Nitot.
Currently, the
diamond is on display in the Louvre, France.
The Blue Hope
Well known of
all the famous diamonds, the Blue Hope also known as "The Hope
Diamond" originated from India is a large, 45.52 carats (9.10
g), fancy deep blue diamond, currently housed in the Smithsonian
Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. The Hope Diamond is blue
to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal
structure. It was owned by Louis XIV, and at the time was called
"Blue Diamond of the Crown (diamant bleu de la Couronne de France)".
During the
French Revolution, the Blue diamond was stolen. Found in London in
the year 1830, it was later purchased by Henry Philip Hope. The blue
hope diamond received its name from this individual, as well as its
reputation for causing bad luck to those who owned it.
It is a
coincidence that all the famous diamond originated from India and is
now in different parts of the world; such is the power of a diamond.
It is said that each and every diamond has its own history of
millions of years and it becomes famous only when it becomes part of
our history. |
