Diamond cutting is the practice of shaping a diamond from a rough stone into a faceted gem. Cutting diamonds requires specialized knowledge, tools, equipment, and techniques because of its extreme difficulty.
84-878: The Nassak Diamond (also known as the Nassac Diamond and the Eye of the Idol ) is a large, 43.38 carats (8.676 g) Golconda Diamond that originated as a larger 89-carat diamond in the 15th century in India . Found in the Golconda mine of Kollur and originally cut in India, the diamond was the adornment in the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple , near Nashik , in the state of Maharashtra , India from at least 1500 to 1817. The British East India Company captured
168-432: A Golconda diamond. The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century brought growth to the world economy, and the introduction of sophisticated cutting and polishing techniques led to a higher worldwide demand for diamonds. The popularity of Golconda diamonds has risen since the 1950s because of successful advertising campaigns by traders. They continue to be a popular gemstone in the 21st century. Golconda diamonds are
252-603: A diamond at that time, the first being circa $ 1.1 million for the Taylor-Burton Diamond several years earlier. Six years later, the diamond was placed on display in November 1976 at a charity benefit as a means to attract donors to that benefit. In December 1982, British Midland Airways purchased a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 aircraft from KLM ; two months later, the plane was in the United Kingdom with
336-447: A diamond round. Modern computer software measures the roundness of each diamond and ideal cut diamonds have to round within a tenth of a millimeter to qualify as an excellent cut diamond. Diamond polishing is the final polishing of the diamond. In a diamond factory, one would find a diamond crossworker who first places the main facets on a diamond (blocking the diamond). This is done to ensure maximum weight, clarity and best angles for
420-718: A male. Alauddin Khalji , who obtained it from the Kakatiya dynasty , was murdered by his slave. Nader Shah , who looted the Koh-i-Noor from the Mughals and gave it its current name, was assassinated. Shuja Shah Durrani was overthrown by his predecessor and went into exile. Ranjit Singh died of a heart attack and when the diamond passed to the East India Company , it was passed on to Queen Victoria , after which it
504-604: A semi-triangular moghal cut with a plateau top, similar looking to the 115-carat Taj-E-Mah Diamond which resides in the Iranian Crown Jewels . Despite its appearance, the diamond was sold for about 3,000 pounds (equivalent today to £277,000) to Rundell and Bridge , a British jewellery firm based in London. Rundell and Bridge held onto the diamond for the next 13 years. During that time, the jewellery firm instructed its diamond cutter "to keep as closely as possible to
588-547: A sign of supremacy. Golconda diamonds were popularized in the Middle East and the Western world by mediaeval and modern-period travellers and traders such as Niccolò de' Conti, Muhammad al-Idrisi , Marco Polo, and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Diamonds from India—most of which were Golconda diamonds—were used to decorate the crowns, coronets and sceptres of every nation; it was considered a point of pride by any ruler to own
672-650: A trial after purchasing the Princie Diamond in an auction without its heir's consent. The matter was settled out of court. In the same year, jewels worth US$ 1.2 billion were stolen in a heist from the Green Vault in Dresden Castle , Germany; along with other treasures, the 49-carat rose cut Dresden White Diamond , which was made into an epaulette during the Seven Years' War of 1756 AD,
756-475: Is a form of rough diamond that is used to produce jewellery, was first developed in the Golconda region. Of the 38 diamond mines in India at the time, 23 were located in the Golconda Sultanate, of which Kollur Mine was prominent and employed 60,000 workers at one time. Most of these mines were fully active until 1830 but were gradually abandoned as they became either submerged by the backwaters of
840-422: Is both an art and a science. The choice of cut is influenced by many factors. Market factors include the exponential increase in value of diamonds as weight increases, referred to as weight retention , and the popularity of certain shapes amongst consumers. Physical factors include the original shape of the rough stone, and location of the inclusions and flaws to be eliminated. The weight retention analysis studies
924-409: Is just one, although a fairly common way of creating a round brilliant cut. The actual process also includes many more stages depending on the size and quality of the rough stone. For example, bigger stones are first scanned to get the three-dimensional shape, which is then used to find the optimal usage. The scanning may be repeated after each stage and bruting may be done in several steps, each bringing
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#17327759071731008-587: The 1933 World's Fair in Chicago , Illinois, the "Official guide book of the fair, 1933" described the diamond as a flawless, blue- white stone with a reputation of being "the finest diamond outside crown jewels collections." In 1940, American jeweller Harry Winston acquired the Nassak Diamond in Paris, France and recut it to its present flawless 43.38 carats (8.676 g) emerald cut shape. Winston sold
1092-656: The Koh-i-Noor diamond. According to local legends this diamond was donated to the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple of Nashik by an Aristocratic Maratha family. It was believed as an Divine eye of Lord Shiva and was adorned in Shivalinga around 15th C.E. From 1680 C.E. During Mughal-Maratha Wars the temple was attacked several times but Marathas saved Shivalinga time to time. Later it became one of important temples in Maratha Empire As priests worshiped Shiva,
1176-530: The Krishna - Pennar river basin and Deccan Traps , and contains 120 out of the 150 kimberlite pipes in India. Though kimberlite and lamproite are the primary rock source, conglomerate and placers had yielded the majority of the region's diamonds. The Geological Survey of India has categorized kimberlite pipes of southern India into clusters Southern Wajrakarur kimberlite , Northern Narayanpet kimberlite , and Central Raichur kimberlite of these,
1260-632: The Napoleon Diamond Necklace , which became a sensation during the Great Depression (1929) when Archduke Leopold of Austria was imprisoned on larceny charges connected with the necklace sale. In 1980, a heist was executed at Sydney Town Hall , New South Wales, Australia, to steal the 95-carat yellow Golconda d'or diamond from an exhibition display. In 2019, the Al Thani Collection of Qatar faced
1344-639: The Pulichintala irrigation dam or became depleted. Diamond mining in the region gradually declined and finally officially closed. In 2015, the Centre of Exploration Geophysics of Osmania University and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) conducted research that identified three zones that contain 21 potential new diamond-mining sites near the delta of the Krishna and Bhima rivers, and in
1428-579: The Timmasamudram kimberlite cluster —a part of Southern Wajrakarur kimberlite—is significant. Mediaeval records from Europe and the Middle East show India's importance as a source of high-quality diamonds . According to jewellery historian Jack Ogden , these records include those of Pliny the Elder , Marco Polo , Muhammed al-Idrisi , Ahmad al-Tifashi , and others from before the 12th century. The records state India produced diamonds with "which
1512-437: The first water , making them among history's most-celebrated diamonds. The phrase "Golconda diamond" became synonymous with diamonds of incomparable quality. For 2,000 years, Golconda diamonds were the only-known fine diamonds. Due to centuries of excessive mining, their production was exhausted by 1830, and gemologists and traders have classified Golconda diamonds as antique, rare and precious. Famous Golconda diamonds include
1596-537: The 16th to 18th centuries when 23 mines, of which Kollur Mine was the most active, operated in the region and 30,000 people at a time worked in one mine. The output from all of the mines in Golconda is estimated to be around 10,000,000 carats (2.0 t). In 2015, Osmania University in collaboration with Geological Survey of India discovered potential new sites for diamond mining in the region , though as of 2022 mining had not started. Several literary legends were inspired by Golconda diamonds; these include Sindbad
1680-784: The 17th century, mines in this region were the only source of diamonds on Earth. According to the records of 18th-and-19th-century geologists , researchers , and traders, the region south of the Kurnool district near the Krishna River valley in and around NTR district , Palnadu , and Guntur ; the Godavari delta in Rampachodavaram and Bhadrachalam; north-eastern Madhya Pradesh ; eastern Chhattisgarh ; western Jharkhand ; and north-western Odisha are possible historical sources of diamond. The best-known region among these
1764-489: The 1930 Nassak Diamond was nothing more than "a large diamond, cut in an ordinary way." As a result, the importer owed an ad valorem tax of 20% of the diamond's value under US Tariff Act of 1922 . In 1930, the Nassak Diamond had a somewhat elongated triangle form with rounded corners. The depth of one side of the triangle was thicker than the other. The diamond was "without flaw, unusually brilliant, and so cut as to well display its clear, crystal brilliancy." While on exhibit at
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#17327759071731848-401: The 1970s to 1980s. In later decades, jewelers had little success in selling this shape in comparison to other shapes like the oval or pear shape. The marquise can be cut into an oval diamond by any diamond cutter with a loss of 5 to 10% in total weight. For example, a 1.10-carat marquise shape would be a 1.00 oval cut diamond by rounding the sharp points and creating an oval which currently in
1932-558: The Emanuel Brothers sold the Nassak Diamond at a public sale to Robert Grosvenor , the 1st Marquess of Westminster. At one point, the Marquess mounted the diamond in the handle of his dress sword . In 1886, the diamond was valued at between 30,000 and 40,000 pounds (today between £4,128,000 and £5,504,000), due in part to its vast gain in brilliancy from the re-cut by Rundell and Bridge. In 1922, George Mauboussin had become
2016-857: The French Crown Jewels were stolen from the Garde Meuble (Royal Treasury); although most of the jewels were traced, the thieves sold the Sancy and Regent Diamonds, and the Royal French Blue Diamond was cut and renamed the Hope Diamond. The thief returned the Mazarin Diamond in exchange for a pardon and the diamond was restored to the French crown. In 1811, Napoleon Bonaparte gifted his wife Marie Louise
2100-402: The Golconda region, and were reserved for emperors and rulers. Sometimes, diamonds were considered to have supernatural powers, and were worn as amulets and talismans. The Shah Jahan Diamond , which is currently part of Al Saba Collection , was once an amulet of Mughal emperors . Diamonds were treasured as gemstones, and were believed to be a gift from God to humanity, and owning them was
2184-433: The Golconda region, the diamond valley was replete with venomous snakes, making obtaining the diamonds dangerous. The diamond traders took a herd of cattle to the hilltop near the valley. After slaughtering the cattle, they catapulted cow flesh towards the diamond valley; the flesh became stuck to the diamonds, which were picked up by eagles and vultures that carried the cow flesh to their nests to eat. The stones remained after
2268-580: The Golconda rulers learned about the demand for Golconda diamonds in Europe, they seized all of the mines and temporarily halted mining to increase the price, which then doubled. In 1627, high prices led Dutch traders to stop purchasing, and the British East India Company brought investments and purchased the diamonds. The company's monopoly continued alongside indigenous traders such as Mir Jumla II, Virji Vora , and Kasi Veranna until
2352-549: The Nassak Diamond at the Gemological Institute of America gem laboratory to produce a Diamond Grading Report. In that same year, the Nassak Diamond was placed in the hands of J. & S.S. DeYoung, a then 100-year-old estate jewellery house located in New York. The Gemological Institute of America Diamond Grading Report that came with the diamond indicated that it was Internally Flawless . In early April 1970,
2436-468: The Nassak Diamond in 1940 in Paris, France and recut it to its present flawless 43.38 carats (8.676 g) emerald-cut shape. Winston sold the diamond to a New York jewellery firm in 1942. Mrs. William B. Leeds of New York received the gem in 1944 as a sixth anniversary present and wore it in a ring. The Nassak Diamond was last sold at an auction in New York in 1970 to Edward J. Hand, a 48-year-old trucking firm executive from Greenwich, Connecticut . Currently
2520-585: The Nassak Diamond to England, to be sold on the London diamond market in 1818. At the London diamond market, the Nassak Diamond was presented as an approximately 89 carats (17.8 g) diamond of great purity "but of bad form," having a somewhat pear-shape . The diamond further was characterised as a "rudely faceted, lustreless mass." Illustrations in Herbert Tillander's book "Diamond Cuts in Historic Jewelry – 1381 to 1910" show it as being
2604-623: The Sailor 's valley of diamonds, the gem lore of Marco Polo , and the theme of Russell Conwell 's inspirational lecture " Acres of Diamonds ". According to folklore, some Golconda diamonds are cursed; these impart good luck to their owners or have mystical powers while others were worn as talismans . In 2013, the Princie Diamond from the Jewels of the Nizams was auctioned for US$ 39.3 million—the highest-recorded auction price for Golconda Diamonds and
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2688-651: The Sailor 's voyages, which were written during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid (786–809 CE), describe the Valley of the Diamonds that is part of the folk tales collection One Thousand and One Nights ( Arabian Nights , Alf Laila Wa Laila , or Alif Laila ). These regional descriptions have the same features of Deccan in general and the Golconda region in particular. These names are difficult to link to modern geographic names. Until
2772-502: The beds of the Krishna, Tungabhadra and Penna rivers. According to the research, the sites contain volcanic pipes that probably bear kimberlite and possibly diamonds. According to Outlook India , in 2022, some companies applied for mining rights in the region of Andhra Pradesh, soon after the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) discovered diamond deposits in the seven districts of
2856-479: The birds consumed the flesh, allowing the stones to be tracked and collected by the local merchants' workers. According to Jean R. Brink, who wrote Renaissance Culture in Context: Theory and Practice (2017), this legend is repeated in many mediaeval Arabic and Chinese literary works. It was also repeated by Marco Polo, who visited the region's capital Warangal but did not visit the mining sites. Being
2940-403: The color of the diamond. The radiant cut is an example of this type of cut. Natural green color diamonds most often have merely a surface coloration caused by natural irradiation, which does not extend through the stone. For this reason green diamonds are cut with significant portions of the original rough diamond's surface ( naturals ) left on the finished gem. It is these naturals that provide
3024-451: The color to the diamond. The other consideration of diamond planning is how quickly a diamond will sell. This consideration is often unique to the type of manufacturer. While a certain cutting plan may yield a better value, a different plan may yield diamonds that will sell sooner, providing an earlier return on the investment. Cleaving is the separation of a piece of diamond rough into separate pieces, to be finished as separate gems. During
3108-788: The colourless Koh-i-Noor , the Nassak Diamond , the blue Hope Diamond , the Idol's Eye , the pink Daria-i-Noor , the white Regent Diamond , the Dresden Green Diamond , and the colourless Orlov Diamond , as well as now-untraceable diamonds such as the yellow Florentine Diamond , the Akbar Shah , the Nizam Diamond , and the Great Mogul Diamond . The Golconda diamond industry was at its peak from
3192-409: The crystal is an octahedron, as often two stones may be cut from one such crystal. Oddly shaped crystals, such as macles are more likely to be cut in a fancy cut —that is, a cut other than the round brilliant—which the particular crystal shape lends itself to. Even with modern techniques, the cutting and polishing of a diamond crystal always results in a dramatic loss of weight, about 50%. Sometimes
3276-459: The cutters compromise and accept lesser proportions and symmetry in order to avoid inclusions or to preserve the weight. Since the per-carat price of a diamond shifts around key milestones (such as 1.00 carat), many one-carat (200 mg) diamonds are the result of compromising cut quality for carat weight . In colored diamonds, cutting can influence the color grade of the diamond, thereby raising its value. Certain cut shapes are used to intensify
3360-529: The cutting process. Diamond cutting, as well as overall processing, is concentrated in a few cities around the world. The main diamond trading centers are Antwerp , Tel Aviv , and Dubai from where roughs are sent to the main processing centers of India and China. Diamonds are cut and polished in Surat , India and the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen . India in recent years has held between 90% of
3444-471: The date of importation could be imported into the United States duty-free; that is to say, without having to pay a 20% tax. The final decision of the lawsuit was released on 4 June 1930. In that decision, the court determined that the unset 78.625 carats (15,725.0 mg) Nassak Diamond was not an artistic antiquity and was suitable for use in manufacture of jewellery. In particular, the court said that
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3528-757: The diamond eventually acquired its name from its long-term proximity to Nashik. In 1817, the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India began the Third Anglo-Maratha War . During the Maratha war, the Nassak Diamond disappeared from the Shiva temple. The war ended in 1818 and the British East India Company was left decisively in control of most of India. As per the claims made by British The Baji Rao II
3612-405: The diamond in acids, and examining the diamond to see whether it meets the quality standards of the manufacturer. Due to changes in market desirability and popularity, the value of different styles of diamond fluctuates. All diamonds can be recut into new shapes that will increase value at that time in the market and desirability. An example of this is the marquise cut diamond which was popular in
3696-511: The diamond is held at a private museum in Lebanon , though there have been some calls for its return and restoration to the Indian temple. The Nassak Diamond originated in the 15th century in India. Although the date of the original cutting is unknown, the original cutting was performed in India and had sacrificed everything to size while giving the diamond a form and appearance similar to that of
3780-410: The diamond mines of the Golconda region are now depleted and inactive. Later discoveries of diamond deposits in regions such as Brazil post-1730, Australia post-1851, and Africa post-1866 provided significant supplies of diamonds, although their clarity generally does not match that of Golconda diamonds. For these reasons, Golconda diamonds remain among the world's most-celebrated diamonds. Some of
3864-459: The diamond rough to find the best combination of finished stones as it relates to per carat value. For instance, a 2.20-carat (440 mg) octahedron may produce (i) either two half-carat (100 mg) diamonds whose combined value may be higher than that of (ii) a 0.80-carat (160 mg) diamond plus a 0.30-carat (60 mg) diamond that could be cut from the same rough diamond. The round brilliant cut and square brilliant cuts are preferred when
3948-475: The diamond so he contacted the captain of a British ship. The slave and the captain agreed to share equally in the proceeds from the diamond's sale in exchange for safe passage. Later, the captain stole the diamond, killed the slave, and sold the diamond to an Indian merchant named Jamchand. Jamchand supposedly sold it to Thomas Pitt , who in turn sold it to Philippe d'Orléans . According to pervasive folklore narrated by Marco Polo about his 13th-century visits to
4032-435: The diamond through the Third Anglo-Maratha War and sold it to British jewellers Rundell and Bridge in 1818. Rundell and Bridge recut the diamond in 1818, after which it made its way into the handle of the 1st Marquess of Westminster 's dress sword. The Nassak Diamond was imported into the United States in 1927, and was considered one of the 24 great diamonds of the world by 1930. American jeweller Harry Winston acquired
4116-404: The diamond to a New York jewellery firm in 1942. In 1944, Commander William Bateman Leeds Jr., millionaire son of the inventor of a tin plating process and friend of George Mauboussin, purchased the diamond for his wife, Reflexion Olive Leeds (born Olive Hamilton), and gave it to her in a set ring as a sixth anniversary present. In early 1964, gemologist G. Robert (Bob) Crowningshield evaluated
4200-498: The diamond to decorate the French crown; all of the French rulers from Louis XIV to Napoleon III have worn it. After France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870), the diamond, along with other French Crown Jewels, was sold to settle the losses. Frederic Boucheron , a jewellery-house owner, purchased it. According to a popular legend, the Koh-i-Noor should only be possessed by a female and will bring bad luck to
4284-516: The diamond to friends of General Primo de Rivera , who planned to give the diamond to the dictator on the occasion of his forthcoming investiture as marshal of Spain. That sale never materialised and the lawsuit continued. The diamond was nearly lost in a theft that occurred in January 1929, when four gunmen robbed the Park Avenue jewellery store where the Nassak Diamond was being kept. However,
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#17327759071734368-466: The diamond was rated one of the thirty great stones of the world and placed on display at Parke-Bernet Galleries in New York City. On 16 April 1970, the diamond was sold at auction for $ 500,000 (allowing for inflation, this would now be $ 3.92 million) to Edward J. Hand, a then 48-year-old trucking firm executive from Greenwich, Connecticut . This was the second highest auction price ever for
4452-650: The early 1600s, some Dutch miners of the Dutch East India Company were granted mining rights. The 17th-century French explorer Jean-Baptiste Tavernier reported he was "permitted to examine" the egg-shaped Great Moghul diamond, which is now lost and said to have been cut into smaller diamonds. He reported having seen a flat diamond called the Great Table diamond in Golconda. Jean de Thévenot , François Bernier or Antoine Destremau were French traders in Golconda diamonds. In 1621 and 1622, when
4536-606: The gems were engraved". Ancient texts of Buddhists , Hindus , and Jains such as the Arthashastra (2nd century BCE – 4th century CE), the Ratna Pariksha , and the Puranas refer to cities and regions of India that produced diamonds. Roman historian Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE) in his encyclopedia described the demand and fondness of Roman imperial women for the diamonds of South India. The tales of Sinbad
4620-403: The girdle closer to the final shape. It is possible only because the hardness of diamond varies widely according to the direction in which one is trying to cut or grind. Diamond manufacturers analyze diamond rough from an economic perspective, with two objectives steering decisions made about how a faceted diamond will be cut. The first objective is that of maximum return on investment for
4704-535: The last independent Indian Peshwa Prince, who handed over the diamond to an English colonel named J. Briggs. In turn, Briggs delivered the diamond to Francis Rawdon-Hastings , the 1st Marquess of Hastings who had conducted the military operations against the Peshwa. Rawdon-Hastings delivered the diamond to the East India Company as part of the spoils of the Maratha war. The East India Company then sent
4788-524: The market has a much greater desirability and resale value. The same marquise shape also could become a pear shape instead by only trimming and rounding the side which will be turned into the base of the pear shape. In the 18th century there was a trend for recutting Indian diamonds to suit English tastes. The Koh-i-Noor 's original cut weighed a little over 186.00 carats. When it was recut to an oval-shaped brilliant, almost 80 carats were lost. Other aspects are affected in recutting for value as well, such as
4872-402: The mines became depleted in the 1830s. Most of the impoverished governments and princely rulers were removed from power, forcing them sell their jewels—including Golconda diamonds—which were later auctioned. Due to their royal lineage, mystical tales, and advertising campaigns by companies, Golconda diamonds became the global status reference. Historically, diamonds of high quality were mined in
4956-726: The name "The Nassak Diamond". [REDACTED] Media related to Nassak Diamond at Wikimedia Commons Golconda Diamonds Golconda diamonds are mined in the Godavari-Krishna delta region of Andhra Pradesh , India. Golconda Fort in the western part of modern-day Hyderabad was a seat of the Golconda Sultanate and became an important centre for diamond enhancement , lapidary , and trading. Golconda diamonds are graded as Type IIa , are formed of pure carbon , are devoid of nitrogen , and are large with high clarity . They are often described as diamonds of
5040-453: The named partner of "Mauboussin, Successeur de Noury," a French jewellery house that traced its roots to its founding by M. Rocher in 1827. In March 1927, the Duke of Westminster used US importers Mayers, Osterwald & Muhlfeld to sell the diamond to Parisian jeweller George Mauboussin, who was living in the United States at the time. Mauboussin's importation of the diamond into the United States
5124-516: The notable Golconda diamonds are: The world's top-four pink diamonds are from Golconda. Cardinal Mazarin was an influential Chief minister of France during the reign of Louis XIII and Louis XIV ; Mazarin, a connoisseur of jewels, sponsored Jean Baptiste Tavernier's journey to India to collect diamonds; among his collection is the 19.07-carat, light-pink Le Grand Mazarin Diamond , which he always kept close to him. In his will, Mazarin bequeathed
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#17327759071735208-471: The outcome of the lawsuit, the insured diamond was valued between US$ 400,000 and $ 500,000 (allowing for inflation, this would now be $ 7.3 million and $ 9.12 million). At the time the lawsuit was pending, imported diamonds that were cut and suitable for use in the manufacture of jewellery, without actually being set as jewellery were subject to an ad valorem tax of 20% its value. However, artistic antiquities produced more than one hundred years prior to
5292-400: The piece of diamond rough. The second is how quickly the finished diamond can be sold. Scanning devices are used to get a 3-dimensional computer model of the rough stone. Also, inclusions are photographed and placed on the 3D model, which is then used to find an optimal way to cut the stone. The process of maximizing the value of finished diamonds, from a rough diamond into a polished gemstone,
5376-444: The planning stage, diamond manufacturers identify cleavage planes, and use those planes to decide how to split the diamond. Diamond manufacturers make a groove in the diamond with a laser or saw or another diamond, and then split the diamond by placing a steel blade in the groove and giving a gentle tap. Cleavage can be along any of the four planes parallel to the faces of an octahedral diamond (i.e. perpendicular to body diagonals of
5460-607: The region was controlled by the Golconda Sultanate and the Nizams of Hyderabad . The mines were leased under the supervision of regional governors, of whom prominent 17th-century diamond trader Mir Jumla became the Grand vizier (Prime Minister) of the Golconda Sultanate. He established a network of diamond merchants in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia—up to China and the Malay Archipelago . Shantidas Jhaveri
5544-456: The sea route to India and the 16th-century Golconda Sultanate's new port at Machilipatnam increased the production and trade of Golconda diamonds. The emergence of demand for Golconda diamonds led to the exploration and discoveries of mines in the region that produced brilliant diamonds. In the 17th century, under the Golconda Sultanate, when new mines were discovered and leased to the miners, an agreement called "Qaul" would be signed under
5628-456: The specific quality of cut within the shape, and the quality and price will vary greatly based on the cut quality. Since diamonds are one of the hardest materials, special diamond-coated surfaces are used to grind the diamond down. The first major development in diamond cutting came with the "Point Cut" during the later half of the 14th century: the Point Cut follows the natural shape of an octahedral rough diamond crystal, eliminating some waste in
5712-464: The specific shape of diamond. After initial crossworking is complete, the diamond is finalized by smoothing the main facets by the crossworker, which is known as polishing the diamond. After the main facets have been polished by the crossworker, the final facets are polished onto the diamond by a brillianteer . The facets added are the stars, top and bottom halves are also known as upper and lower girdle facets. The final stage involves thoroughly cleaning
5796-435: The state. The Golconda region was a major trading centre and the source of the world's most-famous diamonds. Until the end of the 19th century, it was the primary source of the finest and largest diamonds in the world, making the name "Golconda diamond" synonymous with high-quality diamonds. It has been estimated the Golconda region traded around 10 million carats of diamonds. A unit of measurement for Golconda diamonds
5880-480: The supervision of regional governors, according to which, for employing 100 workers, miners would pay four pagodas per day, and monthly rent was based on the strength of the workers on the mining site. Provisions were supplied only by the governor with 50 percent extra excise duty. Large diamonds from the site were exclusively reserved for the rulers and to be sold with concessions. Bania and Khatri castes—merchant and trading communities in India—held most of mines. In
5964-426: The thieves missed finding the diamond because it was being stored in a soiled envelope. After the first robbery attempt, Mauboussin's jewellery firm opened a branch in New York City on 1 October 1929, only to be met by the Wall Street Crash of 1929 at the end of October. To compound matters, the same gang of international robbers tried to steal the Nassak Diamond again in May 1930, but once again missed it. Prior to
6048-510: The traces of the Hindu cutter, 'amending his defects, and accommodating the pattern to the exigencies of the subject matter.'" The recut by Rundell and Bridge from 89.75 carats (17,950 mg) to 78.625 carats (15,725.0 mg) resulted of a loss of no more than 10 percent of the original weight of the diamond. In 1831, Rundell and Bridge sold the diamond to the Emanuel Brothers for about 7,200 pounds (today about £826,000). Six years later in 1837,
6132-493: The unit cell). Sawing is the use of a diamond saw or laser to cut the diamond rough into separate pieces. Unlike cleaving, this step does not involve cleavage planes. This step gives diamonds their initial shape. Bruting is the art of cutting a diamond to make the girdle round. In the modern era diamonds are rounded using either a laser, a diamond disk impregnated with diamonds, or spinning two diamonds so they cut against each other. Industrial diamonds can also be used for bruting
6216-404: The world market in polished diamonds and China has held the rest of the world market share in a recent year. Other important diamond centers are New York City and Amsterdam . The basic diamond cutting process includes these steps; planning , cleaving or sawing , bruting , polishing , and final inspection . A simplified round brilliant cut process includes the following stages: This
6300-549: The world record for US$ 1.1 million per carat . In a heist in 2019 , the Dresden White Diamond was stolen along with jewels worth US$ 1.2 billion. The Golconda diamondiferous region is located in the Southern Indian peninsular shield , which was formed during the process of proterozoic and Insular India . The region is spread over 50,000 km (19,000 sq mi), within the sediments of
6384-565: The world's most magnificent diamonds. They are formed of pure carbon and have no nitrogen, and are rated high on grading standards, giving them the rare Type IIa designation—(Type IIa count less than two percent of the world's natural diamonds. ). They are large and naturally occur in many colours but most of them are known for their colourless clarity and material properties . Some are popular for their colours, for which they are characterized as Diamonds of First water . Although Golconda diamonds are known for their size and clarity,
6468-550: The world's most-famous, large, and valuable stones with interesting histories, Golconda diamonds attract envy and fascination, for which many controversies, robberies, and scandals have occurred. The Affair of the Diamond Necklace (1784–1786) was about a 2,800-carat necklace containing 647 gems. The incident brought ignominy to Queen Marie Antoinette and later instigated the French Revolution . In 1792,
6552-427: Was tax free, since the diamond was determined to be an artistic antiquity produced more than one hundred years prior to the date of importation. However, E. F. Bendler, an American wholesaler and dealer in diamonds and a rival of Mauboussin, filed a protest that resulted in a lawsuit to determine whether a tax should be imposed on the diamond's entry into the United States. By November 1927, Mauboussin considered selling
6636-520: Was another 17th-century diamond trader. Golconda diamonds were mined from alluvial soils alongside river beds. Mines were usually up to 4 fathoms (7.3 m; 24 ft) deep. When mining reached groundwater , digging was halted. Stony substances were then collected for assortment and examined for diamonds. Raw diamonds from the mines were typically transported to Golconda—now the western part of Hyderabad — ) for skilled lapidary, enhancement, further evaluation, and sale. The art of macle , which
6720-519: Was historically known as Telingana or Tilling , and was renamed Golconda during the Deccan sultanates period and generally known as the Godavari delta. As European travellers and traders increasingly engaged in trading with producers of this region , the region's diamonds came to be referred to as "Golconda diamonds". The peak period of Golconda diamond mining was the 16th-to-18th centuries, when
6804-534: Was later imprisoned and tortured. An article entitled " Hope Diamond Has Brought Trouble To All Who Have Owned It " appeared in The Washington Post in 1908. According to legend, the Regent Diamond was discovered between 1698 and 1701 at Kollur Mine. A slave worker who found the diamond smuggled it out by hiding it deep inside a self-inflicted cut. The slave wanted to escape from India with
6888-460: Was stolen. The diamond belonged to 18th-century ruler Frederick Augustus I of Saxony . Diamond cutting The first guild of diamond cutters and polishers (Diamantaire) was formed in 1375 in Nuremberg , Germany , and led to the development of various types of " cut ". This has two meanings in relation to diamonds. The first is the shape: square, oval, and so on. The second relates to
6972-787: Was successively mounted in the crowns of Queen Alexandra , Queen Mary , and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother . The latter crown, along with the other Crown Jewels , is on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London . Accounts of ill fortune and curses are also associated with the Hope Diamond; Tavernier, who took the stone to Paris, was "torn to pieces by wild dogs" in Constantinople . Louis XIV gave it to Madame de Montespan , whom later he abandoned. Sultan Hamid of Turkey gave it to Abu Sabir to "polish" but Sabir
7056-576: Was the Ratti ( 7 ⁄ 8 of a carat ), and the most-common currency was the Golconda Pagoda , which was also called Hun. Golconda had been trading diamonds with European kingdoms since at least the days of Marco Polo (1254–1324). During the 1420s, Niccolò de' Conti , a prominent Italian traveller and merchant who lived in India, had a detailed account of diamond valleys in the Golconda region. The 15th-century Portuguese discovery of
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