DIAMOND IN INDIA : HISTORICAL REVIEW of DIAMOND GEOLOGY and MINING
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In AD 90-60 approx. Ptolemy (Greek astronomer) too refers to the diamond river in India.
The fact that diamonds were known to, and highly prized by, the ancient inhabitants of the country is proved by the rich adornment of the oldest temples of religion with this and other precious stones. The sacred shrines and idols show, moreover, that the art of diamond cutting has been long understood.
C. Ritter in his Erdkunde von Asien (vol. iv, part 2, p. 343, 1836) collected together the various scattered reports concerning the diamond localities, and was the first to give a detailed and connected account. Later (1881), Professor V. Ball has given an exhaustive account.
C. Ritter arranged the Indian diamond mines known to him in five groups, according to their geographical distribution, and described them in order from south to north. In what follow, this grouping will be adopted, the smaller mining districts not mentioned by Ritter being introduced in appropriate places, and information derived from later reports, especially those of V. Ball, incorporated with the matter given by Ritter (Ball gives a rather different grouping of the mines). The map shows the distribution of the diamond-fields in India.
1. The Cuddapah
Group on the Penner River.
This group includes the most southerly mines; those furthest to the east are
in the neighborhood of Cuddapah on the river Penner, where numerous mines
have been worked for several centuries with varying success. At the present
time the majority of the mines in this group - perhaps, at times, the whole
of them - are abandoned, but this by no means indicates that the supply of
diamonds has been completely exhausted.
This group lies near the town of Banaganapalli, and only about seventeen miles north of the last group. It is situated on the northern margin of the plain, which extends from the western slopes of the Nallamalais as far as the town of Nandial (lat. 15º 30' N., long. 78º 30' E.). The mines of this group, which are sometimes referred to, for example, by V. Ball, as the Karnul diamond mines, lie to the east, southeast, and west of Nandial, and are partly in the diamantiferous bed itself and partly in the sands. This group, of which a few only of the more important workings can here be mentioned, includes some of the most famous mines ever worked in India, the majority of which, however, are now abandoned.
3. The
Ellore (or Golconda) Group on the Kistna River.
The defining characteristics of Golconda diamonds and what sets them apart
and in a class by themselves are their incredible transparency, "whiteness",
and purity. The term "Golconda" has come to define diamonds of the finest
white color and transparency & some descriptive terms used to define
Golconda diamonds have been; "whiter than white", "like a clear river
stream", and brighter than bright".
Golconda diamonds are very, very rare in today's market and if you do come
across one it will usually be at a Christie's or Sotheby's auction.
The mines of this group are situated on the lower portion of the Kistna
River and include some of the oldest and most famous of Indian diamond
mines, the largest and most beautiful of Indian stones having been derived
from these so-called Golconda mines. They derive their name, not from their
situation, but from the fact that the diamonds from these mines were sent to
the market held near the old fortress of Golconda, not far from Haidarabad,
this being also the market for stones from Chennur. At the time of
Tavernier's visit to these mines, more than twenty were being worked, most
of them being extraordinarily rich. With two or three exceptions, the whole
were later deserted, and the situations of many of them, including some,
which French merchant traveller(16th century) Jean Baptiste Tavernier
described as being most famous, are now forgotten.
The richest of the mines to the east of Golconda were those of Kollur, which
lies on the right bank of the Kistna, west of Chintapilly and in latitude
16º 42-1/2' N. and longitude 80º 5' E. of Greenwich. The discovery of the
diamantiferous deposit at Kollur was made about 100 years before Tavernier's
visit, namely, about 1560.A 25-carat stone was first accidentally found, and
numerous others soon followed, many weighing from 10 to 40 carats, and some
still more. The quality of the stones, however, was not always as
satisfactory as their size, cloudy and impure specimens being frequent. Such
famous diamonds as the "Koh-i-noor," now in the English crown jewels, and
the "Great Mogul," the whereabouts of which, unless it is identical with the
" Koh-i-noor," is now unknown, were very probably found in these mines, in
addition to some beautiful blue stones, including the Hope blue diamond.
Tavernier stated that 60,000 people were engaged in these mines at the time
of his visit; today, however, they are completely deserted, as are also
numerous other workings situated in the valley of the Kistna, between Kollur
and Chintapilly, and between the latter place and Partial. It is still the
Golconda diamonds that reign supreme among gem connoisseurs in terms of
quality, mystery and romance
This group is situated a good distance to the northwest of the previous group, and lies between latitude 21º and 22º north, in the Central Provinces. The diamonds known to the ancients may have been those of the Mahanadi River, the diamond river mentioned by Ptolemy being supposed to be in this district, and being, in fact, identified by many authors with the Mahanadi River itself. The occurrence of diamond is limited to the neighborhood of Sambalpur, no other part of the river having given any yield. The mining district extends over a fertile plain, which at the town of Sambalpur stands 451 feet above sea level, and forms the stretch of land between the Mahanadi and Brahmani Rivers. The date of the first discovery of stones here is unknown, but Sambalpur has been a familiar diamond locality since very remote times.
Large stones are said to have been found in the Mahanadi with some frequency. The largest was found at the island of Hira Khund in 1809 it weighed 210.6 carats, but ranked only as a stone of the third water, and its subsequent history is unknown. Generally speaking the stones found here were very good in quality, the diamonds of the Mahanadi and of Chutia Nagpur ranking amongst the finest and purest of Indian stones.
5. The Panna Group
in Bundelkhand.
This, the most northerly group of Indian diamond mines, is situated between
the Khan and Son rivers in latitude 25º N., and lies on the northern margin
of the Bundelkhand plateau where this borders the plain of the Ganges and
Jumna. Some of the mines lie in the immediate neighborhood of Panna
(Punnah), to the south-west of Allahabad on the Ganges, others are further
away to the west, south and east of this town; all are classed together as
the Panna mines. Large stones are not known to occur in this district nor do
any appear to have been found in former times, though the number of smaller
diamonds of good quality found now as well as formerly is considerable. The
form of the crystals is that of the octahedron or of the rhombic
dodecahedron. They occur in the special diamantiferous stratum and in the
loose surface material derived from the weathering of the same, and have
also been transported with river-gravels. The diamond stratum here belongs,
as previously remarked, not to the Lower, but to the Upper Vindhyan
formation.
The Panna mines are at present the most productive diamond mines in India.
The diamond mines located in a belt of 80 kms across the district. At
present the major diamond mining is assigned to a Government of India
Undertaking, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) - Diamond Mine
Project. The belt starts from Paharikhera North-East to Majhgawan South-West
with breadth around 30 kms. There are several open diamond mines working in
small scale for diamond exploration in Panna
LARGE AND FAMOUS DIAMONDS.
The Hope Diamond
Weight: 45.52 carats
Color: dark blue
Clarity: flawless
Cut: Oval Brilliant
A dark, steely blue stone from India, the Hope diamond history is more notorious than any other famous diamond & is renowned
for its striking the color and its fascinating history of bringing bad luck to its private owners. It has been stolen and recovered, sold and resold, cut and recut. though it all, the value of diamond increased
The legend of the Hope Diamond began in 1642, and it weighted about 112 carats. A French diamond merchant named Jean Tavernier found the diamond in India. Tavernier took the diamond out of India to show it for Louis XIV, the King in 1668, after returning from his sixth trip to India. It was first cut Indian style, and weighed 112.50 carats. However, Tavernier was killed by wild dogs during the another trip on business to India.
Five years after Louis XIV bought it, he had the royal goldsmith cut it into 67 carats, the shape of a heart. The dark blue diamond was called "the Royal French Blue" or "Blue Diamond of the Crown". In 1774 Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette inherited the French Blue and wore it, as it was popularly known. When the revolution broke out the heart cut blue diamond while under guard in the French Treasure House -- Grade Meuble, the Heart Cut Blue Diamond was stolen together with all of the French Crown Jewels. Some of the gems taken in this robbery were recovered, but not the Heart Cut Blue Diamond.
The Heart Cut Blue Diamond was believed to be sold in Spain and there cut into three smaller stones. The Goya portrait of Queen Marie Louisa painted in 1799 shows her wearing a deep blue diamond cut into 44.5 carats of rounded oval. It is said that the stolen Royal French Blue was recut to its present size by Wilhelm Fals, a young Dutch diamond cutter. Fales is said to have died of grief after his son, Hendrick stole the gem from him. Hendrick, in turn, committed suicide.
Evidence suggests that the Hope Diamond was acquired in the early 1800s by King George IV of England, and likely sold at his death in 1830 to help pay off his debts.
In 1830, the Royal French Blue Diamond appeared in public again. Henry Phillip Hope a wealthy banker bought the diamond for $90,000. It was after that the diamond took on its now still existing name "the Hope Diamond". It stayed in the Hope family until the turn of the century and the legend of its sinister influence began again. Almost the entire Hope family died in poverty. The original Henry Hope died without marrying, leaving the stone to his nephew. The stone was then passed on to a grandson who changed his surname to Hope to inherit it. Unfortunately bad luck plagued him, and his wife ran off with another man. The last of the Hopes went bankrupt and the stone was sold after numerous attempts (and despite the opposition of other family members) in 1901.
The diamond was said to be purchased by a New York diamond merchant, Simon Frankel. It changed hands frequently in the next few years. At this point, the diamond was said to be involved in several bizarre events, although none have been substantiated. First, a French broker by the name of Jacques Colot was said to have bought the stone before becoming insane and committing suicide. Next, a Russian or Eastern European prince, Ivan Kanitowsky, supposedly loaned or gave the diamond to an actress at the Folies Bergère, who was shot the first time she wore it. The prince himself was stabbed to death by revolutionaries; a Greek jeweler who sold the diamond to the Sultan of Turkey was thrown over a cliff while riding in a car with his wife and child. The Turkish Sultan, Selim Habib, was deposed in the 1908 revolution.
It was put up for auction in Paris in 1909 but apparently no one bought it. Shortly after that, C. H. Rouseau purchased it only to resell it the same year to Cartier, the French jeweler.
Mrs. McLean was the daughter of Thomas F. Walsh, who amassed a fortune in gold mining. She spent her early childhood in mining camps in Colorado and South Dakota, but was later educated in Washington D.C. and in Europe. She married Edward Beale McLean, son of the owner of the Cincinnati Enquirer and the Washington Post.
Mr. Edward B. McLean and his wife found it at Cartier. He was the son of millionaire publisher John R. McLean. Edward and his new bride each had $100,000 from their respective fathers as a wedding gift; Mrs. McLean was not able to take it at that time, as her husband did not want to put his half of the money. One year later Cartier arrived in Washington with it reset in a necklace, Mrs. McLean raised $154,000 to buy it from him.
Although Mrs. McLean refused to believe in the legendary Hope "curse" she also endured a number of family tragedies. Her brother died young; her nine-year-old son was run over by a car and killed; her ex-husband drank heavily and died in a mental institution; and her only daughter died of a drug overdose at age 25. Mrs. McLean never recovered from the latter tragedy, and passed away only a year later.
Upon her death, Mrs. McLean's extensive jewelry collection was purchased by Harry Winston Inc. of New York City.
Harry Winston first displayed the Hope Diamond in his Fifth Avenue salon in New York. After exhibiting it among other notable gems for the next 10 years, the firm donated it to the Smithsonian Institution. He sent it by registered mail in a plain brown wrap, to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958. The stamps cost him $145.00, $2.44 postage and the rest for insurance of $1,000,000.
The Idol's EyeA flattened pear shaped stone the size of a bantam's egg, its polished size is 70.20 carats. This is another famous diamond that was once set in the eye of an idol before it was stolen. Legend also has it that it was given as a ransom for Princess Rasheetah by the Sheik of Kashmir to the Sultan of Turkey who had abducted her.
After the end of World War II the Idol's Eye re-emerged when it was acquired by a Dutch dealer, from whom Harry Winston bought it in 1946. In the following year Mr. Winston sold the stone to Mrs. May Bonfils Stanton, daughter of Frederick G. Bonfils, the publisher and co-founder of the Denver Post. If many of the earlier characters associated with the diamond's history have proved to be ficticious, Mrs. Stanton goes some way to make up for them. Once a great beauty, she became a legendary figure in American life. From her early childhood she displayed an interest in jewels and began to assemble a famous collection. In addition to the Idol's Eye it was to include the Liberator Diamond and a diamond necklace studded with twelve emeralds weighing 107 carats, once owned by the Maharaja of Indore. She lived in beautiful isolation in a palatial mansion copied from the Petit Trianon in Versailles, and was said to have worn the Idol's Eye at her solitary breakfast every morning. The gem was set as the pendant to a diamond necklace containing 41 round brilliants totalling about 22.50 carats, plus another 45 baguettes weighing about 12 carats. Mrs. Stanton was also a supporter of numerous philanthropic causes in her native state of Colorado. After her death, in her eighties, in March of 1962, her jewels were auctioned in November by Parke-Bernet Galleries Inc. of New York; in accordance with the directions contained in her will the proceeds were distributed among various charities.
In 1962 the Chicago jeweler Harry Levinson bought the Idol's Eye for $375,000, for his wife, Marilyn. In 1967 he loaned it to De Beers for an exhibition at the Diamond Pavilion in Johannesburg. Six years later in 1973, Mr. Levinson put the diamond up for sale in New York but subsequently withdrew it when the bidding failed to reach his $1,100,000 reserve. In 1979 Laurence Graff of London purchased the Idol's Eye. Harry Levinson loaned the diamond, before it was sold to Laurence Graff, for display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, at a 1982 reception celebrating the 50th anniversary of Harry Winston Inc. In the following January, Mr. Graff sold the Idol's eye, together with the Emperor Maximilian and a 70.54-carat Fancy Yellow diamond named the Sultan Abdul Hamid II and thought to have once been part of that ruler's jewelry collection. The sale of these three diamonds to the same buyer is considered to have been one of the highest priced transactions ever known.
Probably the largest of Indian diamonds is the Great Mogul, the history of which is very obscure.
This was seen in the treasury of the Great Mogul, Aurungzebe, in 1665, by Tavernier, who both drew and described the stone in detail. This diamond had then the form of a very high and round rosette , and was of good water. It weighed 319 ratis, which Tavernier calculated to be equivalent to 280 carats, assuming 1 rati = 7/8 carat. Authorities, which consider this value of the rati too high, give the equivalent as 188 carats.
The rough stone is supposed to have been found between 1630 and 1650, in the mines at Kollur, and to have originally weighed 787 1/2 carats, a weight which would make it unquestionably the largest of Indian diamonds. The considerable disparity between the weight of the rough stone and its weight when cut, has been attributed to the unskillful manner in which it was cut by Hortensio Borgis, the Venetian diamond-cutter, who at that time was domiciled in India.
The subsequent history of the "Great Mogul is a complete blank; it has been variously supposed to have been lost or destroyed, to be in existence under another name (recut) such as the "Orloff" diamond, or the "Koh-i-noor," to be in the possession of the Shah of Persia, or to be lying forgotten among the jewels of some Indian prince.
Another large diamond of the same weight, namely, 320 ratis, is described in the memoirs of Baber, the founder of the Mogul dynasty. According to this account the stone had long been famous in India, and had formed part of the spoils of war of many an Indian prince, finally passing into the possession of Baber in 1556. This stone is regarded by Professor Story-Maskelyne as being identical with the diamond seen at Delhi, and described as the "Great Mogul" by Tavernier, and identical with the stone at present known as the "Koh-i-noor"; this view is very generally accepted.
The Akbar Shah, is an engraved diamond so called from its first possessor, the Mogul King, Akbar.
When in the possession of Jehan, Akbar's successor, Arabic inscriptions were engraved on two of its faces. It at first weighed 116 carats, but after re-cutting in 1866 its weight was reduced to 71 or 72 carats and the inscriptions were lost in the process. In 1867 the stone was sold to the Gaikwar of Baroda for £35,000 ($3,802,928). It subsequently disappeared for a long period, reappearing in Turkey, under the name of the "Shepherd's Stone," and still recognizable as the "Akbar Shah" by its Arabic inscriptions.
The "Koh-i-noor" is a stone of very considerable beauty, now weighing 106 1/16 carats.
The Koh-i-Noor is said to have come to earth as a gift from the god in India to faithful worshiper.'
Dated through legend from before the time of Christ, this oval-cut diamond is the most famous of all diamonds. It has been said that whoever owned the Koh-I-Noor ruled the world.
Opinions differ as to the derivation of the name "Koh-i-noor," which is sometimes said to signify "Mountain of Light," and is supposed to have been given to the stone by Nadir Shah. It has also been supposed to be a corruption of Kollur, the locality at which it was found, and the name by which it is formerly known in India.
The diamond's history began in 1304, where it was reported as owned by the Rajah of Malwa. Following wars in the 1500s, it ultimately fell into the hands of the Sultan Babur, and for the next 200 years the 186-carat diamond was one of the precious jewels of the Mogul Emperors. It was believed to have once been set as one of the peacock's eyes in the famous peacock throne of Shah Jehan, who reigned in the early 1650s. In 1739, Nadir Shah, who built Persia into a major power, invaded Delhi. He obtained the Koh-I-Noor - along with the sumptuous Peacock Throne - from the vanquished Indian Emperor Mohammed Shah. Allegedly, when his pillage of Delhi failed to initially uncover the huge stone, he was told by one of the harem women that the conquered Mogul emperor had hidden it inside his turban. Taking advantage of an Oriental custom, Nadir Shah invited his captive to a feast and suggested they exchange turbans. Following the feast, he unrolled the turban and released the great gem. Seeing it, Nadir Shah cried, "Koh-I-Noor," which means mountain of light. Nadir Shah took the gem back to Persia, and following his assassination in 1747, the diamond was fought over by his successors.
When the state of Punjab was annexed to British India in 1849, the East India Company took it as insurance for the Sikh Wars. As part of its 250th Anniversary festivities, the East India Company presented the famous Koh-I-Noor diamond to Queen Victoria in 1850. The diamond was displayed at the famous Crystal Palace Exposition, but visitors were disappointed that the diamond did not show more fire. So Victoria had the stone recut, reducing the diamond to its present size. It was re-cut in England in 1852 by the diamond-cutter, Voorsanger, of the Amsterdam firm of Coster; the work of re-cutting occupying thirty-eight days, of twelve hours each. In 1911, a new crown was made for the coronation of Queen Mary featuring the Koh-I-Noor as the center stone. In 1937, it was transferred to the crown of Queen Elizabeth (now Queen Mother) for her coronation. Currently, it is on display in the Tower of London with the British Crown JewelsOne of the largest of Indian diamonds is the Nizam, a stone of 277 carats, which has been known only since 1835, and which is supposed to have been picked up by a child on the ground in the neighborhood of Golconda. This, however, is not the only version of the discovery of this stone, and its original weight has been placed at 440 carats; it was supposed to be in the possession of the Nizam of Haidarabad. The Great Table, of Tavernier, in 1642 at Golconda by this traveler, who states that it weighed 242 3/16 carats, and that it was the largest diamond he had seen in India in the hands of dealers. His offer of 400,000 rupees for the stone was rejected and, as in the case of the "Great Mogul" its subsequent history is obscure.
The Orloff (also Orlov ) was the largest of the diamonds comprised in the Russian crown jewels, and formed the termination of the imperial sceptre; it is a stone of the finest water, perfectly pure and with a brilliant luster. In form it is very similar to that of Tavernier's drawing of the "Great Mogul". This stone has had a chequered career; it is said at one time to have formed one of the eyes of Lord Vishnu's idol (one of the Hindu Gods) in the Brahmin temple on the island of Sheringha in the Cauvery River near Trichinopoly. It was stolen from here, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, by a French soldier, who just dug one eye from its socket, because he was terror-stricken at the thought of retribution. He passed into the hands of an English ship's captain, for 2,000 pounds and so the diamond found its way into Europe.
The stone arrived at Amsterdam where the Russian count Grigori Orloff, an ex-lover of Empress Catherine the Great was residing. He heard about rumors of the stone, and he bought the diamond for 90,000 pounds and took it back to Russia for Catherine's favor. The stone has been called the Orloff since then. Catherine received his gift and had it mounted in the Imperial Sceptre. She gave a marble palace to Grigori in exchange for the Orloff. However, Grigori couldn't get Catherine's love. Grigori Orloff passed away in disappointment in 1783.
In 1812 the Russians, fearing that Napoleon with his Grand Army was about to enter Moscow, hid the Orloff in a priest's tomb. Napoleon supposedly discovered the Orloff's location and went to claim it. However, as a solider of the Army was about to touch the Orloff, a priest's ghost appeared and pronounced a terrible curse upon the Army. The Emperor, Napoleon scampered away without the Orloff.The Regent: 140.50 carats
TThe adventurous history of the Regent is very much like that of several other great diamonds. Greed, murder and remorse play a part in the opening chapter. Trouble - political, social, and personal - accompanies this gem to it's last resting place. Originally known as the Pitt, this 410-carat stone was one of the last large diamonds to be found in India. It is said to have been discovered by a slave in the Parteal Mines (also spelled 'Partial') on the Kistna River about 1701. The slave stole the enormous rough concealing it in bandages of a self-inflicted leg wound, and fled to the seacoast. There, he divulged his secret to an English sea captain, offering him half the value of the stone in return for safe passage to a free country. But during the voyage to Bombay, temptation overcame this seafaring man and he murdered the slave took th diamond. After selling it to an Indian diamond merchant named Jamchund for about $5000, the captain squandered the proceeds in dissipation and, in a fit of remorse and delirium tremens, hanged himself.
In 1702, Jamchund sold the stone for about $100,000 to Governor Thomas Pitt of Ft. George, Madras, who was the grandfather of William Pitt of American Revolutionary fame. Known to historians as the "Elder Pitt," William was the British Prime Minister for whom Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was named. Pitt arranged for the stone to be cut into its current cushion-shaped brilliant by the only person in England considered capable of the task, which took two years. The result was a stunning gem that is considered the most perfectly cut of all the celebrated diamonds of old.
The Regent is characteristic of the finest Indian diamonds, and has a beautiful light blue tinge. Known at the time as the Pitt, the diamond was sold to the Duke of Orleans, Regent of France, who was at first hesitant to purchase the gem because of the perilous state of the Treasury. Ultimately, the Duke of Orleans relented, and shortly thereafter, the stone was renamed "The Regent." Later, it was set in the coronation crown of King Louis XV, and later in a headband worn by his Queen. Many of the French Crown Jewels were reset numerous times at the behest of the queen. Sadly, in September 1792, the Regent and other great diamonds in the Crown Jewel collection were stolen, some disappearing forever. Fortunately, the Regent reappeared in a Paris attic a year later. After coming to power in 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte ordered the famous diamond to be set in his sword hilt, which he carried at his coronation two years later. Today, the Regent diamond can be admired at the Louvre in Paris.
The Sancy
Weight: 55 carats
Color: unrecorded
Clarity: unrecorded
Cut: Pear-shape double rose
THE Sancy Diamonds story, and indeed the history of power and greed behind all large diamonds, began at the famous Golconda mines in India.
The Sancy harks back to Golconda, the fabled treasure valley in India, where poisonous serpents huddled over the trove. The treasure hunters, it was said, would throw hunks of meat down from the hills. Jewels would stick to the bloody carcasses, birds would pick them up and fly out --- and then be downed by the hunters, who would thus be up to their necks in ... diamonds.
The Sancy Diamond first came to Europe from India in the fourteenth century, and until 1661, it was the largest diamond– and most secure and concentrated form of wealth– in all of Christendom. In its engaging history, the gem passed among the royal and noble houses of Europe, from Burgundy’ s John the Fearless, England’ s James I, and France’ s Louis XIV to a Russian prince and ultimately to the British Astors. Along the way, there were a succession of royal feuds, intrigues, and betrayals– and the Sancy was used to raise money, settle debts, and enhance power and prestige. What really happened to the Sancy during its two disappearances– once during the sixteenth century and again after the French Revolution is a little blurred.There exists the legend of the Sancy curse, which arose after the violent deaths of Burgundy’ s Charles the Bold, England’ s Charles I, France’ s Louis XVI, and other ill-fated owners.
Lady Astor loaned the Sancy to the Louvre, as a centerpiece for its Ten Centuries of French Jewelry exhibition in 1962. However, after her death in 1964, the British government declare the stone a national treasure, but it reportedly has since been sold to the French government
When the contents of the Iranian Treasury were opened up in the 1960s, the existence of three legendary Indian diamonds was revealed. They are the Darya-I-Nur, the Nur-Ul-Ain and the Taj-I-Mah. It has been conclusively proven that the first two diamonds had been cut from the same stone: the Great Table Diamond. The Taj-I-Mah, meaning 'Crown of the Moon', is an imposing stone and the largest unmounted Indian diamond in the collection. Most certainly of Golconda origin, it is irregular, Mogul cut, colorless and of the finest quality, slightly worn on top. The diamond weighs 115.06 (metric) carats and measures 32.0 × 24.3 × 14.7 mm.
The presence of the Taj-I-Mah among the Crown Jewels in the Iranian capital had been known for a long time. The British administrator and diplomat Sir John Malcolm, who visited Persia in the 19th century, was allowed by Fath Ali Shah (1797-1834) to inspect the Regalia. He wrote: "Darya-I-Nur, or 'Sea of Light' weighs 186 carats, and is considered to be the diamond of the finest lustre in the world. The Taj-I-Mah, or 'Crown of the Moon' is also a splendid diamond. It weighs 146 carats. These two are the principal in a pair of bracelets, valued at near a million sterling. Those in the crown are also extraordinary size and value."
The Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond is one of the largest pink diamonds in the world. The Nur-Ul-Ain is an oval brilliant cut of around 60 carats and measures approximately 30 × 26 × 11 mm.
Considered to be the most celebrated diamond in the Iranian Crown Jewels and one of the oldest known to man, the 186-carat Darya-i-Nur is a crudely fashioned stone measuring 41.40 × 29.50 × 12.15 mm. The name means Sea of Light, River of Light, or Ocean of Light. It is a table or 'taviz' cut diamond
Today, nine out of every ten diamonds are processed in India. The country accounts for 80 per cent of the caratweight and 55 per cent by value of all of the world's diamonds. Diamonds are India’s single largest export. After the United States and Europe, India is the world's third largest consumer of polished diamonds.
'From April 2001 to February 2002, India imported almost 120 million carats of rough diamonds, worth$3.84 billion and exported 29 million carats of polished diamonds, worth $5.2 billion. This massive volume of diamonds is handled by a correspondingly huge workforce, perhaps in the region of a million today.
Renewed interest in diamond exploration in India has been generated since the country changed its mining statutes to allow foreign investment.