Sunday, February 24, 2013

10 Most Famous Diamonds In The World...




1. The Hope Diamond

2. The Golden Jubilee


3. The Cullinan I




4. The Idol's Eye


5. The Spirit of de Grisogono


6. Koh-I-Noor /Mountain of light

Apparently, this is one of the oldest diamonds known to man. According to the legend, this diamond is more than 2000 years old, from before the birth of Christ. However, a much more documented hypothesis is that it was discovered in the early 1300s. The earliest recorded mention of the diamond is in the memories of Babur (Baburnama), the first Mogul ruler of India. It then passed through many hands and its long, complex history cannot be told here. It suffices to say that the diamond arrived to England in the 19thcentury and entered the possession of Queen Victoria. Not satisfied with its cutting, which caused it to shine less than it should have, the queen had it recut, which meant a loss of weight of almost 43%. It was then set in the queen's crown,in frontal position. India did not give up one of its most precious gems easily. The Indian government continued to ask the return of the diamond, with no success.

7. The Orlov


8. The Florentine

The Florentine is an enigmatic diamond which is believed to have a light yellow color, with a green overtone and an estimated 137 carats. Its known history starts with the duke of Burgundy in the 15th�century. Apparently, he died in battle while wearing the diamond. The stone was stolen from him by a peasant who sold it for a florin, because he thought it was mere glass. It then changed owners several times, for small amounts of money. In the 17th�century, we find the Florentine in the possession of the Medici familly. When the last Medici died, the diamond arrived in Vienna, and became one of the Habsburg Crown Jewels. After the World War I, it was stolen and never found again, though a particular diamond was believed to be the lost one, because of its similarities with the Florentine.

9. The Heart of Eternity


10. The Moussaieff Red

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