How to appreciate a jewel


Diamonds: Jewel in the Crowns

The Diamond remains, not only a romantic gemde-valued. Diamonds with small flaws also
of great beauty, but a legitimate tradingsell quite cheaply. Rarely found are blue
item on commodity markets and is andiamonds, green and even pink diamonds, with
established trade in the world's toughestthe latter marketed by Argyle with great
financial markets of London and Europe. As asuccess. There is also a very rare red
commercial commodity diamonds are verydiamond. The unusual colored ones are
popular because of their controlled valuegenerally considered to have more commercial
internationally, mainly by De Beers, who heldvalue but those who believe in the
the monopoly for a long time.Aesthetically,traditional value place greater importance
it is because of its purity that it capturesupon the pure, clarity of the colourless
immediate attention. There is no other knownjewel.Diamonds are found in many places of
substance as hard in the mineral world, yetthe world, Borneo, Brazil, South Africa,
once the stone is cut and faceted itSiberia, China, Canada, India and in recent
possesses a brilliance which seems to holdcenturies, Western Australia.There are some
the potential for the reflection of all theinteresting stories about some of the famous
colors of the rainbow. It is understandablygems... One of the largest is that which
symbolic of human fidelity and truthfulnessbelonged to the Rajah of Matan and weighed
and of enduring virtues and is expected to318 carats. The Pitt Diamond weighed 410
demonstrate a commitment to these values atcarats in the rough but was reduced to only
the time when couples become engaged to be137 carats when cut. In 1720 it became part
married. This custom is so well established,of the French crown jewels and was later
that it is difficult to concede that anypawned by Napoleon to the Batavian government
other stone will oust it from its supremeto finally be incorporated into the crown of
status. It is anticipated that marriagesNapoleon III.Excelsior was discovered in 1893
will last to endure as the diamond - and thisand was 969 carats but only 364 carats after
is re-enforced by the marketing slogancutting.The largest diamond ever found was
"diamonds are forever".In fact this purest ofthe Cullinan in 1905 in the Transvaal, South
all substances of the earth has been formedAfrica. It weighed 3,106 carats. In 1908 it
by the processes of nature's laboratory deepwas cut into 9 large and 96 lesser stones.
in the earth, sometimes to 150 km, whichTwo of the largest are in the British Crown
allow the blackest of all substances, pureJewels.The Koh-in-oor, or Mountain of Light,
carbon, to be transmuted into the clear 8is claimed to be the oldest large diamond and
faced crystal which confronts us in seeing adates back to 59 BC. The founder of the
diamond, which is later transformed and madeMogul Empire, Baber, reported it to have come
exquisitely lovely through skilled expertinto the treasury at Delhi from the conquest
faceting, into a brilliant.Diamonds are cutof Malwa in 1304, after passing through many
with the aid of diamond dust. DiamondsIndian rulers' hands. It was thought that
possess luminous properties after exposure tothe safety of the dynasty depended upon the
sunlight and glow in a darkened room, topossession of this fateful jewel. After a
fluoresce in ultraviolet light and also aftertime it came to Runjeet Singh, King of Lahore
friction.Melting diamonds and other stones inwho wore it on his arm between two smaller
alchemical processes is known in the ancientdiamonds. He bequeathed it to the Shrine of
Ayurvedic science. This process isJuggernaut but it was later presented to
considered to produce a cardiac tonic andQueen Victoria by Lord Dalhousie on the
when added to other medicines enhancesannexation of the Punjab and sent to London
therapy, with the best of the elixirs curingin 1850. The Indians believed the stone
many serious diseases.In France in thewould bring misfortune until restored to the
fifteenth century, Louis IX decreed thatline of Vira-maditya. It was re-cut in
no-one who was not of royal blood could wearEngland which decreased its size. Its
diamonds. At that time they were engravedpresent location is unknown.Napoleon wore the
but not known to be cut and polished untilfamous Regent diamond in the hilt of his
1496.Diamonds occur either colourless andsword. The Regent stone was originally found
clear or tinted. The most prized quality hasby a slave who concealed it by hiding it in
a slight blue tint. The tinted "champagnethe folds of the bandage he was wearing over
diamonds" have been well marketed and havea wound. It was stolen from him and he was
proven popular in recent years. Diamondsthrown into the sea.
with yellow color are generally quite



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