| The Diamond remains, not only a romantic gem | | | | de-valued. Diamonds with small flaws also |
| of great beauty, but a legitimate trading | | | | sell quite cheaply. Rarely found are blue |
| item on commodity markets and is an | | | | diamonds, green and even pink diamonds, with |
| established trade in the world's toughest | | | | the latter marketed by Argyle with great |
| financial markets of London and Europe. As a | | | | success. There is also a very rare red |
| commercial commodity diamonds are very | | | | diamond. The unusual colored ones are |
| popular because of their controlled value | | | | generally considered to have more commercial |
| internationally, mainly by De Beers, who held | | | | value 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 captures | | | | upon the pure, clarity of the colourless |
| immediate attention. There is no other known | | | | jewel.Diamonds are found in many places of |
| substance as hard in the mineral world, yet | | | | the world, Borneo, Brazil, South Africa, |
| once the stone is cut and faceted it | | | | Siberia, China, Canada, India and in recent |
| possesses a brilliance which seems to hold | | | | centuries, Western Australia.There are some |
| the potential for the reflection of all the | | | | interesting stories about some of the famous |
| colors of the rainbow. It is understandably | | | | gems... One of the largest is that which |
| symbolic of human fidelity and truthfulness | | | | belonged to the Rajah of Matan and weighed |
| and of enduring virtues and is expected to | | | | 318 carats. The Pitt Diamond weighed 410 |
| demonstrate a commitment to these values at | | | | carats in the rough but was reduced to only |
| the time when couples become engaged to be | | | | 137 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 any | | | | pawned by Napoleon to the Batavian government |
| other stone will oust it from its supreme | | | | to finally be incorporated into the crown of |
| status. It is anticipated that marriages | | | | Napoleon III.Excelsior was discovered in 1893 |
| will last to endure as the diamond - and this | | | | and was 969 carats but only 364 carats after |
| is re-enforced by the marketing slogan | | | | cutting.The largest diamond ever found was |
| "diamonds are forever".In fact this purest of | | | | the Cullinan in 1905 in the Transvaal, South |
| all substances of the earth has been formed | | | | Africa. It weighed 3,106 carats. In 1908 it |
| by the processes of nature's laboratory deep | | | | was cut into 9 large and 96 lesser stones. |
| in the earth, sometimes to 150 km, which | | | | Two of the largest are in the British Crown |
| allow the blackest of all substances, pure | | | | Jewels.The Koh-in-oor, or Mountain of Light, |
| carbon, to be transmuted into the clear 8 | | | | is claimed to be the oldest large diamond and |
| faced crystal which confronts us in seeing a | | | | dates back to 59 BC. The founder of the |
| diamond, which is later transformed and made | | | | Mogul Empire, Baber, reported it to have come |
| exquisitely lovely through skilled expert | | | | into the treasury at Delhi from the conquest |
| faceting, into a brilliant.Diamonds are cut | | | | of Malwa in 1304, after passing through many |
| with the aid of diamond dust. Diamonds | | | | Indian rulers' hands. It was thought that |
| possess luminous properties after exposure to | | | | the safety of the dynasty depended upon the |
| sunlight and glow in a darkened room, to | | | | possession of this fateful jewel. After a |
| fluoresce in ultraviolet light and also after | | | | time it came to Runjeet Singh, King of Lahore |
| friction.Melting diamonds and other stones in | | | | who wore it on his arm between two smaller |
| alchemical processes is known in the ancient | | | | diamonds. He bequeathed it to the Shrine of |
| Ayurvedic science. This process is | | | | Juggernaut but it was later presented to |
| considered to produce a cardiac tonic and | | | | Queen Victoria by Lord Dalhousie on the |
| when added to other medicines enhances | | | | annexation of the Punjab and sent to London |
| therapy, with the best of the elixirs curing | | | | in 1850. The Indians believed the stone |
| many serious diseases.In France in the | | | | would bring misfortune until restored to the |
| fifteenth century, Louis IX decreed that | | | | line of Vira-maditya. It was re-cut in |
| no-one who was not of royal blood could wear | | | | England which decreased its size. Its |
| diamonds. At that time they were engraved | | | | present location is unknown.Napoleon wore the |
| but not known to be cut and polished until | | | | famous Regent diamond in the hilt of his |
| 1496.Diamonds occur either colourless and | | | | sword. The Regent stone was originally found |
| clear or tinted. The most prized quality has | | | | by a slave who concealed it by hiding it in |
| a slight blue tint. The tinted "champagne | | | | the folds of the bandage he was wearing over |
| diamonds" have been well marketed and have | | | | a wound. It was stolen from him and he was |
| proven popular in recent years. Diamonds | | | | thrown into the sea. |
| with yellow color are generally quite | | | | |