| The Diamond remains, not only a romantic gem | | | | color are generally quite de-valued. Diamonds with |
| of great beauty, but a legitimate trading item on | | | | small flaws also sell quite cheaply. Rarely found are |
| commodity markets and is an established trade in | | | | blue diamonds, green and even pink diamonds, |
| the world's toughest financial markets of London | | | | with the latter marketed by Argyle with great |
| and Europe. As a commercial commodity | | | | success. There is also a very rare red diamond. |
| diamonds are very popular because of their | | | | The unusual colored ones are generally considered |
| controlled value internationally, mainly by De | | | | to have more commercial value but those who |
| Beers, who held the monopoly for a long | | | | believe in the traditional value place greater |
| time.Aesthetically, it is because of its purity that it | | | | importance upon the pure, clarity of the colourless |
| captures immediate attention. There is no other | | | | jewel.Diamonds are found in many places of the |
| known substance as hard in the mineral world, yet | | | | world, Borneo, Brazil, South Africa, Siberia, China, |
| once the stone is cut and faceted it possesses a | | | | Canada, India and in recent centuries, Western |
| brilliance which seems to hold the potential for the | | | | Australia.There are some interesting stories about |
| reflection of all the colors of the rainbow. It is | | | | some of the famous gems... One of the largest is |
| understandably symbolic of human fidelity and | | | | that which belonged to the Rajah of Matan and |
| truthfulness and of enduring virtues and is | | | | weighed 318 carats. The Pitt Diamond weighed |
| expected to demonstrate a commitment to | | | | 410 carats in the rough but was reduced to only |
| these values at the time when couples become | | | | 137 carats when cut. In 1720 it became part of |
| engaged to be married. This custom is so well | | | | the French crown jewels and was later pawned |
| established, that it is difficult to concede that any | | | | by Napoleon to the Batavian government to finally |
| other stone will oust it from its supreme status. It | | | | be incorporated into the crown of Napoleon |
| is anticipated that marriages will last to endure as | | | | III.Excelsior was discovered in 1893 and was 969 |
| the diamond - and this is re-enforced by the | | | | carats but only 364 carats after cutting.The |
| marketing slogan "diamonds are forever".In fact | | | | largest diamond ever found was the Cullinan in |
| this purest of all substances of the earth has | | | | 1905 in the Transvaal, South Africa. It weighed |
| been formed by the processes of nature's | | | | 3,106 carats. In 1908 it was cut into 9 large and |
| laboratory deep in the earth, sometimes to 150 | | | | 96 lesser stones. Two of the largest are in the |
| km, which allow the blackest of all substances, | | | | British Crown Jewels.The Koh-in-oor, or Mountain |
| pure carbon, to be transmuted into the clear 8 | | | | of Light, is claimed to be the oldest large diamond |
| faced crystal which confronts us in seeing a | | | | and 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 faceting, | | | | into the treasury at Delhi from the conquest of |
| into a brilliant.Diamonds are cut with the aid of | | | | Malwa in 1304, after passing through many Indian |
| diamond dust. Diamonds possess luminous | | | | rulers' hands. It was thought that the safety of |
| properties after exposure to sunlight and glow in | | | | the dynasty depended upon the possession of |
| a darkened room, to fluoresce in ultraviolet light | | | | this fateful jewel. After a time it came to Runjeet |
| and also after friction.Melting diamonds and other | | | | Singh, King of Lahore who wore it on his arm |
| stones in alchemical processes is known in the | | | | between two smaller diamonds. He bequeathed it |
| ancient Ayurvedic science. This process is | | | | to the Shrine of Juggernaut but it was later |
| considered to produce a cardiac tonic and when | | | | presented to Queen Victoria by Lord Dalhousie on |
| added to other medicines enhances therapy, with | | | | the annexation of the Punjab and sent to London |
| the best of the elixirs curing many serious | | | | in 1850. The Indians believed the stone would |
| diseases.In France in the fifteenth century, Louis | | | | bring misfortune until restored to the line of |
| IX decreed that no-one who was not of royal | | | | Vira-maditya. It was re-cut in England which |
| blood could wear diamonds. At that time they | | | | decreased its size. Its present location is |
| were engraved but not known to be cut and | | | | unknown.Napoleon wore the famous Regent |
| polished until 1496.Diamonds occur either colourless | | | | diamond in the hilt of his sword. The Regent stone |
| and clear or tinted. The most prized quality has a | | | | was originally found by a slave who concealed it |
| slight blue tint. The tinted "champagne diamonds" | | | | by hiding it in the folds of the bandage he was |
| have been well marketed and have proven | | | | wearing over a wound. It was stolen from him |
| popular in recent years. Diamonds with yellow | | | | and he was thrown into the sea. |