Famous Diamonds

Diamonds anciently considered repositories of magical power, able to bring good luck and healing to the owner. The fact that some of the stones could glow in the dark caused mystical horror and admiration. According to our ancestors, the gems were able to drive away the demons, ghosts, and even cure mental illness. They gave a special power in battle, made its owner a noble and supported him in difficult situations. According to ancient tradition, placed in each corner of the house valuables protected the house from thunder and lightning.

The Indians even believed that diamonds can be embodied human soul. The Greeks considered them to tears of God, and the ancient philosophers claimed that the stones are divided into "male" and "female", and are even able to produce offspring. In the Middle Ages people believed that a diamond is able to reconcile the husband and wife, so it is sometimes called the "stone of reconciliation." If you take the treasure in the mouth is a liar, then it will certainly help him cope with his vice.

Minerals also became the first medication, and the aristocracy wore diamonds to protect against various poisons. At the same time the diamond grit was one of the most well-known poisons. It is said that the Turkish Sultan Bajazet was poisoned by his son, pour the precious powder in his food. Catherine de 'Medici also dealt with its enemies with the help of diamond dust. In 1532, Pope Clement VII died after doctors simply overfed his drug of diamonds, and the famous sculptor Benvenuto Cellini described as enemies wanted to poison him, slipped the diamond chips in a salad. Perhaps those rumors about the poisonous properties of diamond, were necessary to ensure that workers do not try to steal the jewels, hiding them in his mouth.

From mascots to jewelery

Initially, the biggest supplier of diamonds to the global market was India, where they were allegedly discovered 800 years before our era. In the XVIII century, the stones began to produce in Brazil, and later precious placers were found in South Africa. Only in 1954 it was discovered in Siberia deposits, surpassing all known reserves to the field. However, diamond production is being actively limited (and not the last role in this process is played by the famous monopoly in the diamond market - concern de Birthe), so that their value remains unchanged.

First gems only played the role of talismans and not meant for decoration (only sometimes inserted into the ring), so about any treatment they could not be considered. Probably the first European decoration of rough diamonds has become the crown of the Hungarian king, dated 1074 year. And only after four years in Europe finally began mass production of diamonds. In the XVI century English romantic young man scratched a diamond ring passionate recognition of his beloved on the walls of their homes, so these decorating even got the name of "scraping ring."

The largest world centers of diamond processing has long been Antwerp, however, after the attack of the Spaniards to this town in 1585, the production of stone was moved to Amsterdam (most masters to practice Judaism, and the Netherlands also famous for its religious tolerance). Capturing India, Britons made London the second largest center for precious stones. Currently, we reached the highest skill and jewelers Belgium, India, Israel, South Africa and the United States.

The most famous diamonds

Behind every famous diamond runs and half-mystical mysterious trail: too high a price costing people their passion for this stone.

The largest ever found diamonds are still considered the "Cullinan", originally weighed 3106 carats. He was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, president of the company "Premier Diamond Mine", the mines of which the stone was discovered. Experts believe that it is just part of an even larger diamond. Many adventurers are still trying to find the mysterious second half, but it remained a beautiful legend. The stone was presented to King Edward VII on his birthday. Six months experts have decided what to do with the treasure, which they got, and, in the end, it was decided to divide it into smaller pieces, the largest of which is the "Star of Africa" ​​(the largest cut diamond in the world) still adorns the royal scepter.

Alas, the second largest diamond "Excelsior" suffered a sad fate: he was just a split. Such a radical solution jewelers explained the irregular shape of the stone. The result has been received twenty-one diamond.

Another beautiful stone - the "Great Mogul" and was split into several parts, but the reason for it was the inept jeweler who could not cope with the cut. It is said that Shah Jahan, who saw what happened to his favorite ornament, made master to pay a huge fine.

No less sad fate lay in wait and owners of treasures. So, in 1739, Iranian forces attacked Delhi. One of the main objectives of the invaders was wonderful pink "Daria-i-Noor." Since then, he was in the treasury of Iranian shahs, decorating the crown of the rulers. Last time the stone was on display during the coronation of the last Shah of Iran in 1967, and twenty years later he was forced to flee their country to escape the Islamic Revolution.

The famous "Koh and Nor" or "Mountain of Light" has been known since 1304. It belonged to the founder of the Mughal dynasty and adorn ceremonial Peacock Throne of the builder of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan. Crowned the owners of the famous "Koh Nora" died one after another, he even arrived in Afghanistan, along with a bodyguard of Nadir Shah. Last fled with the stone after his master was killed. In the end, the stone came into the possession of the East India Company, which gave the treasure to Queen Victoria in 1850. Initially, the British Queen was wearing it as a brooch, and a little later it was fortified in the center of the front cross State Crown. At the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the whole world could see this beautiful diamond. Together with other crown jewels, "Koch and Nord" is stored in the Tower of London.

Russian jewelry

However, not only the Queen of England boasts magnificent decorations .  The famous diamond "Orlov", which is stored in the treasures of the Diamond Fund, is one of the most remarkable diamonds, both from a historical and from an aesthetic point of view, .  Stone kept the original Indian faceting, made in the form of Indian rose with many small facets, tiered .  Originally it belonged to Shah Jahan and was one of the diamonds, which served as the eyes of the statue of the Hindu god Brahma in Madras .  At the beginning of the XVIII century French soldier, a former security guard of the temple, could not resist the temptation and stole the treasure by selling it to the captain of the English ship .  After many adventures, the stone was in Amsterdam, where it was purchased by Prince Grigory Orlov for the fabulous sum of 400 thousand rubles .  Of course, such a decoration in Russia could only own mother, the Empress, and the "Eagles" was presented to her loyal subjects .  The stone was inserted into a carved silver frame and reinforced at the top of the Russian sovereign's scepter .

It is still unknown fate of another beautiful stone once owned by Russian industrialist Pavel Demidov - the famous "Sancy". For a long time he was in the treasury of the Indian rulers, and then mysterious ways came to Europe. According to legend, the diamond was worn invulnerable to enemy weapons, so one of its famous owners of Charles the Bold, ordered the stone insert in his helmet. Alas, in one battle helmet he was lost, and the next day the Duke lost his life. Pick up a sparkling decoration, Swiss soldiers did not represent the values ​​they inherited things and sold the diamond for one guilder.

In the end, he ended up in the collection of the Marquis de Sancy, finding a proper name .  One tried to steal a diamond, but the faithful servant had to swallow the treasure to pay for it with his life .  He soon came into the possession of the French kings for a long time decorating clasp Sun King Louis XIV .  But during the French Revolution 'Sancy "was stolen from the royal treasury .  Great, Napoleon came to power, ordered to track down the famous diamond, but, alas, the search proved fruitless .  Our compatriot Pavel Nikolayevich Demidov lucky more .  He bought a diamond as a gift for his beloved wife, who, alas, soon became a widow .  After her death, "Sancy" strangely came into the possession of Lord Astor, then also mysteriously ended up in the collection of Elizabeth Taylor .  However, one can not confidently say what really happened with this magnificent stone and where it is now .

The Curse of the blue diamond

However, the most unfortunate and powerful stone in the world is the famous blue "Hope Diamond", said that he had previously adorned the brow of the Indian god and still yearns to return to its real owner. During the revolution in 1792, he disappeared from the treasury of the kings of France and soon appeared at a London auction, constantly changing mysteriously dying owners. One of them - Evelyn Walsh McLean even carried a stone in the church, to finally remove the "curse of the blue diamond". Alas, it did not help, her husband was in a psychiatric hospital, my brother died young, young son died under the wheels of a vehicle, a daughter died from a drug overdose. Even after the death of Mrs. McLean curse continued to harass the family - her granddaughter Evelyn died, barely reaching 25 years of age. In the end, the last owner of Hope gave it to the Smithsonian Institution, where the diamond is stored now.

English Diamonds

However, the rich and famous are not afraid of the sad fate of their predecessors. Elizabeth II has so many diamonds that storage had to allocate a separate room at Buckingham Palace. And it is only those ornaments that belong to the Queen personally. Treasures of the British Crown are stored in heavily guarded Tower and Her Majesty provided as needed. The total cost of the personal collection of Queen Elizabeth II is estimated at 57 million dollars. Most of these jewelry presented as a gift. One of the jewels of the royal collection is considered to be a diamond necklace Queen Mary. Also, the Queen owns several diamonds obtained after cutting Cullinan. It is said that Elizabeth calls them "grandmother stones."

Other gems

From the Queen of England competes showbiz queen Elizabeth Taylor, the collection of which is diamond "Krupp" (33, 19 carats) and diamond "Taylor-Burton" (69, 42 carats). Her husband Richard Burton decided to repeat a gesture of Shah Jahan once prepodnesshego his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, the magnificent yellow diamond heart shaped, and gave his wife a decoration.

Another well-known wealthy Aristotle Onassis gave his fiancee Jacqueline Kennedy as a wedding gift gorgeous diamond jewelry worth $ 5 million. Only one wedding ring was estimated by experts at 2.6 million dollars.

However, all of the above celebrities far from the magnificent Muna Al-Rashid, the value of the collection is estimated at $ 100 million. However, this is not surprising, because for Oriental women jewels have always been the only thing they could carry with them in case of divorce. No one knows what great treasures hidden behind thick veils enveloping the small figures with modestly downcast eyes. We only know that almost all Indian actresses are crazy about jewelry, and between them for many years is an unspoken competition, which is a great benefit Rekha Rekha - Magic Star   and the beauty of Sri Devi. They say that they have to hire a special protection, it is only one small necklace on their beautiful neck can cost more than $ 6 million

Inessa Haider specifically for the Women's Club

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