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"The history of great diamonds is intimately interwoven with the lives of emperors and conquerors, great kings and queens, with statesmen and soldiers, the rich and famous - but also, inevitably, with those who lead more shadowy lives. Diamonds have been objects of passion, sometimes of war, violence and theft." "As well as being objects of exceptional beauty and rarity, they were once thought to possess magical properties that protected their owners from enemies. Initially a male prerogative reflecting status and authority, these incredible gems later adorned the wives of powerful men, and at times were offered as influential gifts. Few were immune to the temptation of diamonds; many sacrificed their lives and souls to them." "In Famous Diamonds, Ian Balfour tells the fascinating stories of almost 80 of these remarkable gems including the famous: Koh-i-Noor, which is set in the British Crown Jewels; the infamous: the deep blue Hope Diamond, which is said to bring bad luck to all who handle it; the biggest: The Cullinan; and the Hollywood romantic: the Taylor-Burton Diamond. Some have detailed histories that can be traced from the present day back to the moment they were mined, while others have a more mysterious past or have disappeared from view. Also included are shorter entries on a further selection of some forty notable diamonds."--BOOK JACKET.
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Perhaps the most prized of all gems, diamonds have a long and fascinating history. In this engrossing, profusely illustrated volume, that history is covered in detail — from early discoveries in the Golconda mines of India (probably the site of the first diamonds ever unearthed) and digs in Brazil, to the South African diamond rush and development of major mining companies. Over 200 illustrations include step-by-step photos showing how these valuable stones are mined and the intricacies of cutting and faceting, while reproductions of museum paintings and photographs depict famous individual diamonds as well as outstanding rings, bracelets, brooches, pins, earrings, watches, tiaras, and other traditional and modern diamond pieces. Here also are stories of the most famous and infamous diamonds: the Koh-i-Noor in the Tower of London, the Hope in the Smithsonian Institution, the Regent in the Louvre, the Orloff in the Kremlin, and many other celebrated jewels. More than a dramatically told story of diamonds, this volume will also serve as a practical guide for anyone who owns a diamond or plans to buy one. It explains and illustrates different diamond cuts, the role of carats, and how to buy diamonds — for sentiment, beauty, show, flawlessness, or investment. Anyone who has ever been captivated by the matchless brilliance of these rare gems will find this book an informative, highly readable addition to their personal library.
From the internationally acclaimed and bestselling historians William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, the first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, arguably the most celebrated jewel in the world. On March 29, 1849, the ten-year-old leader of the Sikh kingdom of the Punjab was ushered into the magnificent Mirrored Hall at the center of the British fort in Lahore, India. There, in a formal Act of Submission, the frightened but dignified child handed over to the British East India Company swathes of the richest land in India and the single most valuable object in the subcontinent: the celebrated Koh-i-Noor diamond, otherwise known as the Mountain of Light. To celebrate the acquisition, the British East India Company commissioned a history of the diamond woven together from the gossip of the Delhi Bazaars. From that moment forward, the Koh-i-Noor became the most famous and mythological diamond in history, with thousands of people coming to see it at the 1851 Great Exhibition and still more thousands repeating the largely fictitious account of its passage through history. Using original eyewitness accounts and chronicles never before translated into English, Dalrymple and Anand trace the true history of the diamond and disperse the myths and fantastic tales that have long surrounded this awe-inspiring jewel. The resulting history of south and central Asia tells a true tale of greed, conquest, murder, torture, colonialism, and appropriation that shaped a continent and the Koh-i-Noor itself.