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Diamond World

Diamond Origin

Each diamond was born approximately 3,5 million years ago, and it is being reborn every day on the fingers of every elegant woman. The chemical compound of the diamond is C carbon. Yes carbon as the graphite of the pencil. The main difference between diamond and graphite is found in the structure of their atoms. The structure of the atom of a diamond is tetrahedronic while the structure of the atom of the graphite is hexagonic. This steady internal structure of the diamond is related to the billions of years "trip" of a diamond, from the deep bowels of the earth to its surface. During this trip the diamonds are subject to extremely high pressures and temperatures. On the contrary, graphite is being crystallized at medium temperatures and pressures, and not at very high depth from the surface of the earth. Diamonds are coming up on the surface, in the lava of prehistoric volcanoes. Freezing solidates the lava, which is then gradually eroded, a process that lasts millions of years. Many times, water carries the diamonds kilometers away from their place of birth, and lays them to river and torrent banks. This is where mankind discovered the existence of diamonds. Today the mining of diamonds takes place close to the rocks, which helped the diamonds to come up at the upper layers of the earth. These rocks are known as KIMBERLITE DIAMOND PIPES.

Countries of Excavation

Country Name - City Name

The first diamonds ever appeared and exploited about 2500 years ago in India. The very first rudimentary factory was founded at the same time with the discoveryof diamonds in South Africa, at the late 19th century.The four leading countries in diamond production worldwide produce 50% of rough diamonds. Theseare Australia, Zaire, Botswana, and the former USSR.South Africa is in the fifth position, followed by Namimbia, Angola, Brazil, New Guinea, Sierra Leone,Liberia, Cote d' Ivoire, Ghana, the Democracy of CentralAfrica, Tanzania, China, Indonesia and India.

Famous Diamonds

KOH - I - NOOR (Mountain of light)

The story of this gem is the oldest and most exciting story of all diamond stories of the English crown. This diamond initially belonged to Raza, leader of the area of Malva, which now days includes the areas of Indor, Wopal and Gvalior. Two centuries later it was found in the possession of Sultan Babour, a Mongol emperor of India. Then it passed by the hands of all Mongols sovereigns and later it was found in the possession of Shah Jehan. According to the tradition, whoever possessed this diamond, could rule the whole world.

CULLINAN

This is the biggest diamond ever found. It was discovered on 25/1/1905 by the Director of the "Premier Diamond Mines" in Transvaal of South Africa. As a rough stone weighted 3106,00 cts, almost 680 grams. Because its shape wasn't absolutely octahedral and looked like half an octahedral, the specialists believed that they had found only half of it, so they began looking for the other half. This hope is still alive among some people in the area.

After having studied for a whole two years about how it should be cut, Joseph Usher, a famous diamond cutter in Amsterdam, tore it with a metal tool in two parts, weighting approximately 2000,00 cts and 1000,00 cts respectively. Finally it was divided in 9 big gems, ninety-six smaller (brilliant cut) and in smaller gems of 10,00 cts. A total of 3106,00 cts of the initial weight gave 1.603,00 cts of polished diamonds.

BIG STAR OF AFRICA

This is the biggest ever-processed gem. It weights 530,20 carats and has 74 facets. It is the biggest ever-fashioned diamond in the world. King Edward had set it on his Royal scepter and it belonged to the Crown's jewelry. Today it is kept in the Tower of London.

EXCELSIOR

It was discovered in 1893. It is the second biggest in size diamond in the world. As a rough stone, it weighted 995,20 cts. It was found in the mine of Jagersfontane of South Africa. For 10 years the Syndicate tried to sell it.

In 1903 they sent it to Joseph Usher in Amsterdam. The result of the process was a Marquise that weighted 69,80 cts and 20 smaller gems. When the process was completed the total carats of the polished diamonds were equal to 37,5 % of the total weight of the rough stone.

THE BIG MOGUL

It was found in the mid 17th century. There isn't any exact data about it. Its weight before processing reached 787,50 cts. Unfortunately no one knows what has happened of it in now days. It might have been cut in many smaller gems

ORLOF

When it was found, it weighted 300,00 cts. It was most probably found in the 17th century. Now days it is exhibited in the Diamonds Museum in Russia. As a polished diamond it weighted 189,62 cts.

According to the tradition, this diamond was the eye of the God Hindu Sri Ranga, in a Brahman temple in Southern India. A French soldier disguised as Brahman stole it. It was sold to an English captain for 2000 pounds. Then it was sold to a Persian merchant for 12.000 pounds and it ended in the hands of Earl Gregory Orlof, who bought it for 90.000 pounds. It was then offered as a gift to the Russian Empress "Catherine the Great", who has never wore it, but instead she had it set on the top of her scepter, to decorate the two headed eagle. Now days, it remains on the scepter.

IDOL'S EYE

It was found in the early 17th century in the diamond mines of India. As a polished gem, it weighs 70,20 cts. It was the eye of a God in a Bengal temple. A Sultan's messenger stole it. In 1973 it was auctioned in New York, but finally it was withdrawn from the auction, because the highest bid reached only the sum of 950.000 USD.

REGENT

An historical diamond that was found by an Indian slave in 1701 and weighted 410,00 cts. Trying desperately to escape from his slavery he wounded his leg in purpose and hid the famous gem in his wound. When he reached the coast, he made a deal with a captain to sell the diamond to him at half of its price, under the condition that the captain will take him aboard his ship to freedom. But during the trip, the captain killed the Indian and stole the diamond. It is said that the captain committed suicide, due to prior commitments of frauds and crimes.

HOPE

It is the most famous of all diamonds. It once belonged to Louis XIV and it was known as the "Blue diamond of the Crown".

The "Blue diamond" weighted, before procession, 112,00 cts. The King bought it and recut it. Its weight then reached the 67,50 cts. It was lost during the French revolution. In 1830 a diamond of similar color that weighted 44,50 cts, appeared in the London market. Henry Philip, a Banker and collector bought it for 18.000 pounds.

GREAT SANCY

It weights 55 cts and it is cut in a drop shape. The last Duke of Burgundy lost it in a battlefield in 1477.

But this is not the only version about the luck of this diamond. According to another version the "GREAT SANCY" was the "YELLOW DIAMOND OF FLORENCE". The French Ambassador in Turkey, Arle, who was a collector of precious stones, bought it in 1570.

TAYLOR BURTON

Its weight comes up to 69,42 cts. It was bought by "CARTIER" in New York and it was named "CARTIER". Richard Burton offered it to Elizabeth Taylor as a gift.

In 1978 the actress decided to sell it and offer part of the money for building up a hospital in Botswana. Potential customers were obliged to pay the sum of 2.500 USD in order just to view the gem. It was sold in 1979 for about 3.000.000 USD. Today it can be found somewhere in Saudi Arabia.

HORTENSIA

The admirable "peach" color and the weight of 20,00 cts was the prerequisite of this diamond to be included among the most famous diamonds in the world. It was named after the Queen of Holland, daughter of Josephine and stepdaughter of Napoleon. It also became part of the Royal jewelry of France. Today it is exhibited in Louvre Museum together with "REGENT".

NIARCHOS

It comes from the mines LC of South Africa and has an excellent color . It belonged to the private collection of DE BEERS, owner of "Premier" mines. Harry Winston as the new owner of the gem had it cut in "pear" shape, and "brilliant " cut at the cullet and at the crown, giving a result still with 86 facets on the girdle, and weighting 128,25 cts. The Greek ship owner Stavros Niarchos, bought it the same year it was cut.

DRESDEN DIAMOND

The diamonds of Dresden green, white, yellow and the English.

JUBILEE DIAMOND

The JUBILEE diamond.

STAR OF LEONE

Cut Centers

The most rare and scarce it is, the most expensive it gets. More specifically the diamonds that were born billions of years ago are very rare since just very few of them endured their trip from the depths of the earth to its surface. You will be surprised to know that besides the growth in the field of industrial diamond excavation during the last years, only 350 tons of diamonds have been excavated from the beginning of their history of excavation till the late 1980's.

Here we must point out that less than half of this quantity was suitable for use by the jewelry business and then again only a small percentage of this half quantity of the total world production of diamonds, reaches after being cut, the size of the "head" of a match

These small quantities of industrialized diamonds and gem quality diamonds are not at all easy targets in terms of excavation, even if today's most advanced equipments and means of excavation are being used. It has been estimated that an average of 250 tons of rough raw material, will give after the cutting process, a polished diamond of approximately 1,00 ct size.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ROUGH DIAMOND CUT CENTERS IN THE WORLD ARE: INDIA, ISRAEL, ANTWERP, NEW YORK