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Golconda diamonds

February 19, 2024

Golconda diamonds are mined in the Godavari delta region of the present-day states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India. Golconda Fort in the western part of modern-day Hyderabad was a seat of the Golconda Sultanate and became an important centre for diamond enhancement, lapidary, and trading. Golconda diamonds are graded as Type IIa, are formed of pure carbon, are devoid of nitrogen, and are large with high clarity. They are often described as diamonds of the first water, making them among history's most-celebrated diamonds. The phrase "Golconda diamond" became synonymous with diamonds of incomparable quality.

Golconda diamonds
A 1733 map of Golconda Sultanate—the term Golconda diamond became synonymous to the diamonds of good quality.[1]
ColorTypically colorless; less often blue, translucent white, and pink.
CutAntique cushion
Country of originIndia
Mine of originKollur mine, Paritala and mines of Godavari delta

For 2,000 years, Golconda diamonds were the only-known fine diamonds. Due to centuries of excessive mining, their production was exhausted by 1830, and gemologists and traders have classified Golconda diamonds as antique, rare and precious. Famous Golconda diamonds include the colourless Koh-i-Noor, the Nassak Diamond, the blue Hope Diamond, the Idol's Eye, the pink Daria-i-Noor, the white Regent Diamond, the Dresden Green Diamond, and the colourless Orlov Diamond, as well as now-untraceable diamonds such as the yellow Florentine Diamond, the Akbar Shah, the Nizam Diamond, and the Great Mogul Diamond.

The Golconda diamond industry was at its peak in the 16th-to-18th centuries when 23 mines, of which Kollur Mine was the most active, operated in the region and 30,000 people at a time worked in one mine.[A] The output from all of the mines in Golconda is estimated to be around 10,000,000 carats (2.0 t). In 2015, Osmania University in collaboration with Geological Survey of India discovered potential new sites for diamond mining in the region, though as of 2022 mining had not started.

Several literary legends were inspired by Golconda diamonds; these include Sindbad the Sailor's valley of diamonds, the gem lore of Marco Polo, and the theme of Russell Conwell's inspirational lecture Acres of Diamonds. According to folklore, some Golconda diamonds are cursed; these impart good luck to their owners or have mystical powers while others were worn as talismans. In 2013, the Princie Diamond from the Jewels of the Nizams was auctioned for US$39.3 million—the highest-recorded auction price for Golconda Diamonds and the world record for US$1.1 million per carat. In a heist in 2019, the Dresden White Diamond was stolen along with jewels worth US$1.2 billion.

Geology edit

 
ruby-corundum from Hyderabad

The Golconda diamondiferous region is located in the Southern Indian peninsular shield,[2] which was formed during the process of proterozoic and Insular India.[3] The region is spread over 50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi), within the sediments of the Krishna-Pennar river basin and Deccan Traps,[2] and contains 120 out of the 150 kimberlite pipes in India.[4] Though kimberlite and lamproite are the primary rock source, conglomerate and placers had yielded the majority of the region's diamonds.[2] The Geological Survey of India has categorized kimberlite pipes of southern India into clusters Southern Wajrakarur kimberlite, Northern Narayanpet kimberlite, and Central Raichur kimberlite of these, the Timmasamudram kimberlite cluster—a part of Southern Wajrakarur kimberlite—is significant.[3][5]

History edit

See also: Diamond mining in India
 
Sindbad the Sailor and the Valley of the Diamonds, illustrated by Maxfield Parrish(1870–1966)

Mediaeval records from Europe and the Middle East show India's importance as a source of high-quality diamonds. According to jewellery historian Jack Ogden, these records include those of Pliny the Elder, Marco Polo, Muhammed al-Idrisi, Ahmad al-Tifashi, and others from before the 12th century. The records state India produced diamonds with "which the gems were engraved".[6][7][8] Ancient texts of Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains such as the Arthashastra (2nd century BCE – 4th century CE), the Ratna Pariksha, and the Puranas refer to cities and regions of India that produced diamonds.[9][10] Roman historian Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE) in his encyclopedia described the demand and fondness of Roman imperial women for the diamonds of South India.[11][10] The tales of Sinbad the Sailor's voyages, which were written during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid (786–809 CE), describe the Valley of the Diamonds that is featured in the book One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights, Alf Laila Wa Laila, or Alif Laila). These regional descriptions have the same features of Deccan in general and the Golconda region in particular.[12][13] These names are difficult to link to modern geographic names.[9]

Until the 17th century, mines in this region were the only source of diamonds on earth.[10][14][15] According to the records of 18th-and-19th-century geologists, researchers, and traders, the region south of the Kurnool district near the Krishna river valley in and around NTR district, Palnadu, and Guntur; the Godavari delta in Rampachodavaram and Bhadrachalam; north-eastern Madhya Pradesh; eastern Chhattisgarh; western Jharkhand; and north-western Odisha are possible historical sources of diamond.[9][16] The best-known region among these was historically known as Telingana or Tilling, and was renamed Golconda during the Deccan sultanates period and generally known as the Godavari delta.[17] As European travellers and traders increasingly engaged in trading with producers of this region, the region's diamonds came to be referred to as "Golconda diamonds".[14][18]

 
Diamond mine in the Golconda region 1725 CE from the collection of Pieter van der Aa—a Dutch publisher known for preparing maps and atlases.

Mining edit

Main article: Golconda diamonds mining and trading

The peak period of Golconda diamond mining was the 16th-to-18th centuries, when the region was controlled by the Golconda Sultanate and the Nizams of Hyderabad.[17][19][20] The mines were leased under the supervision of regional governors, of whom prominent 17th-century diamond trader Mir Jumla became the Grand vizier (Prime Minister) of the Golconda Sultanate. He established a network of diamond merchants in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia—up to China and the Malay Archipelago.[21][22][23] Shantidas Jhaveri was another 17th-century diamond trader.[24]

Golconda diamonds were mined from alluvial soils alongside river beds.[25] Mines were usually up to 4 fathoms (7.3 m; 24 ft) deep.[24][26] When mining reached groundwater, digging was halted. Stony substances were then collected for assortment and examined for diamonds.[27] Raw diamonds from the mines were typically transported to Golconda—now the western part of Hyderabad—[28]) for skilled lapidary, enhancement, further evaluation, and sale.[17][19][20] The art of macle, which is a form of rough diamond that is used to produce jewellery, was first developed in the Golconda region.[29] Of the 38 diamond mines in India at the time, 23 were located in the Golconda Sultanate, of which Kollur Mine was prominent and employed 60,000 workers at one time.[19][30] Most of these mines were fully active until 1830 but were gradually abandoned as they became either submerged by the backwaters of the Pulichintala irrigation dam or became depleted. Diamond mining in the region gradually declined and finally officially closed.[31][32]

In 2015, the Centre of Exploration Geophysics of Osmania University and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) conducted research that identified three zones that contain 21 potential new diamond-mining sites near the delta of the Krishna and Bhima rivers, and in the beds of the Krishna, Tungabhadra and Penna rivers. According to the research, the sites contain volcanic pipes that probably bear kimberlite and possibly diamonds.[33][34] According to Outlook India, in 2022, some companies applied for mining rights in the region of Andhra Pradesh, soon after the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) discovered diamond deposits in the seven districts of the state.[4]

Trading edit

The Golconda region was a major trading centre and the source of the world's most-famous diamonds.[14] Until the end of the 19th century, it was the primary source of the finest and largest diamonds in the world, making the name "Golconda diamond" synonymous with high-quality diamonds.[17][19][30][35] It has been estimated the Golconda region traded around 10 million carats of diamonds.[36] A unit of measurement for Golconda diamonds was the Ratti (7 ⁄8 of a carat),[37] and the most-common currency was the Golconda Pagoda, which was also called Hun.[38][39][40]

 
A scene of Machilipatnam port in 1676 AD, it was a prime seaport of Golconda Sultanate

Golconda had been trading diamonds with European kingdoms since at least the days of Marco Polo (1254–1324).[14] During the 1420s, Niccolò de' Conti, a prominent Italian traveller and merchant who lived in India, had a detailed account of diamond valleys in the Golconda region.[13] The 15th-century Portuguese discovery of the sea route to India and the 16th-century Golconda Sultanate's new port at Machilipatnam increased the production and trade of Golconda diamonds. The emergence of demand for Golconda diamonds led to the exploration and discoveries of mines in the region that produced brilliant diamonds.[38][41][42][43][44]

In the 17th century, under the Golconda Sultanate, when new mines were discovered and leased to the miners, an agreement called "Qaul" would be signed under the supervision of regional governors, according to which, for employing 100 workers, miners would pay four pagodas per day, and monthly rent was based on the strength of the workers on the mining site. Provisions were supplied only by the governor with 50 percent extra excise duty. Large diamonds from the site were exclusively reserved for the rulers and to be sold with concessions.[38] Bania and Khatri castes—merchant and trading communities in India—held most of mines. In the early 1600s, some Dutch miners of the Dutch East India Company were granted mining rights.[38][45] The 17th-century French explorer Jean-Baptiste Tavernier reported he was "permitted to examine" the egg-shaped Great Moghul diamond, which is now lost and said to have been cut into smaller diamonds. He reported having seen a flat diamond called the Great Table diamond in Golconda. Jean de Thévenot and François Bernier were French traders in Golconda diamonds.[19][46][47]

In 1621 and 1622, when the Golconda rulers learned about the demand for Golconda diamonds in Europe, they seized all of the mines and temporarily halted mining to increase the price, which then doubled. In 1627, high prices led Dutch traders to stop purchasing, and the British East India Company brought investments and purchased the diamonds.[38] The company's monopoly continued alongside indigenous traders such as Mir Jumla II, Virji Vora, and Kasi Veranna until the mines became depleted in the 1830s. Most of the impoverished governments and princely rulers were removed from power, forcing them sell their jewels—including Golconda diamonds—which were later auctioned. Due to their royal lineage, mystical tales, and advertising campaigns by companies, Golconda diamonds became the global status reference.[48]

Popularity edit

 
Diagram of the pre-1852 cut Koh-i-Noor.[49]

Fig I. The shaded area is the base.
Fig II. A: flaw; B and C: notches cut to hold the stone in a setting; D: flaw created by fracture at E; F: fracture created by a blow; G: unpolished cleavage plane; H: basal cleavage plane.
Fig III. The opposite side shows facets and peak of the "Mountain of Light"

Historically, diamonds of high quality were mined in the Golconda region,[50][B] and were reserved for emperors and rulers.[51] Sometimes, diamonds were considered to have supernatural powers, and were worn as amulets and talismans.[52] The Shah Jahan Diamond, which is currently part of Al Saba Collection, was once an amulet of Mughal emperors.[53][54] Diamonds were treasured as gemstones,[50] and were believed to be a gift from God to humanity, and owning them was a sign of supremacy.[53] Golconda diamonds were popularized in the Middle East and the Western world by mediaeval and modern-period travellers and traders such as Niccolò de' Conti, Muhammad al-Idrisi, Marco Polo, and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.[14][55] Diamonds from India—most of which were Golconda diamonds—were used to decorate the crowns, coronets and sceptres of every nation;[56][57] it was considered a point of pride by any ruler to own a Golconda diamond.[56] The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century brought growth to the world economy, and the introduction of sophisticated cutting and polishing techniques led to a higher worldwide demand for diamonds.[50][58] The popularity of Golconda diamonds has risen since the 1950s because of successful advertising campaigns by traders.[59][60] They continue to be a popular gemstone in the 21st century.[14][15][61]

Physical properties edit

Golconda diamonds are the world's most magnificent diamonds.[62][63][64] They are formed of pure carbon and have no nitrogen,[65] and are rated high on grading standards, giving them the rare Type IIa designation—(Type IIa count less than two percent of the world's natural diamonds.[15]).[14][15][61] They are large and naturally occur in many colours but most of them are known for their colourless clarity and material properties. Some are popular for their colours,[14][55][66] for which they are characterized as Diamonds of First water.[55]

Notable diamonds edit

Main article: List of the Golconda Diamonds

Although Golconda diamonds are known for their size and clarity, the diamond mines of the Golconda region are now depleted and inactive.[67] Later discoveries of diamond deposits in regions such as Brazil post-1730, Australia post-1851, and Africa post-1866 provided significant supplies of diamonds, although their clarity generally does not match that of Golconda diamonds.[27][68][69] For these reasons, Golconda diamonds remain among the world's most-celebrated diamonds.[14][67]

Some of the notable Golconda diamonds are:

The world's top-four pink diamonds are from Golconda.[53] Cardinal Mazarin was an influential Chief minister of France during the reign of Louis XIII and Louis XIV; Mazarin, a connoisseur of jewels, sponsored Jean Baptiste Tavernier's journey to India to collect diamonds; among his collection is the 19.07-carat, light-pink Le Grand Mazarin Diamond, which he always kept close to him. In his will, Mazarin bequeathed the diamond to decorate the French crown; all of the French rulers from Louis XIV to Napoleon III have worn it. After France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870), the diamond, along with other French Crown Jewels, was sold to settle the losses. Frederic Boucheron, a jewellery-house owner, purchased it.[75]

Popular culture edit

  • While travelling in the Middle East in 1869, Russell Conwell, a lawyer and educator who founded Temple University in Philadelphia, US, met an Arab bedouin who told him a story in which "beneath Ali Hafed's farm sat the great mines and diamonds of Golconda". Intrigued by the tale, Conwell prepared his inspirational lecture "Acres of Diamonds".[76][77]
  • In 1953, Golconda diamonds became popularized when actor Marilyn Monroe posed wearing Moon of Baroda to promote her movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, in which she performs the song "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend".[78][79][80] The song became a household phrase,[81] and popularized the diamond—particularly on an engagement ring—as a symbol of romance and love.[59][60]
  • In 1959, the Krupp Diamond ring was stolen from German actor Vera Krupp (1909–1967) in a robbery at her house. The diamond was recovered after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) became involved. In 1968, it came into the possession of Elizabeth Taylor, who renamed it the "Elizabeth Taylor Diamond".[82][83] Taylor was fond of jewellery and owned a collection of gems and jewellery; she also published a book about her collection called My Love Affair with Jewelry (2002).[84][85][86]
  • The Heart of the Ocean, a blue diamond necklace in the film Titanic (1997), was designed by London-based jewellers Asprey & Garrard, who took inspiration from three diamonds of the French Crown Jewels known as The Regent, the Marie Antoinette Blue, and the Hope Diamond.[79]
  • The pink, cushion-cut, 34.65-carat Princie Diamond used to be part of the Jewels of the Nizams of Hyderabad; it was auctioned in 2013 by Christie's and sold for US$39.3 million, which is the highest-recorded auction price for a Golconda diamond and a world record for US$1.1 million per carat.[87]
  • On 28 July 2014, the American television channel Animal Planet presented an episode called "The Golconda Curse" in the series Lost treasure hunters Season I.[88]
  • The Cartier Toussaint Necklace in the 2018 film Ocean's 8 was inspired by the necklace of Ranjitsinhji, ruler of Nawanagar State in India. The main attraction of the necklace is its centrepiece 136.25-carat (27.250 g) Queen of Holland Diamond, whose place of origin is unknown but based on its characteristics, gemologists placed it among the Golconda diamonds.[89]

Legends and folklore edit

 
Women in the process of washing earthy substances from soil, at a site of an unnamed Golconda mine.[27]

According to a popular legend, the Koh-i-Noor should only be possessed by a female and will bring bad luck to a male. Alauddin Khalji, who obtained it from the Kakatiya dynasty, was murdered by his slave. Nader Shah, who looted the Koh-i-Noor from the Mughals and gave it its current name, was assassinated. Shuja Shah Durrani was overthrown by his predecessor and went into exile. Ranjit Singh died of a heart attack and when the diamond passed to the East India Company, it was passed on to Queen Victoria, after which it was successively mounted in the crowns of Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The latter crown, along with the other Crown Jewels, is on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London.[30][90]

Accounts of ill fortune and curses are also associated with the Hope Diamond; Tavernier, who took the stone to Paris, was "torn to pieces by wild dogs" in Constantinople. Louis XIV gave it to Madame de Montespan, whom later he abandoned. Sultan Hamid of Turkey gave it to Abu Sabir to "polish" but Sabir was later imprisoned and tortured. An article entitled "Hope Diamond Has Brought Trouble To All Who Have Owned It" appeared in The Washington Post in 1908.[91][92]

According to legend, the Regent Diamond was discovered between 1698 and 1701 at Kollur Mine. A slave worker who found the diamond smuggled it out by hiding it deep inside a self-inflicted cut. The slave wanted to escape from India with the diamond so he contacted the captain of a British ship. The slave and the captain agreed to share equally in the proceeds from the diamond's sale in exchange for safe passage. Later, the captain stole the diamond, killed the slave, and sold the diamond to an Indian merchant named Jamchand. Jamchand supposedly sold it to Thomas Pitt, who in turn sold it to Philippe d'Orléans.[93]

According to pervasive folklore narrated by Marco Polo about his 13th-century visits to the Golconda region, the diamond valley was replete with venomous snakes, making obtaining the diamonds dangerous. The diamond traders took a herd of cattle to the hilltop near the valley. After slaughtering the cattle, they catapulted cow flesh towards the diamond valley; the flesh became stuck to the diamonds, which were picked up by eagles and vultures that carried the cow flesh to their nests to eat. The stones remained after the birds consumed the flesh, allowing the stones to be tracked and collected by the local merchants' workers.[13][94] According to Jean R. Brink, who wrote Renaissance Culture in Context: Theory and Practice (2017), this legend is repeated in many mediaeval Arabic and Chinese literary works. It was also repeated by Marco Polo, who visited the region's capital Warangal but did not visit the mining sites.[95]

Controversies, scandals, and heists edit

 
Queen Marie Antoinette of France being taken for execution, a steel engraving-1850

Being the world's most-famous, large, and valuable stones with interesting histories, Golconda diamonds attract envy and fascination, for which many controversies, robberies, and scandals have occurred.[96][97] The Affair of the Diamond Necklace (1784–1786) was about a 2,800-carat necklace containing 647 gems. The incident brought ignominy to Queen Marie Antoinette and later instigated the French Revolution.[98][99] In 1792, the French Crown Jewels were stolen from the Garde Meuble (Royal Treasury); although most of the jewels were traced, the thieves sold the Sancy and Regent Diamonds, and the Royal French Blue Diamond was cut and renamed the Hope Diamond. The thief returned the Mazarin Diamond in exchange for a pardon and the diamond was restored to the French crown.[75][100][101] In 1811, Napoleon Bonaparte gifted his wife Marie Louise the Napoleon Diamond Necklace, which became a sensation during the Great Depression (1929) when Archduke Leopold of Austria was imprisoned on larceny charges connected with the necklace sale.[102]

In 1980, a heist was executed at Sydney Town Hall, New South Wales, Australia, to steal the 95-carat yellow Golconda d'or diamond from an exhibition display.[103][104] In 2019, the Al Thani Collection of Qatar faced a trial after purchasing the Princie Diamond in an auction without its heir's consent. The matter was settled out of court.[105] In the same year, jewels worth US$1.2 billion were stolen in a heist from the Green Vault in Dresden Castle, Germany; along with other treasures, the 49-carat rose cut Dresden White Diamond, which was made into an epaulette during the Seven Years' War of 1756 AD, was stolen. The diamond belonged to 18th-century ruler Frederick Augustus I of Saxony.[106][107][108]

See also edit

Explanatory notes edit

  1. ^ The term Golconda mines originally denoted those (Kollur, Paritala, and other regional mines) that were mined during the Qutub Shahi period and continued until the time of the British Raj. The Deccan Sultanate of Qutub Shahis was known as Golconda Sultanate. Vajrakarur in present-day Anantapur district was a later-exploited mine and Amaragiri (present-day Kollapur, Mahbubnagar district) was not known until much later.
  2. ^ Historically colorless diamonds and general diamonds were mined from the Golconda region (within the alluvial deposits of the Krishna, Godavari and Penna rivers, because in those periods the term "Golconda diamonds" was not named, thus they were referred to as Indian Diamonds

References edit

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External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Golconda Diamonds.
  • Diamond ranking
  • History of Koh-i-noor
  • Not just the Koh-i-noor: Eight precious diamonds of Golconda which India lost
  • Gem-stones and their distinctive characters
  • Video history of the Golconda diamonds
  • The untold truth of the crown jewels of the United Kingdom

Further reading edit

  • The Great Diamonds of the World, Their History and Romance, 1882, Edwin Streeter
  • Romance of the Golconda Diamonds, 1999, Omar Khalidi
  • Koh-i-Noor: Six myths about a priceless diamond, 2016, BBC
  • The Koh-i-noor Diamond, 2013, Iradj Amin
  • Colored Diamonds, 2006, John M. King
  • Some folklore and history of Diamond, 1961, S. Tolansky

February 19, 2024
golconda, diamonds, mined, godavari, delta, region, present, states, andhra, pradesh, telangana, india, golconda, fort, western, part, modern, hyderabad, seat, golconda, sultanate, became, important, centre, diamond, enhancement, lapidary, trading, graded, typ. Golconda diamonds are mined in the Godavari delta region of the present day states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana India Golconda Fort in the western part of modern day Hyderabad was a seat of the Golconda Sultanate and became an important centre for diamond enhancement lapidary and trading Golconda diamonds are graded as Type IIa are formed of pure carbon are devoid of nitrogen and are large with high clarity They are often described as diamonds of the first water making them among history s most celebrated diamonds The phrase Golconda diamond became synonymous with diamonds of incomparable quality Golconda diamondsA 1733 map of Golconda Sultanate the term Golconda diamond became synonymous to the diamonds of good quality 1 ColorTypically colorless less often blue translucent white and pink CutAntique cushionCountry of originIndiaMine of originKollur mine Paritala and mines of Godavari deltaFor 2 000 years Golconda diamonds were the only known fine diamonds Due to centuries of excessive mining their production was exhausted by 1830 and gemologists and traders have classified Golconda diamonds as antique rare and precious Famous Golconda diamonds include the colourless Koh i Noor the Nassak Diamond the blue Hope Diamond the Idol s Eye the pink Daria i Noor the white Regent Diamond the Dresden Green Diamond and the colourless Orlov Diamond as well as now untraceable diamonds such as the yellow Florentine Diamond the Akbar Shah the Nizam Diamond and the Great Mogul Diamond The Golconda diamond industry was at its peak in the 16th to 18th centuries when 23 mines of which Kollur Mine was the most active operated in the region and 30 000 people at a time worked in one mine A The output from all of the mines in Golconda is estimated to be around 10 000 000 carats 2 0 t In 2015 Osmania University in collaboration with Geological Survey of India discovered potential new sites for diamond mining in the region though as of 2022 update mining had not started Several literary legends were inspired by Golconda diamonds these include Sindbad the Sailor s valley of diamonds the gem lore of Marco Polo and the theme of Russell Conwell s inspirational lecture Acres of Diamonds According to folklore some Golconda diamonds are cursed these impart good luck to their owners or have mystical powers while others were worn as talismans In 2013 the Princie Diamond from the Jewels of the Nizams was auctioned for US 39 3 million the highest recorded auction price for Golconda Diamonds and the world record for US 1 1 million per carat In a heist in 2019 the Dresden White Diamond was stolen along with jewels worth US 1 2 billion Contents 1 Geology 2 History 2 1 Mining 2 2 Trading 3 Popularity 3 1 Physical properties 3 2 Notable diamonds 3 3 Popular culture 4 Legends and folklore 5 Controversies scandals and heists 6 See also 7 Explanatory notes 8 References 9 External links 10 Further readingGeology edit nbsp ruby corundum from HyderabadThe Golconda diamondiferous region is located in the Southern Indian peninsular shield 2 which was formed during the process of proterozoic and Insular India 3 The region is spread over 50 000 km2 19 000 sq mi within the sediments of the Krishna Pennar river basin and Deccan Traps 2 and contains 120 out of the 150 kimberlite pipes in India 4 Though kimberlite and lamproite are the primary rock source conglomerate and placers had yielded the majority of the region s diamonds 2 The Geological Survey of India has categorized kimberlite pipes of southern India into clusters Southern Wajrakarur kimberlite Northern Narayanpet kimberlite and Central Raichur kimberlite of these the Timmasamudram kimberlite cluster a part of Southern Wajrakarur kimberlite is significant 3 5 History editSee also Diamond mining in India nbsp Sindbad the Sailor and the Valley of the Diamonds illustrated by Maxfield Parrish 1870 1966 Mediaeval records from Europe and the Middle East show India s importance as a source of high quality diamonds According to jewellery historian Jack Ogden these records include those of Pliny the Elder Marco Polo Muhammed al Idrisi Ahmad al Tifashi and others from before the 12th century The records state India produced diamonds with which the gems were engraved 6 7 8 Ancient texts of Buddhists Hindus and Jains such as the Arthashastra 2nd century BCE 4th century CE the Ratna Pariksha and the Puranas refer to cities and regions of India that produced diamonds 9 10 Roman historian Pliny the Elder 23 79 CE in his encyclopedia described the demand and fondness of Roman imperial women for the diamonds of South India 11 10 The tales of Sinbad the Sailor s voyages which were written during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Harun al Rashid 786 809 CE describe the Valley of the Diamonds that is featured in the book One Thousand and One Nights Arabian Nights Alf Laila Wa Laila or Alif Laila These regional descriptions have the same features of Deccan in general and the Golconda region in particular 12 13 These names are difficult to link to modern geographic names 9 Until the 17th century mines in this region were the only source of diamonds on earth 10 14 15 According to the records of 18th and 19th century geologists researchers and traders the region south of the Kurnool district near the Krishna river valley in and around NTR district Palnadu and Guntur the Godavari delta in Rampachodavaram and Bhadrachalam north eastern Madhya Pradesh eastern Chhattisgarh western Jharkhand and north western Odisha are possible historical sources of diamond 9 16 The best known region among these was historically known as Telingana or Tilling and was renamed Golconda during the Deccan sultanates period and generally known as the Godavari delta 17 As European travellers and traders increasingly engaged in trading with producers of this region the region s diamonds came to be referred to as Golconda diamonds 14 18 nbsp Diamond mine in the Golconda region 1725 CE from the collection of Pieter van der Aa a Dutch publisher known for preparing maps and atlases Mining edit Main article Golconda diamonds mining and trading The peak period of Golconda diamond mining was the 16th to 18th centuries when the region was controlled by the Golconda Sultanate and the Nizams of Hyderabad 17 19 20 The mines were leased under the supervision of regional governors of whom prominent 17th century diamond trader Mir Jumla became the Grand vizier Prime Minister of the Golconda Sultanate He established a network of diamond merchants in Europe Africa the Middle East and Asia up to China and the Malay Archipelago 21 22 23 Shantidas Jhaveri was another 17th century diamond trader 24 Golconda diamonds were mined from alluvial soils alongside river beds 25 Mines were usually up to 4 fathoms 7 3 m 24 ft deep 24 26 When mining reached groundwater digging was halted Stony substances were then collected for assortment and examined for diamonds 27 Raw diamonds from the mines were typically transported to Golconda now the western part of Hyderabad 28 for skilled lapidary enhancement further evaluation and sale 17 19 20 The art of macle which is a form of rough diamond that is used to produce jewellery was first developed in the Golconda region 29 Of the 38 diamond mines in India at the time 23 were located in the Golconda Sultanate of which Kollur Mine was prominent and employed 60 000 workers at one time 19 30 Most of these mines were fully active until 1830 but were gradually abandoned as they became either submerged by the backwaters of the Pulichintala irrigation dam or became depleted Diamond mining in the region gradually declined and finally officially closed 31 32 In 2015 the Centre of Exploration Geophysics of Osmania University and the Geological Survey of India GSI conducted research that identified three zones that contain 21 potential new diamond mining sites near the delta of the Krishna and Bhima rivers and in the beds of the Krishna Tungabhadra and Penna rivers According to the research the sites contain volcanic pipes that probably bear kimberlite and possibly diamonds 33 34 According to Outlook India in 2022 some companies applied for mining rights in the region of Andhra Pradesh soon after the National Geophysical Research Institute NGRI discovered diamond deposits in the seven districts of the state 4 Trading edit The Golconda region was a major trading centre and the source of the world s most famous diamonds 14 Until the end of the 19th century it was the primary source of the finest and largest diamonds in the world making the name Golconda diamond synonymous with high quality diamonds 17 19 30 35 It has been estimated the Golconda region traded around 10 million carats of diamonds 36 A unit of measurement for Golconda diamonds was the Ratti 7 8 of a carat 37 and the most common currency was the Golconda Pagoda which was also called Hun 38 39 40 nbsp A scene of Machilipatnam port in 1676 AD it was a prime seaport of Golconda SultanateGolconda had been trading diamonds with European kingdoms since at least the days of Marco Polo 1254 1324 14 During the 1420s Niccolo de Conti a prominent Italian traveller and merchant who lived in India had a detailed account of diamond valleys in the Golconda region 13 The 15th century Portuguese discovery of the sea route to India and the 16th century Golconda Sultanate s new port at Machilipatnam increased the production and trade of Golconda diamonds The emergence of demand for Golconda diamonds led to the exploration and discoveries of mines in the region that produced brilliant diamonds 38 41 42 43 44 In the 17th century under the Golconda Sultanate when new mines were discovered and leased to the miners an agreement called Qaul would be signed under the supervision of regional governors according to which for employing 100 workers miners would pay four pagodas per day and monthly rent was based on the strength of the workers on the mining site Provisions were supplied only by the governor with 50 percent extra excise duty Large diamonds from the site were exclusively reserved for the rulers and to be sold with concessions 38 Bania and Khatri castes merchant and trading communities in India held most of mines In the early 1600s some Dutch miners of the Dutch East India Company were granted mining rights 38 45 The 17th century French explorer Jean Baptiste Tavernier reported he was permitted to examine the egg shaped Great Moghul diamond which is now lost and said to have been cut into smaller diamonds He reported having seen a flat diamond called the Great Table diamond in Golconda Jean de Thevenot and Francois Bernier were French traders in Golconda diamonds 19 46 47 In 1621 and 1622 when the Golconda rulers learned about the demand for Golconda diamonds in Europe they seized all of the mines and temporarily halted mining to increase the price which then doubled In 1627 high prices led Dutch traders to stop purchasing and the British East India Company brought investments and purchased the diamonds 38 The company s monopoly continued alongside indigenous traders such as Mir Jumla II Virji Vora and Kasi Veranna until the mines became depleted in the 1830s Most of the impoverished governments and princely rulers were removed from power forcing them sell their jewels including Golconda diamonds which were later auctioned Due to their royal lineage mystical tales and advertising campaigns by companies Golconda diamonds became the global status reference 48 Popularity edit nbsp Diagram of the pre 1852 cut Koh i Noor 49 Fig I The shaded area is the base Fig II A flaw B and C notches cut to hold the stone in a setting D flaw created by fracture at E F fracture created by a blow G unpolished cleavage plane H basal cleavage plane Fig III The opposite side shows facets and peak of the Mountain of Light Historically diamonds of high quality were mined in the Golconda region 50 B and were reserved for emperors and rulers 51 Sometimes diamonds were considered to have supernatural powers and were worn as amulets and talismans 52 The Shah Jahan Diamond which is currently part of Al Saba Collection was once an amulet of Mughal emperors 53 54 Diamonds were treasured as gemstones 50 and were believed to be a gift from God to humanity and owning them was a sign of supremacy 53 Golconda diamonds were popularized in the Middle East and the Western world by mediaeval and modern period travellers and traders such as Niccolo de Conti Muhammad al Idrisi Marco Polo and Jean Baptiste Tavernier 14 55 Diamonds from India most of which were Golconda diamonds were used to decorate the crowns coronets and sceptres of every nation 56 57 it was considered a point of pride by any ruler to own a Golconda diamond 56 The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century brought growth to the world economy and the introduction of sophisticated cutting and polishing techniques led to a higher worldwide demand for diamonds 50 58 The popularity of Golconda diamonds has risen since the 1950s because of successful advertising campaigns by traders 59 60 They continue to be a popular gemstone in the 21st century 14 15 61 Physical properties edit Golconda diamonds are the world s most magnificent diamonds 62 63 64 They are formed of pure carbon and have no nitrogen 65 and are rated high on grading standards giving them the rare Type IIa designation Type IIa count less than two percent of the world s natural diamonds 15 14 15 61 They are large and naturally occur in many colours but most of them are known for their colourless clarity and material properties Some are popular for their colours 14 55 66 for which they are characterized as Diamonds of First water 55 Notable diamonds edit Main article List of the Golconda Diamonds Although Golconda diamonds are known for their size and clarity the diamond mines of the Golconda region are now depleted and inactive 67 Later discoveries of diamond deposits in regions such as Brazil post 1730 Australia post 1851 and Africa post 1866 provided significant supplies of diamonds although their clarity generally does not match that of Golconda diamonds 27 68 69 For these reasons Golconda diamonds remain among the world s most celebrated diamonds 14 67 Some of the notable Golconda diamonds are The Daria i Noor is part of the Iranian Crown Jewels collection of the Central Bank of Iran in Tehran The Nizam Diamond went missing from Hyderabad after a police action in 1948 70 The Great Mogul Diamond and the Orlov Diamond are part of the Diamond Fund collection of Moscow s Kremlin Armoury The Koh i Noor is part of the Crown Jewels which are housed in the Jewel House at the Tower of London The Hope Diamond is housed in the National Gem and Mineral Collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington D C 71 The Regent Diamond passed through French monarchs Charles X and Napoleon Bonaparte to the Government of France and is now part of the French Crown Jewels on display in the Louvre Paris 31 32 The Idols Eye Diamond was stolen by a servant of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II while he was in exile in Paris where it was sold to an unknown Spanish aristocrat 72 The yellow Florentine Diamond was owned by Grand Duke Ferdinand I it later became part of Austrian Crown Jewels and is now untraceable 73 The Akbar Shah was engraved with the names of the Mughal emperors Akbar Jahangir and Shah Jahan and was later mounted on the Peacock Throne After Persian ruler Nader Shah lost it the diamond appeared for sale in Turkey it was purchased by a British company that later reshaped it and sold it to the Indian Prince of Baroda Malhar Rao Gaekwad The current possessor of the diamond is unknown 74 The world s top four pink diamonds are from Golconda 53 Cardinal Mazarin was an influential Chief minister of France during the reign of Louis XIII and Louis XIV Mazarin a connoisseur of jewels sponsored Jean Baptiste Tavernier s journey to India to collect diamonds among his collection is the 19 07 carat light pink Le Grand Mazarin Diamond which he always kept close to him In his will Mazarin bequeathed the diamond to decorate the French crown all of the French rulers from Louis XIV to Napoleon III have worn it After France s defeat in the Franco Prussian War 1870 the diamond along with other French Crown Jewels was sold to settle the losses Frederic Boucheron a jewellery house owner purchased it 75 Popular culture edit While travelling in the Middle East in 1869 Russell Conwell a lawyer and educator who founded Temple University in Philadelphia US met an Arab bedouin who told him a story in which beneath Ali Hafed s farm sat the great mines and diamonds of Golconda Intrigued by the tale Conwell prepared his inspirational lecture Acres of Diamonds 76 77 In 1953 Golconda diamonds became popularized when actor Marilyn Monroe posed wearing Moon of Baroda to promote her movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in which she performs the song Diamonds Are a Girl s Best Friend 78 79 80 The song became a household phrase 81 and popularized the diamond particularly on an engagement ring as a symbol of romance and love 59 60 In 1959 the Krupp Diamond ring was stolen from German actor Vera Krupp 1909 1967 in a robbery at her house The diamond was recovered after the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI became involved In 1968 it came into the possession of Elizabeth Taylor who renamed it the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond 82 83 Taylor was fond of jewellery and owned a collection of gems and jewellery she also published a book about her collection called My Love Affair with Jewelry 2002 84 85 86 The Heart of the Ocean a blue diamond necklace in the film Titanic 1997 was designed by London based jewellers Asprey amp Garrard who took inspiration from three diamonds of the French Crown Jewels known as The Regent the Marie Antoinette Blue and the Hope Diamond 79 The pink cushion cut 34 65 carat Princie Diamond used to be part of the Jewels of the Nizams of Hyderabad it was auctioned in 2013 by Christie s and sold for US 39 3 million which is the highest recorded auction price for a Golconda diamond and a world record for US 1 1 million per carat 87 On 28 July 2014 the American television channel Animal Planet presented an episode called The Golconda Curse in the series Lost treasure hunters Season I 88 The Cartier Toussaint Necklace in the 2018 film Ocean s 8 was inspired by the necklace of Ranjitsinhji ruler of Nawanagar State in India The main attraction of the necklace is its centrepiece 136 25 carat 27 250 g Queen of Holland Diamond whose place of origin is unknown but based on its characteristics gemologists placed it among the Golconda diamonds 89 Legends and folklore edit nbsp Women in the process of washing earthy substances from soil at a site of an unnamed Golconda mine 27 According to a popular legend the Koh i Noor should only be possessed by a female and will bring bad luck to a male Alauddin Khalji who obtained it from the Kakatiya dynasty was murdered by his slave Nader Shah who looted the Koh i Noor from the Mughals and gave it its current name was assassinated Shuja Shah Durrani was overthrown by his predecessor and went into exile Ranjit Singh died of a heart attack and when the diamond passed to the East India Company it was passed on to Queen Victoria after which it was successively mounted in the crowns of Queen Alexandra Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother The latter crown along with the other Crown Jewels is on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London 30 90 Accounts of ill fortune and curses are also associated with the Hope Diamond Tavernier who took the stone to Paris was torn to pieces by wild dogs in Constantinople Louis XIV gave it to Madame de Montespan whom later he abandoned Sultan Hamid of Turkey gave it to Abu Sabir to polish but Sabir was later imprisoned and tortured An article entitled Hope Diamond Has Brought Trouble To All Who Have Owned It appeared in The Washington Post in 1908 91 92 According to legend the Regent Diamond was discovered between 1698 and 1701 at Kollur Mine A slave worker who found the diamond smuggled it out by hiding it deep inside a self inflicted cut The slave wanted to escape from India with the diamond so he contacted the captain of a British ship The slave and the captain agreed to share equally in the proceeds from the diamond s sale in exchange for safe passage Later the captain stole the diamond killed the slave and sold the diamond to an Indian merchant named Jamchand Jamchand supposedly sold it to Thomas Pitt who in turn sold it to Philippe d Orleans 93 According to pervasive folklore narrated by Marco Polo about his 13th century visits to the Golconda region the diamond valley was replete with venomous snakes making obtaining the diamonds dangerous The diamond traders took a herd of cattle to the hilltop near the valley After slaughtering the cattle they catapulted cow flesh towards the diamond valley the flesh became stuck to the diamonds which were picked up by eagles and vultures that carried the cow flesh to their nests to eat The stones remained after the birds consumed the flesh allowing the stones to be tracked and collected by the local merchants workers 13 94 According to Jean R Brink who wrote Renaissance Culture in Context Theory and Practice 2017 this legend is repeated in many mediaeval Arabic and Chinese literary works It was also repeated by Marco Polo who visited the region s capital Warangal but did not visit the mining sites 95 Controversies scandals and heists edit nbsp Queen Marie Antoinette of France being taken for execution a steel engraving 1850Being the world s most famous large and valuable stones with interesting histories Golconda diamonds attract envy and fascination for which many controversies robberies and scandals have occurred 96 97 The Affair of the Diamond Necklace 1784 1786 was about a 2 800 carat necklace containing 647 gems The incident brought ignominy to Queen Marie Antoinette and later instigated the French Revolution 98 99 In 1792 the French Crown Jewels were stolen from the Garde Meuble Royal Treasury although most of the jewels were traced the thieves sold the Sancy and Regent Diamonds and the Royal French Blue Diamond was cut and renamed the Hope Diamond The thief returned the Mazarin Diamond in exchange for a pardon and the diamond was restored to the French crown 75 100 101 In 1811 Napoleon Bonaparte gifted his wife Marie Louise the Napoleon Diamond Necklace which became a sensation during the Great Depression 1929 when Archduke Leopold of Austria was imprisoned on larceny charges connected with the necklace sale 102 In 1980 a heist was executed at Sydney Town Hall New South Wales Australia to steal the 95 carat yellow Golconda d or diamond from an exhibition display 103 104 In 2019 the Al Thani Collection of Qatar faced a trial after purchasing the Princie Diamond in an auction without its heir s consent The matter was settled out of court 105 In the same year jewels worth US 1 2 billion were stolen in a heist from the Green Vault in Dresden Castle Germany along with other treasures the 49 carat rose cut Dresden White Diamond which was made into an epaulette during the Seven Years War of 1756 AD was stolen The diamond belonged to 18th century ruler Frederick Augustus I of Saxony 106 107 108 See also editList of diamonds List of largest rough diamondsExplanatory notes edit The term Golconda mines originally denoted those Kollur Paritala and other regional mines that were mined during the Qutub Shahi period and continued until the time of the British Raj The Deccan Sultanate of Qutub Shahis was known as Golconda Sultanate Vajrakarur in present day Anantapur district was a later exploited mine and Amaragiri present day Kollapur Mahbubnagar district was not known until much later Historically colorless diamonds and general diamonds were mined from the Golconda region within the alluvial deposits of the Krishna Godavari and Penna rivers because in those periods the term Golconda diamonds was not named thus they were referred to as Indian DiamondsReferences edit For a map of their territory see Schwartzberg Joseph E 1978 A Historical atlas of South Asia University of Chicago Press p 147 map XIV 4 l ISBN 978 0 19 506869 6 Retrieved 15 August 2022 a b c Reddy D V 2010 Engineering Geology Vikas Publishing House p 546 ISBN 9788125919032 Retrieved 9 August 2023 a b Mudur G S 13 July 2015 A Kohinoor tale but don t rush to dig The Telegraph India Retrieved 9 August 2023 a b Tata Madhavi 5 February 2022 On Golconda Rock Outlook India Retrieved 9 August 2023 Shalivahan Shalivahan Rai S S Shah Gokul 21 February 2019 Occurrence of diamond in peninsular India and its relationship with deep Earth seismic properties Indian Academy of Sciences 1 8 Retrieved 9 August 2023 Amar Zohar Lev Efraim 2017 Most Cherished Gemstones in the Medieval Arab World Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Cambridge University Press 27 3 377 401 JSTOR 26187362 Retrieved 2 August 2023 Laufer Berthold 1915 The Diamond A Study in Chinese and Hellenistic Folk lore Harvard University pp 10 15 Anita Nair 2014 Idris Keeper of the Light HarperCollins pp 1 10 ISBN 9789350297810 a b c Ogden Jack 2018 Diamonds An Early History of the King of Gems Yale University Press pp 236 255 ISBN 978 0 300 21566 3 a b c Dasgupta Reshmi R 23 February 2019 Celebrating the Nizam s fabled Golconda diamonds The Economic Times Retrieved 4 August 2022 Pliny Natural History 10 volumes Translated by Rackham H Jones W H S Eichholz D E Loeb Classical Library 1938 1962 pp 20 30 Retrieved 4 August 2022 Poggio Bracciolini 1857 John Winter Jones ed The travels of Nicolo Conti in the East in the early part of the fifteenth century Boston Public Library pp 60 69 Retrieved 3 August 2022 a b c Sinbad s Diamond Story May Have Happened Daily Illini 5 August 1947 Retrieved 3 August 2022 a b c d e f g h i Gomelsky Victoria 20 March 2011 The Market for Golconda Diamonds Has Mushroomed The New York Times Retrieved 30 November 2016 a b c d Diamonds on Location Golconda Gemological Institute Of America 2002 Retrieved 21 September 2021 Shigley James Historical Reading List Diamonds in Ancient India Gemological Institute of America Retrieved 3 September 2022 a b c d Universal Gazetteer of the World A Dictionary Geographical Historical and Statistical of the various Kingdoms States Provinces Cities Towns Forts Harbors Z amp B F Pratt 1852 p 357 Retrieved 4 August 2022 Harlow George E 1998 The Nature of Diamonds Cambridge University Press pp 73 75 ISBN 978 0 521 62935 5 Retrieved 12 October 2021 a b c d e Gupta Harsh K 2000 Deccan Heritage Indian National Science Academy and University press pp 139 146 ISBN 9788173712852 Retrieved 7 May 2017 a b Nair Mandira 20 December 2020 The sparkling centuries The Week Retrieved 17 August 2022 Mahmood Parvez 12 April 2019 Persian adventurer in India The Friday times Retrieved 23 September 2022 Konwar Paranan 2019 Mir Jumla s invasion of Assam 1662 63 war experience of a Dutch sailor Heiden and Translator Glanius Indian Historical Review Department of Economics Sonari College Assam India 46 41 54 doi 10 1177 0376983619856149 S2CID 200082670 Retrieved 23 September 2022 Mahmood Parvez 19 April 2019 Persian adventurer in India The Friday times Retrieved 23 September 2022 a b Mehta Makrand 1991 Indian Merchants and Entrepreneurs in Historical Perspective With Special Reference to Shroffs of Gujarat 17th to 19th Centuries Academic Foundation pp 96 102 ISBN 9788171880171 Retrieved 17 August 2022 Accum Michael Coulson 2012 The History of Mining The events technology and people involved in the industry that forged the modern world Harriman House Limited pp 75 77 ISBN 978 0 85719 266 0 Retrieved 17 August 2022 Accum Friedrich Christian 1808 System of Theoretical and Practical Chemistry Vol 1 Kimber and Conrad pp 208 210 Retrieved 17 August 2022 a b c Taylor Isaac 1830 A Nutshell of Knowledge Concerning the Mine John Harris pp 34 40 Retrieved 18 August 2022 Golconda Fort Government of Telangana 6 August 2022 Retrieved 8 August 2022 Beckett Kathleen 4 July 2022 Unraveling the Mystery of Macle Jewelry The New York Times Retrieved 4 July 2022 a b c Streeter Edwin William 1882 Precious Stones and Gems Their History and Distinguishing Characteristics George Bell amp Sons pp 108 110 and 126 131 Retrieved 8 August 2022 a b Reddy U Sudhakar 28 April 2016 India s iconic lost diamonds Deccan Chronicle Retrieved 22 August 2022 a b Reddy U Sudhakar 19 September 2016 Andhra Pradesh diamond belt is now Submerged Deccan Chronicle Retrieved 22 August 2022 Akber Syed 26 December 2021 Telangana Confluence of Musi Krishna may throw up diamonds says study The Times of India Retrieved 22 August 2022 Akber Syed 10 August 2015 Telangana sitting on a bed of diamonds The Times of India Retrieved 22 August 2022 Sikander Sana 6 October 2020 Don t be surprised US too has a Golconda The Siasat Daily Retrieved 20 September 2021 Sur Aihik 14 February 2021 Golconda gem may fetch at least 150 000 in auction The New Indian Express Retrieved 17 August 2022 Baden Powell Baden Henry 1872 Hand book of the Manufactures amp Arts of the Punjab Punjab printing Company p 198 Retrieved 27 September 2022 a b c d e Alam Ishrat 1998 Diamond mining and trade in south India in the 17th Century Proceedings of the Indian History Congress Indian History Congress 59 314 321 JSTOR 44147002 Retrieved 28 September 2021 Manzar Nishat 2021 Urban wage earners in Seventeenth Century India Artisans Laborers Service Providers and Entertainers Routledge pp 348 and 400 ISBN 9781000395372 Retrieved 28 September 2021 Akber Syed 22 September 2017 Hyderabad coins once more valuable than Mughal French currency The Times of India Retrieved 28 September 2022 Subrahmanyam Sanjay 1988 Persians Pilgrims and Portuguese The Travails of Masulipatnam Shipping in the Western Indian Ocean 1590 1665 Asian Studies in Honour of Professor Charles Boxer Cambridge University Press 22 3 503 530 JSTOR 312594 Retrieved 28 September 2021 Reddy Ravula Soma Sarma Mukkamala Radhakrishna Satyanarayana A 1996 Proceedings of Seminar on Industries and Crafts in Andhra Desa 17th and 18th Centuries A D Department of History Osmania University pp 34 40 Retrieved 28 September 2021 Nayar Mandira 27 December 2020 The sparkling centuries The Week Retrieved 29 September 2021 Mishra Sonali 2020 European private trade in Masulipatnam Intercultural dynamics in a pre modern cosmopolitan hub International Institute for Asian Studies Retrieved 29 September 2021 Hofmeester Karin de Zwart Pim 2018 Colonialism institutional change and shifts in global labour relations PDF Amsterdam University Press p 69 ISBN 9789462984363 Retrieved 28 September 2021 Delving into the rich and often bloody history of Golconda Fort The Hindu 20 December 2016 Retrieved 17 August 2022 Erlich Edward Hausel W Dan 2002 Diamond Deposits Society for Mining Metallurgy and Exploration pp 3 4 ISBN 978 0 87335 213 0 Retrieved 7 May 2017 Dasgupta Reshmi R 23 February 2019 People are always fascinated by gems with a royal cachet The Economic Times Retrieved 1 October 2022 failed verification The History Heritage and Hype behind Golconda Diamonds Gemmological Association of Great Britain 1 August 2018 Retrieved 1 October 2022 Jha Rupa 6 March 2015 The lavish lifestyle of India s royalty BBC News Retrieved 1 October 2022 failed verification Tavernier Jean Baptiste 1889 Travels in India Vol II Translated by Valentine Ball Appendix plate VI a b c Braswell Tripp Pearlie 2013 Real Diamonds amp Precious Stones of the Bible Xlibris p 35 ISBN 9781479796458 Retrieved 27 September 2022 Altman Jenifer 2012 Gem and Stone Jewels of Earth Sea and Sky Chronicle Books p 10 ISBN 9781452109077 Retrieved 10 October 2022 Zubrzycki John 2017 The Mysterious Mr Jacob Diamond Merchant Magician and Spy Transit Lounge p 48 ISBN 9780995359512 Retrieved 7 October 2022 a b c Princie Diamond Rare Indian gem sells for 39m BBC News 17 April 2013 Retrieved 2 December 2016 Opulence Indeed Diamonds of the Deccan Metropolitan Museum of Art 15 July 2015 Retrieved 26 September 2022 a b c Nag Ashok 13 May 2014 Golconda diamond pendent to headline in Christie s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels auction The Economic Times Retrieved 4 August 2022 a b De Guise Lucien 15 May 2022 Works of art and history from the court of the Nizams of Hyderabad The Straits Times Retrieved 13 September 2022 Sanford Fanchon 1874 Diamonds and Precious stones Scribner Armstrong and Company pp 55 56 Retrieved 26 August 2023 Epstein E J 1982 Have You Ever Tried To Sell a Diamond The Atlantic Retrieved 27 September 2022 a b Fasel Marion 27 November 2018 The Golconda Diamond Marilyn Monroe made famous The Adventurine Retrieved 22 September 2022 failed verification a b Vernose Vienna 31 May 2020 How Marilyn Monroe made diamonds famous C R Fashion Book Retrieved 22 September 2022 failed verification a b Breeding Christopher M Shigley James E Summer 2009 The Type Classification System of Diamonds PDF Gems amp Gemology 45 2 96 111 doi 10 5741 GEMS 45 2 96 Retrieved 18 August 2022 failed verification Guy Joseph 1817 Guy s School Geography London Baldwin Cradock and Joy p 91 Retrieved 16 August 2022 Harris Tessa 2016 Secrets in the Stones Kensington Books p x ISBN 9780758293428 Retrieved 10 October 2022 Raden Aja 2015 Stoned Jewelry Obsession and How Desire Shapes the World Harper Collins p 23 ISBN 9780062334718 Retrieved 16 August 2022 Cave Edward 1 July 1830 The picture of India The Gentleman s Magazine Vol 100 p 52 Retrieved 26 September 2022 Bernstein Beth 1 April 2022 Unique Diamonds For April s Birthstone Forbes Retrieved 4 August 2022 failed verification a b Dundek Marijan 2009 Diamonds Noble gems publications pp 11 12 ISBN 978 0 9537884 5 3 Retrieved 23 August 2021 Mokyr Joel 2003 The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History Oxford University Press pp 76 81 ISBN 978 0 19 028299 8 Retrieved 16 August 2022 Crider H D 1924 The Story of the Diamond The American Midland Naturalist The University of Notre Dame 9 4 178 181 doi 10 2307 2992728 ISSN 0003 0031 JSTOR 2992728 Retrieved 16 August 2022 Akber Syed 11 August 2017 Celebrating the Nizam s fabled Golconda diamonds The Times of India Retrieved 26 September 2022 Lewis Sam 22 June 2022 The most expensive jewellery piece in the world Professional Jeweller Retrieved 23 August 2022 Idol s Eye Diamond with Harry Winston Necklace Diamond early 17th century Necklace mid 20th century Metropolitan Museum of Art 2000 Retrieved 5 August 2022 Sucher Scott 2022 Famous diamonds Jeweller Magazine Retrieved 13 September 2022 Mahmood Parvez 14 September 2018 A diamond that bore the names of three Mughal emperors The Friday Times Retrieved 13 September 2022 a b Le Grand Mazarin Diamond The History of One of the Most Famous French Crown Jewels Natural Diamond Council 11 August 2020 Retrieved 4 October 2022 Acres of Diamonds Temple University Retrieved 22 September 2022 Conwell Russell Herman 1901 Acres of diamonds a lecture J D Morris and Co p 310 Retrieved 23 September 2022 Fasel Marion 27 November 2018 The Golconda diamond Marilyn Monroe made famous The Adventurine Retrieved 4 August 2023 a b Talon Kettj 16 November 2020 The Top 10 most iconic jewels in movies NSS G Club Retrieved 19 September 2022 Filby Tamara Sturtz 2023 The Story of the Diamond Timeless Elegant Iconic Welbeck Publishing Group p 140 ISBN 9781838611613 Retrieved 3 August 2023 The Origin of Wedding Rings Ancient Tradition or Marketing Invention Gemological Institute of America 22 September 2022 Retrieved 22 September 2022 Krupp Diamond Theft Federal Bureau of Investigation Retrieved 19 September 2022 Fasil Marion 27 February 2022 Elizabeth Taylor s Signature Diamond Ring The Adventurine Retrieved 19 September 2022 Vesilind Emili 23 March 2011 As a fashion icon Elizabeth Taylor could turn simple into sexy elegance into excess Los Angeles Times Retrieved 22 September 2022 Peltason Ruth 23 November 2011 Elizabeth Taylor A Life in Jewels Vanity Fair Retrieved 22 September 2022 Michaud Chris 14 December 2011 116 million auction of Liz Taylor jewels breaks record Reuters Retrieved 22 September 2022 DeMarco Anthony 16 April 2013 34 Carat Princie Diamond Fetches Nearly 40 Million Setting Two Records Forbes Retrieved 22 September 2022 Lost Treasure Hunters Season 1 The Golconda Curse whatsnewonnetflix com Retrieved 19 September 2022 Chang Mahalia 13 October 2020 Is The Cartier Toussaint Necklace From Ocean s 8 Real Marie Claire Retrieved 19 September 2022 Queen Mary s Crown Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31704 Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother s Crown Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31703 Priceless gem in Queen Mother s crown BBC News 4 April 2002 Retrieved 5 January 2016 Richa Richa 20 April 2016 The Kohinoor Following the bloodiest diamond across history Hindustan Times Retrieved 22 September 2021 Kurin Richard 2017 Hope Diamond The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem Smithsonian Institution p 364 ISBN 978 1 58834 419 9 Retrieved 4 August 2022 Post Jeffrey Edward 2021 The Smithsonian National Gem Collection Unearthed Surprising Stories Abrams Books p 342 ISBN 978 1 68335 940 1 Retrieved 4 August 2022 Hazen Robert Miller 1999 The Diamond Makers Cambridge University Press p 2 ISBN 978 0 521 65474 6 Retrieved 2 August 2022 Sanyal Sanjeev 2016 The Ocean of Churn How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History Penguin Books pp 43 45 ISBN 9789386057617 Retrieved 5 August 2022 Brink Jean R 2017 Renaissance Culture in Context Theory and Practice Taylor amp Francis pp 90 92 ISBN 978 1 351 90446 9 Retrieved 19 August 2022 Bonsor Kevin 2022 How Diamonds Work Famous Diamonds HowStuffWorks Retrieved 5 October 2022 Lazatin Hannah 15 August 2018 7 of the World s Most Controversial Gems and Diamonds Esquire Retrieved 5 October 2022 Doniger Wendy 2017 The Affair of the Diamond Necklace The Ring of Truth Myths of Sex and Jewelry Oxford University Press pp 206 227 doi 10 1093 acprof oso 9780190267117 003 0008 ISBN 9780190267117 Retrieved 4 October 2022 Haydn Joseph Vincent Benjamin 1881 Haydn s Dictionary of Dates and Universal Information Relating to All Ages and Nations Ward Lock and Company p 240 Retrieved 4 October 2022 Queralt Del Hierro Maria Pilar 30 April 2021 Stolen in 1792 the French Blue diamond s fate puzzled historians for centuries National Geographic Retrieved 26 September 2022 Subramanian Archana 10 September 2015 Stolen The Hindu Retrieved 4 October 2022 Post Jeffrey E Gaillou Eloise 2007 An examination of the Napoleon Diamond Necklace PDF Gemological Institute of America pp 352 357 Retrieved 4 October 2022 Mahmood Parvez 2 February 2018 The diamond that was stolen twice The Friday Times Retrieved 26 September 2022 Famed diamond stolen from exhibit United Press International 18 October 1980 Retrieved 26 September 2022 Harris Elizabeth A 30 October 2019 Christie s Auctioned a 40 Million Diamond Was It Stolen The New York Yimes Retrieved 26 September 2022 Police offer 500 000 reward over Dresden diamond heist The Guardian Agence France Presse 28 November 2019 Retrieved 27 September 2022 Holland Oscar 29 November 2019 Dresden museum heist What we know about the stolen jewels CNN Retrieved 27 September 2022 Hammer Joshua 18 August 2021 The Sopranos of Berlin A Brutal Crime Family and a Billion Dollar Jewel Heist GQ Retrieved 27 September 2022 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Golconda Diamonds Diamond ranking History of Koh i noor Not just the Koh i noor Eight precious diamonds of Golconda which India lost Gem stones and their distinctive characters Video history of the Golconda diamonds The untold truth of the crown jewels of the United KingdomFurther reading editThe Great Diamonds of the World Their History and Romance 1882 Edwin Streeter Romance of the Golconda Diamonds 1999 Omar Khalidi Koh i Noor Six myths about a priceless diamond 2016 BBC The Koh i noor Diamond 2013 Iradj Amin Colored Diamonds 2006 John M King Some folklore and history of Diamond 1961 S Tolansky Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Golconda diamonds amp oldid 1207005987, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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