The Koh-I-Noor Diamond
As the last part in our series, we will be looking at the mysterious and infamous Koh-I-Noor diamond, which has been owned by countless rulers and monarchs around the world. It is a 100-carat round diamond, who's name is of Persian origin and translates to mean "Mountain of Light". Legend has it that the Koh-I-Noor diamond carries a curse, and each man in possession of the stone has seen great misfortune or lost their throne. However, it is believed that the diamond's curse lies dormant when in a woman's possession. Interestingly, Queen Victoria is the only reigning monarch to have worn the Koh-I-Noor!
A Round Brilliant Cut Diamond
The origins of this diamond remain unclear and are shrouded in uncertainty. It is thought to have originated from Golconda in India, and according to some sources is more than 5,000 years old. It is mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit writings dating back to 1500 BCE, and has belonged to countless Sikh and Persian rulers.
Today, the diamond is displayed as part of the British Crown Jewels. It is an ongoing source of friction between Britain and India, who believe the Koh-I-Noor was taken from them illegally. In the 19th Century, the Koh-I-Noor came into the posession of Ranjit Sing, Maharajah of the Punjab. After the annexation of the Punjab in 1849, the diamond was ordered to be surrendered to the Queen of England. Several requests have been made by India for the diamond's return.
The Koh-I-Noor was first worn as a brooch by Queen Victoria. Upon her death in 1901, it became part of the Crown Jewels, being set into the crown of 1 Queen Alexandra along with 3,688 other diamonds. In 1936, the stone was then set into the crown of Queen Elizabeth I (the late Queen Mother).
To browse our collection of loose diamonds, click here
The Incomparable Diamond
Today's article looks at a rare and beautiful stone, The Incomparable Diamond. It was accidentally discovered in 1980 by a lucky girl living in the province of Mbuji Mayi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After being sold to African diamond traders and buyers, the rock eventually came into the possession of the De Beers group. From there, it was sold to Donald Zale, the chairman of Zale Corporation, an American jewellery store chain. The stone made it's first public appearance in November 1984, on the 75th (diamond) anniversary of the Zale Corporation.
When discovered, the rough diamond had several irregularities, cracks and cavities. It was an incredibly large rock of irregular size, weighing around eight hundred and ninety carats, and took an incredible four years to shape! Cutting of the Incomparable Diamond was undertaken by an experienced diamond cutter, Mr. Samuels, who was renowned for his expertise. During the cutting process, several colour variations were found within the diamond, ranging from pale yellow to brown. The main body of the gem has a rich yellow colour.
Yellow Diamond
Suprisingly, the Incomparable Diamond has appeared on Ebay! It is recognised as being the largest diamond to ever appear on the online auction site, and had a starting price of around $15 million. However, the gem remained unsold.
To view our collection of fancy coloured diamonds, click here
The Jonker Diamond
This week, we will be looking at another well-known sparkler: the Jonker Diamond. This famous emerald shape diamond was discovered by 62-year-old miner Johannes Jacobus Jonker in early 1934. In it's rough form, the rock weighed an astonishing 726 carats or 145g!
After it's discovery the diamond was purchased by American jeweller Harry Winston, and was the first large diamond to be cut in the United States. It was divided into twelve gems, and crafted into emerald, marquise and baguette cuts. Many of these stones went on to be purchased by American clients and Indian Maharajas.
An Emerald Cut Diamond
The largest diamond to be created from the rough stone was originally a 142.9 carat emerald shape, which was cut with 66 facets. After being condemned as a flawed stone by some diamond experts, it was reduced to a weight of 125.35 carats. This gave the diamond a more oblong structure and greater brilliance. The Jonker diamond has since been hailed by many as the most perfectly cut diamond in existence!
In 1951, Harry Winston sold the Jonker diamond to Egyptian ruler King Farouk. It later appeared at auction in Hong Kong, where it fetched $4 million.
Browse our collection of loose diamonds here
The Millennium Star
Over the coming weeks, we will be taking a look at some of the world’s most incredible and well-known diamonds.
We begin our series with the Millennium Star, a beautiful pear shaped diamond. Originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this rock was discovered in the alluvial mines of the Mbuji-Muyi region. The original stone weighed an incredible 777 carats, and remains the second largest D colour diamond ever to be polished. It is also internally and externally flawless! The rough diamond was purchased by luxury jewellers De Beers in 1990, and was carved into the classic pear shape by expert craftsmen; who took more than three years to produce the finished cut.
The Millennium Star is a highly coveted diamond, and has seen much publicity and even attempts of robbery! In October 1999, the diamond was the centrepiece of an exhibition in London’s Natural History Museum. Whilst it was on display, the Metropolitan Police received information that criminals were plotting to steal gems on display, including the Millennium Star itself. The exhibition was immediately closed under the recommendation of Scotland Yard.
In 2000, the Millennium Star was the centre of another robbery attempt. A collection of the world’s rarest and most valuable diamonds were displayed in London’s Millennium Dome to mark the turn of the Century. Once again, the Metropolitan Police foiled plans of a robbery; this time, they intercepted plans of a daring smash attempt to steal the priceless diamond and escape by speedboat! In a dramatic Hollywood-style twist, the police replaced the real diamond with a replica before the arranged break-in, and were on hand to arrest the robbers before they could escape. It is generally considered that, had the criminals been successful in their attempts, this would have been the largest robbery in the world!
To view our collection of beautiful loose pear shaped diamonds, click here
The Perfect Accessories for Autumn/Winter Part II
Part II of our look at the perfect accessories for Autumn/Winter is all about what to wear to Christmas parties and events! It is the perfect time of year to add a touch of sparkle to your outfit, and what better way to do that than with diamonds?
Parties just wouldn't be complete without the iconic Little Black Dress- every woman's wardrobe staple. The LBD can be worn to every event, from the office party to a night out with the girls, and its understated elegance means that a whole host of accessories can be worn with it. You could add a touch of glamour with a classic diamond necklace- we love the Borghese necklace (below), which is set with three stones for a dazzling effect.
Borghese necklace in white gold- http://bit.ly/r8E3e5
Earrings can add dramatic impact to the LBD, especially if long hair is swept up into a classic chignon. These luxurious Chandelier diamond earrings evoke Hollywood glamour, and are fit for any grand occasion!
Chandelier earrings in yellow gold- http://bit.ly/q47s9J
The cocktail ring was made for adding glamour to party dresses. This unique Celestia ring doesn't disappoint- five rows of diamonds guarantee that you will make a dramatic entrance!
Celestia necklace in white gold- http://bit.ly/qoDUaZ
Do you prefer a little more colour in your wardrobe? Sumptuous shades of plum, ruby and teal are filling the high street this winter, after being seen on the runways of Marc Jacobs and Victoria Beckham. Gold jewellery complements this colour pallete, adding a touch of luxury and elegance. These subtle Helena hoops are the perfect understated accessory...
Helena hoops in yellow gold- http://bit.ly/nMtqAb
The Perfect Accessories for Autumn/Winter
The nights are getting longer, and winter is getting closer by the minute. But although the weather may be miserable, this season's fashion trends are sure to cheer you up! We are looking at some of Autumn/Winter 2011's best styles, and choosing the perfect accessories to finish off any outfit...
One of our favourite trends of A/W'11 is forties glamour. Gucci, Prada and Donna Karan all embraced this ladylike trend in their runway shows, and the high street quickly followed suit. Pencil skirts and pussy-bow blouses are teamed with fur shrugs and gloves for a conservative yet feminine look. Tea dresses are also big news this season, and are the perfect multi-tasker to take you from the office to post-work Christmas drinks! Accessories should be as ladylike as the outfits; think understated pieces, pearl earrings and, of course, diamonds!
This rose gold Ballerina bracelet is the perfect way to add a little sparkle to a ladylike, forties outfit. It is set with 89 round diamonds, for a total weight of 1.60ct! If rings are more your thing, our designer set diamond eternity rings are another glamorous accessory. The white gold updates their vintage style for a more contemporary take on forties glamour...
Not every trend this Autumn/Winter is as conservative and understated as the forties look! On the other end of the fashion spectrum, designers such as Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton embraced a racier style which is not for the faint-hearted. The fetish trend is filled with slinky black trousers, body-con dresses and vampy heels. The only way to accessorise this trend is with bold statement jewellery.If wearable handcuffs are not your thing, why not opt for a chunky cocktail ring instead?
Our luxurious Il Sole ring features 121 round diamonds. This yellow gold version will look perfect against a black outfit!
Check back for Part II of our A/W'11 trend round-up...
The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor
This weekend, London auction house Christie's held an exhibition... showcasing what could perhaps be described as the most dazzling jewellery collection ever! The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor features some of the pieces worn and owned by the legendary film icon herself. Estimated to be worth around $30 million (over £19 million), the collection is scheduled to be shown in some of the world's major cities, including New York, Hong Kong and Dubai. The stunning rocks will be auctioned at Christie's New York branch on 13th and 14th December. In honour of the charity work Elizabeth was so well known for, a portion of the profits will be donated to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
In addition to being well known for her devotion to humanitarian causes, Elizabeth Taylor was also renowned for her love of jewellery; she was quoted as saying, "My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw was an engagement ring. I was hooked". Many of the pieces she owned were a gift from Richard Burton, with whom she had a tumultuous relationship after falling in love on the set of Anthony and Cleopatra.
Highlights of the collection include the above emerald and diamond necklace created by jewellers Bvlgari (which is estimated at $1,000,000 - $1.500.000), and this incredible ring, below. It features a pear shaped diamond and a total of 16.98 carats, and is expected to fetch $20,000 to $30,000 at auction.
There were also several beautiful jewellery collections, such as this beautiful necklace...
We will eagerly be anticipating the auction in December!
Champagne and Diamonds
Last week, we opened the doors of our Seventy Seven Diamonds showroom after hours! Our first ever Blogger's Evening combined diamonds and champagne (arguably the perfect combination) as we invited writers of various blogs to learn everything they need to know about the ultimate girl's best friend.
The evening began with a champagne reception, and then diamond expert Vadim held a brilliantly informative education session. The bloggers learned about those all-important four C's (clarity, cut, colour and carat); and a variety of loose diamonds were displayed to highlight variations. Stones were even passed round for the bloggers to compare, although each person seemed increasingly nervous about dropping them!
Later on in the evening the bloggers were invited to a workbench where Bradley, one of our team, was setting some diamonds. He gave us a first-hand insight into the detailed and intricate craftsmanship involved when creating diamond jewellery!
Photographs courtesy of Cyrielle Charles
The Blogger's Evening was great fun for everyone involved, and we will hopefully be planning more events in the near future. Please email helen@77diamonds.com if you would like to find out more...
Diamond Education- Cut
The cut of a diamond is one of the most important determining factors when choosing the perfect stone, and affects brilliance, light dispersion and overall sparkle. Cutting a rough diamond requires meticulous precision; and having knowledge of how it works can help you make the right choices when purchasing your jewellery!
The term 'cut' can be incredibly confusing when it comes to diamonds. We have used it here in the most common way; to describe how a diamond has been made form its rough form. However, it can be used by some to describe the shape a diamond has been fashioned into (such as Pear, Asscher or Round), or the cutting process applied by the diamond polisher (such as Brilliant and Step cuts).
The cut of a diamond is graded by a certification body such as the GIA, who use a five-point scale ranging from 'Excellent' to 'Poor'. The diamond's anatomy and the way which it reflects light determine this grading; 'Excellent' diamonds are those that have the greatest sparkle intensity, fire and brilliance. Stones graded as 'poor' are therefore those with less light reflection.
The anatomy of a diamond is an incredibly important factor in the cut. This is because the two key sections, the Crown and the Pavilion, have the biggest impact on a diamond's sparkle.
The diagrams below show the anatomy of a Round Brilliant Cut diamond...
Diameter: The width of the diamond at the widest point of the girdle
Table: The largest facet at the top
Crown: The top part of the diamond, between the girdle and table
Girdle: The narrow band at the diamond's widest point
Pavilion: The bottom part of the diamond, between the girdle and cutlet
Cutlet: The facet at the bottom tip
Depth: The height of a diamond from table to cutlet
There is much more to learn about the cut of a diamond! Check out our Education pages to learn more...
Anatomy of a Diamond and the Effects of Light
Diamond Shapes- Heart
Rounding up our week of diamond shapes is the rare and symbolic heart cut. Forget your sleeve- the new way to wear your heart is on your finger!
The heart shape diamond is normally comprised of between 56 and 58 facets, and are sometimes cut with 'French tips'; also used in the Marquise and Pear shape diamonds.
The cut's exact origins are unknown. However, as it is a modified brilliant cut, it may have appeared as early as the 16th Century! The first recorded heart shape diamond appears in a portrait entitled 'The Gonzaga Princess', which was panted c.1605 by Frans Pourbus.
The unusual, stunning beauty of the heart shape diamond works well in a solitaire ring, such as this contemporary Madison engagement ring. The version shown below is 18 karat White Gold, set with a Heart 0.37ct E SI2 diamond. The elegant band widens slightly as it reaches the diamond, which is held in place by three claws.
The Madison ring
Another way to showcase the heart shape diamond is with a pair of classic diamond earrings. These Lumina studs are an elegant choice, and delicate wire studs help to accentuate the diamonds.
Lumina diamond studs
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