FAMOUS DIAMONDS

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1929, Page 3

FAMOUS DIAMONDS

WOVEN WITH ROMANCE FACTORS IN TRAGEDIES. THEIR HISTORY TRACED. Hardest and most brilliant and most imperishable of minerals, the diamond, has always been, the most coveted of precious stones, and round it much of the romance of jewels has centred. It has been a factor in tragedies innumerable, supplying the motives of war and rapine, says a writer in the Cape Times. The history of the great diamonds of the world has been traced through many vicissitudes and in their stories are woven intrigues and crimes, butcheries, and sacrifices which have come about for the sake of these precious gems. Something of the romance and history attached to the famous diamonds of the world may be read in their names. There are, among others, the “Moon of Mountains,” “The Sea of Glory,” “The Star of Diamonds,” “The Star of the South,” “The Great Mogul,” “The Mountain of Splendour,” “The Throne,” “The Eugenie,” “The Polar Star,” “The Pasha of Egypt,” and the “Napoleon.” All have interesting and often fascinating stories attached to them, but the most famous diamond in the world from the point of view of history and romance, is the Koh-i-noor, or Mountain of Light. The first authentic reference to the Koh-i-noor appears in a pasage from the “Memoirs of Sultan Baber,” the author of which was a direct descendant of Tamburlaine, and founder of the so-called Moguel Empire. In a passage dated May 4, 1526, the Sultan describes how the family of Bikermajit, the Rajah of Gwalior, who was killed in battle, gave to Humaiun (the favourite son of Baber) a tribute of jewels and precious stones, in return for clemency which he had shown to them. Among these precious stones was the “Koh-i--noor,” which Baber describes as being “so valuable that a judge of diamonds valued it at half of the daily expense of the whole world.” Baber also mentions that the diamond had been acquired by Sultan Ala-ed-din, so that it is possible to trace its existence some two hundred years further back. Its history during those two hundred years is an almost inextricable mixture of fable and fact, but from the time when it fell into the hands of Baber its romantic history is well authenticated at every step. CLEVER RUSE. The stone remained in the possession of the Mogul dynasty until Nadir Shah’s invasion of India during the reign of Mohammed Shah in 1739. When Nadir seized on the Delhi treasury, the “Koh-i-noor,” which he was bent on securing, was missing, and for a long time all his efforts to secure it were unavailing, until a woman from Mohammed’s harem betrayed the secret, informing Nadir that the Emperor wore it concealed in his turban, which he never on any occasion laid aside. To secure the diamond Nadir resorted to a very clever trick. He skilfully availed himself of the time-honoured Oriental custom, seldom omitted by princes of equal rank on State occasions. At the grand ceremony a few days afterwards held in Delhi, for the purpose of reinstating Mohammed on the throne, Nadir suddenly took the opportunity of asking him to exchange turbans in token of reconciliation. Mohammed, utterly taken aback, could do nothing but fall in with the sugestion, and Nadir -withdrew to his tent to unfold the turban and discover with rapture the long coveted stone. At Nadir’s death the jewel passed into the hands of his feeble son and temporary successor Shah Rokh. To him it brought nothing but misfortune, yet he clung to it under pressure of the most atrocious tortures, including even loss of sight. Aga Mohammed put him to the most fieldish tortures in order to induce him to part with the famous jewel, but even when Mohammed ordered his victim’s head to he closely shaved and encircled with a diadem of paste into which boiling oil was poured, Shah Rokh still retained his hold of the great diamond. Stories such as this accompany the “Koh-i-noor” all through its history, until 1849 it was presented to the Queen of England, leaving India in 1850. Since then it has remained in the possession of the Royal Family. Although |he famous South African

diamonds are of too recent discovery to have histories such as those of the big Indian jewels, many of the bigger South African stones have interesting stories attached to them. There is, for instance, the first diamond, discovered accidently by a trader, Mr. John O’Reilly, in Griqualand West. Mr. O’Reilly had put up for the night at the house of a farmer, Van Niekerk, and in the course of the evening one of the children was playing on the floor with some pretty pebbles which she had found. Mr. O’Reilly’s attention was attention was attracted by one stone which threw out a, very srong light. Suspecting that it was more than a mere pebble, he spoke to Van Niekerk, and after discussion it was agreed that the trader should have the pebble , ascertain its value, and if it was found to be a diamond, sell it and divide the money between himself and Van Niekerk. The stone was eventually forwarded to Queen Victoria’s jewellers, who pronounced it to be a diamond valued at £5OO.

Mr. Van Niekerk, from whom Mr. O’Reilly had obtained the first stone, hearing that it had turned out to be a diamond, remembered that the had seen one of a similar character in the possession of a native, and set out to find it. The native had kept the stone, and Van Niekerk gave him nearly all he possess-, ed for it—about 500 sheep, horses, etc., and obtained the stone. It was found to bo a diamond of over 83 carats (the first one was 22% carats), and was purchased for £11,200 and christened the “Star of South Africa.” It ultimately became the property of the Countess of Dudley. Of all South African diamonds, the most famous is the Cullinan diamond, which is three times the size of any known stone, and and. water white. It derives its name from Sir Thomas Cullinan, the purchaser of the ground upon which the Premier Mine, whence the diamond was found, is, situated. It was discovered in January, 1905, and in its uncut state weighed 30252 carats. ■ In 1907 it was presented by the Transvaal Government to King Edwart VII. Subsequently it was cut into two stones, one of 516 J carats and the other of 309 darats to ornament’ the Sceptre and Crown ofldEngland. The chippings of the original stone yielded several smaller diamonds.