Diamond — king of all precious gem stones — has captured man's attention and imagination for thousands of years. From the earliest recorded history, diamonds have been one of the earth's greatest and most sought-after treasures. The first diamond mines — located in the Golconda province of India — date to the eighth century B.C. In the centuries before Christ, diamonds were valued for their strength as well as for their supposed power as a magical protector against snakes, fire, poison, illness, thieves, and all the other assorted forces of evil. The early Christians believed that diamonds protected one from moral and physical evil. Ancient writings show that the exportation of diamonds to Rome and Arabia was common by one hundred B.C.
The name diamond is derived from the Greek word "Adamas" which can be variously translated into uncontrollable, indestructible, untamable, invincible, and unconquerable — all of which are fitting appellations for one of the world's most enigmatic possessions.
Romans were fascinated by the stone's rarity, hardness, colorlessness, and fire-resistance. Diamonds were considered real property and the wealthier Romans passed them along to their heirs — we should thus thank the members of the early republic for giving those of us now living the first family heirlooms. In the Dark and Middle Ages, diamonds adorned suits of armor worn by great Knights as well as the crowns of kings and queens.
The diamond's allure was further strengthened when, in the late 15th century, Lode Van Berckman from Bruges, Antwerp originated the first cutting techniques and was able to unleash the fire and brilliance possessed by no other stone. By the 1500s, it was commonly said that a diamond enhanced the love of a husband for his wife. And suddenly the modern diamond industry was begun.
The Koh-I-Noor
The earliest known important diamond is the Koh-I-Noor from India, dating to 1304. The oval shaped stone set in Queen Elizabeth II's crown can now be found with the rest of the Crown Jewels safeguarded in the historic Tower of London.
The Hope Diamond
The world's most important diamond was discovered by tradesman Jean Baptiste Tavenier in the early 1600s, like most famous diamonds, in India — pulled from the Kollur mine. The original diamond was said to have originally weighed a gargantuan 112.25 carats. Tavenier then sold what was to become the world's most famous and storied diamond to King Louis XIV for 3,000,000 British Pounds in the year 1669. Re-cut to 67.50 carats and named the Blue Crown Diamond, it was stolen in the "Garde Meuble" theft of 1792 and lost to history for almost 50 years. This historic stone next reappeared in Belgium in 1830, mysteriously weighing less than half its original weight at only 44.50 carats. It was purchased by Henry Thomas Hope — giving the stone the name it carries today.
In 1851, the Hope Diamond was displayed in London at the World Exhibition. The Hope diamond was later purchased by New York Jeweler Jos Frankel to pay off all the Duke's debts. In 1908, Frankel too was ruined by economic crisis and the diamond was sold in Paris for $4,000,000 to the sultan Abdul Hamid II. Now considered cursed, the Hope was sold to American billionaire Ed. B. Mac Lean of Washington for the sum of $154,000. Mac Lean found the stone to be as unlucky for him as it was for its previous owners. In 1947, famous jeweler Harry Winston purchased the cursed diamond for $180,000.