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Journey of a gem
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Catch the sparkle of diamonds and the interesting tales behind them at an exhibition of some of the world’s most famous diamonds
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Photo: Murali Kumar K.
AS GOOD AS IT GETS The true-to-life replicas of ‘diamonds’ on display include the famous Koh-i-Noor
If you want to see what exactly the “100 Most World Famous Diamonds” look and weigh like, head to the Sri Krishna Diamonds and Jewellery store. The exhibition which is on till October 15, is showcasing “true-to-life replicas”
of the most desirable and popular diamonds in the world ever.
So amongst the gaudy glitter and shine of blazing gold, are the precious breath-taking diamonds that occupy a separate rack, labelled with details of their weight and origin, and of course, whose coveted jewellery safe it belonged to.
So there is the “Sancy”, cut like a rose or oval-pear which was found in Golconda and finally bought by Nicholas Harlay de Sancy in Constantinople and is now housed at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Or there is the stunning “Black Orlov” the “Mughal High Rose or irregular oval” with a bluish green tint and “one of the most important gemstones in the Russian Diamond Fund” and now displayed in Kremlin, Moscow. Legend of this fabled stone has it that though it was supposed to be from Golconda, “it was set as one of a reclining idol of Ranganatha in Srirangam temple, Tiruchchirappalli”. And myth has it that it belonged to the Mughal emperors and was carried off by Nadir Shah of Persia.
There is the exquisitely coloured “Cellini Green”, magical “Star of the East” which has all the women going gaga over its beauty and priceless value.
The egg-cut “Nizam”, earlier known as “Bala” (little Koh-i-noor), belonged to the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, who was said to be one of the wealthiest men in the world and said to have had jewels worth 400 million pounds.
The smooth swan-like “Great Chrysanthemum” is coloured to burnt sugar, “Moon of Baroda” is a dazzling yellow, pear-shaped “Indoor Pearls”, pale yellow and oblong “Shah”, and the “Lesotho IV” — a fine flat slab. “Dresden Green” is the “celebrated leaf-green diamond as clear as a forest drenched with prismatic raindrops” and derives its name from the capital of Saxony and is currently in the Albertinium Museum, Dresden. “Regent”, brilliantly cut with a light blue tint, has an equally engaging and engrossing tale to be unravelled. “Hope” – Curse of Blue Fire, which is on display at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, spews incredible shades of jealousy, greed and ill-fortune.
The pale pink “Darya-i-Noor” – the pride of Iran, or the “Sea of Light” is table-stone cut and finds its fabulous roots in Jean-Baptiste Tavernier’s “Travels in India”. It is now at the National Jewels Museum in Tehran.
Last but not the least, is the spectacular and legendary “Koh-i-Noor” weighing 105.60 carats, from Golconda that has been on a long journey of several centuries to be set in the coronation crown of Queen Elizabeth, the queen mother and is now at the Tower of London.
Glimpse and get a peep of these treasures and be dazed by the sheer history and ownership that now occupies a place other than dark and haunting museums.
The exhibition, organised by the De Beers Group, is at Sri Krishna Diamonds and Jewellery, No. 1, Commercial Street, till October 15 between 10.30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Call 25327833.
AYESHA MATTHAN
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