Even though many of these famous diamonds no longer exist, sufficient detailed technical and scientific data was produced at the time to allow accurate assessments of each stone.
These detailed records enable experts to conduct precise evaluations of each diamond, assessing unique characteristics, such as cut, colour, and clarity.
This trove of data provides a window into the historical context and significance of these stones, offering insight into their origins, ownership, and cultural impact over centuries.
These stories have continued to captivate the imagination of collectors and historians alike, creating an enduring legacy in the world of jewellery and beyond.
Among those enamoured with these stones is Scott Sucher, who first became fascinated with diamonds at 14.
Sucher, a retired US Air Force pilot, has continued his research on the world’s most iconic diamonds to the extent that he has created a collection of near-perfect replicas. He points out that his replicas are not mere representations or imitations!
This distinction is crucial; while a representation is a ‘stand-in’ for its authentic counterpart, it is not necessarily accurate.
A replica precisely recreates the size, shape, and colour of the original.
This is something especially relevant to diamonds such as these because so few people are familiar with the originals.
Koh-i-Noor & The Hope Diamond
While the replicas have been recreated in cubic zirconia, the stone’s full beauty, magnificence, and uniqueness can still be appreciated as they are as close as possible to the original stone.
For example, the most famous diamond in the collection, the Koh-i-Noor, has been replicated from a plaster model made in 1851 before the original stone was cut into its current form.
And that’s where this story gets an important connection with Australia, beginning with a local jewellery retailer.
The Koh-i-Noor is not only famous because of its size but also because of its history.
Tens of thousands of people died fighting for the 189-carat diamond before it was eventually handed to the Queen of England in 1850.
There, it was immediately cast in plaster twice, and just as well; the diamond was re-cut soon afterwards.
In 2006, after lengthy negotiation, Sucher obtained permission from the Natural History Museum of London to have one of the two original 1850 plaster casts of the Koh-i-Noor shipped to Antwerp to be scanned to produce a perfect replica.
The scanner, essentially a black-and-white camera with a parallel light source, captures hundreds of rotating images. These images are then used to construct a 3D .stl model, providing a comprehensive view of the object.
More than 700 photographs were taken before the plaster model was shipped to Belgium to be X-rayed and laser-scanned so that replicas of both Koh-i-Noor’s original and modern forms could be produced.
After the plaster mould was delicately scanned in Antwerp, the computer data had to be ‘converted’ to a usable format to re-create the stone.
At this point, Melbourne jewellery retailer and diamond expert Garry Holloway then worked closely with Sucher using diamond-cutting software that could accurately position the facets on a 3D model of the Koh-i-Noor.
This process alone took Holloway, a self-confessed ‘diamond cut nut’, four months to complete to provide Sucher with the accurate data needed.
Sucher then spent nearly 100 hours precisely cutting two replicas of the Koh-i-Noor: one is now on display at the Natural History Museum of London, and the other he kept for his collection.
Because of this scientific and detailed work, the collection can be described as replicas rather than imitations. They mirror the original stone in every way possible.
Sucher’s replica of The Hope Diamond is the result of research undertaken alongside the Discovery Channel, when it produced the documentary Unsolved History: The Hope Diamond, which aired in February 2005.
To assist, the Smithsonian Institute granted direct access to the unset diamond so that more than 150 photographs could be taken and analysed to reproduce the stone.
The documentary gave Sucher a chance to handle The Hope Diamond, as well as the 31-carat Blue Heart diamond and a 234-diamond necklace that Napoleon gave to his second wife, Marie-Louise.
Dresden Green
For those interested in diamonds with colour, the Dresden Green, of mysterious origin, is of particular note.
It gained historical prominence when its remarkable emerald green colour captured the attention of King George I.
Originally likely more than 100 carats in rough form, it is a unique diamond due to its rare green hue, which is caused by natural exposure to radioactive elements.
Acquired in 1741 by Frederick Augustus II of Saxony, the diamond was set into the Decoration of the Golden Fleece and later reworked into various pieces of jewellery over the centuries.
Safeguarded during the Seven Years War and World War II, it survived Allied bombings and a temporary relocation to Moscow before returning to Dresden in 1958.
Named after Dresden, which has been prominently displayed at the Green Vault in the Albertinium Museum for much of the past two centuries, this rare diamond has also travelled to the Soviet Union post-World War II and briefly to the Smithsonian Institution in 2000.
The Gemological Institute of America examined the Dresden Green in 1988.
It confirmed it to be a high-quality Type IIa diamond with exceptional clarity and polish — a rarity for diamonds cut before 1741.
Its historical significance have positioned the Dresden Green alongside the famous Hope Diamond, both notable for their size, intense colour, and cultural impact.
Tiffany Yellow
In the rough, the Tiffany Yellow was a canary-yellow octahedron weighing 287.42 carats found at either the De Beers or Kimberly mines in South Africa in 1877.
The origins of the diamond remain a mystery, though one account suggests it was discovered in the mines of the Compagnie Français de Diamant du Cap, known as the French Company.
It was sent to Paris, where it underwent a year of study before being meticulously cut in 1878 by George F. Kunz into a 128.54-carat cushion-cut brilliant stone.
Acquired by Tiffany and Co. in 1879 for $18,000, the diamond initially received little fanfare until Chinese Viceroy Li Hung-Chang requested a viewing in New York in 1896.
It has since been exhibited extensively, including at the Chicago Columbian Exposition (1893) and the World's Fair (1939) and was worn publicly at the Tiffany Ball in 1957.
Offered for sale twice, the Tiffany Yellow caused controversy among company board members in 1951 and was later advertised for $5 million in 1972.
Its unique cut, featuring 90 facets and a stepped crown, remains a subject of intrigue and debate among gemmologists.
The diamond has never been formally examined by a gemmological organisation, leaving questions about its precise clarity and unique features unanswered.
Black Orlov
The myths surrounding many of these stones attracted great interest. According to legend, the 67.50-carat, cushion-cut Black Orlov is said to have taken its name from a Russian Princess.
Unfortunately, this story appears to be fictional because of a lack of historical evidence of a Russian princess named Nadia Vyegin-Orlov, or the existence of notable black diamonds originating from India.
Often described as a deep gunmetal hue rather than true black, the diamond has remained cloaked in mystery throughout its history.
It’s been suggested that the Black Orlov was once known as the Eye of Brahma, a 195-carat uncut stone set in a Hindu idol in Pondicherry, India, before being stolen.
While the use of a black diamond in a Hindu idol has been questioned due to its association with bad luck, idols traditionally feature eyes symbolising the sun and moon, which lends some credence to the tale.
What is known is that the Black Orlov came into the possession of Charles F. Winson, a dealer in New York City, who valued it at $150,000 in the early 1950s.He showcased it at the State Fair of Texas in 1964 before selling it for $300,000 in 1969.
Subsequently, the diamond changed hands again in 1990 for $99,000 and was later auctioned by Christie's in October 2006, where it was incorporated into a diamond and platinum necklace and sold for $352,000.
The Great Mogul
According to French diamond merchant and explorer Jean Baptiste Tavernier, The Great Mogul was discovered around 1550 in the Gani mine (India) and weighed 780 carats in the rough.
Tavernier, the first European to lay eyes on The Great Mogul and the imperial treasury, noted Emperor Aurangzeb's possession of the diamond during Louis XIV's era.
Aurangzeb sent the stone to Venice for cutting by Hortensio Borgis, resulting in a final shape described by Tavernier as resembling "an egg cut in half." It boasts nearly 300 facets and weighs approximately 280 carats.
Historians speculate that this diamond later became the Orlov diamond, currently housed in the Russian Diamond Fund.
The transformation from its original 780-carat rough form, marred by flaws, to its reduced size displeased the emperor.
Refusing payment, Emperor Aurangzeb had the cutter severely punished, leading to his ruin.
Tavernier's account in the mid-1600s stands as the primary historical record of this extraordinary gem.
Although The Great Mogul diamond likely disappeared from history following the sack of Delhi in 1739, it continues to intrigue scholars.
The striking resemblance of the Orlov diamond, also featuring the 'egg cut in half' shape and weighing around 190 carats, suggests a connection between these two diamonds, reflecting a shared history and unique cut.
Opportunity not to be missed
Through exhaustive research of historical records and the participation of organisations such as the Smithsonian Institute, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Natural History Museum and Tower of London, and the Coster and Asscher diamond houses in Amsterdam, many of these stones have been retrieved from the dustbin of history and immortalised as high-quality, historically accurate replicas.
The small town of Tijeras, New Mexico – with a population of around 500 – is not where you would expect some of the world’s most important diamond research to have been completed.
Sucher continues his work on a 15-acre property - complete with mountain lions, wild bears and coyotes - in partnership with many other experts and museums in the field.
The 40-stone collection of the World Famous Diamonds is being brought to Australia by Expertise Events. It will feature in a special-purpose display at the upcoming International Jewellery Fair in Sydney on 17–19 August.
At the show, Sucher will also speak about the World Famous Diamonds and other related gemstone topics.
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