A brief history of famous diamonds

JAKARTA (JP): Diamonds are now part of the romantic lives of young lovers all around the world.

But in the past, owning great gems was the right of the rulers, kings and queens that had the wealth and power to buy or seize precious jewels.

The entire concept of diamond ownership changed dramatically in the l800s with the rise of democracy, salaries to pay, the Industrial Revolution and huge diamond discoveries in Africa.

Great capitalist barons and other wealthy commoners gradually replaced many of the world's royals as buyers of expensive gems and jewelry.

In the 20th century, buyers from Asian and Middle Eastern countries started to become potential diamond buyers as the regions began to progress economically.

According to New York gem dealer Ralph Esmerian, most buyers come from wealthy Asian and Middle Eastern families. "They buy gems because they love them and diamonds become a part of their lifestyle. Then there is a snobbery of showing you can afford the best."

This does not mean that royalty are not buying jewelry. When fabulous stones enter the market, the more likely buyers are newly rich industrialists or museums. In modern times, the best- known gem buyer and collector is Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei. But more and more great gems are going into public collections as mentioned by famous gemologist Fred Ward in his book Diamonds. Among the great gems are:

* The Hope Diamond (45.52 carats), once belonging to British banker Henry Thomas Hope and one of the world's most famous and storied gems. It came to Washington's Smithsonian Institution in l959 as a gift to the American people from legendary New York dealer Harry Winston.

* Marie Antoinette's earrings and necklace, both also displayed at the Smithsonian Institution.

* The spectacular pink rectangular table-shaped Dari-i-Nur (Sea of light), estimated at 185 carats. Today it is part of the Crown Jewels of Iran. A number of Persian rulers wore it in public in the 1800s as did the last Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlevi, who donned the Dari-i-Nur as a cap decoration along with 3,380 diamonds during his 1967 coronation.

* "Koh-i-noor," or Mountain of Light, was previously owned by India's Rajah of Malwa. It was seized by the British East India company and presented to Queen Victoria in l850. Disappointed by its lack of fire, the queen ordered it recut to a brighter but smaller 108.93 carat centerpiece, which adorned the crowns of subsequent British queens. The Queen Mother still enjoys it on state occasions as the premier jewel in her 1937 coronation crown. (raw)