Top 10 | Most Beautiful and Famous Diamonds in the World
Channel: Andrew Pidor
Date: 2019-10-08

The Golconda Diamonds are Indian diamonds mined in a specific geographic area in the present-day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states of South India. During the rule of the historic Qutb Shahi dynasty (16th century–17th century CE), also known as the "Golconda Sultanate", diamonds from these mines (especially Kollur Mine) were transported to the city of Hyderabad to be cut, polished, evaluated and sold. Golconda in Hyderabad established itself as a diamond trading center and, until the end of the 19th century, the Golconda market was the primary source of the finest and largest diamonds in the world. Thus, the legendary name 'Golconda Diamond' became synonymous with Golconda itself. The Golconda region has produced some of the world's most famous diamonds, including the colorless Koh-i-Noor (now owned by the United Kingdom), the blue Hope (United States), the pink Daria-i-Noor (Iran), the white Regent (France), the Dresden Green (Germany), and the colorless Orlov (Russia), Nizam and Jacob (India), as well as the now lost diamonds Florentine Yellow, Akbar Shah and Great Mogul.

One of the most popular diamond mines was Kollur Mine (presently in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh). There were also other mines around the River Krishna in South India. Along with diamonds, the region also became a trade center for metalware, pearls, spices, and textiles. According to The New Indian Express (22 October 2016), "the Hyderabad based historian, Muhammad Safiullah says such was the trade that the estimated output from all mines in Golconda was estimated to be around 12 million carats".