In diamonds, atoms of carbon are held tightly by covalent bonding, where two neighboring atoms share an electron, endowing the diamond crystal with great strength. But despite its hardness, diamonds can be cut. This is accomplished by cutting the gem along planes parallel to the faces of the crystal where the tight bonds between carbon atoms are a little weaker. Found in their natural form, diamonds can appear quite unimpressive. It is only when they are cut and polished by skilled craftsmen, such that the light entering it is reflected and refracted as best possible, only then is their hidden beauty revealed.
Some diamonds seem to have lived lives of their own.
It was in the possession of the great Mogul dynasty from 1526 to 1739, its owners included Shah Jehan who built the Taj Mahal in memory of his queen Mumtaz. The Persian invader Nadir Shah briefly possessed it until his assassination in 1747. The jewel then fell into the hands of Afghan rulers who eventually surrendered it to the Rajah of Punjab, Ranjit Singh. Two years after Ranjit Singh's death in 1839, Punjab became part of India under British rule. The stone was presented to Queen Victoria who had it cut from its original 187 carats to 108 carats in an attempt to further enhance its beauty.