The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1881-05-06
Some Facts About Diamonds.

Some Facts About Diamonds.
A New York diamond broker said to q
reporter: "I have made a study of dia.
monds, and history tells me that long
before the Christian era the crystal.
lized form OF pure carbon was known
for its value as an instrument for cut
ting, and had its place in Bijoutry.
According to Indian traditions, the
famous Koh-i-uoor was found in the
mines Of Golconda, long before Christ's
birth. For centuries it was the symbol
Of succession among the sovereigns of
Central India, and in the fourteenth
century it became n of the treasures
Of Delhi. Afterward it came into the
possession of the Persian monarchs, and
at the victory of the rebel Nadir Shah
it was glittering in the turban of the
vanquished Mohammed Shah. Nadir
politely asked Mohammed to exchange
turbans with him as a mark of friend
ship. For several centuries the Per-
sian monarchs possessed it, and in 1918
it was made the price of Shah Shujah's
liberty by his conqueror Runjest Singh,
of Punjaub. With the annexation of
Punjaub to the East India Company's
territory in 1850, the Koh-i-noor became
the property of the queen of England,
whose crown it now adorns, together
with 496 other gems, the latter being
valued at $372,O00. The Koh-i-noor,
since being recut, weighs 122 "a carats
and is valued at 5000, 600. But this is
only n among many historic gems.
The king of Portugal owns one, which,
if genuine, of which there is some
doubt, is worth about $28, 1000, 900"
Chow about the shah of Persia's dia-
monds ?"
cit is said that they are mostly DO.
gus. And this accounts for the fact
that diamonds are not so much worn
now as formerly. There is so much of
the cheap trash in the market, which
can hardly be distinguished from the
genuine except by an expert. 1 have
diamonds here that cost $4,000 that
will sell for half price.
But" continuedthe dealer, "you've
heard of the Orloff diamond, one of the
ornaments Of the imperial scepter of
Russia. 1t was originally the eye in an
Indian idol, from whence it was stolen
by a French soldier, who thought he
was getting q fortune when he sold it
in Madras for $1,000. Catharine H., of
Russia, paid $418, 800 for it. The Sancy
is a S1S0,00O brilliant belonging to Rus
STA. Henry III. ono sent this jewel to
the Swiss government by a servant. The
servant was assassinated, but swallowed
the diamond before he died, and it wa
afterward taken from his stomach. OF
other famous diamonds there are the
French Eugene, the Tuscany, the Mas
sac, belonging to the Marquis of West
minister, and valued at S14S, 900, the
Napoleon Regent, the Hope, a blue
diamond, the Dresden of London, the
Brazilian, the Gar, the Shah, the Polar
Star, and others of almost fabulous
worth. None of the most notable
diamonds are owned in the United
States, though it was recently reported
that Mrs, John G, Mackey, the wife of
the mining king, who owns s 1000, 900
worth of diamonds, is said to have pur-
chased n that used to adorn a crown.
Diamond commerce proper began
in 1928, when the Brazilian mines we're
opened. In 1868, some children play
ing upon the banks of the Orange river
found q diamond weighing two and a
quarter carats, and this led to the open
ing of the South African diamond
fields. Extensive mines have also been
opened in Australia.
Like almost all other minerals, dia-
monds and diamond dust have been the
circulating medium of exchange in
many countries and, indeed, in Brazil
have purchased even human liberty, the
slave miner being given his freedom if
he should discover a diamond of II IL
cOrats weight and over. Diamond mines
have also been discovered in the United
States, in Rutherford county, North
Carolina Hall county, Georgia Frank,
lin county, North Carolina, and in Wiz.
ginia. The most valuable diamond
found in the United States was picked
up by q poor workingman at Monches.
ter, Virginia, in 1856. It weighed 1877
%carats, but was so badly used by its ig.
norant finder that its value was greatly
detoriorated."