Victoria Transvaal Diamond (67.89 carats) The diamond is April's birthstone. It is cold sparkling fire has held us spell-bound for many centuries, inspiring passionate myths of romance, intrigue, power, greed, and magic. In Ancient Hindus, they find diamonds washed out of the ground after thunderstorms, and believed that it was created when bolts of lightning struck rocks. They even placed some in the eyes of some of their statues. Jewish high priests turned to diamonds to decide the innocence or guilt of the accused: a stone held before a guilty person was supposed to dull and darken, while when held before an innocent one to glow with increased brilliance…
The Romans wore diamonds because these were thought to possess broad magical powers over life’s troubles, being able in particular to give to the wearer strength, invincibility, bravery, and courage during battle.
Kings, in old days, led the battles on the battlefields wearing heavy leather breastplates studded with diamonds and other precious stones because it was believed that diamonds possessed God given magical qualities and powers far beyond the understanding of common man. Thus, warriors stayed clear of Kings and those who were fortunate enough to have the magical diamonds in their breastplates.
In our present place and time, the diamond is a symbol of enduring love, and often made as engagement rings....
...Diamond crystals...are a closed-tight network of carbon atoms that is securely held in four directions, making it the hardest natural substance in the world....
...It can be found in some samples of kimberlite -- a type of volcanic rock that is first identified in Kimberly, South Africa. Diamonds found in kimberlite are thought to be very old, perhaps as much as three billion years old. Tiny flecks of diamond have even been found inside meteorites -- bits of rocky space debris that land on Earth....
The Hope DiamondThe Romans wore diamonds because these were thought to possess broad magical powers over life’s troubles, being able in particular to give to the wearer strength, invincibility, bravery, and courage during battle.
Kings, in old days, led the battles on the battlefields wearing heavy leather breastplates studded with diamonds and other precious stones because it was believed that diamonds possessed God given magical qualities and powers far beyond the understanding of common man. Thus, warriors stayed clear of Kings and those who were fortunate enough to have the magical diamonds in their breastplates.
In our present place and time, the diamond is a symbol of enduring love, and often made as engagement rings....
...Diamond crystals...are a closed-tight network of carbon atoms that is securely held in four directions, making it the hardest natural substance in the world....
...It can be found in some samples of kimberlite -- a type of volcanic rock that is first identified in Kimberly, South Africa. Diamonds found in kimberlite are thought to be very old, perhaps as much as three billion years old. Tiny flecks of diamond have even been found inside meteorites -- bits of rocky space debris that land on Earth....
Synopsis...
...American jeweler Simon Frankel was the original buyer of the Hope Diamond in 1901 who brought the stone to America, after which it was sold several times until it became the property of Pierre Cartier. Cartier knew that the wealthy and eccentric Evalyn Walsh McLean felt that bad luck objects became good luck in her possession, so he emphasized the Hope Diamond’s negative history. Many people believe that Cartier invented the story of the curse since research shows that the idea of a curse upon the diamond didn’t even appear until the 20th century.Once Cartier reset the diamond, McLean bought it and wore it constantly. One story tells that Mrs. McLean’s doctor had to plead with her to remove the necklace before goiter surgery.
But tragedy soon struck the McLean family. Mrs. McLean’s nine year old son, Vinson, died in a car accident; her daughter committed suicide at age 25; her husband was committed to a mental hospital until his death in 1941. The Hope Diamond was sold along with McLean’s other jewelry in 1949 to settle estate debts, and its buyer was New York jeweler Harry Winston....
