| World Famous Diamonds 1. This is a multi part | | | | a FireScope which allows a diamond cutter to |
| article and is strictly for educational | | | | align facets so precisely that the flow of |
| purposes. | | | | light into and out of a diamonds can be |
| | | | completely controlled. In 2001 this diamond |
| Agra Diamond | | | | was slowly cut from 14.89 to 13.42 carats |
| | | | over a six-week period. The key to a |
| The first recorded history of the Agra | | | | beautiful diamond is by cutting the diamond |
| Diamond in 1526 when Babur the first Mogul | | | | for maximum light output and not size and in |
| emperor was reported to have received the | | | | the case of the American Star this was |
| diamond from the family of the slain Raja of | | | | achieved. |
| Agar. Many stories surround the diamond from | | | | |
| the mid 1500 to 1891 including one story | | | | The Amsterdam - No Picture |
| where a horse was forced to swallow the | | | | |
| diamond so it could be smuggled out of India | | | | The Amsterdam is reported to be a synthetic |
| to England. None of the stories can be | | | | black diamond weighing 33.74 carats and is |
| validated until 1891 when the diamond was | | | | completely black. It was sold in 2001 for |
| documented to be in the position of Edwin | | | | $352.000 setting a world record for the |
| Streeter. | | | | highest price paid for a black diamond. |
| | | | |
| Today the Agra Diamond has been graded as a | | | | The Archduke Joseph |
| naturally colored Fancy Light Pink and weighs | | | | |
| 28.15 carats. It was last sold for about | | | | Named after the Archduke Joseph August of the |
| $6,900.000 to the SIBA Corporation of Hong | | | | Hapsburg dynasty is a 76.45 carat diamond |
| Kong. | | | | from India. It was sold in Geneva in November |
| | | | of 1993, for $6,487,945. |
| Ahmadabad | | | | |
| | | | The Arcots |
| The Ahmadabad Diamond is named after the | | | | |
| capitol of the Indian State of Gujarat and it | | | | Named after the town of Arcots the diamonds |
| is believed to have been purchased by a | | | | were reported to have been given to Queen |
| French gem merchant called Jean Baptiste | | | | Charlotte in 1777 by Nawab of Arcot. The |
| Tavernier in the 1600s. The Ahmadabad Diamond | | | | largest was 38.6 carats and was re-cut in |
| has been graded by the GIA a D-color and | | | | 1959 to 30.99 carats and the smaller was |
| weighs 78.86 carats, and is cut in an | | | | re-cut to 18.85 carats to gain greater |
| antique-pear shape. It was purchased in1995 | | | | clarity and brilliance. They largest of the |
| by Robert Mouawad, for $4,324,554. | | | | Arcots was set in a pendant and later sold in |
| | | | 1993 to Sheik Ahmed Hassan Fitaihi, the Saudi |
| Allnatt | | | | Arabian dealer. |
| | | | |
| This 101.29-carat cushion cut its color | | | | The Ashberg - No Picture |
| having been certified by the GIA as Fancy | | | | |
| Vivid Yellow, VS2 clarity, is named after its | | | | It is believed to be of amber-color and |
| former owner, Alfred Ernest Allnatt. | | | | cushion shaped weighing about 102.48 carats. |
| | | | It is reported to have been part of the |
| The American Star | | | | Russian Crown Jewels. In 1959 it was sold to |
| | | | a private buyer whose name was not revealed. |
| The EightStar company of California wanted to | | | | It went on auction again in 1981 but the |
| prove that optical perfection of the round | | | | diamond failed to reach its reserve price and |
| brilliant diamonds could be obtained by using | | | | was withdrawn. |
| an exclusive light-tracking instrument called | | | | |