famous diamonds, gems, diamond, Hope diamond, Koh-i-Noor, Cullinan, Orloff

This illustrated survey recounts the histories and traditions associated with celebrated diamonds, including the Hope, Koh-i-Noor, Cullinan and Orloff. Accounts of individual stones combine descriptions of their physical characteristics, cuts and weights with narratives of ownership, transfers and the circumstances that contributed to their fame. Photographs and illustrations supplement the text. The book connects gemological information with the personal and political histories surrounding exceptional diamonds, including the legends and uncertainties attached to their origins and subsequent whereabouts. Its emphasis is on individual gems and their stories, providing a compact introduction to the historical literature of famous diamonds.