 |
| 105.6 Carat Koh-i-Noor Diamond |
The History of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond
The diamond is known to have passed through the hands of conquering Mughal princes, Iranian warriors, Afghan rulers and Punjabi Maharajas before being presented to British representatives in 1849 following the Anglo-Sikh wars in the Punjab.
Queen Victoria received the Koh-i-Noor diamond in 1851 following the Anglo-Sikh wars in the Punjab and became part of the Crown Jewels when she was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877. It is now the most famous diamond in the Crown Jewels collection.
The diamond was cut into an oval shape and the weight was reduced to its current form and weigh of 108.93 carats. According to witnesses Prince Albert wasn’t satisfied of the cutting work as the diamond did not shine as brilliantly as it did before.
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is now set in the crown of the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (1937) and was first worn in the crown by Queen Alexandra for her coronation in 1902.
The Curse of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond
It is said there is a curse on the Kohinoor which affects males who wear it as it has a long and bloody history. Lucky for me females are immune. Since being in the possession of Queen Victoria, only women have been known to have wore the diamond.
"He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes.
Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity."
See the Koh-i-Noor diamond on display at the Tower of LondonNow, something for the guys
Diamonds are a girls best thing for sure but for you guys out there why not check out the Sword of Ranjit Singh at the Wallace Collection for your Sikh sword bling fix.Back to London Guided Walks website
No comments:
Post a Comment