Diamonds Originated in India - Koh-I-Noor, Hope Diamond, Nassak Diamond, Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond, Orlov, Briolette of India, Sancy (Paperback)

Chapters: Koh-I-Noor, Hope Diamond, Nassak Diamond, Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond, Orlov, Briolette of India, Sancy, Darya-Ye Noor, Regent Diamond, Moon of Baroda, Florentine Diamond, Jacob Diamond, Shah Diamond, Noor-Ol-Ain Diamond, Nizam Diamond. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 76. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Hope Diamond is a large, 45.52 carats (9.10 g), deep-blue diamond, housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. The Hope Diamond is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but it exhibits red phosphorescence under ultraviolet light. It is classified as a Type IIb diamond, and is famous for supposedly being cursed. It is currently unset for the first time since it has been on display. An examination in December 1988 by the Gemological Institute of America's Gem Trade Lab (GIA-GTL) showed the diamond to weigh 45.52 carats (9.104 g) and described it as "fancy dark grayish-blue." A re-examination in 1996 slightly rephrased that description as "fancy deep grayish-blue." The stone exhibits an unusually intense and strongly-colored type of luminescence: after exposure to short-wave ultraviolet light, the diamond produces a brilliant red phosphorescence ('glow-in-the-dark' effect) that persists for some time after the light source has been switched off. The clarity was determined to be VS1, with whitish graining present. The cut was described as being "cushion antique brilliant with a faceted girdle and extra facets on the pavilion." The dimensions in terms of length, width, and depth are 25.60mm x 21.78mm x 12.00mm (1in x 7/8in x 15/32in). In popular literature, many superlatives have been used to describe the Hope Diamond as a "superfine deep blue," often comparing it to the color of a fine sapphire "blue o...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=5370