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Famous Diamonds in the World The Black Orlov Diamond
The Black Orlov Diamond
Origin of name
The name Black Orlov for the diamond appears to be stimulated by the color of the mineral, as well as the name of the onetime alleged owner of the diamond Princess Nadia Vyegin Orlov of Russia. The new Orlov diamond which is a 189.62-carat, Indian rose-cut, colorless diamond offered by Count Grigoryevich Orlov to Empress Catherine the Great (1762-96) and presently increased on the royal scepter, is currently sealed along with the resources of the Kremlin Diamond Fund.
Characteristics of the stone
The Black Orlov diamond is a cushion-cut, 67.50-carat, black diamond, which is the 6th largest black diamond among the recognized black diamonds in the world.
Properties of Black Diamonds
Black diamonds, being dense are in a class by themselves and do not fit into the organization of conservative diamonds, which are separated into type I and Type II, depending on the presence or absence of nitrogen.
The properties of black diamonds are completely special to that of conservative diamonds.
1) While conventional diamonds are formed deep within the earth's surface, most likely in its layers and are consequently brought up along Kimberlite and Lamproite pipes, black diamonds are never originated in Kimberlite pipes and generally takes place in alluvial deposits.
2) Whereas conventional diamonds construct up as huge crystals made up of massive molecules of repetitive tetrahedral components of carbon atoms, black diamonds emerges to be a collection of millions of small diamond crystals fixed together, giving it a permeable nature. Iron compounds such as magnetite and hematite could occasionally be connected with the multinational crystals giving it compelling properties.
3) Where square diamonds are free of attentive gas foams, as the high force conditions in which they were formed and do not allocate the endurance of gases, black diamonds are packed of gas bubbles fascinated in the absorbent material, containing gases that were present when the diamonds were created.
4) Whereas predictable diamonds are the hardest materials recognized on earth, black diamonds are still harder than the conventional diamonds, and are hence really difficult to cut and clean. Though there stiffness may not be evenly circulated. There may be regions in the spongy objects that are freely jump and are softer than other areas.
5) While conventional diamonds can be sliced next to cleavage airplanes, in spite of their hardness, black diamonds do not have cleavage planes and their great hardness is credited to this belongings.
6) While conventional diamonds are more suitable for decorative reasons, black diamonds are more suitable for manufacturing uses; gem quality black diamonds being pretty rare.
Early History
The early history of the Black Orlov diamond, appears to be as gloomy as the diamond itself and covered in secrecy. According to a legend, the Black Orlov diamond also recognized as the "Eye of Brahma" diamond, was an uncut black mineral of 195 carats, honored out of the eye of the ruling of a blessed Hindu God Brahma, from a holy place near Pondicherry in Southern India. This work of blasphemy enraged the Hindu priests of the temple, who positioned a suspected curse on the diamond that destined all future proprietors of the diamond to a brutal death. Other well-known diamonds of Indian basis that seem to have had parallel infamous initial stages are the Hope diamond, the Orlov diamond and the Idol's Eye diamond. Out of these only the Hope Diamond is assumed to have been cursed and is the most infamous of all cursed diamonds, bringing bad luck and sometimes death to it's possessors or their close relations. While the theft of diamonds from the eyes of rulings followed by curses being speeded on them had become a preferred theme that informs disrepute to diamonds, the person who formed the story of the suspected curse of the Black Orlov diamond, appear to have been stimulated by this topic, to increase reputation for the famous diamond, which may ultimately have an attitude on its price.
It is not recognized in which stages or year the diamond was stolen from the temple. Though, the stolen diamond someway found its way to Russia, wherever it is supposed to have been obtained by a Princess. No information is accessible as to how the diamond attained Russia, and at what time it developed into the property of the so called Princess. The name of the Princess is said to be Nadia Vyegin Orlov, but there is no certification of Russia having had a Princess by that name. But, it has been described that there was a Princess by the name of Nadezhda Petrovna Orlov, who escaped from Russia after the Bolshevik revolt of October 1917, and took up home in France.
Previous transaction and current owners of the diamond
Dennis Petimezas, who has had the Black Orlov diamond for 30 months at last decided to organize it, as he was scheduling to buy the Monroe Diamond. Christie's of New York, put up the diamond for transaction on October 11th, 2006, and the diamond was finally sold to an unidentified buyer from a different continent, for $ 360,000.
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