The Cursed Koh-i-Noor Diamond: The diamond that sits today in the Queen Mother's Crown began its life in Asia, where it was a prized possession of rulers for centuries. Lots of blood has been shed over this gem, and it's said to bring awful luck to any man who wears it.
It is a superstition known as the curse of Kohinoor because every person who owned it, had to live a life full of bloodshed, violence and betrayal.
The diamond is said to be cursed, bringing bad fortune and even death to any man who owns it. But because it is regarded as good luck for women, it has been the showpiece of every queen consort's crown since 1849 — until now.
A French soldier sold the Sancy to King James I of England, who actually wore it as a good luck charm. The Sancy Diamond is believed to be cursed because it has disappeared and reappeared so many times in its history. At one point, the diamond was “stolen” from a messenger and believed to be lost to thieves.
Worn at the end of the coronation and during the procession, The Imperial State crown is the most elaborate and widely used crown, with only the Queen, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Crown Jeweller permitted to touch the crown.
The centrepiece of the British monarchy's crown jewels is St Edward's crown. Owing to its historical significance it is considered priceless, and therefore cannot be insured.
Blood diamonds, also known as conflict diamonds, are defined as diamonds mined in war zones sold to finance armed conflicts against legitimate governments. These diamonds are often mined using forced labor and are traded illegally to fund violent conflicts and human rights abuses.
Over its 350-year history, the Hope Diamond has become one of the most famous cursed diamonds. After being stolen and recut, it is said to have contributed to the downfall and death of its owners. Discovered in India in 1673, it was originally a 115-carat blue diamond.
However, black diamonds must have been considered worthy of a god. An unusually large, rare, and beautiful 195-carat black diamond was placed by worshippers of the idol of Brahma in the eye of the statue. The shrine, near Pondicherry in India, is the source of the myth that black diamonds are cursed.
The then solicitor general of India, Ranjit Kumar said, "It was given voluntarily by Ranjit Singh to the British as compensation for help in the Sikh Wars. The Koh-i-Noor is not a stolen object."
Kohinoor Diamond was in possession of various rulers, it came into possession of Kakatiyas, Alauddin Khilji, Babur, Shah Jahan, Nadir Shah, Ahmad Shah Durrani (Founder of Afghan empire), Maharaja Ranjit Singh and finally, it passed into the hands of British Monarch.
The Queen Mother's crown containing the Koh-i-Noor diamond. The report details how multiple “priceless pieces” were taken from India and given to Queen Victoria, including a “gold girdle” inlaid with 19 emeralds that Prince Charles put on exhibit for his 70th birthday, which originally belonged to a maharaja.
After requesting to travel to England Duleep Singh joined Queen Victoria's court. When he was 15 he repeated the ceremony of giving the Koh-i-Noor, in this instance to Victoria. Around age 21 Duleep Singh began to express a great longing for his mother and more distance from the people with whom he lived in the court.
So it's thought that only women — especially queen consorts — can wear the Kohinoor safely. Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI, wore it to her coronation in 1937, and again to her daughter Elizabeth II's in 1953.
By 1851, the jewel had been taken and marked as a special possession of Queen Victoria, with the jewel passed down through the Royal Family ever since. But the jewel is said to carry a curse with it, with legend warning the diamond will provide great misfortunes to any man who wears it.
Moissanite. Currently, the most sought-after fake diamond stone name in the industry is the moissanite.
Red diamonds are the rarest of the colored diamonds, with only 20-30 existing in the entire world. They get their beautiful red color from a rare process during their formation, which changes the crystal structure of the diamond and causes light to pass through it differently than colorless diamonds.
#1 – The death toll caused by blood diamonds was estimated to be 3 million people. #2 – Rebel groups cut off the limps of thousands of people and this included children. #3 – Average pay for a blood diamond worker was $0.07 per day.
In truth, the majority of diamonds available for sale today are conflict-free diamonds. The United States, along with many other countries, prohibits the sale and trade of conflict diamonds. Some jewelers, however, go the extra mile to ensure diamonds are mined and transported ethically.
Three specific conflicts—in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone—directed world attention to the destructive role of diamonds, though the problem arose in other countries as well.
The most valuable royal piece is known as the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace. It was a wedding gift to the queen (then Princess Elizabeth) from the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1947, according to Regal Fille.
Taking into account the removal of the Koh-i-Noor diamond and the addition of the three Cullinan diamonds – which boast a total value of £52 million – the crown is likely to be worth around £400 million.”