Some historians believe that the Orloff diamond (189.60 carats) was originally the Great Mogul which disappeared in 1739. Most authorities, however believe it was stolen from the eye of a statue of the Hindu god Sri-Ranga in a temple in Sirangam about 1750.

According to the Sri-Ranga story, a French soldier fighting in the Carnatic wars in southern India deserted and stole the diamond described as having been the size of an egg. He carefully planned his exploit, and succeeded in swimming a river while a storm raged. After he arrived safely in Madras, he sold the gem to an English sea captain, who in turn sold it to a Persian merchant named Khojeh. In 1775, an Amsterdam firm sold the diamond to Prince Gregory Orloff, for $450,000 (payable over seven years).

Orloff, a former lover of Catherine the Great, gave the diamond to the Russian empress in order to try to regain her favor. Catherine was well known as a collector of both lovers and precious stones, and she established her own private gem-cutting establishment in the Urals. Orloff´s attempt to appeal to both of Catherine´s appetites failed. She accepted her gift but never reinstated Orloff to his former position in the Court. Catherine had the diamond mounted on top of the double eagle in the imperial scepter, and it remains in the same setting in the diamond treasury at the Kremlin.

Credits for this article go to:

http://www.trappgem.com/famous_diamonds.html

M Charles Forsberg M

M Brian Bissonnette M

M Janet Breton M

M William Miles M

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