N
Tavernier's list of the " largest and finest diamonds and rubies seen
by him in Europe and Asia," this stone occupies the third place, (II.
305). Of it he remarks : " It is a stone which weighs 176 1/8
mangelins, which make 242 5/16 of our carats. The mangelin, as I have
said, is the weight used in the kingdoms of Golconda and Visapur, and
it is equivalent to 1 3/8| of our carats. When in Golconda, in the year
1642, I was shown this stone, and it is the largest diamond I have seen
in India in the hands of dealers. The owner allowed me to make a
casting of it, which I sent to Surat to two of my friends, calling
their attention to the beauty of the stone and to its price, which was
500,000 rupees or 750,000 livres of our money. I received a commission
from them, in case it was pure and fine water, to offer 400,000 rupees
for it. But it was impossible to come to terms at this price, although I believe that it might have been had if they were willing to offer 450,000."
