204 THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD.
However
this may be, the owner submitted the fractured crystal to " a
marvellously clever polisher," in Amsterdam, who converted it into a
very fine drop-shape diamond. In the process of cutting it lost exactly
43 carats, and now consequently, weighs only 76 1/2 carats. But,
as Mr. Dresden well remarks, experts alone can fully appreciate the
extraordinary skill of a workman " who produced such a
well-proportioned drop out of half a rough diamond, and with such
little loss in weight—not even one-third."
The
result was an absolutely faultless gem, if at least there be anything
in this world which can be pronounced quite free from blemish. No
imperfections of any sort have ever been detected in this unrivalled
brilliant, so that Mr. Dresden does not hesitate to assert that " there
is no diamond known in the world to come up to it." Such, indeed, is
its astonishing purity and lustre that the writer adds : " I matched my
drop with the ' Koh-i-Nur' at Garrard's one day, and to the surprise of
all present, the latter's colour turned yellowish, a proof how
perfectly white my diamond must be." A competent judge, also
wrote at the time: " It is perfectly pure, free from defects, and has
extraordinary play and brilliancy. Indeed the quality of the stone is
superior to the ' Koh-i-Nur.' Yet when half a share in this magnificent
jewel was offered to a noted West-end jeweller for the relatively small
sum of £12,000, he declined it."
This
refusal probably led to the further migrations of the stone, which
ultimately found its way to the " Far East" under somewhat remarkable
circumstances. After having been offered to nearly all the
