H
E S E are mentioned by Tavernier amongst the treasures of Aureng-zeb,
seen by him in 1665. The reference to them as well as to the already
deÂscribed " Pear," occurs in the subjoined passage (II. p. 227) : "
After having well contemplated this great stone (the 'Great Mogul'),
and returned ittoAkel-Khan, he showed me another pear-shaped diamond,
of very good form and fine water, with three other diamonds, table-shaped, two of them flawless (nets), and the third with some little black specks (de
petits points noir). Each weighs fifty-five to sixty ratis, and the
pear sixty-two and a half." Their weight would therefore be on
Tavernier's scale of reduction, from 48-1/8 to 52-1/2 carats, as
indicated in our tabulated scheme p. 320.
Although
the table * appears to have been the original cut of the diamond, this
form is now so seldom used, that specimens have become extremely rare.
Besides the three here described, the only others of any size known to
us are the " Great Table," which
