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Ch. 12: Historical Diamonds

Ch. 12: Historical Diamonds Page of 401 Ch. 12: Historical Diamonds Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
226                                   PRECIOUS STONES.
The diamond was cut in London by hand, as a brilliant,
weighing from one hundred and thirty-six to nearly one hundred and forty carats, as variously estimated, at a cost of
twenty-five thousand dollars. The value of the fragments
has been reckoned from seventeen thousand to forty thousand
dollars. The work required two years, while the operation of
cutting the Koh-i-noor was performed in thirty-eight days ; the
difference in time being due largely to the difference in the
agencies employed,—for the former, manual labor; for the latter, steam-power.
As the diamond was not purchased by the English crown,
it was sold to the Regent of France in 1717 — whence the name
Regent—for six hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars, a
price considered much below the true value ; it was estimated
at the inventory made by the decree of the Constitutional
Assembly at two million four hundred thousand dollars. At
the robbery of the Garde Meuble, the Regent was stolen, but
recovered by a communication from one of the party of thieves
revealing the spot where it was concealed ; the reason given
for its surrender was that the gem was so well known it
would not be safe to offer it for sale.
The Regent, it has been said, laid the foundation of Napoleon's brilliant career, since by pledging it to the Dutch
government, he obtained funds for prosecuting his military
operations and for the establishment of his power; it was
subsequently redeemed, and, after he became emperor,
adorned his sword of state. It is a remarkable coincidence
in the history of this diamond that it should have been connected with the fortunes of two eminent contemporary men
who were bitter foes, — Pitt and Napoleon ; for there is not
much doubt that this gem had an influence in establishing the
prosperity of the Pitt family — consequently, the success of the
Ch. 12: Historical Diamonds Page of 401 Ch. 12: Historical Diamonds
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