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DIAMOND.
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99
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The treasury of Dresden contains an emerald green one very highly valued. It weighs 31ยง carats.
The goldsmith Bapst, of Paris, sold a black one to Louis XVIII. for 24,000 lire. It came from the Dogni collection.
The Prince of Piccia, a Neapolitan, had one of a beautiful red, which weighed 15 carats.
The
merchant, Hope, of London, possessed one of a blue colour, weighing
about 44 carats. On account of its rare perfection, it is thought to be
the superb blue brilliant, reçut, which belonged to the French crown,
weighing 67 carats. It was stolen in 1792, and never again heard of.
The
Prince of Piombino has the largest brilliants in Rome. Amongst these,
one weighs 25 carats, is of a beautiful form, of good colour, and
limpid. It was paid to Emmanuel Godoy, formerly Prime Minister of a
King of Spain, for upwards of 100,000 lire.
In
1853 a negress at Bogagem, in Brazil, found one, which, when rough,
weighed 254-4/8 carats. It was bought by the Halphens, gem merchants in
Paris, who named it The Star of the South. When cut as a
brilliant by them, it only weighed 124-2/8 carats. It is of oval form,
35 millimetres long, 29 wide, and only 19 deep.
These
are the most celebrated and universally known diamonds ; and we have
rather enlarged on them, because amongst all other precious stones the
diamond shines out as queen.
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