able
with the largest of its kind. Certainly the "Darya-i-Nur", possessing
all these qualities, is truly well named. One hundred and eighty-six
carats of flashing fire, reflected by facets cut rose shape, make this
diamond one of the mineral wonders of the world. But it is only one of
two, for it is one of a pair of marvellous gems of Hindustan origin
which are set in two matchless bracelets owned by the Shah of Persia
(or should I say Iran?).
The
other stone, the celebrated "Taj-e-Mah", is even finer than its mate,
for it is undoubtedly the greatest gem in the Persian collection. It
also is rose cut and weighs 146 carats, so that the two stones together
in the one pair of bracelets weigh 332 carats. Their value, as near as
can be given by anyone (bearing in mind my remark about values above)
for two such exceptional values, cannot be short of one million pounds
sterling.
The
Taj-e-Mah was brought away from Hindustan by the Perso-Tartar conqueror
Nadir Shah in 1739 amongst other looted treasure, his total bag having
been estimated as worth between thirty and sixty million pounds. Nadir
Shah's successor, Shah Rokh, was a spineless ruler who had the
misfortune to fall into the hands of the resolute Aga Mohammed.
Determined not to give up his treasure, which he had had the
forethought to hide, Shah Rokh defied the tortures of his implacable
enemy and clung tenaciously for a long time to his secret. Hunger,
thirst, cold, heat and other intelligent and refined methods of
persuasion did Aga Mohammed try upon his luckless victim. Finally he
deprived him of his eyesight, and Shah
