DIAMOND TREASURY OF THE USSR


     The exhibition opens with showcases of natural diamonds, mined in Soviet times. These include the largest, named Friendship of Peoples. Builder, Yuri Gagarin. Valen-tina Tereshkova and Maria (named after a woman who worked for many years in diamond mining). The largest gem-quality diamond found in the Soviet Union is the Star of Yakutia (232.1 carats).
     The historical section of the exhibition contains the "Seven Wonders" of the Diamond Collection, precious stones which are world famous.

Shah diamond Ornament with chrysolite

     Shah diamond. This is of a yellowish colour and has preserved its natural shape in the form of an octahedron. It was found in India in the sixteenth century and belonged to the ruler Ahmednaghar, as can be seen from the inscription in Persian dated 1591. Two other inscriptions refer to changes of owner, the first being the dynasty of Grand Moguls in India. Later, after the sacking of Delhi by the army of Shah Nadir of Persia, the diamond passed to Fath Ali Khan. It came to Russia after the murder by fanatics in Teheran of the Russian diplomat and poet Alexander Griboyedov in 1829. As compensation the Shah of Persia sent this remarkable diamond to Nicholas I of Russia.
     Chrysolite. An olive-green cut stone (192.6 carat) of rare size and beauty.
     Ceylon sapphire. Remarkable for the unusual clarity and elegance of its cut. The stone is set in an openwork brooch studded with diamonds of different sizes.
     Portrait diamond. A completely flat stone of unusual beauty and clarity. It is set in a gold bracelet decorated with coloured enamel. Under the diamond is a miniature portrait of Alexander I on ivory.
     Columbia diamond. A rectangular dark-green stone which is completely transparent and has no natural defects. Set in a diamond-studded brooch.
     Spinel. This huge polished dark-red stone (398.72 carats) was purchased by Tsar Alexis, son of Michael, from the Chinese Emperor K'ang-hsi in 1676. Surrounded by diamonds it was set in the Great Imperial Crown.
     Orloff diamond. The fourth largest diamond in the world, this greenish-blue gem is the subject of many a legend. According to one of them it used to adorn a sculpture of Buddha in India until it was stolen by a French soldier. Then it came into the possession of Nadir Shah, from whom it was also stolen. In 1767 an Armenian merchant acquired it from a Persian and put it in a bank in Amsterdam. Through a jeweller called Lazarev, Grigory Orlov (Orloff) bought it from there for 400,000 roubles and presented it to Catherine the Great on her name-day.