Category Archives: Golconda Diamonds

Golconda orType IIa Diamonds; Big Prices at Auction

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Christies27.91c2A diamond_editedW

By Richard W. Wise, G.G.

©2010

(portions originally published in 2008)

Another Auction Record?  Well Not Quite:

On Tuesday, Christies sold a 27.03 carat DVVS1 cushion cut type IIa diamond for 3.55 million or $131,502 per carat.  In a fit of salesman-like overstatement, Rahul Kadakia, referring to a 30 carat D-Flawless type IIa that sold last year for $130,000 per carat, stated that “This represents a 45% increase in the value of top diamonds in just twelve month’s time.”   While it is true that a flawless diamond will command a significant premium over a mere VVS, Kadakia is ignoring recent history.  At a Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels auction held in New York on April 17th, a 24.42 carat D color Internally Flawless diamond sold for 3.6 million or better than $148,443 per carat. One day earlier at Christies another rectangular step cut diamond weighing 27.91 carats (pictured above left) sold for 4.04 Million or $145,933 per carat.

Collectors Paying Big Premiums for type IIa diamonds:

Sales talk and hyperbole aside, Type IIa diamonds are regularly knocking down auction records.  Gems of this type are often called “Golconda” diamonds after the famous Indian mines that supplied a majority of the world’s diamonds until they were mined out in the early 18th Century. Collectors, particularly Europeans are willing to pay high premiums for these rare gems and for good reason.

Most of the world’s big name diamonds, those mined before 1725, the Koh-I-Noor, The Sancy and for that matter, The Hope diamond came from the fabled diamond mines of India, all are type II diamonds.

Type IIa is a rare type of diamond that contains no measurable amounts of Nitrogen. Nitrogen is the impurity that imparts the yellow color in diamonds. As a result “white” diamonds of this type tend to be colorless (D-F) colors and have few inclusions. (see GemWise:http://www.thefrenchblue.com/rww_blog/?p=29

Type IIa diamonds have unique characteristics. Stones of this type are famous for their exceptional lack of color, a color that goes beyond D and is sometimes referred to as super-D.

“…the old Golconda stones were by comparison ‘whiter than white.’ Place a Golconda diamond from an old piece of jewelry alongside a modern recently cut D-color diamond, and the purity of the Golconda stone with become evident.”

Benjamin Zucker; Gems & Jewels; A Connoisseur’s Guide

Type IIa diamonds have also been found in Brazil and at South Africa’s Premier Mine. It is estimated that only about 1% of the world’s diamonds are type IIa. The auction houses tend to lump together all type IIa stones, but be warned; not all type IIa diamonds are created equal. It is not enough that a stone fits the scientific definition. A true Golconda or perhaps I should say Golconda-type gem is not only “whiter than white”, diamonds of this type have other characteristics that contribute to their unique beauty, characteristics that sets them apart from the common herd.

Gems of The Finest Water:

Prior to the invention of modern terminology, exceptionally fine diamonds were referred to as “gems of the finest water”. The “term” water goes back to at least the Seventeenth Century. Water combines two concepts; color and transparency. For the purposes of rhyming I have renamed this later quality crystal and include it along with color, clarity and cut as one of the “Four Cs of Connoisseurship”. For a gem to be truly considered fine it must have both exceptional color and crystal so “super-d” too refers to more than just the total absence of color:

“This designation (super-d), one that sounds about as romantic as a name-brand motor oil refers to antique diamonds from India’s legendary Golconda mines—stones that are reputed to exhibit an extraordinary transparency.”

Richard W. Wise; Secrets of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones

The True Blue White Diamonds

Type IIa diamonds have yet another characteristic, one that is not well understood or even well known among gem professionals; under certain conditions the stones will emit a blue glow in daylight.

The mechanism that produces this phenomenon is not well understood but it is not ultra violet fluorescence. About one third of all diamonds fluoresce blue under ultra-violet light. A few of these, diamonds with very high fluorescence, will actually appear milky or foggy, i.e. lose transparency in daylight. Golconda-type IIa diamonds, rarely possess fluorescence in any meaningful degree:

In a paper presented in 1975 at the 15th International Gemmological Conference, gemologist and author Herbert Tillander made the following observations:

“This type (type II) includes all natural blue diamonds, the only current source of which is the Premier Mine and some really blue-white stones without fluorescence.”

“Type II diamonds in general do not fluoresce although they give a bluish afterglow.”

Herbert Tillander, The Hope Diamond and its Lineage, p. 7

The problem is that the blue glow is quixotic and unreliable; Like the famous green flash at sunset that is sought, usually after a couple of Margaritas, by Caribbean vacationers, this phenomenon refuses to dance to the gemologist’s tune.

“Here, in the afterglow of day, we keep our rendezvous beneath the blue And, in the same and sweet old way I fall in love again as I did then.”Twilight Time,

The Three Suns

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French 17th Century gem dealer, Jean Baptiste Tavernier

My love affair with this curious phenomenon began at about 2:30 one sunny late June afternoon in the Berkshires. A client and I were comparing two 10 carat type IIa diamonds. Both had GIA certificates, both graded D-Flawless with no fluorescence; one, a modern radiant and the second an Old European, said to be an old Golconda stone that looked like the Regent’s younger sibling.  We placed the two together in the afternoon sun, suddenly a phenomenon like a blue haze appeared to dance above the old cushion, while the modern cut stone just sat quietly.

“…the never failing test for correctly ascertaining the water is afforded by taking the stone under a leafy tree and in the green shadow one can easily detect if it is blue.”

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, 1689

The old Golconda diamonds exhibited these three characteristics, ultra-colorlessness, a high degree of transparency and, if Tavernier is to be believed, a delicate blue glow. Tavernier as quoted above bought all his diamonds in India. Given his statement it would seem to follow that in the original meaning of the term, a blue white diamond was not, as most experts believe, a blue fluorescent stone but rather a non-fluorescent Golconda diamond.

“The Regent possesses that unique limpidity characteristic of so many of the finest Indian diamonds together with a beautiful light blue tinge.”

Ian Balfour, Famous Diamonds

queenOfHollandBalfour gives the following description of the 135.92 carat Queen of Holland diamond (pictured left)

“Yet there are experts who, after examining it think that the ‘Queen of Holland’ is a typical Golconda stone. It has been classified as an ‘intense blue’: although it is a white diamond it does possesses a definite blue tint, rather like the colour of cigarette smoke. The Gemological Institute of America has graded the ‘Queen of Holland’ as ‘internally flawless’ and ‘D’ colour…”

Ian Balfour, Famous Diamonds

Very little of any information about Golconda diamonds exists in the current or historical literature. This explains why so few experts are aware of Golconda-type IIa diamonds and their characteristic beauty marks. Specialists that I consulted, at both Christies and Sotheby’s, were totally unaware of the phenomenon of the blue glow. Perhaps this is because, in at least some cases, this ethereal phenomenon is, as I have said, quixotic. It only appears under certain as yet indefinable conditions. It can be seen in sunlight and most gem experts, particularly those in New York, don’t get out much and when they do in the polluted haze that hangs over The City, perhaps the phenomenon is not visible at all.

Mystery Solved?

I had a conversation with Tom Moses who is GIA’s point man on grading fancy color diamonds. Finally a living person other than myself who has seen this affect. Moses is indeed familiar with the blue phenomenon which he describes as the Tyndell Effect similar to the affect that makes the sky blue. This same cause was suggested by Fancy Color diamond specialist Stephen Hofer in a conversation I had with him two years ago.

According to Moses, Type IIa diamonds usually do not fluoresce or if they do, the fluorescence is so weak that it is not reported on GIA’s grading reports. The blue glow is not at all characteristic of a specific location; Moses has seen it is Type IIa diamonds from South Africa, Brazil and Russia. Only a small percentage of type IIa diamonds exhibit this blue glow.

"Mystery of The Hope Diamond" or Smithsonian goes Hollywood!

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The 45.52 carat Hope Diamond

The 45.52 carat Hope Diamond

by Richard W. Wise, G.G.

©2010

I just watched the Smithsonian Institution’s new program “Mystery Of The Hope Diamond.”  It was presented on the Smithsonian Channel Saturday night but can also be viewed online. The presentation focused on two topics; the curse and the gem’s phosphorescence.

That the “curse” was a marketing ploy, invented by Pierre Cartier in 1910, to sell the diamond to Evelyn Walsh McLean has been well documented.    According to the legend, the stone brought disaster to all who owned it.  Jean Baptiste Tavernier, the man who brought the diamond from India was supposedly torn apart by wild dogs when in truth he died of old age in Moscow.   That such a story would tempt the young socialite to defy the curse and purchase the stone, says a great deal about the reckless hubris of nouveau riche Americans of the Gilded Age.   It does not answer the question as to why the Smithsonian spent so much time rehashing this discredited old saw.McClean

It seems to me that more recent events, in particular, the discovery in 2007 of the lead replica of The French Blue, a 68 carat diamond owned by the French Crown, stolen in 1792 is far more significant.  Subsequent computer modeling based on the replica established without doubt that the Hope had been cut from this purloined stone.   That news was given about fifteen seconds and neither Francois Farge, the discoverer nor Scott Sucher, the modeler received a mention.

This was dictated, I am sure, by political considerations along with the rehashing of Richard Kurin’s totally undocumented thesis that the stolen diamond had been purchased by King George IV—a label found with the rediscovered lead model strongly suggests that the French Blue was in the possession of Henry Phillip Hope before it was recut.  Oh well, if Hollywood, not to mention Pierre Cartier, has taught us anything it is that to win a mass audience, it is necessary to titillate and legends and curses no matter how far fetched, are far sexier than history.

The Mystery of The Hope Diamond was narrated by Kim Bassinger, who unfortunately did not appear.  It featured some interesting antique footage of McLean along with excellent descriptions of the genesis of diamonds, some great footage of India and a very interesting description of the Hope’s phosphorescence.    I particularly enjoyed the footage showing the fabrication of the Hope’s new setting by the Harry Winston Company.   the Smithsonian’s curator, Dr. Jeff Post did a good job of explaining a number of technical points.  It is available on the Smithsonian website and is altogether well worth spending an hour viewing.

The Wittelsbach; Old Stone New Myths

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The Wittelsbach, the second most famous diamond on earth, newly recut and renamed The Wittelsbach-Graff went on view at The Smithsonian Institution last week.   The unveiling of the diamond was attended by several luminaries including its billionaire owner Lawrence Graff accompanied by what Graff called “new stories” among them the newly minted  story that the diamond was originally found and brought to Europe by the famous French diamond dealer Jean Baptiste Tavernier.

The 116 carat Great Blue diamond that French gem merchant sold to Louis XIV of France in 1669, from a drawing by Tavernier published in the 1st French edition of Le Six Voyages in 1689.

The 116 carat Great Blue diamond that French gem merchant sold to Louis XIV of France in 1669, from a drawing by Tavernier published in the 1st French edition of Le Six Voyages in 1689.

Tavernier’s relationship to The Wittelsbach is tenuous at best.  The French gem merchant, the man who brought the great blue diamond that subsequently became the Hope to France and sold it to Louis XIV, wrote a 17th Century bestseller called The Six Voyages of jean Baptiste Tavernier that I have just released in novel form called; The French Blue, never mentions the stone.  To be fair he never mentions the Great Blue either but he does include an invoice which pictures the blue in his book.   The first mention I have seen of Tavernier’s possible relationship to The Wittelsbach appeared in a recent New York Times article.   The Times writer, Guy Trebay, admits that the relationship is little more than a possibility.

CroppedRoskin
The recut Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond. The recut preserved the original double stellate facet pattern and resulted in a upgraded GIA color grade of Fancy Deep Blue. Photo: Courtesy Gary Roskin

Though The Smithsonian is hosting the exhibition, Graff’s myth making marketing machine appears to be controlling every aspect of the exhibit.   Access to the gem have been carefully controlled. Only a few select gemologists/experts have been even allowed to see it.  One of the few journalists allowed access, Gary Roskin of The Roskin Report describes the evening:

"We were there from 5 pm until 11:30 pm, examining, and photographing. The
atmosphere was both giddy and serious. And why not? We were handling the
Hope Diamond, the world's most important deep blue, and the"
Wittelsbach-Graff, a stone that until recently was mysteriously gone from
public view. And now, here they were, possible relatives, sitting side by
side. It was quite magical."

Graff spokesman Henri Barguirdjian in an interview with Financial reporter Maria Bartiroma attempted to ah—refashion the debate over the re-cutting of the historically important  gem that resulted in a loss of 4.45 carats as merely a “re-polishing”.   Despite the fact that the stone is currently on view in a public institution, Graff is doing his best to control information about the gem.  This writer was told that even requests for images of the newly refashioned gem must be approved by the Graff organization.

Well, as I reported previously, this particular “repolishing” resulted in a loss of 4.45 carats and the upgrading of the stone from a GIA grade of Fancy Deep Grayish Blue to Fancy Deep Blue and from VS to Flawless clarity.  In the world of blue diamonds this upgrade would add a minimum of $500,000 per carat to the value of a smaller blue gem.   To give Graff his due, he did not make the same mistake as the buyers of the Agra Pink, the recut followed the original  facet pattern.

Though some experts have said that re-cutting the diamond was a travesty that would destroy its historical provenance,  it is hardly without precedent.   The gem’s big brother, the 45.52 carat Hope Diamond, originally 116 metric carats when Jean Baptiste Tavernier brought it from India, has been entirely refashioned not once but twice.  The first recut, the gem that came to be known as The French Blue was ordered by Louis XIV and supervised by his court jeweler Jean Pitau.  This reduced the stone into a shield shaped gem of 68 metric carats.  The second recut occurred sometime after The French Blue, then set in the Medal of The Golden Fleece, was stolen from a French warehouse in 1792.

Update on Oyo Valley Red Tourmaline:

A range of hues in red tourmaline from Nigeria's Oyo Valley. Note the exceptional transparency (crystal) in these gemstones
A range of hues in red tourmaline from Nigeria’s Oyo Valley. Note the exceptional transparency (crystal) in these gemstones Photo: Robert Weldon

You’ll recall I mentioned the new Oyo Reds from Nigeria in my last post.  Here is an image.  There has been little red tourmaline in the market in the past few years and much of what was previously available was also from Nigeria.  This material occurs in very large crystals that are sawn then cut.  Very large eye-flawless gems are available, with stones up to 50 carats not uncommon.

Prices of this new material are very competitive and suites of matched stones, a rare occurrence in tourmaline, are available.

The Wittelsbach; All tarted up and ready to sell

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The Wittelsbach; All tarted up and ready to sell

by Richard W. Wise
©2010

Wittelsbach-Graff Graff Does It again.

Few believed Lawrence Graff would have the chutzpa to recut the Wittelsbach Blue diamond, but we were all wrong.   At a cost of only 4.45 carats the recut and renamed Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond has been raised from a GIA graded of  Fancy Deep Grayish Blue to a Fancy Deep Blue.  Its clarity grade been likewise elevated from VS2 to Internally Flawless (IF).    Though I have yet to see the stone’s pavilion, based on the Smithsonian’s press statement, “Throughout the very delicate process of re-polishing this famous stone, great care and attention was taken to retain its original features”, I suspect that Graff recut retained the original double stellate brilliant facet pattern thus retaining the overall look of the original stone. For those of you who don’t know the story of Graff’s acquisition of the Wittelsbach let me refer you back to my previous GemWise.  Really The Blues.
Wittelsbach facet pattern. Note the star like pattern on the pavilion.

Wittelsbach facet pattern. Note the star like pattern on the pavilion.
 
In its original form, The Wittelsbach-Graff had a distinct window (see image above left) through the culet of the gem.
In an official biography, the claim is made that Graff is the 20th Century successor to Jean Baptiste Tavernier.   Readers will recall that my new historical novel, The French Blue, chronicles the life and adventures of Tavernier, the 17th Century gem merchant who sold Louis XIV the blue diamond that would eventually become the Hope Diamond.
Though the identification with Tavernier is debatable, there is no question that Graff has shown himself to be a master of diamond recutting as well as a  premier sales tactician.   The newly recut  Wittelsbach-Graff now sports a higher quality grade than The Hope Diamond.   The Hope, though larger (45.52 carats), remains a Fancy Deep Grayish Blue and only VS1 in clarity.  By arranging to show the stone, virtually side-by-side with the world’s most famous diamond, Graff also managed to pull off another coup de main.  The association with The Hope cannot fail to pump-up his diamond’s provenance—that ephemeral value based upon who owned the stone and what scandals it might have been part of—so that it is now almost equal to The Hope.    While putting together this exhibit is, without question, a large feather in the cap of Smithsonian curator Dr. Jeffrey Post, it could mean as much as 100 million to Graff.  In a brilliant master stroke, Graff has made the Wittelsbach-Graff the second most valuable diamond on earth and as far as anyone knows, the only one available for sale.  Maybe he is the 20th Century’s successor to Tavernier after all.

Re-Cutting and Value:

Graff announced his intention to recut the Wittelsbach just after he purchased it at the…  Many aficionados, including this writer, criticized his intention at the time.   Many assumed that it would be necessary to radically alter the facet pattern and reduce the weight, to achieve a better color grade and I assumed that Graff would take the opportunity to rid the stone of its prominent window.   Graff fooled everyone.  According to my sources, the diamond was worked on by three separate cutters beginning with Nino Bianco, who passed away from cancer during the process.  Though specifications are not yet available, the probability is that the stone was decreased in overall diameter in order to create steeper pavilion angles.  By slightly reducing the overall size he was able to accomplish his goal with just a minor if  at 2 million a carat, any loss can be called minor, loss of weight.  The Wittelsbach-Graff retains its original look and chances now that it is a Fancy Deep Blue without the “grayish” designation will sell for even more.
How was the Wittelsbach actually recut, how does it look now?  For the definitive answer to that question you can rush down to the Smithsonian on January 29th, the first full day the gem will be on display, or stay tuned to GemWise.

The French Blue, A reading straight from the 17th Century

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Baron Jean Baptiste Tavernier (George Bergen) dressed in authentic 17th Century supplied by Shakespeare & Compan and Rebekah Wise dressed in a beautiful russet silk Oriental Ao Dai

Baron Jean Baptiste Tavernier (George Bergen) dressed in authentic 17th Century supplied by Shakespeare & Company and Rebekah Wise dressed in a beautiful russet silk Oriental Ao Dai

More From The Gala Book Launch of The French Blue

Actor George Bergen reads from chapter 7, The Diver from Richard Wise’s just released historical novel, The French Blue.  Click below and enjoy!

TFB intro

Gala Book Signing, The French Blue, at The Mount

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CrowdParlor

The crowd assembled in Edith Wharton's parlor just before the reading. In the foreground, Hope and Bob Corneau, parents of R. W. Wise goldsmith, Michael Corneau

Knoshing at The Mount. The table was set in the manshion's beautifully restored dining room

The Dining Room at The Mount as it appears when the historical treasure is open to visitors.

The Dining Room at The Mount as it appears when the historical treasure is open to visitors.

Lenox, November 19th.

reading to an overflowing crowd gathered at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Lenox summer cottage, actor George Bergen, dressed as the 17th Century adventurer and gem dealer Jean Baptiste Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne, read two chapters from my just published historical novel, The French Blue.  The novel, five years in the writing, is a fictionalized version of the six voyages of Tavernier which culminated in the acquisition of the Great Blue Diamond that subsequently became the Hope Diamond.

The evening was, for me, a uniquely satisfying experience.  Over the five years it took to write the novel, I read it over many times but,  few authors get to sit in an audience and listen to their own work interpreted  by a professional to an appreciative audience—I savored every moment.  The reading, part of The Mount’s ongoing series of readings, was held in Wharton’s parlor.  Wine was served in the grand hall and a tasty selection of hors d’oeuvres was offered in Edith’s beautifully restored dining room.

Ekstroms
Richard Wise with neighbors David and Marty Ekstrom

It was an unusually balmy November evening with temperatures in the 50s and The Mount was beautifully decorated for the event.  The agenda including an introduction by Rebekah Wise, a reading of two chapters; The Diver and The Dinner Party by George Bergen and ended with a short Q&A with the author.

I would like to particularly thank Susan Wissler,The Mount’s executive director, who along with her staff, Sarah Kogan, Elaine Roberts, Ross & Nynske Jolly, Megan La Marre and Sam Tomashek,  made the evening a memorable one.

The event was recorded by videographer Michael Sinopoli and we hope to have a video of Jean Baptiste Tavernier reading two chapters from the novel, posted on The French Blue website; www.thefrenchblue.com, in the near future (More images). Continue reading →

From The Sun King To The Smithsonian, The Epic Journey of The Hope Diamond

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40 Years and 60,000 leagues, one man, one beautiful woman and the world's most fabulous diamondOn a dark night in September of 1792, someone made off with the 69 carat French Blue diamond. Confiscated from King Louis XVI by the revolutionaries of the French National Assembly, the gem, along with the rest of the French Crown Jewels, had been secreted in a royal storehouse for safe keeping. Many of the gems stolen that night were subsequently recovered by the French government. The French Blue was never seen or heard of again.

Read the complete article:  HERE

Golconda Diamonds Part II

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The Legendary Blue-White Diamonds, Rarest of them All

by Richard W. Wise

©2007

Just recently it was my good fortune to examine one of the legendary diamonds of Golconda. These gems were originally mined in India in the 16th-18th Centuries. The mines were tapped out by about 1725. Many of the world’s most famous diamonds, including the Regent and the Sancy (pictured above right), The Hope and the Koh-i-Noor came from the mines of Golconda. This gem was accompanied by a GIA certificate rating it D Flawless, the highest possible diamond grade and a Gublin Laboratory certificate that identified the stone as a Type IIa. (Regent above left, Sancy above right)

As discussed in my previous post, recent scientific analysis has shown that diamonds with proven Golconda provenance are of a specific type of rare, pure carbon diamond known as Type IIa. Less than 1% of the world’s diamonds are Type IIa. Scientifically speaking, Type IIa diamonds are an almost pure carbon diamond containing no significant amount of nitrogen in the crystal lattice. Nitrogen is the impurity in diamond that imparts the yellowish hue. The lack of yellow makes for a pure colorless (D,E,F) color diamond. Some experts claim that all Golconda diamonds are Type II. There is, as far as I know, no scientific evidence to back up that claim.

Blue-White Beauty:

Golconda stones are the true blue white diamonds of legend. Today, dealers use the term blue white to describe diamonds that exhibit blue ultraviolet fluorescence. About 30% off all diamonds will exhibit this characteristic. Though ultra-violet fluorescence is not visible to the naked eye, though its effect may be. Blue is the complement of yellow, meaning that blue fluorescence in diamond effectively cancels out some of the yellow in the diamond’s body color. As a result, fluorescent diamonds will face up whiter than their actual color grade might suggest–a fluorescent H might look like a D color. It is UV fluorescence is also responsible for the super-charged saturation of very fine Burma-type rubies.

The gem I examined, a 9+ carat D-Flawless took on a distinct distinct bluish glow in direct sunlight. I had never seen this before. The blue glow was distinct and visible. Unable to believe my eyes I re-examined the certificate, it read: “no fluorescence”! I checked the stone myself, there was absolutely no fluorescence in either short or long-wave UV. How could this be?

Ian Balfour in his book, Famous Diamonds specifically mentions a “light blue tinge” as a characteristic of The 140 carat Regent Diamond. The Regent, originally called “The Pitt” was brought to England in 1670 and is, unquestionably, of Golconda origin (above left). Diamond scholar Herbert Tillander describes this affect as a “blue afterglow.” and notes that most Type II diamonds do not fluoresce. One exception, the Hope Diamond, a Type IIb (contains Boron) will not only fluoresce it will actually phosphoresce meaning that the stone will continue to glow last after the UV light source has been removed. Tillander further notes that some Type II diamonds have been found in South Africa’s Premier Mine, other sources mention Brazil.

Blue Haze:

Not all Type IIa diamonds exhibit this characteristic though Golconda stones do. I was able to examine another D-Flawless type IIa that placed side by side with the 9 carat, failed to exhibit the blue glow. In the Golconda stone, in direct sunlight, the blue hue floated above the gem like an early morning haze.

Fine Crystal; The 4th C:

Perhaps due to their pure carbon composition, Golconda diamonds exhibit another characteristic, a high degree of transparency, Balfour describes The Regent as having a “unique limpidity” that some dealers refer to as “super-d” or what I refer to in my book Secrets Of The Gem Trade, as a super-crystal. Very fine gems of all colors possess this characteristic. Compare a regular wine glass with one made of lead crystal, hold both up to the light and you will get the idea. When compared to another D color Type IIa not of Golconda origin, the difference was unmistakable. The characteristic strikes one as a combination of ultra-limpidity coupled with what connoisseurs refer to as “whiter than white” both characteristics were visible in the Golconda but not in the other gem.

The stone I examined was cut in a fashion almost identical to the Regent, a cut known as a baroque brilliant or old European (image left). Stones cut in this fashion are of a different character than the modern brilliant. The crown is higher and the pavilion facets are shorter and broader.

A fine diamond possesses two characteristics that define its beauty, brilliance and dispersion. Dispersion is the ability to break white light up into its constituent rainbow colors. In the single minded pursuit of maximum light return, modern brilliant cut gems have sacrificed dispersion to produce maximum brilliance. As a result they have become soul-less light return machines. A well cut baroque brilliant by contrast will exhibit a balance of brilliance and dispersion that gives the diamond its distinct character and beauty–a character that is missing in so many modern super-ideal cuts.

(image above, side view of Golconda diamond), Compare the color of the center with the side trillion that is definitely not of Golconda origin.

To summarize, there appear to be three visual characteristics that define the beauty of Golconda diamonds: A high degree of limpidity (crystal), an ultra-whiteness and a blue afterglow that appears in natural daylight. Golconda gems are Type IIa diamonds and this can be established by scientific testing. All Type IIa diamonds, however, are not Golconda diamonds; to be considered Golconda, they must possess the visual characteristics just described.

It is unclear whether Type IIa diamonds from other sources possess the characteristics discussed above, there certainly are some that do not. However, in the final analysis, we are interested in gems not geography. in gems beauty is the ultimate criterion. When it comes to Golconda diamonds if they deliver the goods, how much does source really matter.

If you are interested in learning more about Golconda Diamonds or are simply looking for a new way to dazzle your friends at cocktail parties. Read more about the four Cs of connoisseurship. Follow me on gem buying adventures in the pearl farms of Tahiti. Visit the gem fields of Australia and Brazil. 120 carefully selected photographs showing examples of the highest quality gems to educate the eye, including the Rockefeller Sapphire and many more of the world’s most famous gems. Consider my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones.


“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book, monumental work, a tour de force…My recommendation: Buy this book”.

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid

Only $37.95. Read a couple of chapters online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Buy it on Amazon: www.amazon.com

“Secrets of the Gem Trade” subject of Ventfort Hall lecture

– July 30, 2007

Described by Gemkey Magazine as “one of the world’s foremost gem connoisseurs,” gemologist Richard W. Wise will bring his expertise to a Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum visual presentation on Wednesday, August 29 at 4 p.m. A Victorian Tea will follow this final lecture of Ventfort Hall’s summer series.

Admission for the lecture and tea is $15 per person, members $12. For more information or reservations, please call 413-637-3206. Ventfort Hall is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.

The Golconda Diamond

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Golconda Diamond

by Richard W. Wise

© 2007

Just the other day one of my readers emailed a question about Golconda diamonds. A search of the literature reveals a great deal of uncertainty about the exact meaning of the term. The source of some of the confusion can be traced to the fact that the term Golconda diamond, like many another bandied about by diamond dealers and auction houses has more than one definition; this one appears to have two; one geographic the other varietal.

Definition 1:

Until the year 1725, when diamonds were discovered in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, most of the world’s diamonds came from India. A group of mines concentrated around the Krishna River in the Kingdom of Golconda, located in the modern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, were one major source of Indian diamonds. A majority of the diamonds mined were subsequently sold in the City of Golconda which became a major trading center. Several of the major mines, including Rammalakota and Kollur are mentioned by the famous Seventeenth Century French gem merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier as being a source of high quality diamonds.

Thus, our first definition: A Golconda diamond is a diamond from a specific geographic area within the historic Kingdom of Golconda.

Tavernier was one of the first connoisseurs to notice that diamonds from these mines were often exceptionally transparent and describes the best of the stones as” gems of the finest water.” The four criteria for evaluating any gemstone are: Color, Cut, Clarity and Crystal. These are what I refer to in my book, Secrets Of The Gem Trade, as “the Four Cs of Connoisseurship.” The term “water” combines two of the four, color and crystal. Color in diamond refers to relative colorlessness, a diamond graded “D” the highest grade, is a diamond totally without any trace of yellow. Crystal is the synonym for transparency that I have chosen to describe the fourth C of connoisseurship. I chose it because of its connotation (clear as crystal) and because it starts with the letter C and rhymes with the other three and is easily remembered.

Modern scientific analysis has shown that many famous high quality diamonds such as the Cullinan, Regent (image: at top of page) and The Koh-I-Noor that can be proven to come from the Golconda area are of a specific type of rare, almost pure diamond known as Type IIa. Less than 1% of the world’s diamonds are Type IIa. Scientifically speaking, Type IIa diamonds are diamonds that conduct electricity and contain no significant amount of nitrogen in the diamond crystal lattice.

Nitrogen is the impurity in diamond that imparts the yellowish hue. The lack of yellow makes for a pure colorless (D,E,F) color diamond. For some unknown reason, possibly plastic deformation of the crystal or unknown color centers, some type IIa diamond have yellowish, brownish or even pink body color. Some experts claim that all Golconda diamonds are Type IIa. There is, as far as I know, no scientific evidence to back up that claim.

Definition 2:

Science has not explained the exceptionally degree of transparency found in many Golconda stones. Some Type IIa diamonds also exhibit exceptional transparency or crystal. It may have something to do with the purity of the carbon crystal lattice. Type IIa diamonds are highly transparent in shortwave ultraviolet light.

The visible attribute is variously described as “clear as a mountain stream”, “whiter than white” and “super-d”. Some of these terms are misleading what we are talking about is super-crystal.

Transparency is more important in gems that are poorly cut. In India, then as now, good proportions took a backseat to size and weight. The French Blue, the type IIb gem that eventually became the Hope Diamond was originally 112 carats. Five years after Tavernier sold the stone to Louis XIV, Pitau the king’s diamond expert recut the stone to 66 carats to improve its brilliance and life a 40% loss in weight that would never have been countenenced in India. Visually, gems of fine water, however well cut, possess a unique beauty not found in other diamonds. In a world flooded with diamonds, this is indeed something special.

Thus, our second definition: Diamonds regardless of geographic origin that are of high color (D-E) that exhibit exceptional crystal are often called Golconda Diamonds.

The situation discussed above in not unique. Before gemologists worked out a way to identify the geographic origin of some diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald; gems with characteristics similar to those from a certain source were often described using geographic terms such as Cape (as in Good Hope), Kashmir, Burma and Ceylon. These terms have become ingrained in the public mind and associated with certain levels of quality. So today gemstones that can be proven to come from a famous location will often command a high premium that has little or no relationship to the quality of the given gemstone. At auction, diamonds with a proven Golconda provenance may fetch a premium of 50% or more over a diamond of comparable quality that lacks the Golconda provenance.

How does one establish that a diamond is from Golconda? Well, if you can document a chain of ownership dating back to 18th Century India you have a good case. If you are depending on science, forgetaboutit. Even if all Golconda diamonds were type IIa, it does not follow that all IIa diamonds are from Golconda. In fact we know that Brazil has produced type IIa stones.

So, eventually, you think, science will solve the puzzle. Not likely, diamonds are formed within the earth’s mantle deep beneath the country rock where ruby, sapphire and emerald are formed. Diamonds do not contain the signature inclusions that can be matched up with specific geographic locations that make it possible to identify their origin.

Ok, so which would you rather have, a diamond with high color and exceptional crystal or a diamond from one of the historic mines of Golconda? Well, if you are selling the best answer is both because if it of the finest water and a proven Golconda provenance it will command the highest premium of all. Speaking for myself, give me the most beautiful rock. Wouldn’t it be a lot simpler if the finest diamonds came from Hoboken, New Jersey.

If you are interested in learning more about Golconda Diamonds or are simply looking for a new way to dazzle your friends at cocktail parties. Read more about the four Cs of connoisseurship. Follow me on gem buying adventures in the pearl farms of Tahiti. Visit the gem fields of Australia and Brazil. 120 carefully selected photographs showing examples of the highest quality gems to educate the eye, including the Rockefeller Sapphire and many more of the world’s most famous gems. Consider my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones.


“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book, monumental work, a tour de force…My recommendation: Buy this book”.

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid

Only $37.95. Read a couple of chapters online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Buy it on Amazon: www.amazon.com

READ ON: GemWiseblogspotcom.blogspot.com
Order the book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones. Read a sample chapter online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com
Visit the jewels: www.rwwise.com

Semiprecious; A Term In Search of an epitaph

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In this post: Book Review: Hope Diamond by Richard Kurin


by Richard W. Wise, G.G.

©2007

Semiprecious is like semi-pregnant, it is a word that makes no sense. No less an authority than Robert M. Shipley, the founder of GIA, called it “an indeterminate and misleading classification”. Still, some people, including a good many dealers, stubbornly cling to it like limpets sucking on a rock. In ancient days do you suppose King Tut and the rest of the royals knew that they were using second class gems to decorate their tombs? When will this term finally be consigned to the linguistic dustbin where it truly belongs?

The French philosopher Voltaire insisted that intelligent discussion was impossible unless terms were defined. I contend that the precious versus semiprecious is a distinction without a difference and that semiprecious is a truly meaningless term. To use a meaningless term is to talk nonsense. To prove the point, I will issue this challenge. I say that the term precious cannot be defined in a way that excludes gemstones other than the usual list.

Consider, if you will, the usual suspects: The list of precious gems usually includes: diamond, ruby, blue sapphire and emerald. Right? Well if so what criteria make these gems and only these gems precious? All possess the usual criteria; beauty, rarity, value, durability but to the exclusion of all others? Take beauty, emerald can certainly be beautiful but is it more beautiful than its first cousins the aquamarine, the red beryl, the heliodor? It is worth more in the market than aquamarine and heliodor but is far more abundant and lower priced than red beryl.

Alexandrite, is another case in point, it possesses all of the criteria and is rarer than every gem on the list yet it is excluded. Why is blue sapphire a precious gem and yellow sapphire only semi-precious? Cuprian tourmaline from Paraiba, Brazil is hugely expensive, it is certainly beautiful and rare and durable to boot. Why isn’t cuprian tourmaline considered a precious gemstone?

If its precious, its, well precious but if it’s semiprecious is somehow less than precious. What makes one stone precious and another less so and why, one might ask, would anyone marketing a product use a term to describe that product that denigrates that product?

Win a Free Book:

I will give a free signed, hardbound copy of the 1st edition of my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones to the first of my readers to provide a definition of the term Precious that includes diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald and excludes all other gemstones.

A couple of ground rules; First, according to The Pocket Oxford to define means to “ to mark out the boundary of…to give the exact meaning of a word” thus if I say andesine is a precious gemstone the question is, what are the criteria that determine preciousness and does the given gem meet them? Second; a definition is not a list so something like “precious is a gemstone category that includes diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald.” is not acceptable because it is redundant like saying a “a rose is a rose”. What is required and acceptable is a true definition one that provides a basis, a series of criteria by which a stone is either included or excluded from the select company of precious gems. Third: Your answer must be posted in the comments section (below) of this blog post on or before April 20, 2007.

Book Review:

Hope Diamond, The Legendary History Of A Cursed Gem by Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Books, Harper Collins. $24.95

This wonderfully researched and lively account traces the story of the Hope Diamond and in the process debunks and dispels much of the misinformation surrounding the world’s most famous gem.

The debunking begins on page one. Years ago I heard a story that Harry Winston shipped the Hope to the Smithsonian by regular mail in a plain brown paper wrapped package. It went by mail alright in a plain brown wrapper but it was insured for a million dollars.

Kurin begins his tale at the beginning by making his own journey to northwestern India to the fabled Kingdom of Golconda and the storied mines of Kollur. This is the mine mentioned by the famed 17th Century French gem merchant, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Tavernier, the man who sold the diamond to Louis XIV of France was famously silent about where he obtained the stone but he does mention Kollur as a source of colored diamonds and based on that single mention, most experts have deduced that Kollur was the source.

What did he find in Kollur? Snakes! After a difficult three day journey following Tavernier’s route by car, snakes and very little else. There exists barely a trace of the old mines which were played out and abandoned in the 18th century. The presence of snakes together with a nearby mountain and bit of local folklore leads Kurin to speculate that perhaps, Kollur was the site of the original Valley of the Serpents mentioned by Marco Polo. A bit of a leap, perhaps, unlike Mogok, Kollur isn’t a deep valley but the locals do have a two-headed bird god and that is something the Burmese contender lacks.

Source of The Great Blue:

Kurin pulls together an interesting, if flawed, argument for Kollur as the source of the Hope. He points out that when Tavernier sold the stone to the Sun King, the Hope was barely fashioned, almost rough. From this he concludes that the stone was purchased at the mines.

His next conclusion is a bit more of a reach. With the meticulous attention to detail that he demonstrates throughout, Kurin discovered a short note by Tavernier on the original chart made up by the French gem merchant, describing number six of the best twenty stones Tavernier sold to the French monarch in 1668.

“C’est un autre diamante que j’achetais l’an 1653 a la mine de Coulour.”

Taking this statement and the fact that there are no other stones immediately adjacent to that bit of text, the author speculates that the autre diamond, to which Tavernier refers, may be the blue and if so, Kurin concludes, it was purchased in 1653 at Kollur.

The question is; to which diamond does the note refer and was number six another diamond purchased or another diamond purchased at Kollur? The passage can be read either way. The note, as Kurin points out, was not next to the Hope which was number one on the list. To that I would add two additional points that pose certain difficulties in accepting Kurin’s speculations: First, number six is a colorless diamond and both the stones, numbers five and seven, immediately adjacent to number six are also colorless and second; number six is shown as completely faceted even though, according to Tavernier’s own words, it was originally purchased at the mines at Kollur. Fact is, any dealer worth his salt knows a bit about recutting. The real question is; why if Tavernier did hold on to the stone for fifteen years why didn’t he recut it?

To the above I would add a further quibble. Tavernier was a dealer and speaking as a dealer I can state with some authority that our biggest thrill is the hunt. After the adrenalin rush of bagging a big, beautiful and expensive stone, a dealer’s next thrill is selling that big beautiful expensive stone to obtain the capital to begin the hunt all over again. Would a dealer hang onto such a treasure for 15 years if he could have sold it? I doubt it.

Harry Winston and The Smithsonian:

The book is a great read. I discovered interesting facts and important information not previously available with each turn of the page. One particular favorite is the section in which the author reproduces the correspondence between Harry Winston, his lawyers, The Smithsonian, their lawyers and the IRS and its lawyers that detail the labyrinthine negotiations that resulted in Harry Winston’s donation of the Hope Diamond to The Smithsonian. Winston was more than willing to donate the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian but he was also determined to receive its full value as a tax deduction.

Cartier versus Evalyn Walsh McLean:

In Chapter 19 we learn that Pierre Cartier was the man most responsible for promoting the Hope’s hard luck legend. Cartier bought the Hope in 1910 for $110,000 and was successful in selling the great blue to Evelyn Walsh McLean and her husband for $180,000 the same year. Cartier’s myth making nearly backfired, fearing the curse, the McLean’s tried to back out of the deal and Cartier had to seek court action to enforce the sale. In the end the fabulous wealthy socialites bought the stone on the installment plan for $1,000 a month.

Hope Diamond is the most authoritative account of the legendary blue gem published to date. It is also a great story packed with anecdotes detailing the machinations of the rich and shameless. Highly Recommended. Under 20 bucks on Amazon. Buy on Amazon


Interested in reading more about real life adventures and secrets of the gem trade? Follow me on gem buying adventures in the exotic entrepots of Burma and East Africa. Visit the gem fields of Austrailia and Brazil’s famous Capao mine. 120 photographs including some of the world’s most famous gems. Consider my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones.

“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book, monumental work, a tour de force…My recommendation: Buy this book”.

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid

Only $39.95. You can read a couple of chapters online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Buy it on Amazon: www.amazon.com

READ ON: GemWiseblogspotcom.blogspot.com
Order the book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones. Read a sample chapter online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com
Visit the jewels: www.rwwise.com