Golconda Diamonds: Princie Diamond

Princie Diamond

This unnamed 'Pink Diamond' which the actual year of  its discovery is yet unknown though its existence first recorded over 300 years ago. The 'Pink Diamond' has once in the possession of the ruling family of Turkey, and also once in the possession of the 'Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad' was the premier Prince of India, since 1724, belonging to the Asaf Jah dynasty - an illustrious and  wealthiest person ever lived in 1927 of Moghul empire in India.

Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad, 1724

The 'Pink Diamond' first appeared at a Sotheby's London auction in 1960 the rare diamond resurfaced as part of an auction featuring 'The Property of a Gentleman', and described as a spectacular (medium) pink cushion-cut diamond - the color and clarity grades of the pink diamond were not established at that time as such standard grades were perhaps unknown in the gemological industry - its origin is from the famous Golconda mining of Southern India, the source of all other famous Indian pink diamonds like Darya-i-Nur and Nur-ul-Ain.

The anonymous seller was later identified as one of the remaining family members of the Nizam Hyderabad. The 'Pink Diamond' - still unnamed - sold for the modern equivalent of $1.3 million dollars, and became the latest acquisition of Van Cleef and Arpels an

Estelle Arpels and

Alfred Van Cleef, 1895

international French jewelry, watch, and perfume company famous among to style icons such as Farah Pahlavi, the Duchess of Windsor, Grace Kelly, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Shortly after its purchase, they held an in-store celebration to introduce their rare 'Pink Diamond'. In attendance that evening was the 14-year old now former prince of Baroda; the diamond was christened 'Princie' in his honor. Then, the diamond slipped away from the public eye, and was not seen again until last week’s auction. The 'Princie Diamond' was the star of the auction, selling for $39.32 million dollars to an anonymous call-in bidder.

Maharani Sita Devi & her son Princie during inauguration of the

'Princie Diamond', 1960

Gemological Institute of America (GIA) certificate 5111433470 dated November 25, 2009: stating that the diamond is fancy intense pink, natural color, VS2 clarity - accompanied by a supplemental letter from the Gemological Institute of America stating that the diamond has been determined to be a Type IIa diamond.

Additionally, GIA further certified that the 'Princie Diamond' exhibited a bright-orange fluorescence when exposed to ultraviolet radiation - a unique reaction is a

Sample photo of orange-red fluorescence

in diamond

characteristic of diamonds known from Golconda origin. It states that out of more than 7 million diamonds that have gone through the Gemological Institute of America's laboratory, no more than 40 of them had exhibited the orange-red fluorescence or phosphorescence. Of these, the Princie Diamond is the largest pink diamond that possesses this outstanding phenomenon.

Map of Golconda mining region in India

Type IIa diamonds are the most chemically pure type of diamond and often have exceptional optical transparency. Type IIa diamonds were first identified as originating from India (particularly from the Golconda region) but have since been recovered in all major diamond-producing regions of the world. Among famous gem diamonds, the 530.20 carat Cullinan and the 105.60 carat Koh-i-noor are examples of Type IIa.

Now, the whereabouts of the 'Princie Diamond 'is unknown for the past 52 years until April 2013, when the diamond was featured at a New York Magnificent Jewels Sale held at the New York Rockefeller Plaza on April 16, 2013. Though the identity of the person who owned the diamond during this period was not revealed.

During the said auction the 'Princie Diamond'

Wittelsbach-Graff

diamond, 2008

sells for a total amount of US$39,323,750 setting new world records which surpassed the past US$24.3 million set by the 'Wittelsbach Diamond' at a Christie's auction held in December 2008.

Two years after the sensational sale of the historic 'Princie Diamond' at Christie's New York for the most expensive jewel sold at an auction in the United States, the most valuable diamond ever sold by Christie's, and the most valuable Golconda diamond ever sold at an auction, - the auction house Christie's is at the center of a legal dispute following a long-standing and rancorous dispute between the heirs of the first and second wives of the 'Pink Diamond' past owner, Renato Angiollilo  a wealthy Italian politician and journalist whom purchased the 'Princie Diamond' Necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels in 1961, and whose identity was previously withheld both by Van Cleef & Arpels and Christie's.

Renato Angiolillo, 1901-1973

At present the Angiollilo  clans are suing Christie's to recover the 'Pink Diamond', which Angelillo claims to have an insurance certificate proving his claim to ownership, along with damages.

Christie’s said that the suit “stems from a long-standing and highly contentious inheritance dispute among the members of an Italian family”. – Bloomberg: 03/24/2015


Note: Most of the photos here are taken from Pinterest, this post is not intended for copyright infringement nor plagiarism.

Note: I have tried my best to attribute images to their creators and original sources. Please contact at qolfera@gmail.com, if you know the source of images that are not attributed. Read Qolfera's disclosure policy.