In our previous posts, we have discussed the history behind some of the world’s most famous gems and how they went on being jinxed. In this post, we continue to probe into some other gems that are considered cursed and the harbinger of mis-fortunes.
1. The Black Prince’s Ruby:
The gem on top of the British Imperial State Crown, a large, semi-polished, crimson orb was mined at Tajikistan was seized in 1366 from Abu Said by Don Pedro and his brother, Henry. After being defeated by Edward of Woodstock, aka The Black Prince, the large crimson egg-shaped gem passed to him as a payment. It later re-appeared in possession of King Henry 5 in 1415 on his war helmet, which was stuck upon by the French prince, Duc d’ Alençon during the war. Miraculously, both the gem and King Henry V survived.
The war helmet is said to reside in Westminster Abbey with two deep gashes freely visible to us. The gem then passed down to Queen Elizabeth 1. It was the King James 1 who then had the stone set in his state-crown. It was after the coronation of Charles 1, who was defeated by Cromwell, who either sold or melted the jewels and other treasures belonging to Charles 1. Fortunately the Black Prince’s Ruby was not one of them, as he didn’t get it stoned to his crown.
The ruby was lost, stolen, but it was always retuned to the British royals either by the quick action of the police or by the thieves themselves. The Ruby survived centuries undamaged. It was in the danger during WWII from Hitler’s bombs, but it again survived. It can today be seen at the Tower of London along with other royal gems.
2. Black Orlav:
A 67.5 carat, colorless, Indian rose-cut diamond, also called as Eye of Brahma Diamond was stolen by a monk which activated the curse of the diamond. In 1932,a diamond dealer J. W. Paris took the diamond to the US and committed suicide by jumping from a skyscraper in NYC and later bought by two Russian princesses Leonila Galitsine-Bariatinsky and Nadia Vygin-Orlov, who both jumped to their deaths. The diamond was broken into 3 pieces by Charles F. Winson in an attempt to break the curse; one of the piece, a 67.5-carat Black Orlov was then set into a brooch amidst 108 diamonds and is suspended from a necklace of 124 diamonds which was bought by Dennis Petimezas in 2004, The Black Orlov is on display at the American Museum of and the Natural History Museum in London.
3. Sancy Diamond:
The Sancy Diamond is a pale yellow 55.23-carat shield-shaped gem, and is one of the first diamonds to be cut with symmetrical facets. The diamond was purchased in Constantinople by Nicholas Harlai, the Seigneur de Sancy, and brought it to France to Henry III, who decorated it on a small cap he always wore. Henry IV borrowed the diamond as security and was sent with a messenger but it never reached his destination; Sancy trusting the man, searched his body and found the diamond in the stomach of the servant.
It is currently set in a plain border of white gold around the girdle and is almost colourless, with only a very faint pale greenish-yellow tint to it. It is on display at the Galerie d’Apollon in the Louvre.
4. The Regent Diamond:
Found in 1698 by a slave in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, India, the diamond was said to be 410 carat; the slave hid the diamond inside a large wound on his leg, which was later taken by an English sea captain and sold to an Indian merchant, Jamchand, who then sold it to Thomas Pitt then President of Madras which was sent to London and cut into 141-carat cushion brilliant. Remaining secondary smaller pieces were then sold to Russia’s Peter the great. The diamond was sold it to the French regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orleans and after Pitt’s death it was acquired by the crown, and hence came to be known as “Le Regent”.
It was passed down to numerous French rulers and finally today it is on display at the French Royal Treasury at the Louvre mounted in a Greek-style diadem for Empress Eugenie.
The regent diamond being cursed is due to the killing of the slave by the British sea captain. The misfortunes suffered by French rulers include- Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette who were decapitated; Louis XVIII was exiled and ultimately died childless; Charles X was forced to abdicate the throne and died a horrible death of Cholera, while Napoleon III died in exile.
Most of the diamonds that are cursed is mostly because they have been stolen or because there have been many murders and dacoits associated with these diamonds. Hence, if you wish to own a diamond- work hard and absolutely no greediness when it comes to treasures.
By: Archa Dave
