New Delhi: India has been home to some of the most famous diamonds in history. The likes of Koh-i-Noor, the Hope Diamond, and the Daria-i-Noor have rich heritage and legacy associated with them. When we speak of famous diamonds in India, mention must be made of the Orlov diamond. Its tale is one of journeying from India to Russia, and there it served as a gift to a famous person in history. In this article, we will take a look at the tale of the Orlov diamond.
What is the Orlov diamond?
The Orlov diamond is a rose-cut gem from India. Its shape is like half an egg, with facets covering its domed surface, and the underside is nearly flat. According to historians, it was the Great Mughal Diamond in reality. The Orlov originated in India and is currently displayed as a part of the Diamond Fund collection of the Kremlin Armoury of Moscow. In 1774, it was encrusted into Russian Empress Catherine the Great’s Imperial Sceptre.
Where was the diamond found?
In the 17th century, the Orlov diamond was found in Golconda, which was famous for producing some of India’s most storied diamonds. There is a legend which states that a French soldier who had deserted during the Carnatic wars in Srirangam in 1747, stoled the diamond which was the eye of a temple deity Sriranganathar under the guise of being a Hindu.
Historians think that Orlov’s authenticated history extends to the middle of the 18th century when the stone belonged to Nader Shah, king of Persia. After his assassination, it was stolen and sold to an Armenian millionaire named Shaffrass. Experts are of the opinion that the Orlov diamond was originally the Great Mogul diamond.
How did the diamond reach Catherine the Great?
The stone changed hands several times and was sold to Shaffrass, an Iranian millionaire. He, in turn, sold the diamond to Hovhannes Lazarian, a representative of Count Grigory Grigorievich Orlov. According to reports, the Count paid around 1.4 million Dutch florins for it.
Count Orlov had a romantic relationship with Catherine the Great of Russia. He dethroned her husband in a coup and made Catherine the Empress of Russia. However, Catherine left Count Orlov eventually and he tried to win her back by offering her the Orlov diamond. It failed to bring her back but Catherine gave Count Orlov several gifts. The diamond was named after the Count, and Catherine had her jeweller design a sceptre with the diamond and thus, the Imperial Sceptre was made.
