(In Pics) Six of the Most Famous Jewels from History

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The coronation of King Charles later this year will doubtless involve much pomp and circumstance, but it will also bring to the fore a longstanding debate about the centerpiece of a royal crown, and specifically the jewel mounted there. The Koh-i-Noor diamond, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world at 105.6 carats, is a stone steeped in history and controversy.

Our fascination with gemstones seems to stretch far back through history, and our desire to possess the rarest (or at least what the ancients thought were the rarest) drives prices sky-high to this day. The Koh-i-Noor is just one of several such beautiful gemstones, all with a fascinating history.

Here are six of the most interesting:

1. The Koh-i-Noor

*The Koh-i-Noor or “Mountain of Light” dates back to at least the 1740s and is probably much older, and it was cut down from at least 186 carats to its current form on the order of* *Queen Victoria*, pictured above wearing it. Apparently the Queen did not approve of its failure to impress in its original form at the Great Exhibition of 1851. The diamond itself was a gift to Queen Victoria when India was controlled by the parasitic *East India Company, and many have called for its return (Franz Xaver Winterhalter /* *Public Domain*)

2. La Peregrina Pearl

*Discovered off the coast of* *Panama* *in 1576, La Peregrina is an enormous pearl, pear shaped and flawless. Initially purchased by Philip II of* *Spain* *for his wife Mary I of* *England, it eventually wound up in the hands of the Napoleons and was later bought by Richard Burton for Elizabeth Taylor. Here it is worn by the Spanish Queen María Luisa de* *Orleans* *(José García Hidalgo /* *Public Domain*)

3. The Cursed Hope Diamond

*Here worn by Evalyn Walsh McLean, its last owner, this* *deep blue diamond* supposedly carries a curse. Said to have been plucked from an Indian idol, several who have worn or owned it have died early. The fact that the diamond glows a sinister deep red under UV light only adds to its mystique (Harris & Ewing / *Public Domain*)

4. Three Brothers

In its 250 year history not much was changed about the setting of the Three Brothers, three giant red spinels arranged around a central diamond. The gems were originally created and set in the 14th century, becoming part of the *crown jewels* of England in 1551. However the brooch is lost today: put up for sale in the early 17th century, they disappear during the confusion leading up the English Civil War and remain missing still (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien / *Public Domain*)

5. The Florentine Diamond

Another lost gemstone, the Florentine Diamond (here worn by Mary Magdalene of Austria) was supposedly created for Charles the Bold, and worn by him when he was cut down in battle in 1476. Also said to have been owned by the Medici of Florence and a Pope, the stone travelled with Emperor Charles I of Austria into exile after World War I, where it was stolen and taken to South America. It is rumored to be in the United States today (Justus Sustermans / Public Domain)

6. The Beau Sancy Diamond

*The Beau Sancy Diamond (here as a breast pendant by Augusta Viktoria, wife of Kaiser Wilhelm II) is one of the most travelled gemstones in history. Originally from* *India*, it has been owned by the Medici, the kings of England and Prussia, The Prince of Orange and the Emperor of Germany. Most recently the stone was sold at auction in 2012 for $9.57 million, it remains in private hands today (Unknown author / *CC-BY-SA 3.0*)

Top Image: Replica of the Koh-i-Noor diamond in Mumbai, India. Source: aiva / CC BY 2.0.

By Joseph Green

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Joseph Green

Joseph Green is editor for Historic Mysteries, which combines his background in English Literature with a lifelong fascination for the strange and the unexplained. Read More