Nassak
| Gemstone: | Diamond |
|---|---|
| Source: | Amaragiri, Mahbubnagar district, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Weight: | 43.38 cts |
| Colour: | Blue-white |
| Cut: | Emerald |
| References: | Walter Schumann (2001) Gemstones of the World http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nassak_Diamond |
| Information Source: | Walter Schumann (2001) Gemstones of the World |
| History: | The diamond adorned the statue of Shiva in the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, near Nashik, in the state of Maharashtra, India from at least 1500 to 1817. The British East India Company acquired the diamond through the Third Anglo-Maratha War and sold it to British jewelers Rundell and Bridge in 1818. Rundell and Bridge recut the diamond in 1818, after which it made its way into the handle of the 1st Marquess of Westminster's dress sword. The Nassak Diamond was imported into the United States in 1927, and was considered one of the first 24 great diamonds of the world by 1930. American jeweler Harry Winston acquired the Nassak Diamond in 1940 in Paris, France and recut it to its present flawless 43.38 carats (8.68 g) emerald cut shape. Winston sold the diamond to a New York jewelry firm in 1942. Mrs. William B. Leeds of New York received the gem in 1944 as a sixth anniversary present and wore it in a ring. The Nassak Diamond was last sold at an auction in New York in 1970 to Edward J. Hand, a 48-year old trucking firm executive from Greenwich, Connecticut. |
| Dimensions: | 23x22x12 mm |