Serguty at 18:50, 18 February 2026

2026-02-18T18:50:07Z

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{{Short description|70.21-carat blue diamond}}
{{Infobox diamond
| image =
| caption =
| name = Idol's Eye
| carats = 70.21
| grams =
| color = Very light blue
| cut = Tabular, free-form. Inscribed.
| mine = [[Kollur Mine]]
| country = [[India]]
| cutter =
| found = 1600
| original_owner = privately owned
| owner =
| value =
| Dimensions = {{cvt|26.1|x|24.53|x|13.43|mm}}
}}

The '''Idol's Eye''' (also '''Idols Eye''') is a 70.21-carat [[Golconda diamond]]. It has a very light blue colour with nine main facets and was found in 1600 in the [[Golconda Sultanate]] in southern India. According to legend, the diamond was initially owned by Prince Rahab of Persia, who gave it to his creditors to settle his debts. The diamond re-appeared on 14 July 1865, when it was introduced by [[Christie's]] for auction in [[London]], where it was purchased by [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] sultan [[Abdul Hamid II]]. After the [[Young Turk Revolution]] the jewel turned up in Paris on 24 July 1909, after which it was purchased by a Spanish aristocrat. Following [[World War II]], it was sold to the American jeweller [[Harry Winston]], and later purchased by the American philanthropist [[May Bonfils Stanton]]. After her death in 1962, it was purchased by the Chicago jewelry store owner Harry Levinson at auction.<ref>{{cite web|title=Idol's Eye: World Famous Diamonds|url=https://www.jewellermagazine.com/Article/544/Idols-Eye-World-Famous-Diamonds|work=jewellermagazine.com|access-date=5 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title="Idol's Eye" Diamond with Harry Winston Necklace Diamond: early 17th century, Necklace: mid 20th century|url=https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/655883+&cd=17&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ae|work=[[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]|year=2000|access-date=5 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Jewels: A Secret History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w2wmZIBdok0C&q=the+idols+eye+diamond|page=31|author=Victoria Finlay|year=2006| publisher=Random House Publishing |isbn=9780345493354|access-date=5 August 2022}}</ref><ref name="Baumgold">{{cite book|title=The Diamond: A Novel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZY7WF3duuE8C&pg=PA41|last=Baumgold|first=Julie|year=2005|pages=35–45|publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]|isbn=9780743274548|access-date=5 August 2022}}</ref>

It was owned by [[Saud bin Muhammed Al Thani]] at the time of his death in 2014.<ref>[https://archive.today/20250213183013/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/sheikh-loses-battle-to-buy-idols-eye-70-carat-blue-diamond-9n5zhxfp7 Sheikh loses battle to buy Idol’s Eye 70-carat blue diamond], February 13 2025, [[The Times]]</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [https://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/idolseyediamond.html The Idol's Eye]

[[Category:Golconda diamonds]]

{{gemology-stub}}

Idol's Eye - Revision history

Serguty at 18:50, 18 February 2026