UpdateBot at 14:14, 27 April 2022

2022-04-27T14:14:08Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox diamond
| image = Jacob Diamond.jpg
| caption =
| name = Jacob Diamond
| carats = 184.5
| grams = 36.9
| color = Colorless
| cut = Rectangular cushion-cut
| mine = [[Golconda]]
| country = {{flagicon|India}} India
| cutter =
| found = 1884
| original_owner = The [[Nizam]] of [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]]
| owner = [[Government of India]]
| value = £100 million (2008)
}}
The '''Jacob Diamond''', also known as the '''Imperial''' or '''Victoria Diamond''', is a colorless [[Golconda Diamonds|Golconda diamond]] ranked as the fifth-biggest polished diamond in the world.<ref>{{cite news| title=India finally settles £1million Nizam dispute| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1584818/India-finally-settles-1million-Nizam-dispute.html| first=Rahul| last=Bedi| date=12 April 2008| newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]| location=London| accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=The Victoria| url=http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/victoriadiamond.html| publisher=Famous, Historic and Notable Diamonds}}</ref> The last [[Nizam of Hyderabad|nizam]] of the [[Hyderabad State]], [[Mir Osman Ali Khan]], found the diamond in the toe of the shoe of his father ([[Mahboob Ali Khan]]) at [[Chowmahalla Palace]] and used it as a paper weight for a long time. It was bought by the [[government of India]] for an estimated $13 million in 1995. It is [[Diamond cut|cut]] in a rectangular cushion-cut, with 58 [[facet]]s, and measures 39.5 mm long, 29.25 mm wide and 22.5 mm deep. The diamond weighs 184.75 [[carat (unit)|carats]] (36.90 g). Currently, it is kept at the [[Reserve Bank of India]] vaults in [[Mumbai]]. As part of the nizam's jewellery exhibition in 2001 and 2007, the Jacob Diamond was a major attraction at [[Salar Jung Museum]], [[Hyderabad]].

Unlike the famous [[Koh-i-Noor]], the Jacob Diamond has changed hands only twice in the history of its existence and has not been associated with violence.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nizams' Jewellery |url=http://nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/press_release.html |work=National Museum, New Delhi |accessdate=7 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091211181047/http://nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/press_release.html |archivedate=11 December 2009 }}</ref>

==History==
Before it was sent to Europe to be cut, the uncut diamond is believed to have been over {{convert|400|carat|g}} in weight.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Srivastava|first=Ahana|date=2019-04-29|title=10 Interesting Facts About The Diamond That's Bigger Than The Kohinoor|url=https://www.scoopwhoop.com/culture/jacob-diamond-facts/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=www.scoopwhoop.com|language=English}}</ref>

The diamond was put up for sale in 1891 by [[Alexander Malcolm Jacob]], hence the name. It was offered to [[Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI|Mahbub Ali Khan]] (the sixth [[nizam]] of Hyderabad). Initially, the nizam was quite uninterested in the diamond and offered a mere 40 lakhs (4 million rupees) for it. The nizam was asked to make a good faith deposit if he was to go through with the transaction. The European jewel cutters did not like this offer but were forced into court when they lost track of the nizam's deposit. Ultimately, the nizam was awarded the diamond for almost half his original offer, 23 lakhs (2.2 million rupees, approx. $50,000 at 2005 rates) when the case was resolved. Disillusioned by the process, and now considering the diamond to be unlucky, the nizam wrapped it in cloth and hid it away.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Diamond in a Shoe: The Jacob Diamond|url=https://www.livehistoryindia.com/cover-story/2019/04/21/diamond-in-a-shoe-the-jacob-diamond|access-date=2021-03-29|website=www.livehistoryindia.com|language=en}}</ref>

It was several years after the death of his father that the last nizam, [[Osman Ali Khan]], found the Jacob Diamond in the toe of his father's shoe at [[Chowmahalla Palace]], and he himself used it as a paperweight for a long time until the diamond's true value was realized. Later, the family wished to sell the Jacob among other jewels, but the Government of India blocked the sale, citing that the jewels are a national treasure that could not be sold to foreigners.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

After much litigation, the diamond was purchased by the Government of India from the nizam's trust for an estimated $13 million in 1995, along with other [[Jewels of The Nizams]], and is held at the [[Reserve Bank of India]] vault in [[Mumbai]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=The world's largest diamonds|url=http://business.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/jun/15/slide-show-9-the-worlds-largest-diamonds.htm|access-date=2021-03-29|website=business.rediff.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=One of The Largest Gems In The World, The Jacob Diamond|url=https://en.israelidiamond.co.il/wikidiamond/famous-diamonds/largest-gems-jacob-diamond/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Israeli Diamond}}</ref> The Jacob diamond along with jewels of Nizam were handed over by his descendants including Himayat Ali Mirza, and Mukaffam Jah.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Himayat Ali Mirza raises voice against negligence, illegal encroachments towards Nizam's properties|url=https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=875626|access-date=2022-01-09|website=www.daijiworld.com|language=en}}</ref>

Displayed as part of the nizam's jewellery exhibition in 2001 and 2007, the Jacob diamond was a major attraction at [[Salar Jung Museum]], Hyderabad.{{fact|date=February 2020}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Heart In Diamond|url=https://www.heart-in-diamond.com/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=www.heart-in-diamond.com}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Jewels of The Nizams]]
* [[Golconda diamonds]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Individual diamonds]]
[[Category:Jewels of the Nizams of Hyderabad]]
[[Category:Golconda diamonds]]

Jacob Diamond - Revision history

UpdateBot at 14:14, 27 April 2022