Black Orlov

Black Orlov
(Eye of Brahma Diamond)
Weight 67.5 carats (13.50 g)
Color Black
Country of origin India

The Black Orlov is a black diamond, also known as the Eye of Brahma Diamond. It weighs 67.50 carats (13.500 g).[1] The diamond—originally 195 carats (39.0 g)—is said to have been discovered in the early 19th century in India.[2] It supposedly featured as one of the eyes in a statue of the Hindu god Brahma in Pondicherry, until it was stolen by a monk.[3] According to legend, this theft caused the diamond to be cursed.[2] In 1932, diamond dealer J. W. Paris is said to have taken the diamond to the United States and soon after committed suicide by jumping from a skyscraper in New York City.[3]

Later owners included two Russian princesses called Leonila Galitsine-Bariatinsky and Nadia Vygin-Orlov (after whom the diamond is named).[1][3] Both women allegedly jumped to their deaths in the 1940s.[2][4] The diamond was later bought by Charles F. Winson and cut into three pieces in an attempt to break the curse; the 67.5-carat Black Orlov was set into a brooch of 108 diamonds, suspended from a necklace of 124 diamonds.[5] The diamond was purchased by diamond dealer Dennis Petimezas in 2004; Petimezas said he was "pretty confident that the curse is broken".[2] The Black Orlov has been displayed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City[6] and the Natural History Museum in London.[4]

References

Footnotes
  1. 1 2 Harlow, George E., p. 45
  2. 1 2 3 4 Jury, Louise (21 September 2005), "Curse of the 'Eye of Brahma' comes to London", The Guardian, Guardian Media Group, retrieved 10 June 2011
  3. 1 2 3 Fanthorpe, Lionel & Patricia, p. 203
  4. 1 2 "'Cursed' Black Diamond on Display", BBC News, BBC, 20 September 2005, retrieved 10 June 2011
  5. ↑ Lavis, Tom (2 March 2006), "Black Orlov Diamond Reportedly to be Worn by Nominee Huffman During Academy Awards", The Tribune-Democrat, Community Newspaper Holdings, retrieved 10 June 2011
  6. ↑ Balfour, Ian, p. 290
Sources
  • Balfour, Ian (1997), Famous Diamonds, Christie's Books, ISBN 0-903432-51-X 
  • Fanthorpe, Lionel; Fanthorpe, Patricia (2009), Secrets of the World's Undiscovered Treasures, Dundurn Press, ISBN 1-55002-938-X 
  • Harlow, George E. (1998), The Nature of Diamonds, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-62935-7 
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