Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE

3.3 b.y.a. Diamonds first formed deep in the earth.

2500 BC Diamonds were first mined in India. The Sanskrit word for
diamond is vajra, meaning thunderbolt,1 and indrayudha,
meaning Indra's weapon. The Hindus believed that diamonds
represented the power of Indra2 and put them in the eyes of
some of their statues. Indian manuscripts hint at their discovery
as early as 2500 BC.
Gilt bronze Indra from 13th century AD Nepal:
www.jnanam.net/indra/

2,500 BC The Chinese were using diamonds to fashion jade about 4,500
years ago.3 According to analysis by Harvard University
physicist Peter Lu, who used X-ray diffraction and electron
microprobe tests, both corundum and diamond had to have been
used to achieve the fine polish on several axes analyzed, and
not quartz as previously thought.

427-347 In Greece, Plato described diamonds as living creatures,

BC impersonating divine spirits. The Greek word for diamond
comes from the words adamas, meaning invincible, and
diaphanes, meaning transparent. The Greeks believed that
diamonds came from the Valley of Diamonds in Central Asia.
The diamonds were protected by snakes.

400 BC The earliest evidence of the use of diamonds as drills in India

dates back to 400 BC.

1
http://www.khandro.net/ritual_vajra.htm - 24.10.06
2
According to the holy text Rigveda, Indra is the chief deity, the god of weather and war, and lord of the netherworld
(Svargaloka) in Hinduism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra - 25.10.06
3
http://www.debeersgroup.com/debeersweb/About+De+Beers/De+Beers+History/ - 29.10.06;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4555235.stm - Tuesday, 17 May, 2005 - 29.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
372-322 Theophrastus (c. 372--322 BCE), a student of Plato and author
BC of "De lapidibus" ("On Stones"), apparently uses adamas to
refer to emery, a rock containing corundum, the next hardest
mineral.4

320-296 The earliest known Indian reference to diamond is a Sanskrit

BC manuscript, the Arthasastra ("The Lesson of Profit") by
Kautiliya, a minister to Chandragupta of the Mauryan dynasty
in northern India. Kautiliya states "(a diamond that is) big,
heavy, capable of bearing blows, with symmetrical points,
capable of scratching (from the inside) a (glass) vessel (filled
with water), revolving like a spindle and brilliantly shining is
excellent. That (diamond) with points lost, without edges and
defective on one side is bad." Indians recognized the qualities
of a fine diamond octahedron and valued it.5

254 - 184 Titus Maccius Plautus – Roman playwright – has been

BC attributed with the earliest written reference to rings as love
tokens.

31 BC- During the Roman period, “Indian diamond crystals in their

476 AD uncut state are on rare occasions seen in rings.”6

AD 79 Pliny the Elder describes the efficacy of diamonds as tools in

his encyclopedia "Historia naturalis." He states: "The substance
that possesses the greatest value, not only among precious
stones, but of all human possessions, is adamas; a mineral
which for a long time, was known to kings only, and to very
few of them...These stones [diamonds] are tested upon the
anvil, and will resist the blow to such an extent as to make the
iron rebound and the very anvil split asunder.”7

4
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/mediterranean.html - 31.10.06
5
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/india.html - 31.10.06
6
Phillips, 1996: 25.
7
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/mediterranean.html - 31.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
600 Diamond mining believed to have been used by the people of
Borneo.8

1061 Marbode, Bishop of Rennes (1061--1081), wrote "De

gemmarum," on the spiritual and medicinal attributes of gems.
In the book Marbode describes diamond: "This stone has aptitude
for magical arts, indomitable virtues it provides the bearer, nocturnal
spirits and bad dreams it repels, black poisons flee, disputes and
screams are changed. Cures insanity, strikes hard against enemies.
For these purposes the stone should be set in silver, armored in gold,
and fastened to the left arm."9

1083- The Koh-i-Noor diamond is thought to have been originally

1323 possessed by the Kakatiya dynasty of India. In 1850 it was
confiscated and then given to Queen Victoria, and is now part
of the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. (*See
Famous Diamonds section of this paper.)

c. 1200 Development of the 'table-cut' – where an octahedron was cut

to have a large table and, eventually, a small culet.

1214- An act of Louis IX of France that established a sumptuary law

1270 reserving diamonds for the king tells of the rarity of diamonds
and the value conferred upon them at that time. Within a
century diamonds appeared in royal jewelry of both men and
women, then among the greater European aristocracy, with the
wealthy merchant class showing the occasional diamond by the
17th century.10

1283 Law established in England which only permitted those of

noble birth to wear jewels.11

8
De Beers website
9
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/middle.html - 31.10.06
10
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/royal.html - 31.10.06
11
Tolansky, 1962: 72.
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1330s Venice established an early predominance in the diamond trade,
as stones from India were carried across the southern trade
caravan routes via Arabia to Alexandria, and from there by sea
to Italy. The earliest evidence for diamond cutting comes from
Venice.12

 Sketch by Albrecht Durer – 149513 Drawing of Venetian

Lady.

Mid 14th A major advance in faceting came about with the introduction of the
century polishing wheel, or scaife.14 This new technology led the way for
manufacturing brighter diamonds with increased facet pattern
complexity. Around the same time the rose cut appeared. Its shape is
basically flat and usually circular, with a faceted, domed top and plain
bottom. This cut was well suited to the use of diamond fragments and
the thinner forms of diamond rough called macles and flats. The
major sources of this cut, which had many variations, were the
diamond centers of Amsterdam and Antwerp, and were common until
the early 1900's.15

1363 Edward III of England increases the restriction on the wearing

of jewels, and even forbade knights from wearing precious
stones.16
Edward III of England (1312-1377), illustration from Cassell's
History of England - Century Edition - published circa 1902.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_III_of_England

1412 By polishing down the dodecahedron plane, the lozenge cut

was established.17

1447 Ordinance of Antwerp issued stating a fine as a penalty for

those dealing in imitation gemstones.

12
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557986_2/Diamond.html - 30.10.06
13
http://www.renaissancewoman.net/realmofvenus/wardrobe/VENETIANLADYDurer1495.jpg - 29.10.06
14
scaife - Diamond powder is rubbed on or impregnated into a cast iron wheel known as a scaife, which is used for
polishing. http://www.triquartz.co.uk/diamond.html
15
http://www.diamondexpert.com/articles/cut.html – 30.10.06 A Brief History of Cut Diamonds by Gary Dutton.
16
Tolansky, 1962: 72.
17
Ibid.
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1470 The 55.23 carat pear shaped, pale yellow Sancy* was said to
have been worn by Charles the Bold around 1470. Bought by
Seigneur de Sancy from the the French ambassador to Turkey in
1570. Now at the Louvre, in Paris.18

1476 Lodewyk van Berquem, a Flemish polisher of Bruges,

introduced absolute symmetry in the disposition of facets. He
cut stones in the shape known as pendeloque or briolette; these
were pear-shaped with triangular facets on both sides.19

1477 Archduke Maximilian I of Austria gave the first diamond

engagement ring on record to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. He
had the ring commissioned to unite their two houses and make
their marriage a unifying symbol to the country.20
Mary of Burgundy
Archivo Iconografico, S.A./Corbis
http://www.britannica.com/eb/art-16598

1498 Vasco de Gama's discovery of the sea route from India to

Europe in 1498 sealed the demise of Venetian leadership both in
trading rough diamonds and in cutting.

1582 October 25 – the first guild of diamond cutters was established

in Antwerp.

c. 1600 Idol's Eye* diamond discovered at Golconda, India.

18
Schumann, 1999: 78. Photo from http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/sancydiamond.html - 26.10.06
19
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_cut - 30.10.06
20
The History of the Engagement Ring - http://www.royalfinejewelers.com/Articles/Article.aspx?id=52 - 28.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
c. 1650 By the mid-seventeenth century the old single cut emerged. This
design was formed by producing a more rounded overall shape with
an octagonal-shaped table and eight facets on each the crown and
pavilion. This cut eventually evolved into the brilliant cut with the
complete rounding of the girdle and the application of additional
facets to the crown and pavilion. Today round diamonds of less than
0.20ct. (used largely as accent stones in jewelry), called melee, are
frequently cut as single cuts because smaller stones require fewer
facets.21

1676 Jean Baptiste Tavernier was amongst the first Europeans permitted to
examine the gems of the Mogul rulers of India. He published
descriptions and illustrations of several stones in his book, Six
Voyages of Jean Baptiste Tavernier.

One of Tavernier's illustrations22 from his Six Voyages book. Diamond

#1 is the Great Mogul; #2 is the Florentine; #3 is the Great Table.

1698 Discovered in Golconda, India and later cut in England (1704-06)

where it was purchased for the French Crown at the behest of the
Regent Philippe d'Orléans in 1717. The Regent surpassed in beauty
and weight (140.64 carats) all the diamonds known in the western
world until that time. Even today, its flawless brilliance (white with
pale blue) and perfect cushion-cut ensure that it is still considered the
finest diamond in the world.
Assigned to the Louvre Museum in 1887.23

1725 The first diamonds were discovered in South America at Tejuco,

Minas Gerais in Brazil.24

This map shows that diamond deposits are widely distributed in

Brazil. Those in the states of Minas Gerais, Bahia, Mato Grosso, and
Rora’ma have been the most important. The shaded areas are
diamond deposits.
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/brazil.html

21
Ibid n. 9
22
http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/koh-i-noordiamond.html - 24.10.06
23
http://www.louvre.fr/llv/ - 30.10.06
24
Schumann, 1999: 72.
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
During the early 18th century, Brazil, the new center of world
Early diamond production, gave rise to the cushion-shaped old-mine cut.
18th Like the modern brilliant cut it had 33 crown and 25 pavilion facets.
century

D. Jeffries publishes his 'Treatise on Diamonds and Pearls' which

discusses for the first time, assessing value of rose & brilliant cut
diamonds.25

1751
1796 Diamond discovered to be composed of carbon.26

1819 The first published mention of 'Herkimer diamonds' was made

by Professor Benjamin Silliman of Yale University in the
American Journal of Science. These are doubly terminated
quartz crystals that were often sold as diamonds.27

1823 J. Mawe publishes the first book on cutting techniques, 'Treatise on

Diamonds.'28

1837 Charles Lewis Tiffany and John E. Young establish 'Tiffany &
Young'.29
1853
Charles Tiffany takes control and renames the store 'Tiffany &
Co.'

1853
Louis-François Cartier opened his business in Paris.
Eventually this shop would serve clients like the Empress
Eugénie, Kind Edward III of England, Alfonso XIII of Spain,
Carlos I of Portugal, Tsar Nicholas II, King Paramindr Maha
Chulalongkorn of Siam, King George I of Greece, and King
Zog of Albania.

25
Tolansky, 1962: p. 80
26
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/growing.html - 31.10.06
27
http://www.herkimerdiamond.com/History06.html - 6.10.06
28
Tolansky, 1962: p. 82
29
http://www.tiffany.com/about/Timeline.aspx – 29.10.06 (unless stated elsewhere, all Tiffany references are from this site).
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1853
Star of the South discovered in Brazil. 262 ct. rough; 128.48 ct
oval; Type II, VS-2 in clarity and Fancy Light Pinkish-Brown in
color. 30

1866 15 year old Erasmus Jacob discovers the Eureka Diamond

(21.25 carats rough) on the banks of the Orange River in South
Africa.
Brilliant cut to 10.73 carats – bought by De Beers in the mid
20th century and donated to the people of South Africa. It is on
permanent loan to the Kimberley Mine Museum.

1867 Discovery of the kimberlite pipe in South Africa.

1875 First consolidation in the diamond market, when owners of
claims in South Africa joined together in a collective.
1878 C.L. Tiffany purchases the Tiffany Yellow. A yellow cushion
shaped brilliant diamond of 128.54 carats and containing an
impressive 90 facets. Its cutting was supervised by the first
gemologist to be hired by a jeweler, Dr. G.F. Kunz. The
diamond had been discovered the year before in the Kimberley
Mine of South Africa, and its rough weight was 287.42 carats.

1883 A diamond was discovered in Ontario in a glacial drift. This led to a

hypothesis by W.H. Hobbs (University of Wisconsin) put forth in
1889 that diamonds had been carried by glaciers in North America.31

1885 - Old European cut is the new cutting style predominantly used
1915 during this period and replaces the
cushion-shaped old mine, with a round
shape.

30
Gems & Gemology, Spring 2002, Volume 38, Issue 1
31
http://atlas.gc.ca/sites/english/maps/economic/diamondexploration/diamondexploration/1 - 29.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1886 Tiffany introduces the famous “Tiffany setting”. A six-prong
diamond solitaire engagement ring setting that raises the
diamond above the band, to maximize the light to reach the
gem, and therefore its overall beauty.

1887 At the sale of the French Crown Jewels in 1887, Tiffany's

bought a great diamond necklace of Empress Eugénie,
considered at the time to have been the finest single item to go
on sale, four diamonds which may have been among the former
Mazarins, as well as several other pieces. In the end, Tiffany's
emerged as the largest buyer, with 24 of the total 69 lots.32
Charles Tiffany is dubbed by the press as the “King of
Diamonds”.
Cameo portrait of Charles Louis Tiffany (1812-1902);
c.1900, gold, shell, sardonyx, sapphires, diamonds.
http://www.gilbert-collection.org.uk/exhibitions/Tiffany/ - 29.10.06

1888 Cecil Rhodes founds De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited.33

1890 In February 1890, De Beers signed a sales contract with the
newly formed London Diamond Syndicate, which agreed to
purchase the entire production from all the De Beers mines.
This syndicate was the model on which Ernest Oppenheimer
was to establish the Diamond Corporation, which in turn
formed the basis of the Central Selling Organisation.
Cover of the first De Beers annual report – July, 1889.
http://www.debeersgroup.com/debeersweb/About+De+Beers/De+Beers+His
tory/

1902 The "Asscher cut diamond" was developed in 1902 by the

Asscher Brothers of Holland. It is a stepped square cut, often
called the "square emerald cut" and like an emerald cut, the
Asscher has cropped corners.34

32
http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/tiffanyyellowdiamond.html - 29.10.06
33
http://www.debeersgroup.com/debeersweb/About+De+Beers/De+Beers+History/ - 30.10.06
34
http://www.thediamondbuyingguide.com/asscher_cut_diamond.html - 28.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1905 Discovery of the largest rough gem-grade diamond ever found,
the Cullinan* (3,106 ct), from the Premier Mine in South
Africa.
It was
subsequently cut
into 9 large pieces
for making
reasonable sized stones.35

1906 Van Cleef & Arpels (VCA) – opens a boutique at 22 Place

Vendôme in Paris.36

1906 Diamonds discovered at Murfreesboro, Arkansas. In 1952 the

site was dubbed 'Crater of Diamonds', and is now operated as a
park. In 1924 it produced the 40.23 ct. 'Uncle Sam'. In 1974, the
16.37 ct 'Amarillo Starlight' was found, and in 1977 the 'Kahn
Canary' (photo left) weighing 4.25 ct.37

1908 Supposedly the Briolette of India (90.38 carats) was given to

Eleanor of Aquitaine by Louis VII of France in 1137, later to
Diane de Poitiers by Henry II in the 16th century. It was sold to
Harry Winston in 1950. Originally thought to have been the
oldest diamond, but more recent research has shown that it was
cut in Paris around 1908-09.

1917 Ernest Oppenheimer founds the Anglo American Corporation

Mining Company (AAC) of South Africa

1919 The early modern Tolkowsky brilliant cut - was a theoretical work
describing the best proportions of a round brilliant diamond which
would provide a balanced return of light (brilliance) and dispersion.
As a result, many cutters were led to fashion many of the larger, high
quality goods in the range of these proportions. These proportions are
also sometimes called the "American Ideal Cut", even though the
work originated in Europe. Subsequently, the American Gem Society
adapted proportional ranges for their "Ideal" (zero, 0, best) cut grade,
based on this work and they are still used today.38

35
http://diamond-information.tripod.com/The_Cullinan_Diamond.htm - 31.10.06
36
http://vancleef-arpels.com/en - 29.10.06
37
http://www.arkansas.com/things-to-do/diamond-hunting/ - 31.10.06; photo of Kahn Canary in its ring setting custom-
designed for Mrs. Clinton for the 1993 Inauguration of the president -
http://www.diamondtutorials.com/articles/diamonds.tutorials/103/The_Kahn_Canary_Diamond.html
38
Based on Marcel Tolkowsky's published thesis entitled, "Diamond Design: A Study of the Reflection and Refraction of
Light in Diamond", in 1919. http://www.diamondexpert.com/articles/cut.html - 29.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1922 The step cut baguette accentuates a diamond's luster,
whiteness and clarity but downplays its fire. It was very
fashionable during the Art Deco period. It is characterized by
square corners with rows of step-like facets parallel to the table.
Photo: 14K White Gold Curved Flower 1.18ct Baguette
Diamond Ring; $3,350.39

1927 The second largest known red diamond – known simply as the
Red Diamond*, was discovered in South Africa in 1927. It is an
emerald cut gem weighing 5.05 carats. Whereabouts presently
unknown.

1930 Diamond Corporation founded to negotiate cartel contracts with

mines not owned by De Beers.

The 'Mystery Setting' (also known as an invisible setting) is

developed, and is patented and used by many of VCA signature
pieces.
1933
1934 Diamond Trading Company formed.

1934 The Jonker Diamond - At the time of its discovery in 1934, this
726-carat diamond was the fourth largest gem-quality diamond
ever found. In 1977, it was sold for a reported $2,259,400.40

Actress Shirley Temple holding the Jonker rough.

http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/jonkerdiamond.html

1939 Van Cleef & Arpels is one of the first “European luxury firms”
to move to the New World - 5th Avenue in New York.
A Rare Art Deco Diamond and Emerald Brooch, Van Cleef &
Arpels, circa 1925. Auction Estimate: $20,000 — $25,000.
Dupuis Fine Jewellery Auctioneers – December 2006
highlight41

39
http://www.pamlicojewelry.com/fancy-rings/14k-white-gold-curved-flower-1-18ct-baguette-diamond-ring-p17125.html
40
http://www.diamondfacts.org/about/mining.html
41
http://www.dupuis.ca/auction_highlights.jsp?auctionid=55&ID=5825 - 29.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1940s VCA new diamond jewelry line - Cristaux de neige, c. 1946
photo from:
http://www.hancocks-london.com/acatalog/hj_maker_022.html

Post The modern round brilliant cut diamond, differs from the
WWII Tolkowsky cut in that it now has a very small or no culet, the
table size range is generally larger and the lower girdle facets
are cut deeper.

1949 "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend", written by Jule Styne, was
introduced by Carol Channing in the original Broadway
production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.42

1950 The now famous De Beers slogan "A Diamond is Forever" was
created.43

1953 The first team to discover how to synthesize diamond was led by
Baltazar von Platen, at the Allmanna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget
(ASEA) Laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden, but this initial success
was not published. Later, on February 15, 1955, the General Electric
team of Francis Bundy, Tracy Hall, Herbert Strong, and Robert
Wentorf claimed credit for the first reproducible transformation of
graphite to diamond.44

1954 The Moon of Baroda* – canary yellow, pear shaped diamond of

24.04 cts. - worn by Marilyn Monroe in the movie “Gentlemen
Prefer Blondes.”
 Photo of replica from:
http://www.rakuten.co.jp/tamachi/472801/731104/731191/

1954 Larisa Popugayea and Fyodor Belikov discovered a Siberian

diamond field that would make their nation one of the greatest
producers of all time.

42
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamonds_Are_a_Girl's_Best_Friend - 30.10.06
43
http://www.edwardjayepstein.com/diamond.htm - 30.10.06
44
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/growing.html - 31.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1955 Prince Rainier offers Grace Kelly a pearl and diamond necklace
as an engagement present, and a 12 carat emerald cut diamond
ring.

Official engagement photo (January 6, 1956)

http://worldroots.com/brigitte/gifs2/grace38.jpg

1958 Harry Winston donated the Hope Diamond* to the Smithsonian

Institute.

1961 Development of the princess cut, by A. Nagy.

1961 Queen Anne-Marie of Greece wears diamond & ruby set by

VCA.

Photo:
http://www.royal-magazin.de/griechenland/annemarie-
rubies.htm

1961 A publicity photo of Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film

Breakfast At Tiffanys. The film did a lot for the Tiffany image -
the store and the film are now forever associated with each
other. This photo shows the stone set in the "Bird on the Rock"
brooch, which was designed by the famous Tiffany jeweler Jean
Schlumberger. The piece is the Tiffany Yellow's most well-
known setting, and is the setting it remains in to this day.45

1964 Seabed recovery of diamonds off the coast of Namibia

45
http://www.diamondarticles.com/articles/famous-diamonds/tiffany-yellow-diamond.php - 29.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1969 Cartier acquires the pear-shaped diamond (69.42 cts), which
was subsequently sold to Richard Burton for Elizabeth Taylor.46
The Taylor-Burton diamond, as it was to become known, was
cut from a rough stone weighing 240.80 carats found in the
Premier Mine in 1966 and subsequently bought by Harry
Winston. It passed to another private owner before it was
auctioned off and acquired by Cartier.47

1976 The Cubic Zirconia (CZ) is a low cost, durable synthesized

material that has remained the most gemologically and
economically important diamond simulant since 1976.48
1979 Diamonds found at Smoke Creek, Australia. By October
1983 geologists had discovered the main Argyle pipe known as AK1.
Alluvial mining commenced at Smoke Creek and the Argyle
Diamond Mine opened by December 1985.49
The geology of the region creates the very rare and very
beautiful pink diamonds, 0.1% of the total of the mine's
diamonds.
1983 The Flanders cut – an Ideal Square Cut with corners shortened,
was developed by a gemologist in Belgium with the aid of a
computer. It contains 61 facets.

1984 The Zale diamond, an 890.25-carat

(rough) golden yellow stone, was
unveiled to the public in New York
in November 1984.
It was cut into a triolette of 407.48
ct., and renamed The Incomparable.
Owners: Marvin Samuels and Louis
Glick
Origin: Mbuji Mayi in the
Democratic Republic of Congo
(formerly Zaire), Africa - in the
1980s.50

46
Trétiack, 2004: 75.
47
http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/taylor-burtondiamond.html - 7.10.06
48
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubic_zirconia - 30.10.06
49
http://www.brysonburke.com/argyle_geology4.html - 31.10.06
50
http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/incomparablediamond.html - 31.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1984 Argyle Diamonds began polishing diamonds. Its Perth
processing centre is the first of its kind in Australia.51

1985 Hearts and arrows (H&A) is a cutting style for round brilliant
diamonds modeled after a pattern popularized by the EightStar
Diamond Company. The pattern is a series of eight gray
arrowheads when viewed from above the crown with one eye and
eight heart shapes when viewed from below the pavilion.
1986 The Golden Jubilee - Unearthed at the Cullinan mine in South
Africa in1986, this 755.50-carat fancy yellow-brown diamond is
now the largest cut diamond in the world, weighing 545.67
carats. The diamond was presented to the King of Thailand in
1997 for his Golden Jubilee - the 50th anniversary of his
coronation. Prior to this event, the stone was simply known as
the Unnamed Brown.52
1990 De Beers splits into National and International business lines
1991 First discovery of Canadian diamonds at the Lac de Gras area
of the NWT, by Charles Fipke.

1992 De Beers opened office in Moscow

1994 Eira Thomas leads a geological team in the NWT, and discovers
the Diavik Diamond Project Pipes.

51
http://www.costellos.com.au/diamonds/industry.html - 2.11.06
52
http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/goldenjubileediamond.html - 5.11.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1995 Sheik Ahmed Hassan Fitaihi, from Saudi Arabia, paid
$16,548,750 for a pear-shaped, flawless, 100.1 carat "D"
diamond from Sotheby’s - the Star of the Season.53 This is a
world auction record for the most ever paid for a piece of
jewellery.

1995 The Buddha Cut, a diamond polished in the shape of a

meditating Buddha, was co-designed in 1995 by a Buddhist
member of the Japanese Soto Zen federation and Oliver Korn
for J. Korn & Partners. The name is patented. It is hand-cut in
Antwerp and is faceted much like modern brilliant cuts, with 33
crown facets, 21 pavilion facets and a culet. The girdle is also
faceted. Qualities range in color from F through K,VVS to SI in
clarity. For religious reasons, the head of the finished Buddha
Cut must be free of inclusions. Cutting the shape requires
typical rough for fancy shapes, but due to the intricate design,
weight loss tends to be much greater than typical fancies, with
65 to 70 percent lost during cutting.54

1995 The Louvre honours Tiffany designer Jean Schlumberger with a

retrospective entitled “A Diamond in the City”. Only the third
time ever that the museum had ever honoured a jeweler.

JEAN SCHLUMBERGER's
treasures from the sea

1996 Ralph Wobito develops the Snowflake cut – which goes on to

win many international gem cutting competitions.

53
http://www.diamondarticles.com/articles/famous-diamonds/star-season-diamond.php - 25.10.06
54
http://www.diamondarticles.com/articles/fancy-shaped-diamonds/buddha-fancy-cut-diamond.php - 30.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1996 Grib Pipe northeast of Arkhangel'sk, Russia discovered.55

1997 Eira Thomas was promoted to Vice-President Exploration for

Aber.
1998 De Beers consolidates into 'De Beers Group of Companies'
1998 Titanic – the movie features Kate Winslett, as Rose, wearing the
Heart of the Ocean. The actual film version diamond was based
on the Hope Diamond*, but made of paste. Subsequently the
jewelers Asprey & Garrard were inspired to make a real
version. The result was a 170 carat heart shaped sapphire with
65 diamonds, each 30 carats. Celine Dion wore it at the Oscar
ceremony as she sang "My Heart Will Go On" - the theme song
from Titanic during the 1998 ceremony. It was later sold at a
benefit auction for $2.2 million.56
1998 Charles and Colvard introduced jewel-quality synthetic silicon
carbide onto the market under the name "moissanite,"
marketing it as a lower-cost alternative to diamond. Simulated
moissanite is almost as hard as diamond, with a slightly higher
refractive index and greater dispersion; these qualities make
SiC a decent and durable diamond simulant.57

55
http://www.brysonburke.com/mining_russia.html - 31.10.06
56
http://www.diamond-legend.info/history/titanic.html - 30.10.06
57
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_carbide#As_a_Jewel - 30.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
1998 The first diamond mine - Ekati - was opened in the NWT,
Canada, by BHP Billiton and the geologists Charles Fipke and
Dr. S.E. Blusson.58

45- 62 million year old kimberlite pipes59

Fipke published his diamond discovery story Fire Into Ice in

1999.

1999 Tiffany introduces a new diamond engagement ring, the

Lucida™, the cut is patented and the setting a Tiffany original.
It is a square mixed cut stone with 50 facets; contains a high
step-cut crown, proud wide corners, a small table and a brilliant
pavilion.

1999 Polar Bear Diamonds™ was originally established by Sirius

Diamonds in 1999.60 It is a cutting and certification laboratory
that guarantees 100% Canadian origin and craftsmanship, and its
diamonds are laser inscribed with a polar bear on the girdle.

2000 August 2000, De Beers completed the acquisition of a property,

which may well host De Beers first mine outside the African
continent - the Snap Lake project in Canada's Northwest
Territories.

58
http://ekati.bhpbilliton.com/ - 27.10.06
59
Creaser, R.A. et al, 2004. "Macrocrystal phlogopite Rb-Sr dates for the Ekati property kimberlites, Slave Province,
Canada: evidence for multiple intrusive episodes in the Paleocene and Eocene", 8th International Kimberlite Conference
Selected Papers, vol. 1, pp. 399-414.
60
http://www.polarbeardiamond.com/ - 29.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
2001 The necklace made for the
movie “Moulin Rouge” was
designed by Stefano Canturi.
It contains a total of 1,308
diamonds weighing 134
carats, and is regarded as the
“most valuable piece of fine
jewelry ever created
especially to be featured in a
motion picture.”61 The 18K
white gold necklace was
named after the character for
which it was made – Satine.

2001 September 11 - Much of the Harry Winston collection was

stored in secured vaults in the basement of the World Trade
Center in New York. It is unclear what happened to these items
following their collapse after the terrorist attack.
2002

First underground mine at Koala North Pit – Ekati.

2002 G8 Alberta, Canada – G8 countries pledge support for an int'l effort

to stem the flow of conflict diamonds

2003 January 1, 2003, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme

for international trade in rough diamonds was implemented.
2003 Jan. 2003 – final permission granted to proceed with
development of Pigeon, Beartooth and Sable kimberlite pipes at
Ekati.
2003 Stornoway Diamond Corporation was formed in July 2003
through a merger between Stornoway Ventures and Northern
Empire Minerals, creating the strongest Canadian owned
diamond exploration company in Canada.
2003 Opening of the second Canadian diamond mine – Diavik – by
Rio Tinto and Aber Diamond Corporation.62

61
Nicolas Luchsinger – writing for the Christie's catalogue, for the sale of the piece.
http://www.christies.com/jls_sites/magjewels_oct01_ny/moulin.asp
62
http://www.diavik.ca/ - 29.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
2003 The Millennium Star was part of the Splendour of Diamonds
Exhibition at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC over
the summer of 2003. Other diamonds in the exhibition were the
Allnatt, the Pumpkin, the Steinmetz Pink, the Ocean Dream, the
Heart of Eternity and the Moussaieff Red.63

1998- Between 1998 and 2004, the Ekati mine has produced
2004 26,033,000 cts (5,207 kg) of diamonds. It is expected to yield
revenues of about C$500 million a year for at least 25 years.64

2004 Aber Diamond Corporation purchases controlling interest

(51%) in Harry Winston for $85 million.

2005 Panda underground – at Ekati, commenced – expected life 4

years.
End of life for Koala pit.

Panda pit
2006 August 17, 2006 - Opening of the third Canadian diamond mine
– Jericho, in Nunavut – by Tahera. Highlight of the second
quarter of production was a 59 carat diamond valued in excess
of $400,000 US.65
172 million year old kimberlite field.
Of note is the agreement between Tahera and Tiffany & Co.,
which ensures that Tiffany will purchase or market all of
Jericho's production.
2006 September 13, 2006 - Aber Diamond Corp. fast-tracked plans to
solidify its ownership of Harry Winston Inc., saying it will pay
US$157 million for the remaining 47 per cent of the famed
jeweller it doesn't already own.

63
http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/si-gems/exhibitinfo.html - 28.10.06
64
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekati_Diamond_Mine - 17.6.07
65
http://www.tahera.com/Operations/Mining/JerichoDiamondMine/default.aspx - 29.10.06
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
2006 Richard Kurin publishes a new book on the Hope Diamond:
The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem.

2006 Blood Diamond – starring Leonardo DiCaprio, opens in

December, 2006. It has caused a lot of controversy leading up
to its release, with De Beers stating concerns that the film may
cause a decline in the desire for people to purchase diamonds.
“De Beers maintains that the trade in conflict diamonds has
been reduced from 4% to 1% by the Kimberley Process and it
has been suggested that the company pushed for the movie to
contain a disclaimer saying the events are fictional and in the
past.”66

2007 1 May 2007 – Liberia relaunches its diamond trade following

the lifting of the trade embargo by the UN. Ten gov't offices
will be set up to ensure diamonds are certified under the
'Kimberley Process'. The embargo was placed in punishment
for Liberia's guns-for-gems trade in support of Sierra Leone's
rebels in May of 2001.
2007 4 May 2007 – Tahera/Jericho - 1st quarter results
0.44ct/tonne = 74.500 cts – value of $7.3million
$17.1 million operating cost (negative cash flow) – led to a
$22.5 million financing on April 17, 2007
Exploration continues on the JD-3 kimberlite.
2007 8 May 2007 – New President and CEO of Ekati – Ricus
Grimbeek.
2007 Snap Lake67 – NWT (100% owned by De Beers Canada) –
scheduled to open at the end of the 3rd quarter in 2007.
Mineable resource of 22.8 million tonnes (underground)
Prod. - 3,000 tonnes/day
1.46ct/tonne – value estimated at US$109./carat
mine life estimated – 20 years

66
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blood_Diamond
67
Photo - http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_2/snap_lake/photogallery-a.html - 17.6.07
Debborah Donnelly DIAMOND TIMELINE
2008? De Beers has discovered 18 kimberlite pipes in the James Bay
Lowlands. The Victor pipe, will become Ontario’s first
diamond mine when it commences production at the end of
2008. It is expected to produce 0.23 ct/tonne, at a cost of
$420./carat, with an annual production of 600,000 carats.68

Northern lights at Victor Camp 16 of 18 kimberlite pipes on the property are diamondiferous
– Photo: T. Buttineau Open pit – expected life ~ 12years Production ~ 600,000 ct/year

1. De Beers Canada – Victor Diamond Project

6. Arctic Star Diamond Corp. & Metalex Ventures Ltd. - Kyle
Property (diamond)
16. Trigon Exploration Canada Ltd. & Pele Mountain
Resources – Alliance and Attawapiskat Properties (diamond)69
2012? The Star Project in Saskatchewan, owned by Shore Gold/
Newmount, is expected to open in 2012. The cost per carat is
expected to be $135., with an annual production of 1.8 million
carats.

* See Famous Diamonds section

68
Future projections are taken from the lecture by Matt Manson at the CGA Conference, October 28, 2006.
69
http://www.mndm.gov.on.ca/mndm/mines/resgeol/northeast/timmins/reports/2005/junemap_e.asp