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The Shah Diamond was discovered from the Golconda mine in India probably in the year 1450. The Shah Diamond weighs about 90 carats and is 3cm long. It is a yellow diamond with extreme clarity. The Shah Diamond is table-cut which is called ‘lasque’. The current weight of the stone has reduced to 86 carats. The three facets of the diamond are engraved with the names of three rulers.
The Shah Diamond was placed at the court of Shah Nizam in Ahmadnagar in the year 1591. His name is engraved in one of the facets of the diamond. The great Moghul Emperor Akbar conquered Ahmadnagar and seized the diamond in the same year. Later on the Shah Diamond was inherited by Shah Jehan, Akbar’s grandson. In 1641 he ordered to engrave his name on the stone. The Shah Diamond was bordered with rubies and emeralds and was placed over the throne of Aurangzeb during his reign.
Nadir Shah of Persia attacked India in 1738 and took the Shah Diamond to Persia. In 1824 the third inscription was carved on the third facet of the Shah Diamond with the name of Fath-Ali Shah Sultan.
The Shah Diamond was later on presented to the Russian Tsar by Hosrov-Mirza, the son of Shah. The Shah Diamond still resides at the Kremlin in Russia.
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