ee 
1878. ] : Diamonds. 425 
Among the most prominent diamonds of earlier times are sev- 
eral that are noted for their color. 
Florentine Diamond —This stone is of a lemon-yellow color 
and weighs 133 3-5 carats. It was at one time the property of 
Charles of Burgundy, who wore it in his helmet. In the battle of 
Granson, on Neufchatel Lake, he lost it. A Swiss soldier picked 
it up and sold it to a priest. Pope Julius II. finally obtained it 
for 20,000 ducats, and eventually it was acquired by the,Austrian 
crown, where it is to-day. 
Dresden Diamond —A very handsome green diamond is owned 
by the Saxon crown, and is preserved in the Green Vaults at Dres- 
den. The color is a bright green with a bluish tinge; its weight 
31% carats. 
Hope Diamond. —Banker Hope, of Amsterdam, possesses a fine 
blue diamond of 4%.carats. It is cut in brilliant form, and close- 
ly resembles a deep blue sapphire in color. Formerly a blue 
diamond of 67 carats was among the crown-jewels of France, but 
it disappeared during the revolution. 
Within recent years the two largest diamonds have been found 
in Brazil and Africa respectively. 
Star of the South—This diamond was found in Brazil in 1853, 
bya negress. Its original weight was 247 y, carats, but by cutting 
it was reduced to 125 carats. The “Star of the South” has a 
slight pink tinge. 
Star of South Africa—About ten years ago this diamond was 
purchased from a native, and sold at once for 56,009 dollars. 
Cutting —It is evident that a large proportion of the value of 
a diamond depends upon the preparation it undergoes, in order to 
develop its beauty. No evidence is on hand to show that any 
of the ancient nations, East Indians and Chinese excepted, were 
acquainted with the art of diamond-cutting. From its very 
superior hardness, it is natural that it can be cut by no other 
material. In 1373 there was an association of “ diamond-pol-— 
ishers” at Nuremberg, in Germany, but not until 1456 was cut- 
ting and polishing carried on as an art. Louis van Berquen, in 
Holland, at that time proceeded to rub two diamonds together, 
and finally prseanes a gray surface. The French word equivalent 
to our “cutting” is “ égriser’””—to make gray—based upon the 
first experiments. For a long time Holland had the entire 
monopoly of cutting diamonds, but finally other nations entered ae 
