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cartier replica watches baignoire Jaclyn Smith, American actress.Ever since the first diamond was discovered in the alluvial plains of southern India in the 9th century BC, the dazzling gemstone has captured Man imagination and given rise to countless legends. India, for long the only source of diamonds, lost its preeminent position when its reserves depleted and diamonds were discovered in Brazil in 1725. 150 years later, South Africa became the center of diamond extraction and has remained so since, although Russia comes pretty close. This article tries to explore the stories behind five of the most famous diamonds in history.The KohinoorEverybody has heard of the Kohinoor, which literally means ;Mountain of Light;. It has passed through the hands of Hindu, Mughal, Persian, Afghan, Sikh and British rulers, all of whom had fought bitterly for the stone. Today, it forms a priceless part of the British Crown Jewels, synonymous of the exploitation of India by the British rulers for over 290 years. The diamond, a 105-carat transparent stone, had been estimated by the Mughal Emperor Babur to be worth enough to feed the entire world population for two days. cartier replica watches baignoire is believed that the Kohinoor carries a curse whereby all male owners are dispossessed. Even the British seem wary of this and hence, only Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth have adorned the gem as sovereigns. Since Queen Victoria the diamond has always gone to the wife of the male heir to the throne.The Hope DiamondThis 45.52-carat deep-blue diamond is famous for the curse associated with it, and may share the same Indian origin as the Kohinoor. French traveler Tavernier acquired (or stole) a blue diamond from India in the 17th century and sold it to the French royal family. This diamond, called the Tavernier Blue, was recut by Louis IV but disappeared during the French Revolution. It reappeared 20 years later in England and was acquired by King George IV, from where it was allegedly stolen by his mistress. The stone reached the gem collection of Henry Philip Hope, of the prominent Anglo-Dutch banking family, from where it gets its name. After passing through the hands of different family members and jewellers, it finally came into New York diamond merchant Harry Winston possession, who donated it to the Smithsonian cartier replica watches baignoire.