Color, Cut, Curse? The Infamous Black Orlov Diamond
The huge Black Orlov black diamond -- with an intriguing history and folklore that includes the reported suicides of three of its former owners -- soon will be offered in a public auction in New York City.
New York, New York (PRWEB) September 18, 2006 -- The world's most famous black diamond, the 67.5 carat "Black Orlov," will be offered in a public auction in October. The historic gem stone is accompanied by authentication papers -- and an alleged curse.
"Newspaper accounts report at least three former owners took their own lives, including two Russian princesses. However, I'm happy to say the stone's current owner is alive and well," said Donald A. Palmieri, President of Gem Certification and Assurance Lab (GCAL) of New York City, a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT). GCAL certified the genuineness of the huge, cushion-shaped Black Orlov diamond.
Palmieri is a friend and consultant to the private collector who owns the Black Orlov and consigned it to be auctioned by Christie's in New York City on October 11. Magnificently set in a platinum necklace with 233 diamonds and totaling over 100 carats, it sold for $1.5 million in 1995.
Since he first personally saw the all-black diamond in 1978, Palmieri, one of the world's leading forensic experts on diamonds, has followed its intriguing history and recent research findings captured in fact, legend and folklore.
"According to legend, it originated in India in the early 1800's and was known as the Eye of Brahma. It reportedly was taken by a monk from the eye of an idol of Brahma at a shrine near Pondicherry, India which is said to have summoned an evil spirit to embrace the gem," he explained. "Its name apparently stems from Russian Prince Grigori Grigorievich Orlov who was the lover and confidant of Catherine the Great."
In 1932 the diamond dealer who imported the stone to the United States, J.W. Paris, reportedly jumped to his death from a Fifth Avenue New York skyscraper shortly after selling the diamond.
According to 1947 Associated Press news stories, two Russian aristocrats who separately owned the Black Orlov at one time or another, Princess Nadia Vyegin-Orlov and Princess Leonila Galitsine-Bariatinsky, both committed suicide several months apart by jumping from buildings in Rome.
"In the diamond business, we have the four C's: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight. Some people believe the Black Orlov has a fifth C: Curse. But it's really a stone of magnificent appearance, not apprehension! The former Miss Pennsylvania, Victoria Bechtold, even wore it on her wedding day a few years ago, and it's been exhibited internationally," said Palmieri. "It also made an appearance with celebrities at the Academy Awards events this year."
Gem Certification and Assurance Lab is a subsidiary of Collectors Universe, a NASDAQ Global Markets traded company, one of the world's largest authentication and grading companies. GCAL provides independent, third-party diamond authentication and grading services with a guarantee of accuracy.
For additional information, contact GCAL, 580 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036. Phone: (212) 869-8985. Online: www.gemfacts.com.
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