No stone on earth knows a history as rich and fascinating as the Koh-i-Noor. In 1304, when the large diamond was held by the Rajah of Malwa, people were convinced that the owner of the Koh-i-Noor was the mightiest man in the world. As you might expect, the struggle for possession of the gemstone has been fierce.

After his successful invasion of Delhi in 1793, the commander Nadir Shah played a clever trick to become the owner of the large stone. During the victory celebrations, Nadir proposed to exchange turbans with the emperor of the conquered country, who had chosen this place to hide the diamond. When Nadir saw the exceptional gemstone, he exclaimed: "Koh-i-noor" (mountain of light).

Re-cut

Nadir took the gemstone back to Persia. It stayed there until the Brits annexed Persia in 1849 and presented the Koh-i-Noor to Queen Victoria. In order to accentuate the brilliance of the gem, it was decided to re-cut the stone. It was Mozes Coster who eventually accomplished this honorable mission and as a result, Coster was officially recognized as a master diamond cutter. The size was reduced from a 186 carat diamond to the present 108.93 carat.

Recently, the ownership of the Koh-i-Noor has been called into question. Several world leaders claim entitlement to the gemstone. A new chapter in the history of the Koh-i-Noor.