Historical Gems

The Diamond Fund collection includes seven world-famous gems. Three diamonds and four colored stones have rich and amazing history. The Orlov Diamond is the largest and the most famous of them. It decorates the Imperial Scepter of Empress Catherine II.

Another historic gem from the Diamond Fund collection is a unique dark-green Colombian emerald with a slight bluish tint weighing 136.25 carats. This table cut emerald decorates a diamond brooch made in the second quarter of the 19th century. It belonged to Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, wife of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich. The emerald is set in an elegant diamond brooch: a garland of stylized vine leaves alternating with large round diamonds. Apparently, the stone was found in the Middle Ages and was kept in one of the temples of Colombia until it was brought to Europe by the conquistadors.

You can learn more about jewels of this period at the exhibition.