The Crown Jewels Koh-I-Noor Diamond

It has been said that whoever owned the Koh-I-Noor ruled the world, a suitable statement for this, the most famous of all diamonds.

105 carat in its most recent cut

Legend has suggested that the stone may date from before the time of Christ; theory indicates the possibility of its appearance in the early years of the 1300s.

The Kōh-i Nūr which means "Mountain of Light" in Persian, is a 105 carat (21.6 g) diamond (in its most recent cut) that was once the largest known diamond in the world (the size of a hen's egg).

The Kōh-i Nūr originated in India along with its double, the Darya-i-noor (the "Sea of Light"). It has belonged to various Hindu, Mughal, Persian, Afghan, Sikhand British rulers who fought bitterly over it at various points in history and seized it as a spoil of war time and time again. It was finally seized by the East India Company and became part of the British Crown Jewels when Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877. 

The curse of the Koh-i-Noor

It is believed that the Koh-i-Noor carries with it a curse and only when in the possession of a woman will the curse not work. All the men who owned it have either lost their throne or had other misfortunes befall them. Queen Victoria is the only reigning monarch to have worn the gem. According to the legend, if the monarch is a male, the stone is passed to his spouse. 

The possibility of a curse pertaining to ownership of the diamond dates back to a Hindu text relating to the first authenticated appearance of the diamond in 1306: "He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity." 

The Great Exhibition - Crystal Palace

The British public were given a chance to see the Koh-i-Noor when the Great Exhibition was staged in Hyde Park, London in 1851. 

Crystal Palace - the Great Exhibition

Disappointment in the appearance of the stone was not uncommon. In 1852, in Amsterdam  under the personal supervision of Victoria's consort, Prince Albert, and the technical direction of James Tennant, the diamond was cut from 186 1/16 carats (37.21 g) to its current 105.602 carats (21.61 g) to increase its brilliance. Albert consulted widely, took enormous pains, and spent some £8,000 on the operation, which reduced the weight of the stone by a huge 42 percent—but nevertheless Albert was dissatisfied with the result. 
The stone then was mounted in a brooch which Queen Victoria often wore. It was kept at Windsor Castle rather than with the rest of the crown jewels at the Tower of London. 

left - Queen Mary's Crown, Right - Queen Elizabeth

After Queen Victoria's death it was set in Queen Alexandra's brand-new diamond crown, with which she was crowned at the coronation of her husband, King Edward VII. Queen Alexandra was the first Queen Consort to use the diamond in her crown, followed by Queen Mary and then Queen Elizabeth. 

Present ownership claims of the Koh-i-noor 

India has claimed the diamond and have said that that the Kohinoor was taken away illegally and it should be given back to India. When Elizabeth II made a state visit to India marking the 50th anniversary of Independence in 1997, many Indians in India and Britain including several Indian MPs demanded the return of the diamond. In a July 2010 interview, British Prime Minister, David Cameron, stated that the gem could not be returned to India as the move would set an unworkable precedent: "If you say yes to one you suddenly find the British Museum would be empty."


Pakistan has also officially claimed it and applied pressure to Britain to give it to Pakistan. 


The gem remains the property of the British Crown and is kept in HM Tower of London. It is a popular attraction.

Queen Alexandra's Diamond Crown