Daria-i-Noor

The Daria-i-Noor, which means “Sea of light” in Persian; is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, weighing an estimated 182 carats (36 g). Its color, pale pink, is one of the rarest to be found in diamonds. The exact whereabouts of the Daria-i-Noor is debatable.

In 1739, Nader Shah of Iran invaded Northern India and occupied Delhi, as payment for returning the crown of India to the Mughal emperor, Muhammad, he took possession of the entire fabled treasury of the Mughals, including the Daria-i-Noor, in addition to the Kooh-e-Noor and the Peacock throne. After the death of Nadir Shah, kooh-e-Noor was taken to Afghanistan by Ahmad Shah Durrani. After Ahmad Shah, It was transferred to Shah Shuja and after defeating Shah Shuja by the Hindi commander known as the lion of Punjab, the diamond was capture by him. This gems later fell into the hands of the East India Company and thereby to the British Crown and it was presented to Queen Victoria Now, this jewel is in the crown of Queen Elizabeth, the present Queen Mother in England.

The Daria-i-Noor, after the murder of Nadir Shah, was receive to his grandson Shah Rukh Mirza then Amiralam Khan Khazimeh and later fell into the hands of Lotfali khan zand. And after Qajar’s victory it was transferred to the Qajar treasury. Nasereddin Shah believed that this gem is one of the crown jewels is Cyrus, and he loved this precious jewel and attached it to his crown or sometimes used it as a brooch. In 1344 during reconnoitering the National Treasures by Canadian scientists, they discovered a very interesting point about this gem:

The Daria-i-Noor may well have been part of a large pink diamond “Grand Table Diamante” and the other smaller part with 60 carats (12 g) Noor-ul-Ain diamond, presently studded in middle of a tiara and it’s also in the Iranian Imperial collection.