Beyond the sphere of personal adornment, the significance of jewelry manufactured and owned worldwide throughout history stands tall. Including social rituals, craft techniques, and artistic and technical advancements, diamond jewelry is a strong indicator of social status while also serving various purposes. Among the latter is the frequent engraving of inscriptions or monograms to provide a personal touch and tell a tale.

The 18th century saw the bulk of history's most significant periods for diamond jewelry fashion. It highlighted what were then the most well-liked pieces and motifs, symbolizing various factors—social, economic, and political—that shaped the eras' jewelry creations.

Although the 19th century underwent major industrial and social development, the past continued to be the center of jewelry design. Antique designs that evoked the splendor of classical Greece and Rome were fashionable throughout the first few decades. These recent archaeological finds sparked a renewed interest in antiquity, and, to recreate ancient techniques, goldsmiths created pieces that resembled or were designed to look like archaeological jewelry.

In this article, we talk about some of the most distinctive diamond jewels that saw great history and serve as a symbol of man’s love for the craft.

Historic Bulgari Jewels
Some pieces push the boundaries of craft and diversity to the next level. These jewels, showcased in Sharjah a couple of weeks ago alongside traditional artifacts, were formed over the past 50 years and are among the house’s signature stones.
Inspired by the architectural marvels across Rome, the jewels are a way to preserve aesthetic artisanal words and remodel them to give them a contemporary look while still maintaining the classic look.

17th Century Masterpiece
Rumored to have been owned by Marie-Antoinette, the Necklace of History is an ostentatious diamond necklace from the 17th century with a contentious past. Given its marvelous beauty and artistic appeal, it has always been one of the most talked about “classics.”

King Louis XV initially ordered the masterpiece in the 1770s as a present for Madame Dubarry, whom the king was allegedly obsessed with. It took more than two years for the French royal jewelers—Bohmer and Bassenge—to create the necklace since it was challenging to find so many diamonds at the time.

But despite the struggle, the jewelers could not only complete the task but do so in a way that their work would be remembered for centuries to come.

Art Nouveau
Jewelry design underwent a significant transformation due to the Art Nouveau style, which peaked after it won the Paris International Exhibition.

The design was different from the preceding generations’ floral motifs. Moreover, René Lalique and other Art Nouveau jewelers moved away from traditional precious stones and focused more on the subtle effects of materials like glass, horn, and enamel. Meant to denote sexuality and death, its followers produced organic works that would later lay the foundations for similar work.

The Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond has an unrivaled history in addition to its unmistakable beauty. The raw stone, which was most likely mined in India, was sold to Louis XIV by a French gem trader.

Louis XIV had the stone cut down from its original 112 carats to 67.50 carats oval cut and gave it the name "Blue Diamond of the Crown of France." However, it was taken during the French Revolution and turned up again 20 years later with its present name, neatly after the theft's statute of limitations had passed.

Since then, the stone has traveled from the UK to the USA and has changed hands (and carats) multiple times. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were rumors of tragedy befalling the owners of the Hope Diamond.

The ironically called Hope Diamond is presently housed at the Smithsonian Institute, thanks to the donation made by Harry Winston, the stone's last private owner. Mr. Winston wanted to promote the establishment of a national gem collection in the United States, hence the generosity.

The story of a curse from the Hindu goddess, Sita, survived criticism, despite being widely disbelieved and seen as a ploy to boost the stone's worth by raising its notoriety.

The Koh-i-Noor
Thousands of years ago, the diamond was separated from the sand in India's alluvial mines. Hinduism asserts that it was considered holy by gods like Krishna, notwithstanding the belief that it appeared to be cursed.

The diamond, eventually known as the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, was in the British Crown Jewels by the middle of the 1800s after navigating Indian royal intrigues. To write the history of the Koh-i-Noor, a British geologist conducted interviews with historians and gemologists about the diamond's beginnings. This history became the foundation for the majority of subsequent accounts of the diamond.

Some historians suggest that Sultan Ala-ud-Din Khilji stole the jewel from the long-time owner's family, the raja of Malwa, India, in 1304. Other authors have linked the Koh-i-Noor to the diamond that the ruler of Gwalior gave to the son of Babur, who had established the Mughal dynasty in India following the battle of Panipat in 1526.
Others claim that it was given to the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1656, having originated from the Kollur mine on the Krishna River. Despite some claims to the contrary, it is unlikely that the Koh-i-Noor was cut from the Great Mogul diamond that French jeweler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier first described in 1665.

The story behind the Koh-i-Noor proves that it is arguably the most historically contested stone since it has given rise to many controversies.

Princess-Cut Diamond Jewelry
The princess-cut diamond was first presented in the United States in 1980 and rapidly became the most preferred choice in diamond jewelry. This fashion developed from the French cut, an opulent look with 14th-century historical roots. Each diamond shape changed as diamond cutting techniques advanced and our understanding of light performance expanded.

An alternative to the French cut, which remained famous over five centuries, the square-shaped diamond originally appeared in the early 1960s. The Princess-cut diamond gained popularity in the 1980s and has never lost it because of its ultra-feminine appearance and capacity to exude a new and fresh mood that every bride wants to exude on their special day.