The Origin of Queen Victoria's Small Diamond Crown

Among the many crowns and jewels in the Royal collection, the Imperial State Crown stands out with its magnificent Cullinan II diamond. This 317 carat diamond is one of nine significant stones cut from the largest diamond ever found, the 3,106 carat Cullinan Diamond. The Cullinan Diamond was discovered in South Africa in 1905 and was gifted to the Royal Family by the South African government. However, not all of the Royal crown jewels can be traced to South Africa. In this article, we explore the possible origins of the diamonds used in Queen Victoria's small diamond crown.

Queen Elizabeth's Crown and Its Precious Stones

The Crown of Queen Elizabeth, also known as the Empress élizabeth Crown, is adorned with approximately 2,800 diamonds, including the famous 105-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond. This diamond was acquired by the East India Company after the Anglo-Sikh Wars and presented to Queen Victoria in 1851. Another notable diamond in her crown is the 17-carat Turkish diamond, gifted to her by Sultan Abdülmecid I of the Ottoman Empire in 1856 as a token of appreciation for British support in the Crimean War.

Queen Victoria's Small Crown and Its Diamonds

Queen Victoria's small diamond crown was completed in 1870. The crown's diamonds were likely sourced from a necklace in her personal collection, a tradition where white diamonds were often worn as a sign of mourning after the loss of her beloved husband, Prince Albert, in 1861.

Given the timing, it is likely that the original diamonds in the necklace came from Brazil or India, as South Africa was not yet a significant source for diamond mining. The Kimberley Mine in Johannesburg, which started operations in 1867, was not yet a major diamond supplier at the time the crown was made. However, it is possible that some of the diamonds in the crown were from the Kimberley Mine, given the time needed for mining, shopping, polishing, and setting the diamond.

With Brazilian diamonds being the primary source of new stones at the time, it is a strong possibility that most of the diamonds in Queen Victoria's small diamond crown came from Golconda, India. Diamonds were first found in Golconda around 4,000 years ago, making it a historically significant source for high-quality diamonds. While the origins of very large diamonds are usually traceable, the past lives of smaller stones remain a mystery. Companies like De Beers, which controlled nearly 90% of the global diamond supply at one point, mix diamonds from all their sources, making it impossible to determine the exact origins of a diamond once it has been polished.

Conclusion

While not definitive, the information available suggests that the diamonds in Queen Victoria's small diamond crown could have come from Brazil or India. Given the historical context and the time period in which the crown was made, the most probable source would be Golconda, India, where diamonds have been mined for millennia.