gems, diamond, famous diamonds, India, Nur al-‘Ayn, pink diamond, Iran Crown Jewels, Persia

The Hornby diamond has received little attention in gemological literature, with most sources simply stating that it was supposedly sold to a Persian shah in the early 1800s. However, detailed information can be found in a book by British diplomat Sir Harford Jones Brydges, written in the 1830s. Drawing from this and other documents, the history of this ~60 ct pink diamond can be traced from Iranian Shah Karim Khan to India, then to Britain where it was auctioned, and ultimately back to the Iranian court. There, as a diplomatic gift, it played a role in thwarting Napoleon’s ambitions to invade British India. If the diamond remains part of the Iranian Crown Jewels, it may very well be the pink Nūr al-‘Ayn (“Light of the Eye”), which is estimated to weigh around 60 ct.