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India, for many millennia, was the diamond capital of the world and controlled the global diamond business. Indians were the first to discover, mine, curate and market diamonds in the world, and were the first to discover that diamond can be cut only by diamond, and can be polished with its own powder. Vedas, Upanishads and epics stand testimony to it. Diamonds were the quintessential luxury of the Indian royalty. Kohinoor, (Mountain of Light), Hope, Great Moghul, Orloff, Sansi, Hastings, Pigott and Akbar Shah-Jahangir Shah had unparalleled place in the annals of Indian and world history.
Till the seventeenth century, the Golconda Fort City in south India was the World Trade Centre of diamonds and was a dream destination for "who is who" in the diamond business. Though at present, diamond business is about $ 72 billion plus worldwide, India has very little to offer to this market size. New nations/countries are on the block and India has become a trivial entity in diamond production from the colonial period due to the monopolistic policy pursued by the British in favour of the new discoveries made in South Africa, and the socialistic policies of Independent India. Even the environmental concerns stood as stumbling blocks against the growth of Indian diamond mining industry.
The present study explores exhaustive data, based on a decade-long serious research, targeting common man. It brilliantly attempts to make one aware about the birth, history, glory, places of concentration, applications of diamond and about the present Indian diamond cutting and polishing industry. The book also introduces the readers into the reality of imitations, artificial diamonds, and discusses such products in detail. It delves deep into the identification and valuation techniques of diamond, and the tools used for the same. Efforts are also made to present many a superstition associated with diamonds, and to brief those diamonds that have some bearing on history.
After decades of Independence, India has failed to regain its lost splendour and leadership position. There is a need to bring changes in its approach to this industry to put it back on track and compete with the present world leaders. The author has given special attention to analyse the present diamond scenario in India and suggests remedies
Foreword
Preface
1. Introduction
Beautiful Stones – Jewel of India – Industrial Tool – Navaratnas – Unique Characters – Hardest Material – Hard but Brittle – Carat, the Measuring Unit – Letter from Deep Mother Earth – Diamond Industry – Girl’s Best Friend
2. Birth from Mother Earth
Mother Earth – Deep Below and High Up Above – Mother Rock – Kimberlite – Lamproites – Sedimentary Rocks – Placers, the Showrooms – Diamonds in the Sky – Twinkling Star Diamond
3. Indian Heritage
Discovery in India – Vedas and Upanishads – Epics – Agastya-mata – Arthashastra – Brihat Samhita – Gaius Plinius Secundus – Claudius Ptolemaeus – Marco Polo – Nicolo de Conti – Garcia da Orata – Vijayanagara Dynasty – Caesar Frederick – Jacques de Coutre – Methwold – Tavernier’s Six Visits – Lange – Kakatiya Dynasty
4. Golconda Glory
Golconda Kingdom – Golconda Mart-Mines – Golconda and Golcondas – Howard – Heyne – Voysey – Ritter – King – Ball – Newbold – Walker – Burton – Chaper – Foote – Venkayya – C.V. Raman – Krishnan
5. The Diamond Fields of South India
Andhra Pradesh – Wajrakarur–Ramagiri – Karnataka – Tamil Nadu – Kerala
6. The Diamonds Fields of North India
Madhya Pradesh – Characteristics of Diamonds – Chhattisgarh – Orissa – Maharashtra – Uttar Pradesh – Rajasthan – Bihar – West Bengal – Himalayas
7. Cutting, Polishing and Jewellery
Rough to Gem – Stages and Techniques – Other Lapidary Techniques – Types of Cuts – Human Culture – Diamond Jewellery – Indian Tradition – Akshaya-Tritiya – White Gold – Platinum Jewellery – Finger Rings – Bangles – Necklaces – Earrings – Nose Jewels – Waist Belt – Armlets – Hairpins – Jewellery Designing
8. Imitations and Artificials
Substitutes and Alternatives – American Diamonds – Cubic Zirconia – Moissanite – Rutile – Spinel – Sapphire – Fabulite – Galliant – Diamonair – Doublet – Man-made Diamonds – Synthetics: Man-made Diamonds – Earlier Attempts – Recent Developments – HPHT Technique – CVD Technique – Diamonds by Explosion – Ultrasound Cavitation – Synthetics vs. Naturals
9. Identification and Valuation
Identification Characters – Visual Examination – Ten-Powered Loupe – Reflectometers – X-ray and UV-light Response – Diamond Pen – Thermal Probe – Valuation – Conventional Four Cs – Cut – Colour – Clarity – Caratage – Certificate of Proof
10. Historical Diamonds
Kohinoor – Hope – Great Mogul – Orloff – Pitt-Regent – Sancy – Hastings – Pigott – Akbar Shah-Jahanghir Shah – Shah – Abbas Mirza – Darya-i-Nur – Taj-e-Mah – Nizam – Heart – Moon of the Mountain – Nasik – Great Table – Kollur – Raulconda – Arcots – Ahmedabad – Jacob – Queen of Holland – Wittelsbach – Indore Pears – Idol’s Eye – Polar Star – Tereschenko – Three Tables – Hornby – Endless List – World’s Large Diamonds
11. Superstitions
Unconquerable – Supernatural – Devine Weapons – Living Beings – Valley of Diamonds – Cobra Hood – Magical Powers – Medicinal Value – Slow Poison – Indian Categorization – Engagement Rings – Evil Spirits – Astrological Significance – Birthday Stone – Astro-gemmology – Blood Diamonds
12. Present and Future
World Scenario – India, Once the Leader – Decline and Fall – Present Status – Production and Marketing – Diamond Organizations in India – Present Policies: Laws of the Land New National Mineral Policy – Production – Imports and Exports – Future Potential – Demand and Consumption – Modernization – Marketing Strategies – Future Plans – Scope for Growth – Hope and Future Scope
ISBN - 9788124607367
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Pages : 361
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