In the last six months two of the world’s great historic diamonds, the Beau Sancy and the Arch Duke, have been sold at auction. The Beau Sancy sold for nearly $10 million, the Arch Duke for almost $22 million; and both originated in the fabled mines of Golconda. Alas, Golconda is no more.
Diamonds were first discovered in India about two and a half millennia ago; and for the better part of 2,000 years little was known of them outside of India. Oh, the Romans imported them to use as scribes, but seem to have cared little for their remote origins. And unlikely though it might seem, the Chinese of antiquity, after having imported diamond scribes from Rome, seem to have thought that diamonds originated in the Roman Empire; but the eager traders of Renaissance Europe laid bare the secret. In the fifteenth century, only a few years after another Burgundian had invented the diamond polishing wheel, Marie of Burgundy received the first diamond engagement ring. After that everyone with money (read ‘monarchs and nobles’) wanted them. Everyone soon knew that diamonds came from India; but there was one problem in India itself. Virtually all of the diamonds that came from the storied ‘mines’ of Golconda were alluvial. That is, streams had washed them from their origins, wherever that may have been, into the rivers of historic Golconda (located in modern India’s states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh). As demand grew, the supply of Golconda’s diamonds diminished; and by 1800 few were left to be found. Interestingly enough, however, the modern states embracing historic Golconda border on the state of Madhya Pradesh, the site of a newly announced major diamond find. While to my knowledge no one has publicly asked the question, I cannot help but wonder whether some, if not all, of Golconda’s diamonds had been washed down from the hills of Madhya Pradesh.
The existence of a contemporary diamond mine in Madhya Pradesh, albeit a small and marginally profitable one, and the lure of finding the source of Golconda’s diamonds must have inspired the search for the new mine. It is just so rational; and so it must have seemed to the geologists working for Rio Tinto Diamonds who surveyed the hills and valleys of Madhya Pradesh looking for the ‘mother lode’ for more than two years. So rational that, when they found it, Rio Tinto wanted to make sure that it didn’t lose the fruits of their research before the company was sure the diamonds were really there. So they kept it as secret as possible, a very real challenge since everyone prospecting for diamonds had their eyes on the firm. To this end the company named their work ‘The Bunder Project’, both a name and a subterfuge. Monkeys, ‘bunder‘ in the local language, abound in the area, and it worked as a subterfuge because it diverted competitors‘ attention to a search for the remote, and completely fictional, hamlet of Bunder.
Rio Tinto’s geologists quietly continued their work. Now, two years after that initial discovery, Rio Tinto has gone public with the announcement of a new mine.
With mines, now, on three continents, the company is unique in the world of diamond mining in its insistence on identifying the origin of all of its significant gems. Completely in character, therefore, the firm has made the announcement with a piece of jewelry crafted in diamonds from the new mine. It is a necklace; and it exuberantly identifies the mine’s geographic location with its map coordinates - engraved on its back. Symbolically, the company has named the necklace ‘The Courageous Spirit’, this to emphasize its commitment to using the mine not merely for the wealth the mine will produce but for the good the mine will work for the people of Madhya Pradesh. They need it.
With a population of more than 75 million people, Madhya Pradesh is one of India’s largest and poorest states. 82% of the state’s women are illiterate; thus poverty is abetted by ignorance. To help combat this, Rio Tinto has developed a three pronged program to use some of its new found wealth. It has partnered with UNICEF (to help children), embarked on a program of practical education for local women and has committed itself to give preference in hiring to local people. As the state is also home to some of India’s endangered fauna, the company has already established eco-friendly mining. That is, it does not despoil the land with structures that will decay, it uses no chemicals, it minimizes water usage (and recycles much of it) and even works to minimize dust and noise. If it is Golconda Anew, it will benefit the poor as much as it offers diamonds for adornment.
We’re Hursts’ Berwyn Jewelers. Our diamonds sparkle in a romantic restaurant because we care about heritage worthy jewelry. So if you are in the market for the perfect jewelry gift, check us out on line at hurstsberwynjewelers.com; then phone us at 708.788.0880 for an appointment. Our name’s on the door and we’re proud of it because we care about you.
P.S. If you have diamonds or broken or unworn pieces of jewelry that you would like to sell, come in and we’ll help you establish their market value; and perhaps, we’ll make the best offer to buy them.
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