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Victoria Transvaal Diamond
The Victoria-Transvaal is a 67.89-carat, brownish-yellow pear shaped
stone. It was cut from a 240-carat crystal that was found in the
Transvaal, South Africa. The first cutting produced a 75-carat
116-facet stone that measured 1 x 1³/8 inches; a recutting retained the
same length and width, but reduced the depth to better proportions,
making it more brilliant. The diamond has been featured in several
Hollywood films, including a Tarzan episode from 1952 titled Tarzan\'s
Savage Fury, and in leading exhibitions in the United States and
Canada.
The necklace was designed by Baumgold Brothers, Inc, and consists of a
yellow gold chain with 66 round brilliant-cut diamonds, fringed with
ten drop motifs, each set with two marquise-cut diamonds, a pear-shaped
diamond, and a small round brilliant-cut diamond (the total weight of
the 106 diamonds is about 45 carats). The configuration of these stones
makes them look like small angels! The necklace was donated by Leonard
and Victoria Wilkinson in 1977 to the Smithsonian Institute, Washington
D.C.
Other colored diamonds in the Smithsonian Collection include the
8.30-carat Shepard Diamond. This stone is from South Africa, and was
acquired by the Smithsonian Museum in exchange for a collection of
small diamonds that had been seized as smuggled goods by the United
States Customs Service. The diamond is named for the Smithsonian
employee who helped facilitate the transaction.
An extremely rare red diamond resides at the Smithsonian as well. This
is the De Young Red, a 5.03-carat, brilliant cut red diamond. The main
kite-shaped facets on the crown are divided in two, giving the stone
more brilliance than a standard round brilliant cut. The stone is not
pure red but has a slight brown hue, which makes it appear like a fine
red garnet and indeed, it was once purchased as such at an estate sale.
It is the third largest red diamond in the world, after the Moussaieff
Red (5.11 carats) and the Red Diamond (5.05 carats).
