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The Queen of Holland Diamond
Weight: 136.25 carats, recut slightly in
1978 to 135.92 carats
Color: "D" (colorless)
Clarity: IF (Internally Flawless)
There are differing opinions concerning the origin of this 135.92-carats cushion-cut diamond.
The Dutch firm F. Friedman & Co. cut it into its present shape in 1904. They owned it for several years, exhibiting it at the 1925 Paris Exhibition of Arts and Industry. The Dutch sovereign from whom the stone takes its name was Queen Wilhelmina, who reigned from 1890 to 1948.
This suggests the possibility that the Queen of Holland was mined in South Africa, but nothing is known of the diamond's earlier history until it arrived in Amsterdam at a time when numerous South African diamonds were finding their way there. Yet there are experts who think that the Queen of Holland is a typical Golconda stone.
The Maharajah of Nawanagar purchased the Queen of Holland and Cartier set it as the centerpiece of the pendant to the magnificent ceremonial necklace of the Prince. Jacques Cartier, who assembled the necklace, referred to it as "a really superb realization of a connoisseur's dream."
Cartier eventually bought the diamond from the Maharajah's family and sent it to their London branch in 1960. 30 years later, it was sold for a reported $7,000,000. The Queen of Holland is now owned by Robert Mouawad.
On a strange note, several sources list the stone as being a blue color. This photo makes it look blue, but the stone is actually listed as being a "D" in color, which means it is colorless. It is possible that the stone has a very strong blue fluoresence, something seen occasionally in even D-color stones. An old term used to describe stones of such fine color was "River White"; bright white but with a slight look of blue, varying in certain lights. The Queen of Holland is now owned by Robert Mouawad
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The Queen of Holland Diamond