Author Archives: admin
An Idea to Coat Diamonds with Teflon
I attempted to answer a Quora question about the possibility of coating diamonds with teflon so they would not need to be cleaned so often. I pointed out some possible problems with the idea. But it was certainly creative. It … Continue reading
My Manila Diary
Here is a compilation of the bulletins I sent to friends when I was living in Manila. I’ve posted them here for those who want to get an idea of what my new series of newsletters will be like. There … Continue reading
North America’s Biggest Diamond
Dominion Diamond Mines announced what it claims to be the biggest diamond ever found in North America at its 40% owned Diavik Mine. It looks a beauty! 552 carats and no obvious fractures (from what photos I’ve seen). They say … Continue reading
What I’ve been reading – Fourth Saturday December 2018
This is a regular post I hope to continue every week. It will be a summary of the articles and books I’ve finished reading over the course of the week. It’s an off-topic break from book news and gemstone news. … Continue reading
Biancabella and the Snake
This is the original translation of Straparola’s story, which I referred to in my book, Known Only to Kings. I leave it here for those who are interested, however I don’t consider it to be suitable for young readers as … Continue reading
Raw Footage of De Beers Diamond Sorting Rooms
Journeyman Pictures has dumped a quarter hour’s worth of unedited footage of a tour of De Beers’ sorting rooms by a Namibian Prime Ministerial delegation in 2000. It gives a rare look into how they sort rough diamonds by machine … Continue reading
Diamonds in the Movies – a Select List
Jewellers have a long association with Hollywood. Prestige jewellers began opening branches there in the 1930’s not only to serve the wealthy film stars and producers but also for the influence and recognition their placement of jewellery in the movies … Continue reading
Diamonds in English Literature – Twentieth Century Novels and Short Stories
King Solomon’s Mines. H Rider Haggard The climax of this novel has the heroes finding a secret cave filled with gold, diamonds and other treasure. But they are trapped in the cave when the evil witch doctor closes the heavy … Continue reading
Diamonds in English Literature – Victorian Novelists and Poets
The Diamond Necklace. Thomas Carlyle At a time when scientists were just beginning to understand gemstones and how they form, writers were experimenting with ideas that we now call ‘new age’. Spiritualism, Eastern mysticism, even fairies were catching not only … Continue reading
Diamonds in English Literary Culture – Elizabethan Drama
Love’s Labour’s Lost. William Shakespeare This play has an unusual ending for a Shakespearean comedy. Instead of every character getting married at the end, news of a death causes each couple to separate for a year. In the case of … Continue reading