Today I shall take you on a new trip in time we will follow the history of another diamond. A diamond that got lost in time. So grab my hand prepare yourself, and let’s get lost in history.

Our diamond is called Pigot Diamond or the Lottery diamond, had 47,38 carats, was without color, oval-shaped cut brilliant, saw the light on Golkonda mine before the year 1763, to follow his history we shall go to India, to Golkonda mine. After we follow this diamond history in England, for that time was the largest diamond in Europe. Our diamond won’t stay long in Europe. In 1820, the diamond will be found in Egypt, from where it will get lost.

Let’s follow his history closer. The diamond will be obtained by Sir George Pigot when he was a governor in Madras. Probably he received it as a gift from the Rajah, a gift that will bring trouble for Pigot as some will consider that he misused his powers to obtain it. Because of it, Pigot was imprisoned in 1776. Fortunately, the Parliament decided he wasn’t guilty, and they passed two resolutions against his imprisonment. Even if the Parliament decided in his favor, he died imprisoned the following year. The Pigot diamond’s next owner will be his family. The value of the diamond was quite impressive that they couldn’t obtain the right price, so they thought to sell the diamond in a new way.

They decided a lottery should be organized then. Games of chance were illegal in England, but they could obtain the Parliament to agree with this lottery. There were 11428 tickets to be sold, each for two guineas. Diamond got in the end to Rundell and Parker. From this, our diamond can bear the name of Lottery diamond, as you don’t sell diamonds in this way usually.

As we follow this diamond history, we discover that later, Rundell and Parker will try to sell the diamond to France to the famous Napoleon Bonaparte. There was just a problem at that moment France and England were at war. So the story goes that Napoleon started to think that the diamond came from England, so Rundell and Parker will have to wait until Napoleon falls. It is not pleasant to wait the fall of a man, to get back what you own. 

Rundell and Parker will file a lawsuit and recover their diamond. The owners will be now Rundell and Bridge after Parker gets out of the business. They will try to sell it. First, they will be sending replicas of diamonds worldwide to clients that can afford them. It seems the diamond attracted many eyes. The story goes in two different ways: one says that the diamond got the interest of the Pasha of Egypt who, will buy it in 1822, the other story favors an Albanian Prince who is supposed to buy it, but they both had the same intention to give the stone to mighty Sultan. The story’s first version says that when Pasha( he didn’t obey the Sultan the same as the Prince) was killed by Sultan’s men, he told his best friend to smash the beautiful diamond. Others favor the rumors that the diamond is the Spoon diamond that lays in Topkapi Palace. But diamonds had different weights, the Spoon diamond being larger than the Pigot diamond.

Unfortunately, we can’t follow more of this beautiful history. We can only hope that the diamond wasn’t smashed and maybe is somewhere on a piece of beautiful jewelry waiting to be admired by hungry eyes. I hope you enjoyed this trip in time and that you will again come with me on another trip.