It must have started somewhere around 2002, when I first discovered that the marvelous and Historic 128 carat Tiffany Yellow Diamond was on permanent display on the main floor of the Fifth Avenue Tiffany flagship store.
I was pleasantly surprised that I could actually stare at it from about a distance of maybe 30 centimeters (12 inches) with only a glass window separating the famous Diamond and my exploring eyes. It was a perfect setting for a study session, the Diamond was held by a rather simple suction device holding the opened culet/facet in place!!
The whole Diamond was completely exposed from any metal settings, not only this but the way Diamond was displayed in a vertical position with the face area parallel to my eyesight’s delight.
The actual size of the Diamond, measuring a diameter of around 28.00×27.00mm (about 1.10 by 1.10 inches) allowed me a full view of the external facets and internal reflections.
Let me just say this, there were more than a few occasions that Tiffany’s security personnel (the display is located close enough to the main entrance) would approach me and pleasantly ask if everything was ok with me, I would just smile and say, this Diamond really works wonders on me, I just love looking at it. It did get uncomfortable at times but I still couldn’t resist. Forgive me.
The Tiffany yellow Diamond Drawing
It so happened that for a few good years, every trip of mine to NY would also include a visit to Tiffany’s, I would stand and try to view it from all positions possible, kneeling, leaning sideways and on my toes, all for trying to catch a glimpse of a side I didn’t yet have a chance to study carefully.
I discovered a new genuine antique Old Mine faceting design which differed from the standard 58 brilliant design, a new specimen to study, and a Historic one too.
The Tiffany Diamond consisted of a unique stepped brilliant design, meaning all the main facets were split into two both on the pavilion and crown (with some additional facets), a different “play of light” flavor, a cut that became one of our offerings at the time.
With the Tiffany Yellow there was another educational aspect which kept pushing me to visit, it was also the first time I could visually study such an important cut on colored material, this was a little luxury that I wasn’t about to bypass, it pushed me to further explore colored materials resulting with me offering fancy colored Old Mine Cut Diamonds since around 2004.
0 Comments