The early modern era witnessed a transformation in the global diamond trade that would forever alter the course of luxury commerce and cultural exchange. From 1500 to 1800, diamonds evolved from sacred stones venerated in Indian temples to glittering symbols of European aristocratic power. This period marked not only revolutionary advances in diamond cutting techniques but also the establishment of intercontinental trade networks that connected the mines of Golconda to the courts of Versailles.

As European merchants ventured into the East and new sources emerged in Brazil, the diamond industry underwent fundamental changes that laid the foundation for modern gem commerce. The story of diamonds during these three centuries is one of technological innovation, colonial ambition, and the endless human fascination with nature’s most brilliant creation.

Find the complete history of diamonds here: ‘A Complete History Of Diamonds: From The Ancient Era To Today‘. Interested in finding out how diamonds enable quantum computing? Click here.

A History Of Diamonds In The Early-Modern Era (1500-1800)

The period from 1500 to 1800 represents a pivotal era in diamond history, characterized by the shift from India’s monopoly to Brazil’s emergence as a major source, the development of sophisticated cutting techniques from simple table cuts to complex brilliant designs, and the establishment of global trade networks that transported these precious gems from Eastern mines to Western royal treasuries. This chronology traces the key moments that shaped the diamond industry during these transformative centuries.

Chronology

• 1500s: Portuguese establish direct sea route to India, revolutionizing the diamond trade by circumventing traditional Middle Eastern intermediaries and establishing new maritime trade routes for Indian diamonds [1]
• Early 1500s: Table cut diamonds become prevalent in Europe, representing the first major faceting technique where the top point of an octahedral diamond crystal is sawn off to create a flat “table” surface [2]
• 1510: Portuguese conquer the City of Goa in India, making it the main diamond port for Indian diamonds destined for Europe [3]
• Mid-1500s: Rose cut diamond technique emerges from the workshops of Belgian diamond cutters, featuring triangular facets arranged in a symmetrical radiating pattern with 24 facets and a distinctive flat bottom [4]
• 1520: Single cut (or eight cut) diamond style develops, consisting of a flat table surrounded by eight or nine facets on the crown, essentially a square table cut with rounded and faceted edges [5]
• 1526: Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire, receives a large diamond as tribute for his conquest of Delhi and Agra at the Battle of Panipat, possibly the stone later known as the Koh-i-Noor [6]
• 1530: Rose cut diamonds are introduced to Europe and become increasingly popular for their ability to sparkle in candlelight [7]
• Prior to mid-1500s: Baguette cut is invented, featuring an elongated, table cut rectangular shape that would later become popular during the Art Deco period [8]
• 1540: China begins using matchlock firearms technology that originated in Europe, coinciding with increased East-West trade that included diamonds [9]
• Mid-1500s: Heart-shaped diamonds are already in production, as referenced in 1463 correspondence between the Duke of Milan and associates [10]
• 1550s: Diamond cutting centers flourish in Bruges and Antwerp as the European economic center shifts from the Mediterranean to the North Sea [11]
• 1562: Mary Queen of Scots gifts Queen Elizabeth I a heart-shaped diamond ring, one of the most famous heart-shaped diamonds of the era [10]
• 1570s: Herman Moll documents that Golconda, India is “Very Rich in Diamonds & other Precious Stones” in early trade route maps [12]
• 1590-1636: Antwerp maintains strong diamond trade connections with Portuguese India despite political tensions [13]
• 1595-1713: Dutch Sephardi Jewish merchants make significant contributions to Holland’s diamond trade during the Dutch Golden Age [13]
• 1600: English East India Company is established, eventually facilitating diamond trade between India and Britain [12]
• 1602: Dutch East India Company (VOC) is formed, becoming a major player in the Asian diamond trade [14]
• Early 1600s: India’s diamond cutting techniques advance significantly, with the Mughal cut becoming prominent between the 16th and 18th centuries [15]
• 1615-1672: Robert de Berquen claims his ancestor Lodewyk van Bercken invented diamond powder cutting technique, though historical evidence is disputed [16]
• 1630-1668: Jean-Baptiste Tavernier makes six voyages to Persia and India, becoming the most influential diamond merchant of his era [17]
• 1638-1643: Tavernier’s second voyage takes him to India where he visits the court of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and makes his first trip to the diamond mines [18]
• 1642: Tavernier arrives in Golconda, the center of India’s diamond trade, discovering his vocation as a gem merchant [19]
• Mid-1600s: Cardinal Mazarin invents the Mazarin Cut in France, the first true brilliant cut featuring 17 crown facets on a cushion shape [20]
• Mid-1600s: Single cut diamonds are introduced to Europe from India, featuring a flat table surrounded by eight or nine crown facets [8]
• 1650: The Great Mogul diamond, a 787-carat rough stone, is discovered in the Golconda mines and subsequently cut by Venetian lapidary Hortentio Borgis [21]
• 1656: A diamond that may be the Koh-i-Noor is presented to Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, though its early history remains disputed [22]
• 1660: Diamonds increasingly worn as symbols of wealth and social status across Europe [23]
• 1660-1800: Diamond trade flourishes between Europe and India with Amsterdam, London, and Antwerp as major cutting centers [24]
• 1665: Jean-Baptiste Tavernier visits the Krishna River diamond diggings and estimates 60,000 people are mining diamonds [25]
• 1665: Tavernier describes the Great Mogul diamond in detail as a high-crowned rose-cut stone with a flaw at the bottom [21]
• 1666: Tavernier discovers or purchases the 116-carat Tavernier Blue diamond (later the Hope Diamond) from Indian mines [26]
• 1668: Tavernier sells the Blue diamond to Louis XIV of France for 120,000 livres and receives a letter of ennoblement [27]
• 1669: Tavernier purchases the Seigneury of Aubonne near Geneva and becomes Baron of Aubonne [28]
• 1671: Louis XIV has court jeweler Jean Pitau recut Tavernier’s Blue diamond into the 68-carat French Blue [29]
• 1675: Tavernier publishes “Les Six Voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier” at the behest of Louis XIV, providing detailed accounts of Indian diamond mines [30]
• 1700s: The Peruzzi Cut emerges as an improved Mazarin Cut with 33 crown facets, called the triple-cut brilliant [5]
• Early 1700s: India’s diamond supplies begin to decline after centuries of mining [31]
• 1714: Diamonds officially discovered near Diamantina in Minas Gerais, Brazil, though the official “discovery year” is listed as 1729 [32]
• 1720s: Dutch and Belgian craftsmen become world-renowned for producing rose cut diamonds [33]
• 1725: Brazilian diamonds discovered by gold miners along the banks of the Rio Jequitinhonha in Minas Gerais state [34]
• 1726: Brazil’s diamond discoveries end India’s monopoly as the world’s only diamond source [25]
• 1728: Nadir Shah of Persia invades India and takes possession of the Peacock Throne containing the Koh-i-Noor diamond [35]
• 1729: Official announcement of Brazilian diamond discovery reaches Europe [36]
• 1730-1735: Brazilian diamond market grows so rapidly that prices drop by 75% due to oversupply [37]
• 1730-1870: Brazil becomes the world’s largest diamond producer, extracting approximately 3 million carats between 1700-1800 [38]
• 1739: Persian commander Nadir Shah cries “Koh-i-Noor” (Mountain of Light) upon seeing the famous diamond in the conquered Mughal emperor’s turban [39]
• 1740s: First verifiable record of the Koh-i-Noor diamond appears in Muhammad Kazim Marvi’s history of Nader Shah’s invasion [6]
• Mid-1700s: Marquise cut invented in France when King Louis XV commissions a diamond cut to reflect the shape of his mistress Marquise de Pompadour’s lips [40]
• 1747: Nadir Shah is assassinated and the Peacock Throne with its diamonds, including the Koh-i-Noor, disappears [41]
• 1748: Excavations of Pompeii begin, inspiring neoclassical jewelry designs including diamond settings [42]
• 1750: Old mine cushion cut diamonds develop in Brazil, featuring high crowns, small tables, and larger culets [43]
• 1771: Portuguese Minister Pombal nationalizes Brazilian diamond mines, causing economic disruption [37]
• 1790s: Table cuts, point cuts, and rose cuts still prevalent despite newer brilliant cuts, as Indian diamonds become scarce and are recut en masse [44]
• 1792: French Royal storehouse is robbed during the Revolution; the French Blue diamond disappears and later resurfaces as the Hope Diamond [45]
• Late 1700s: Political upheavals like the French Revolution lead to changes in wealth distribution, affecting diamond consumption patterns among declining aristocracy [46]
• 1800: Annual diamond production reaches approximately 3 million carats, up from well under 1 million carats in the 1870s [31]

Final Thoughts

As the early modern period drew to a close, the diamond industry stood at the threshold of even greater transformations. The exhaustion of Indian mines and the rise of Brazilian sources had already reshaped global supply chains, while advances in cutting techniques had unlocked the stone’s hidden brilliance. These three centuries established patterns that would endure: the concentration of cutting expertise in specific European cities, the mystique surrounding famous stones, and the association of diamonds with power and romance.

Yet perhaps the most significant legacy of this era was the creation of a truly global luxury trade, one that connected continents and cultures through the shared appreciation of these extraordinary gems. The foundations laid between 1500 and 1800 would prove essential as the diamond industry entered the industrial age, setting the stage for the South African discoveries that would once again revolutionize the world of diamonds.

Thanks for reading!

References

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