Considered to be the most celebrated diamond in the Iranian Crown Jewels, the Darya-i-Nur is one of the oldest diamonds known to man.
The 186-carat Darya-i-Nur diamond is a crudely fashioned stone measuring 41.40×29.50× 2.15 mm. The diamond's name means "Sea of Light."
Both the Darya-i-Nur and the historic Koh-i-Noor are said to have been in the possession of the first Mogul emperor of India, from whom they descended to Mohammed Shah. After latter was defeated by Persian Shah, his valuables, including the diamonds and the well-known Peacock Throne, were turned over as well.
After Nadir's assassination in 1741, the Darya-i-Nur passed on to his grandson, Shah Rokh. Later, it descended in succession to Mirza-Alam Khan Khozeime and thence to Mohammed Hassan Khan Qajar. Finally, it came into the possession of Lotf-Ali Khan Zand, who was defeated by Aga Mohammed Khan Khan Qajar.
In 1797, Aga Mohammed was succeeded by his grandson, Fath Ali Shah, who was both a collector and connoisseur of diamonds and gems. He had his name engraved on one side of the great diamond.
In 1827, Sir John Malcolm, a British emissary to the Persian Court and author of Sketches of Persia, described the Darya-i-Nur and the Taj-e-Mah (another famous diamond in the Persian Regalia) as the principal stones in a pair of bracelets valued at one million pounds sterling.
During the reign of the next shah, Nasser-ed-Din (1831-1896), the stone was mounted in an elaborate frame, which is surmounted by the Lion and Sun (the emblem of the Imperial Government of Iran) and set with four hundred fifty-seven diamonds and four rubies. It is still mounted in that same frame today.
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