The Moon of Baroda is the rarest and noteworthy type of diamond originated in India. History tells us that the beautifully etched 24.04 carat, pear shaped Moon of Baroda was discovered in Vadodara (Baroda). This masterpiece canary yellow diamond adorned the treasures of the great emperors and royal families for years.

Journey of the diamond :

The royal emperors of Baroda owned this diamond and cherished as their auspicious asset. It was sent to the empress Maris Theresa of Austria, the only female monarch of Habsburg dynasty, in 1878. This glittering stone grabs the attention of other rulers and made them to pay visit for Austria. Then it was fitted to a necklace and was later detached in 1940. The Detroit jeweler Meyer Rosenbaum got admired by its look and sold this diamond by paying a huge sum of money. Later few hand changes, it was sold to a private collector by Christie, a diamond merchant. It is commonly believed that it would bring bad luck to owner if it is carried across the sea.

Association with Marilyn Monroe :

The celebrity associated with this precious asset is Marilyn Monroe. The promotion for this diamond is entirely done by her. Ironically, she never used to wear diamonds. The song "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" from the movie "Gentlemen prefer blondes" is one of the remarkable promotion done by her. Many other celebrities followed Marilyn Monroe and contributed to its public reach.

Public display :

The diamond was displayed in the Antwerp world diamond center. It holds the credit that it was the largest gem ever exhibited. In 2012, it got featured in Japanese appraisal television program, where it was authenticated and appraised for $1.9 million.

Cutting :

One of the exquisite factors of this ancient gem is its cutting. Unlike other diamonds it bears a distinct cut. The facets are thoroughly cleaved to get a 3D effect. The canary yellow diamond gains its pear shape due to its well defined cut. Proper Cutting is crucial in fabrication process. Before cutting the diamond, several plastic models are created, to identify which type of cut perfectly fits.

Originality testing :

1. It can scratch anything :

Being the hardest metal in the world, it has the capability to scratch anything. Try with glass, if it makes a scratch and does not break then you have the original piece in your hand.

2. Does not have clear perception :

The purity of the diamond is checked by placing a printed piece of paper behind it, if it is pure then the letters will not be visible owing to the defined pear shape. The fake one made out of glass gives a clear vision of the letters.

Usage :

It is extensively used in industrial process. The jewel-making industry greatly depends on this high quality gem since diamond jewels always have an ultimate demand in the market. To some extent it is also useful in chemical industries.