'You are going to help me acquire something very valuable,' he spoke close to my ear, his breath fanning down my neck.
I looked up at the paintings in front of us, all worth millions of pounds, and then at the spot on the wall where one was missing...
The ancient Romans and Greeks believed that diamonds were tears cried by the gods or splinters from falling stars. Despite the strength and courage that they were believed to symbolise in many cultures, it was and is their aesthetic beauty that brings them value. In the first century AD, Roman naturalist Pliny is quoted as having said 'diamond is the most valuable, not only of precious stones, but of all things in this world.' His words still ring true.
Today, the Koh-i-Noor diamond, meaning 'mountain of light', is thought to be priceless, no gem matching its value, despite the fact that for hundreds of years it was thought to be cursed. When the 186 carat diamond was presented to Queen Victoria by Duleep Singh, the last Sikh ruler of the Punjab, it carried a 750 year history of murder, megalomania and treachery. In 1306 it was written that 'only God or a woman can wear it with impunity' because of a lethal curse that attacked male owners. Throughout history, men that have dared to claim ownership over it have faced gruesome fates; some exiled, imprisoned, murdered. Yet, the stone was the centre of years of ruthless and bloody military campaigns, each fighter hypnotised by its value and status.
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Money can make men do reckless things, but nothing compares to the lust of a diamond. One that sparkles in any form of light to create a shimmering aura around those viewing it. Diamonds are the same as mythic creatures. Desired, but momentary flashes of brilliance.
At the end of the day, diamonds are just carbon, though. Put under immense pressure before they can shine. A simple rock turned into a gem, yet the most valuable stone in the world. It may not lose its value, but the illusion of magnificence will fade eventually.
*
This was definitely fake. The minute the guy presented it to me, I knew that the diamond was a forgery, and not even a good one at that, but I didn't have the heart to tell him. He looked so optimistic, so eager to hear those magic words that indicated how rich he was about to be. At best, the ring was worth a hundred or so just for the band, but the stone was cubic zirconia, nothing special.
Instead, I would inspect it as thoroughly as I could, giving him the illusion that it may be worth the millions he was hoping for. Only to let him down, gently, I intend.
Diamonds are easy to inspect. There's a multitude of ways to do it, even machines now, but if you know what to look for then you don't need fancy equipment, just a keen eye. Right now, I'm breathing onto the stone. If it stays fogged up by my breath, then it's fake; condensation doesn't stick to real diamonds because they conduct heat and disperse it quickly. This one remained fogged for too long.
I can't just leave it at that though. The guy is expecting big things, and I wanted to look as skilled as possible. He initially asked to see a manager, not believing that a young woman knew how to inspect jewellery, that we don't know how to truly spot the finer things in life. Pathetic, really. It's nice that I can prove him wrong.
