Famous Stones

For over 150 years, the House of Tabbah acquired the most prestigious and historical precious stones in the world. These unique gems traveled across continents and were given names by individuals whose lives and loves intertwined with them.

Ashberg Diamond

The Ashberg Diamond weighs 102.49 carats and has a truly amber color. At one time it was part of the ancient Czarist Crown Jewels but during the Russian Revolution it was taken to Sweden. There it was purchased by a Swedish collector whose name was Ashberg. He gave it his own name and finally put it on exhibit in 1949. Subsequently, the House of Tabbah sold it to another private collector. A diamond of this size and unusual coloring is very rare. When it has a history which connects it with dethroned royalty it develops an aura of mystique

Aurengzeb Emerald

The Aurengzeb Emerald is one of the most famous emeralds in the world. It is a 261 carats drop emerald and once belonged to the Shah Jahan who was a ruler interested in the arts. It was he who built the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his wife. He also built Fatehpur Sikri, which must be the world’s most beautiful deserted town. Clearly he was a man of great taste, love and compassion. He reigned in India from 1628 to 1658 at which time he was deposed and imprisoned by his son Aurengzeb until his death in 1666. Aurengzeb inherited the emerald that carries his name from his father. It is believed that it may date back as far as the 12th Century when Nadir Shah took as many jewels as he could obtain during his Moghul conquests. Engraving was (and is) a fine art in India and engraving precious stones was a customary practice. When Nadir Shah returned to India he ordered that all the best emeralds be engraved with: Master of the Universe Nadir Emperor of the Emperors 1153

The Blue Lili

The Blue Lili is a famous intense blue 30.06 carat diamond. Although by no means the largest blue diamond ever registered, it is considered by many to be the finest because its certificate categorizes it as the largest internally flawless blue diamond in the world. An interesting sidelight to the naming of the Blue Lili is that the diamond cutter named it to honor his wife Lili, hence the name Blue Lili.

Nirvana Diamonds

Nirvana I, II, III. The three Nirvana stones are all heart shaped "D" Flawless and of 111.22, 76.47 and 36.20 carats respectively. The first of these three is the largest heart shaped diamond in the world. Although the three were not cut from one rough it appears they came from the same mine and were found at the same time. The name Nirvana was chosen because in Buddhist terms Nirvana represents a state of supreme bliss. The owner once stated that he had chosen the name not because the stones themselves represented this state, but that his family gave him the feeling of bliss and he numbered them one, two and three, in accordance with oriental custom in naming family members.

The Earth Star

The Earth Star is a 111.59 carats pear shaped brown diamond and thought to be the largest in the world. It’s colour is more like coffee than brown. It was cut from a 248.90 carats rough in 1967. Over the years it has been very widely exhibited at diamond exhibitions. It was owned by an American Jewelry company for many years and was sold by Tabbah to a private collector.

The Zanskar Sapphire

The Zanskar Sapphire weighs 77.67 carats which makes it a most outstanding jewel. It comes from the Zanskar Mountains in the Himalayas and is considered to be one of the finest quality sapphires anywhere. Tabbah sold it to a private collector in Switzerland.

Golden Star

The Golden Star is a sublime pear shaped 141.23 carats yellow diamond. Its origins are unknown. It was sold by the House of Tabbah to a private collector.