The Dresden Green diamond derives its name from Dresden, the capital city of Saxony in Germany. Frederick Augustus II (1733-63), the Duke and elector of Saxony (a prince with the right to participate in choosing the Holy Roman Emperor), bought the diamond at the Leipzig Fair in 1741. This rare and beautiful natural green diamond has ever since remained in Dresden, except for a period after World War II when the Russians took the diamond to Moscow, with the other Crown Jewels, and later returned it in 1958.
Characteristics of the diamond
The Dresden Green is the largest and finest natural green diamond ever found, and has a pear-shaped cut, with a weight of 40.70 carats. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), that examined the stone in 1988, has categorized this diamond as rare Type IIa diamond of exceptional quality, and assigned a clarity grade of VS-1, with a potential of reaching the maximum grade IF (internally flawless). In other words a slight re-cutting of the stone could easily eliminate superficial inclusions, upgrading the stone to IF clarity. The dimensions of the stone are 29.75 x 19.88 x 10.29 mm. The symmetry and polish of the stone is graded as very good, a tribute to the 18th century cutters of this diamond.
Early history
The Dresden Green is an early 18th century stone, and in all probability originated in the Kollur mines, near Golconda, in Southern India. The stone was purchased in India by the famous London diamond merchant of early 18th century, Mr. Marcus Moses, who later met His Majesty King George I (1714-27), by appointment, with a view of selling the diamond to the King for a sum of £ 10,000. The King was very much pleased and impressed by this large diamond of fine emerald-green color.
From all accounts it appears that the green diamond Marcus Moses purchased in India, was already cut and polished, and in all probability the diamond would have been cut at the famous diamond cutting center in India at the time, Ahmedabad.
The earliest reports on the Dresden Green in Europe provides some very interesting reading. A narrative that appeared on the 27th edition of the London news-sheet, the Post Boy, published on October 25th, 1722, runs as follows :- "On Tuesday last, in the afternoon, one Mr. Marcus Moses, lately arrived from India, had the honor to wait on his Majesty King George I, with his large diamond, which is of a fine emerald green color, and was with his Majesty nearly an hour. His Majesty was very much pleased with the sight thereof. It is said there never was seen the like in Europe before, being free from any defect, and he has shown His Majesty several other fine large diamonds, the like of which 'tis said were never brought from India before. He was also, the 25th, to wait on their Royal Highnesses with his large diamond, and they were surprised to see one such largeness, and of such fine emerald color, without the help of a foil under it. We hear the gentleman values it at £ 10,000."
A second reference to the Dresden Green diamond can be seen in a letter written in 1726, by Baron Gautier, the assessor of the Geheimes Rath's Collegium in Dresden, to the Polish Ambassador in London. In this letter he says that the green diamond was offered to Duke Frederick Augustus I (1694-1733), for a sum of £ 30,000, by a merchant from London.
Frederick Augustus I was a great connoisseur and collector of arts, artifacts, jewels and other treasures. He started a modernization program for the city, constructing several buildings in the Baroque and Rocco styles, and he set up a "Green Vault" in Dresden Castle, with interior decoration done by Persian designers, to house his vast collection of sculptures, paintings, jewels and other treasures. The present day Albertinium Museum, which houses the contents of the Green Vault, was built on the same site as the original Dresden Castle, which was destroyed by the allied bombings of world war II.
In spite of Marcus Moses' efforts to sell the diamond to either King George I or Duke Frederick Augustus I, none of them purchased it, even though they had inspected and expressed interest in the stone. Marcus Moses eventually sold the stone to a Dutch merchant named Delles, who in turn sold it to Duke Frederick Augustus II (1733 -1763), the son of Frederick Augustus I, at the Leipzig Fair in 1741. The actual purchase price of the diamond is revealed in a letter to Frederick the Great, King of Prussia (1712- 1786). The letter states that "for the siege of Brunn, the King of Poland (also Duke of Saxony, Frederick Augustus II), was asked for heavy artillery. He refused, due to the scarcity of money; he had just spent 400,000 thaler for a large green diamond."
