The Spoon Diamond in Topkapi Palace Museum Istanbul – Chapter 1

The Spoon Diamond in Topkapi Palace Museum Istanbul – Chapter 1,

The Treasury at Topkapi Palace is one of the most famous treasures in the whole world. It is impossible to count or value the maces, daggers, boxes, book bindings, candlesticks, rings, and ornaments, decorated with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, brilliants, topaz, turquoise and other precious stones. By the side of these glittering stones, gold and silver seem pale. And each one of these objects worked with the finest craftsmanship, has a separate value as a souvenir of the past each having its own story. These diamond aigrettes stopped the crown of many sultans; that emerald dagger was used to challenge who knows how many people. And what about these rings, earrings, and medallions. Looking with misty eyes at these treasures of the past one cannot help getting carried away with memories of a magnificent past. And among all these riches is a treasure which dazzles the eyes with its light and arrogant beauty, enthroned in a case all by itself. It is known as the Spoon Diamond, a clear, oval-shaped stone… Around it is 49 brilliants, resembling the full moon lighting up the sky among the stars.
Various stories are told about the Spoon Diamond. According to one of these, one day a poor fisherman was idly wandering along the shore near Yenikapi in Istanbul when he found a shining stone among the litter. He turned it around but could not work out what it was. After carrying it around in his pocket for a few days he went to the jewelers market and entered the first jewelers that he saw. The jeweler took a look at the stone and said carelessly, “It’s just a piece of glass if you like you can keep it if you like I’ll give you three spoons for it, since you have come so far, and make it worth your trouble”. What could the poor fisherman do with this piece of glass? And the jeweler was sorry for him and offering him three spoons. Very well, he said and took the spoons, laying down a fortune in their place… That is why it is called the Spoon Diamond people say. According to another story, the diamond was found by a spoon seller, or the diamond resembles a spoon and that is why it got that name. Until recently it was still not known how and by whom the diamond was brought to Topkapi Palace. In the museum records, it says that Sultan Mehmed the Fourth had a ring stone called the Spoon Diamond, but the weight of that stone was only 10 – 12 grams together with the gold setting, which is far smaller than our Spoon Diamond… In that case, where did the Spoon Diamond come from?

You will continue to find more history about The Spoon Diamon in Topkapi Palace Museum Istanbul in Chapter 2.