About the Antiquated Table Cut for Gems and Three Diamonds Cut In This Fashion

THE THREE TABLES.

An Ancient Form of Diamond Cutting--Famous Gems that have Disappeared.

These are mentioned by Tavernier amongst the treasures of Aureng-zeb, seen by him in 1665. The reference to them as well as to the already described "Pear," occurs in the subjoined passage (II. p. 227): "After having well contemplated this great stone (the 'Great Mogul'), and returned it to Akel-Khan, he showed me another pear-shaped diamond, of very good form and fine water, with three other diamonds, table-shaped, two of them flawless (nets), and the third with some little black specks (de petits points noir). Each weighs fifty-five to sixty ratis, and the pear sixty-two and a half." Their weight would therefore be on Tavernier's scale of reduction, from 48 1/8 to 52 1/2 carats, as indicated in our tabulated scheme p. 320.

Although the table appears to have been the original cut of the diamond, this form is now so seldom used, that specimens have become extremely rare. Besides the three here described, the only others of any size known to us are the "Great Table," which has disappeared, and the "Russian Table," weighing 68 carats. The table style was practically superseded in the West, by the introduction of the rose-cut in the year 1520. The still more perfect brilliant form, invented by Vincenzio Peruzzi, of Venice, came into use during the reign of Louis XIII. of France, and is now universally adopted, except in the case of circular stones, for which the rose is the most effective style.