14 - Sunday, November 19, 1989 - North Shore News CONTRARY TO popular lore, diamonds are not a girl’s best friend — at least not historically. In days gone by the closest most “girls” got to the world’s famous By ELIZABETH COLLINGS News Reporter diamonds were when they were owned by girls’ best friends, usual- ly boys. “J think for 360 years we could say we've been male chauvinist pigs with regard to diamond own- ership,"' said Lord lan Balfour of {nchrye, a diamond historian from Great Britain. In Vancouver last week as part of a Canadian tour courtesy of Birks, Lord Balfour is the author of Famous Diamonds. The book chronicles the trials and tribulations of the world’s most famous 100 diamonds and the Hope family of bankers in Amsterdam. From there the Hope travelled to the U.S. where the wealthy American socialite Mrs. Evalyn Walsh Mclean kept the diamond for 30 years. She suffered a number of per- sonal tragedies in her life — in- cluding the early deaths of two children and an alcoholic husband — but refused to ascribe them to the Hope. Lord Balfour's family is not without diamonds. They have a family tiara and he says his wife has a particular passion for blue diamonds. “*My wife has very decided ideas on diamonds. She likes the brilliant cut. She won't accept any- thing with straight lines at all, and she likes the biue ones. I tell ' she’s got blue-itis.”” And Lord Balfour's favorite? He fesses up to a touch of * uc itis himself, their owners. The Koh-i-noor and the Hope diamonds have the honor of being the two diamonds with the most colorful history in Lord Balfour’s estimation. Literally translated as Mountain of Light, Koh-i-noor dates back to the 14th century when it was own- ed by the ruler of Dethi, the Sultan Ala-ed Din Khalji. The diamond teft a fairly blood- thirsty trail until it came to England after the Punjab entered the British Crown. “People were disappointed by its lack of fire and brilliance,”’ Lord Balfour said of Koh-i-noor’s reception in England. The diamond was then recut to a 108 carat weight, but again Lord Balfour said the results were disappointing. Koh-i-noor now resides in the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. Also an old Indian diamond, the Hope has no less bloody a story, but one which Lord Balfour says has been ‘‘grossly exaggerated.” The Hope’s most infamous owner was Louis XIV, ‘‘who probably wore more diamonds about his person than any other figure born in history,’? Lord Baifour says. The blue pear-shaped diamond was stolen in the great jewelry robbery, Sept. 16, 1792. The Hope resurfaced later and eventually fell into the hands of SHOP EARLY FOR CHRISTMé3 Unique Argentinian leather. with European designs for both men & ‘women at wholesale prices Saving up t 140% off Excellent savings on j belts, handbags, gloves, hats and more, Lge ne