Diamond Fund is the treasure house of the Kremlin. It is an amazing exhibition of diamonds, jewelry, precious minerals and stones.
The items on display date from the 18th century to the present. Highlights of the collection are the great imperial crown of gold, silver, diamond and pearls made by Swiss native J. Pauzie for the coronation of Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great; the giant Orlov Diamond (189.6 carats), a present from Count Orlov to his mistress, Catherine the Great; the Shah Diamond (88.7 carats), which was given to Tsar Nicholas I by Shah Fath ‘Ali in 1829 as a gesture of condolence after the assassination in 1829 of Alexander Griboyedov, the Russian ambassador to Persia and a well-known poet; and the largest gold nugget to have been preserved in the world, weighing 36kg.
Great Imperial Crown
The Crown, which weighs 5 pounds, boasts 4,936 diamonds weighing 2,858 carats and is topped off by a dark red ruby below a diamond cross. Two rows of large pearls run front to back on either side of the crown. Even those who are not big fans of jewels and gems will be deeply struck by the incredible craftsmanship behind the treasures.
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