Inside the Orlov Diamond: Russia’s Legendary Temple Treasure
Quick answer: The Orlov Diamond is a roughly 190-carat rose-cut white diamond with a faint bluish-green tint, mined in India’s Golconda region and now mounted in the Imperial Sceptre of Russia in the Moscow Kremlin. Legend says it was pried from the eye of a temple idol at Srirangam, though historians believe it is actually the recut Great Mughal Diamond. Count Grigory Orlov bought it in 1774 to win back Catherine the Great, who instead set it atop her sceptre, where it has symbolized Russian imperial power ever since.
So here is the full story of one of history’s most storied diamonds, separating the legend from the likely truth.
A Note on Where This Analysis Comes From
This guide comes from Regal Studio in Buckhead, Atlanta. Our founder, Mack, began at the jeweler’s bench at just fourteen, trained across Europe, and is today a GIA-certified diamond grader with over 45 years of experience.
We have spent a career studying the great historic stones. Few carry the drama of the Orlov.
So this is not a recycled legend. It is an expert’s look at what is true, what is myth, and why this diamond still matters.
The Orlov Diamond at a Glance
Let us begin with the confirmed facts, since even those are extraordinary.
Feature | Detail |
Weight | ~189.62 carats (estimated, never re-weighed) |
Shape | Rose cut, like half a hen’s egg |
Color | White with a faint bluish-green tint |
Origin | Golconda region, India (likely Kollur Mine) |
Current home | Imperial Sceptre, Kremlin Diamond Fund, Moscow |
A key insight often overlooked: the Orlov’s weight has never been formally measured in modern times. Because it has sat untouched in the sceptre since 1774, the 189.62-carat figure comes from old records, not a modern scale.
An Extraordinary Cut From a Lost Era
The Orlov’s most striking feature to an expert is its cut.
It is a rose cut, a domed surface covered in facets with a nearly flat base. This style was unusual for a stone this large.
Most great diamonds of comparable size received brilliant cuts to maximize sparkle. The Orlov’s rose cut points to a much earlier fashioning, likely in India during the Mughal period.
Experience has shown that a diamond’s cut can date it as reliably as a signature. The Orlov’s style is a window into a lost era of Indian craftsmanship.
The Legend: A Temple Idol’s Eye
Now the story that made the Orlov famous. It reads like a spy novel.
According to legend, the diamond once served as an eye of the deity Lord Ranganatha in the temple at Srirangam, in Tamil Nadu, southern India.
The tale continues that a French deserter in the 1700s heard of the jeweled idol. Barred as a non-Hindu from the inner shrine, he hatched a patient plan.
He disguised himself as a devotee. Over years, he earned trust and became a guardian of the inner sanctum. Then, one stormy night, he pried the diamond loose and fled to Madras.
A key insight often overlooked: this is the version most often repeated, and it is thrilling. But it is almost certainly not what happened.
The Likely Truth: The Great Mughal Diamond
Here is where an honest expert account diverges from the romantic one.
Most historians now doubt the temple story. The stronger evidence suggests the Orlov is the recut Great Mughal Diamond.
That stone was documented in Jean-Baptiste Tavernier’s 1665 inventory of Emperor Aurangzeb’s treasury. After Persian ruler Nader Shah sacked Delhi in 1739, the diamond likely traveled north and was recut, reducing its weight.
Following Nader Shah’s assassination in 1747, the stone passed through several hands, eventually reaching an Armenian merchant, Ivan Lazarev, in Amsterdam.
In our market observations, this is a common pattern with historic diamonds. The dramatic theft legend endures because it is exciting, while the documented provenance is quieter but far more credible.
How It Reached Catherine the Great
The Orlovs ‘ documented history sharpens in the 1770s, and it is a tale of love and desperation.
Count Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov was one of Catherine the Great’s most powerful lovers and the father of her illegitimate son. By the 1770s, though, Catherine had moved on to younger favorites.
Desperate to win her back, Orlov purchased the magnificent diamond in 1774 for a staggering sum, roughly 400,000 rubles.
The gift did not work. Catherine accepted the diamond but not the man. She rewarded him with a marble palace in St. Petersburg instead, and named the stone after him.
A key insight often overlooked: Orlov died a few years later, reportedly alone and losing his mind. The diamond that bears his name outlived his fortunes entirely.
A Symbol of Imperial Power
Catherine did something telling with her new treasure.
In 1774, she had the Orlov mounted atop the Imperial Sceptre of Russia, surrounded by other diamonds. It became the crown jewel of the sceptre.
That was no accident. The sceptre was the hallmark of imperial authority. By placing the Orlov at its summit, Catherine cemented the diamond as a symbol of her power and Russia’s grandeur.
Experience has shown that the greatest diamonds become more than gems. They become instruments of statecraft. The Orlov has been present at Russian coronations ever since.
Where the Orlov Is Today
The diamond remains exactly where Catherine placed it, still mounted in the Imperial Sceptre.
It is displayed as part of the Diamond Fund collection in Moscow’s Kremlin Armoury, managed by Russia’s Gokhran since 1926.
It has not moved from the sceptre in nearly 250 years. That is why its true weight and clarity remain partly a matter of historical record rather than modern measurement.
Don’t Confuse It With the Black Orlov
One quick clarification, because the names cause endless confusion.
The Black Orlov is a completely different stone. It is a 67.50-carat black diamond, also called the Eye of Brahma, with its own separate legend of a temple theft and a supposed curse.
A key insight often overlooked: the two Orlovs share nothing but a coincidental name. Different color, different size, different history, different location. The white Orlov in the Kremlin is the imperial treasure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the Orlov Diamond?
It weighs approximately 189.62 carats, though it has not been formally re-weighed since 1774 because it remains mounted in the Imperial Sceptre. It is rose cut, shaped like half a hen’s egg.Was the Orlov Diamond really stolen from a temple?
That is the famous legend, involving a French deserter and the Srirangam temple. Most historians doubt it, believing the Orlov is actually the recut Great Mughal Diamond from Aurangzeb’s treasury.Why is it called the Orlov Diamond?
It is named after Count Grigory Orlov, who bought it in 1774 and gave it to Empress Catherine the Great to try to win back her affection. She kept the diamond and named it for him.Where is the Orlov Diamond now?
It is mounted in the Imperial Sceptre of Russia, displayed in the Diamond Fund collection at the Moscow Kremlin Armoury, where it has remained since 1774.Is the Orlov the same as the Black Orlov?
No. They share only a name. The Orlov is a ~190-carat white diamond in the Kremlin. The Black Orlov is a separate 67.50-carat black diamond with its own legend and history.
Discover Rare and Historic Diamonds in Atlanta
Legendary stones like the Orlov remind us that a great diamond is never just a gem. It is history, artistry, and rarity fused into one object. Understanding those qualities is what separates a fine diamond from an ordinary one.
At Regal Studio in Buckhead, every piece is designed and handcrafted by Mack, a GIA Certified Diamond Grader with over 45 years of experience and the trust of more than 400 five-star clients. Whether you are drawn to historic cuts, rare colors, or a flawless classic, we help you understand and source the finest stones with complete transparency.
Our motto says it all: “You Dream It, We Make It.”
Visit Regal Studio on Peachtree Road in Buckhead, or get in touch to book a consultation. Let a seasoned master jeweler help you find a diamond worthy of its own story.
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