One of the most legendary and sought after antique cuts in the world of Diamonds the so-called 'Peruzzi' cut, is credited to a Venetian lapidary named Vincenzo Peruzzi during the 1600's (originally referenced by London jeweller David Jeffries in A Treatise on Diamonds and Pearls published in 1751 but frustratingly after much research Peruzzi himself has not actually been proven to have ever existed).
However, we do know that this style of distinctive early Brilliant Diamond was cut throughout the period mid 1600's-1700's, and what was different and exciting about them at the time was the addition of a third row of triangular facets to the crown of the Diamond, achieving 58 facets which gave far greater brilliance to this newly sparkling cut of Diamond.
It is believed by some that this modification to the cutting style was originally made in Venice, began to be taught in workshops there and then gradually the technique spread to Antwerp and London. The technology used to cut and facet these olden Diamonds would at the time have been hand/foot operated.
They are tall compared to modern brilliant Diamonds as the crown and pavilion are of almost equal height and distinctively, they display a Maltese cross when looking through the top or table facet.
They have a very special allure and interest as each example is a unique and hand crafted 300 year old treasure. The source of the earliest of these Diamonds is likely to have been the famous old Golconda mines in India as the mines in Brazil weren't 'discovered' and commercialised by Europeans until the 1730's.
