Garcia da Orta is explicit that diamonds were not regarded as the pre-eminent gemstone by the Mughals – something which came as an enormous surprise to Europeans. In his Colloquies, da Orta has his interlocutor, Dr Ruano, remark that diamonds ‘are the king of stones, for [they have] eminence over pearls and emeralds and rubies, if we believe Pliny’. Da Orta, however, corrects him: ‘In this country … they think more of an emerald or of a ruby, which have more value if they are perfect, and size for size, than of a diamond. But as they do not find other stones when perfect and of good water so
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