![Around the Same Time Diamond Cutting Began in Europe the Indians Started Fashioning Diamonds. Who Influenced Who Here Isn't Clear but it is a Fact that the Designs Produced Differ a Lot From Each Other. The Best Known Indian Cut is the Mughal Cut, Accurately Described by J.B. Tavernier in his Book 'Six Voyages'.](https://www.langantiques.com/university/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Kohinoortavernier-300x285.jpg)
![Tavernier Mughal Cut Sketches.](https://www.langantiques.com/university/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Tav_dia-234x300.png)
The name indicates a native Indian cut that followed the shape of the rough and often exhibits a large flat base and a reasonably large table facet separated by a sloping array of smaller facets but these features are by no means a requirement for the name Mughal Cut. The best-known example of a Mughal Cut was the fabled Koh-I-Noor (pictured here), which was re-cut into an oval brilliant in 1852 and currently resides in the Tower of London.
Tavernier has left us with a fair few sketches of Indian native cuts, which illustrate the rather wide variety of possibilities. The term Mughal Cut is better understood to be describing a diamond cut in India in the 16th, 17th or 18th century rather than a certain shape or arrangements of facets:
One famous Mughal Cut diamond which is still to be admired today is the Orlov diamond:
![The Orlov Diamond in the Russian Imperial Sceptre Image Courtesy of Elkan Weinberg. The Orlov Diamond in the Russian Imperial Sceptre Image Courtesy of Elkan Weinberg.](https://www.langantiques.com/university/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Orlov_Diamant-q88jzrj3s4crx3em3k8ws307d2fiv96qz8rl5fvzig.jpg)
![Sketch of the Orloff Diamond From the Book Precious Stones by Max Bauer, Published in 1904.](https://www.langantiques.com/university/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Croquis_du_diamant_dOrloff.png)