table diamond

English

The cuts for a rose diamond (left) and table diamond (right)

Alternative forms

• table-diamond

Etymology

From Middle English table dyamond.

Noun

table diamond (plural table diamonds)

1. A relatively flat diamond cut with a large rectangular face and four shallow slightly sloping sides.
   • 1558, Mary Tudor, Will of Queen Mary I of England:

     And I do humbly beseech my said most dearest lord and husband to accept of my bequest and to keep for a memory of me one jewel, being a table diamond which the emperor's majesty, his and my most honourable father, sent unto me

   • 1820, Edward Holt, The Public and Domestic Life of His Late, Most Gracious Majesty:

     This was also new made against the Coronation of King Charles II. and was worn by the King in his return to Westminster-hall : it is exceedingly rich, being embellished with divers large rose, or faucet, and table diamonds, and other precious stones, besides a great quantity of pearls; but it is most remarkable for a wonderful large ruby, set in the middle of one of the four crosses, esteemed worth ten thousand pounds; as also for the mound is one entire stone, of a seawater green colour, known by the name of an aquamarine.

   • 1834, George Villiers Duke of Buckingham, Catherine Manners Villiers duchess of Buckingham, Letters of the Duke and Duchess of Buckingham, page 28:

     ... as for thee, my sweet Gossip, I send thee a fair table diamond, which I would once have given thee before, if though would have taken it, for wearing in they hat, or where thou pleases; and if my Baby will spare thee the two long diamonds in form of an anchor, with the pedant diamond, it were fit for an admiral to wear, and he hath enough better jewels for his mistress, though he's of thing own thy good old jewel, thy three Pindars diamond, the picture-case I gave Kate, and the great diamond chain I gave her, who would have sent thee the least pin she had, if I had not staid her.

   • 2011, Agnes Strickland, Elizabeth Strickland, Lives of the Queens of Scotland and English Princesses, page 202:

     To Bothwell a table diamond set in black enamel, evidently intended for a mourning ring, also another mourning jewel called an ensetgne, set with eleven diamonds and one ruby — trifling tokens of esteem such as any female sovereign might bequeath to a member of her cabinet.