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Engraved DiamondThis photo of an engraved diamond appeared in a 2002 National Geographic article about the complicated reality of the diamond trade. Engravings are often used to identify a diamond's origin and ensure that it is "conflict free" or "blood free."
Photograph by Cary Wolinsky, National Geographic

Our Favorite Pictures of Jewels, From Hope Diamond to Fakes

Our favorite photos of jewels from National Geographic's archives.

March 7, 2015

Here are some of our favorite photos of jewels from National Geographic's archives. Some of the jewels are still rough stones, barely out of the ground; others have been passed from hand to hand for decades. They all captivate—even the fake ones (see if you can spot them).

—By Becky Little, photo gallery by Jenna Turner

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