Just in case you thought I was kidding – here’s the heraldry for the Mordor Special Mission Flying Corps, drawn by Tolkien himself.
“It apparently was a badge that applied to Sauron’s air-borne troops, probably including the later incarnations of the Nazgûl and, perhaps, any remaining dragons under Sauron’s command. The “wings” at the side of the emblem are given a feather-like texture, which might indicate that they were originally real wings. A mystifying scribble, saying “Seen from below”, actually hints that the emblem portrays one of Sauron’s flying creatures, and the small “horns” indicated between the wings and the body of the creature could then be the feet of someone riding the beast. But it is clear that if so, the portrait must be extremely stylized. On the wings can be seen the image of Sauron’s eye, multiplied like the eyes on peacock’s wings.” [x]
Reputed one of the finest in the world, this 138.7 carat beauty graces the collection of the Smithsonian museum of natural history. Its quality is exceptional in all three main factors, colour, transparency and sharpness of asterism (as the star phenomenon is called). It was donated to the museum in 1965 by an advertising mogul, after whom it was named. When he bought it, the stone was scratched and therefore slightly recut from 140 carats, better centering the star in the process.
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