The Stuart sapphire is of great size, being about 1-1/2 inches in length by 1 in. in breadth, and is oval in shape. It is without serious flaw and of good colour, though paler than some of the best sapphires to be found in other portions of the regalia. The stone is set in a gold brooch, and can be removed and worn as a personal ornament.
As gems the two greater portions of the Star of Africa eclipse in size and brilliancy all others in the Jewel House. Though the stone may have taken a million years to form in the womb of mother earth, it only saw the light of day in 1904. In the rough when found it measured 4 in. in length, 2-1/4 in. in width, and 2-1/2 in. in depth, and weighed roughly 1-1/2 lb. But even this huge block, as large as half a Roman brick, it was concluded was only a part of some even more gigantic diamond, for its base was clean cut as with a knife, showing that a portion perhaps as large, perhaps even larger, in some remote age, by a great convulsion of nature, had been split off. For fourteen years diligent search was made for the missing portion, for any block or spadeful of blue rock might contain it. Yet strangely enough, when by chance it was found, it came to an untimely end. A telegram from Johannesburg, dated October 18th, 1919, made this brief announcement: “A large diamond has been found on the Premier Mine. It is estimated to have weighed 1500 carats, but unfortunately had been crushed by the crusher. It is believed to be part of the other half of the Cullinan diamond.”
The diamond was first known as the “Cullinan Diamond,” Mr. T. M. Cullinan being at the time manager of the Premier Mine, near Pretoria, where it was found, and it is still very generally known by its first name. It was insured for the sum of £1,500,000. The Union Government of South Africa eventually became the purchasers, inspired with the happy sentiment that this magnificent diamond would be a graceful emblem of the entry of South Africa into the British Empire.
When this monster stone was presented to Edward VII it looked like a block of rock salt, as may be judged from the exact model of it now to be seen in the Jewel House. When the experts were called in they declared that it was impossible to cut a stone of this size and shape into one brilliant; they therefore recommended that following the natural cleavages it should be broken up into four parts, two of which would be very great brilliants, and two of lesser size. King Edward following this advice, and with the full consent of the donors, called in the celebrated diamond-cutters of Amsterdam, the Messrs. Coster, and put the work in hand. One can imagine the enormous anxiety and the extraordinary coolness, steadiness of hand, and skill of the man who with one tremor of the mallet or chisel might mar the greatest stone of all ages. The chisel and the steel mallet with which this delicate operation was performed are preserved at the Tower, and it is noticeable that there are only two or three dents in the chisel, showing how true and clean the strokes must have been.
Thus split up, the largest portion was cut into a pear-shaped brilliant, and set at the head of the King’s Sceptre. The next largest portion was cut into a cushion-shaped brilliant, and placed in the band of the King’s State Crown, just below the Black Prince’s ruby. Both of these brilliants are larger and finer stones than any others, including the Koh-i-Nur. The two remaining large portions are set, one in the band, and the other in the cross paté of Queen Mary’s Crown. It may be of interest to record the exact weight and sizes of these four great brilliants which collectively are called the Stars of South Africa. The largest portion, that in the King’s Sceptre, weighs 516-1/2 carats, and measures 2-5/6 in. in length and 1-13/16 in. at its broadest part. The next largest portion, that in the band of the King’s State Crown, weighs 309-3/16 carats, and measures 1-13/16 in. in length, and 1-11/16 inches in breadth. The third portion, that in the band of Queen Mary’s Crown, weighs 96 carats, and the fourth portion, which is drop shaped and is in the cross paté on the top of Queen Mary’s Crown, weighs 64 carats. Thus it will be noticed that a rough stone weighing 3025 carats cuts down into four brilliants weighing in the aggregate under 986 carats.
The question is often asked: “What is the value of the Stars of South Africa?” And it is a very difficult one to answer, for curiously enough stones above a certain size lose their commercial value, for few have the money or inclination to buy gems of enormous size, and fewer still would be bold enough to wear them. Nobody but a King or a Queen, for instance, could wear a diamond which on an ordinary person would look and certainly be taken for the lustre from a candelabra. Thus the market becomes strictly limited, as was definitely brought home to the owners of the Premier Mine. It was thus that the Union Government were enabled to buy a stone valued at £1,500,000 for £150,000, a stone which even when split into four is still of an aggregate value difficult to compute. Let us elude the difficulty and say they are worth a million and a half, and leave it at that.
It is interesting to compare the Cullinan with other well-known diamonds of size and historic value, though curiously enough even the present existence of these stones is not in all cases certain. Those, for instance, which formed part of the regalia of the late Tsar of Russia are for very obvious reasons at present in hiding. The largest of these is the Orloff, which weighs 194 carats. This great stone came from India, and was reputed to be a cleavage from the still greater stone, the Koh-i-Nur. It was stolen by a French grenadier from the eye-socket of an idol in a Hindu temple. He deserted the army and sold the stone to the captain of an English merchant ship for £2000. By him it was conveyed to Holland, where a Jew named Khojeh Raphael gave £12,000 for it; and at once resold it to Orloff for Catherine the Great for £90,000 and an annuity of £4000! Since that time this great stone has remained one of the Russian Crown Jewels, and when last seen was set at the head of the sceptre of the late Tsar. Where it is now or what its fate the future may perhaps reveal.
Another large diamond, named the Shah, of very curious shape, also was amongst the Russian Crown Jewels. It is flat and rectangular in shape, with a Persian inscription engraved upon it and a groove cut round. It weighs 86 carats and was given by the Shah of Persia to the Emperor Nicholas I. The stone is an exceptionally fine one, but owing to its peculiar shape its value can only be conjectured. The Polar Star is another very fine diamond which formed part of the Russian regalia. It was bought by the Russians in London about seventy years ago, and is described as of remarkable purity and brilliancy. It weighs 40 carats, but the price paid for it and its present value is not known. Nor its whereabouts.
The Sanci diamond has a very ancient and interesting history, and has been through many adventures. It is first heard of as belonging to Charles the Bold of Burgundy on the day he was disastrously defeated by the Swiss at the battle of Granson. According to tradition a Swiss soldier picked it up, and having no value for a piece of glass, sold it for a florin or the price of a drink. Eventually it found its way to Constantinople, and was there bought by the French Ambassador in 1570, and became henceforth known as the Great Sanci diamond. Henry III and Henry IV, both of France, were the next possessors, and whilst owned by the latter King it had a curious adventure. One of the King’s followers, who had charge of the diamond, was attacked by robbers, and the faithful fellow, to save his master’s treasure, swallowed it. The robbers after a stiff fight slew the servant, and not finding the stone pulled the corpse into the thicket and left it. In due course of nature, when decomposition had done its work, the brilliant was found again and was restored to the French King. The Sanci then, by sale or gift, passed into the possession of Queen Elizabeth, and remained one of the Crown Jewels of England through several reigns, and escaped the depredations of the Commonwealth. In 1669 it was still in the possession of Henrietta Maria, widow of Charles I, and was by her entrusted to the Earl of Somerset, who handed it over to James II. When that monarch fled to France he took the Sanci with him and sold it to Louis XIV for £25,000. It long remained amongst the French Crown Jewels, and in 1791 was valued at £40,000. In the year 1835 the diamond passed to Russia, being purchased by Prince Demidoff for £75,000. Then in 1865 the Sanci returned to India, whence it probably originally came, being sold by the Demidoffs to Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, a rich Parsee of Bombay. From him it was bought by the Maharajah of Patiala, at what price is not known, and is still in that prince’s possession, and may be seen on the front of his turban on State occasions.