Another large stone was discovered in the Jagersfontein mine in 1895. It weighed 634 carats in the rough, and from it was obtained a splendid, faultless brilliant weighing 239 carats. It was shown at the Paris Exhibition of 1900.
(31) Star of Africa, or Cullinan
Fig. 67.—Cullinan No. 1.
All diamonds pale into insignificance when compared with the colossal stone that came to light at the Premier mine near Pretoria in the Transvaal on January 25, 1905. It was first called the ‘Cullinan’ after Sir T. M. Cullinan, chairman of the Premier Diamond Mine (Transvaal) Company, but has recently, by desire of King George V, received the name ‘Star of Africa.’ The rough stone weighed 621·2 grams or 3025¾ carats (about 1⅓ lb.); it displayed three natural faces (P[late XXV]) and one large cleavage face, and its shape suggested that it was a portion of an enormous stone more than double its size; it was transparent, colourless, and had only one small flaw near the surface. This magnificent diamond was purchased by the Transvaal Government for £150,000, and presented to King Edward VII on his birthday, November 9, 1907.
PLATE XXV
CULLINAN DIAMOND
(Natural size)
Fig. 68.—Cullinan No. 2.