On This Day In History: 3,106-Carat Diamond Found – On Jan 25, 1905

 AncientPages.com - On January 25, 1905, a 3,106-carat diamond was discovered during a routine inspection at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa.

The diamond, weighing 1.33 pounds, was named the “Cullinan” (after Sir Thomas Cullinan, who owned the mine) and became the largest diamond ever discovered.

The diamond, found 18 feet below the earth’s surface, was sold and subsequently presented to Britain’s King Edward VII as a birthday gift. Worried that the diamond might be stolen from Africa to London, Edward arranged to send instead a fake diamond - exceptionally well secured, aboard a steamer ship.

The Cullinan was sent safely to England in a plain box.

The Cullinan was cut into nine large stones and about 100 smaller ones, valued at millions of dollars. The largest stone is called the “Star of Africa I,” or “Cullinan I,” and at 530 carats, it is the largest-cut fine-quality colorless diamond in the world.

The second largest stone, the “Star of Africa II” or “Cullinan II,” is 317 carats. Both of these stones and the “Cullinan III” are on display in the Tower of London with Britain’s other crown jewels; the Cullinan I is mounted in the British Sovereign’s Royal Scepter, while the Cullinan II sits in the Imperial State Crown.

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