CULLINAN DIAMOND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 303, 16 September 1908, Page 7

CULLINAN DIAMOND.

: TWO GREAT GEMS. ONE OF TtiEM VALUED AT 3J MILLION ■' STERLING. (BY TET.I GRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) : (Reo. September 15, 11.45 p.m.). . London ( September 15. The " Daily .'.Tolegraph" states that the cutting of the smaller of the two Cullinan diamonds has been 'finished. The gem weighs 330 carats, 90 carats more than the Excelsior, the largest diamond hitherto. Tho larger Cullinan gem will be finished at Christmas, and will weigh 600 carats. In the open market it would fetch 3J million sterling.

THE KOH-I-NOOR AND THE CULLINANS.

The Cullinan diamond, the father of the two new gems, was presented to tho King on behalf' of the Transvaal on his last birthday. The diamond in its rough state turned the scale, at ,3024} carats, corresponding to 9600 troy grains, or rather over one-third of a pound avoirdupois'. It was discovered on the Premier diamond mine, Transvaal, on January 25, 1905, by an overseer, and measured 4in. long, 2jin. broadband 2in. deep. The Koh-i-Noor, .the famous jewel of tho British Crown, Weighing originally nearly 800 carats, was reduced by the unskilfnlness of the original cutter t0'279 carats; it was re-cut in 1852, and now weighs 102} carats. The new GOO carat-and 330 carat Cullinan gems will therefore, overshadow the Koh-i-Noor. One will be set in the Royal Crown, the other in tho tU Cullinan has now been found to be of superfine quality, pure white, and possessed of a remarkable brilliance and lustre. The great cost of cutting will probably be met by the value of the chips. ■