PLACE WITH FAMOUS GEMS

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 10 March 1934, Page 14

PLACE WITH FAMOUS GEMS

Two Large Diamonds from African Fields

irp ; \yo remarkable diamonds were A found recently at Elandsfontein, twenty miles north of Pretoria. The first was unearthed by an alluvial digger named J. J. Jonker. The stone weighs 726 carats. It ‘is two and a half inches in length, an inch and a half in height, and one inch in breadth. It is bigger than a matchbox. Its value is approximately £60,000. The second, found on the same farm, weighs 500 carats Of the well-known diamonds, these are respectively fourth and fifth largest in the world, says the London “Daily Telegraph” It was at first thought in view of the flawless character of the bigger gem that it was part of the famous Cullman diamond, the largest known, but this theory is disproved by' the fact that the stone was found three miles from tho Premier Mine which yielded the Cullinan diamond on January 6, 1905. Jonker, the .lucky digger, has been prospecting in the neighbourhood of the Premier Mine for eighteen years. |He said: “I am going to put. the cash — whatever its amount —into ;the bank and go farming.” According to a message from Pretoria, Jonker stated that he had already refused an offer of over £60,000 for the diamond.

by an overseer named Wells, who, going his round by night, saw something glistening and scooped out the object, with his pocket-knife. In the rough it weighed 3025 J carats (lflb), and it was named after 'the little township which had grown lip round the Premier Mine, and which, in. turn, had been called after 'the then chairman of the Premier Diamond Mining Company, Sir Thomas Cullman. The length' of the diamond was 4-Jin, its height, was 2-Jin, and its breadth. 2Jin. It was bought by the Transvaal 'Government and presented to King Edward. It was cut into two large gems weighing 5161 carats and 309 carats and 103 smaller stones.

The larger of two big stones, named the Star of Africa, was placed in the British Sceptre, and the second stone in >the British Crown. 'Of the remaining stones one was given by King Edward to Queen Alexandra, and the others were presented by the Transvaal Government to Queen Mary. In its uncut state the Cullinan Diamond had one very flat side to it, and this led to .the belief that it was part of a larger stone which might yet be found Other famous large diamonds are:— Excelsior 969' Koh-i-noor ■ S 0 0; Dutoitspan 442Ji Regent 410 It will thus be seen that the present finds are respectively the fourth and fifth largest known.

The Premier Mine is the largest diamond mine in the world. Since it was opened in 1902 over seven tons have been (taken from it. Owing to the world depression, it was closed in March, 1932. The Cullinan diamond was picked up