HOME OF DIAMOND HUNTERS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 24 August 1935, Page 11

HOME OF DIAMOND HUNTERS

iJVHE Jonker Diamond, it was stated in this page recently, has been sold for £150,000. It was found in South Africa last year, and weighed 726 carats, being 2* inches long, It inches high, and an inch in breadth. Another diamond, found close by, was 500 carats. The two stones were bought for about £93,000, the .Tonker being purchased for more than £60,000.

All big diamonds lose heavily in weight when cut, as the object of cutting them is to get rid of flaws, as well as bring the stone to a shape which will best display its brilliance. Sometimes a big diamond, which contains several flaws, can be cut in such a way as to make several flawless stones. The Star of the South was sold for the comparatively small sum of £15,000 by the master of the slave who found it. The cut stone is now' in the possession of an Indian Prince, the Gaekwar of Baroda, who paid £BO,OOO for it.

The discovery of diamonds in South Africa dates back to 1867, and in the 66 years that have elapsed about 33 tons of diamonds to the value of over £250,000,000 have been exported. For many years the output of the South African fields ranged from 70 to 90" per cent, of the world’s annual production of diamonds. The first big diamond found in South Africa was the Star of South Africa, which was bought by the Earl of Dudley for £25,000. in its state it weights 46-1 carats, but when found it weighed 83* carats. It is said that this diamond, which w T as found in 1869, two years after the first discovery of diamonds in the Hopetoun district of Cape Colony, was in the possession of a Hottentot, who wore it as a mascot to ward off diseases and evil influences.

Other large diamonds found in South Africa in the early years of the industry are the -Stewart diamond, which weighed 288 3-8 carats in the rough, and 129 carats when cut; the Victoria, a getn of 180 carats, cut from an oc-

Treasures From South African Fields

. tahedron weighing 457* carats; the J Tiffany, a magnificent orange-yellow j stone, weighing 125* carats in the cut >state; the Porter .Rhodes, a stone of the finest water, weighing 159 carats, and the Jubilee, found at' Jagorsfontein in 1595, which weighed 634 marats in the rough and 239 when cut. Two years earlier a large diamond, weighing 969* carats, was picked up at Jagersfontein by a native while he was loading a truck. It was eventually cut into ten stones of various sizes, Weighing from 68 carats to 13 carats. This was the largest diamond that -had ever been found in any country, but it held the record for only twelve years. In 1995 all Teeords were beaten by the discovery of the -Cullman diamond, picked up in the yellow ground of the newly-opened Premier mine in the Transvaal, which was destined to become one of the richest diamond mines in the world. The Cullinan diamond weighed in the rough 3204$ carats, which is equal to 21oz avoirdupois. The Transvaal Government bought this diamond in 1907, and presented it to King Edward VII. It was 11 inches long, and its circumference ranged from 2:f to 9$ inches. It was cut into two large stones, seven small stoneq, and 96 tiny brilliants. The largest stone weighed 516* carats, and second stone 309 carats. These two stones are the largest diamonds in the world. The larger stone adorns the Royal sceptre, and the other has been set in the Royal crown. The crown and the sceptre, which from part of the Royal regalia, are on public view in the jewel house of the Tower of London. Another big diamond which is included among the British -Crown jewels is the Koh-i-noor, which weighs 196 carats, and in its uncut state weighed 793 carats. After being in the possession of Indian Emperors and Princes for generations, it came into the possession of the East Indian. Company when the Punjab was conquered in 1850, and the company presented it lto Queen Victoria.