Having
a case of the Mondays? Starting today, we’d like to help cure your dread of
this wretched, wretched day with a look at some famous gemstone marvels from
around the world.
For today, we’ll be focusing on the Cullinan
Diamond, the largest
gem-quality diamond ever found. Discovered in January
1905 in South Africa, this diamond was roughly 4.1 inches long (at the longest
point) and a whopping 3,106.75 carats!
Though discovered by the mine’s superintendent, the
diamond was named after the mine’s owner, Sir Thomas Cullinan. Purchased by the
Transvaal government (a former British colony), the diamond was later presented
as a token of loyalty to King Edward VII.
The Cullinan Diamond sired 7 major stones and 96
smaller ones. The two major stones, referred to as Cullinan I and Cullinan II,
were set into the Sceptre with the Cross and the Imperial State Crown
(respectively); Cullinan III and Cullinan IV originally decorated the crown of
Queen Mary, consort of George V, but were both later replaced by crystal
models. They are now worn publicly as brooches.
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