Africa’s gem mining and mineral industries are often talked about in relation to the environment. 26 January 1905.
Frederick Wells was conducting a routine inspection of a mine in the South African city of Pretoria. South Africa, which was a British colony at that time, was a country famous for its mines. In 1855, the Excelsior diamond was found in the mine and created a big news in the international media. This led to a great reputation for the mines in South Africa. It was only after Excelsior’s discovery that rumors spread throughout the Western world that various gems and other valuables were hidden throughout Africa.
Wells, who inspected the mine, was shocked by the surprise. Eighteen feet below the mine, African nature had a big surprise in store for him. Cullinan…the world’s largest diamond. A magnificent diamond that can be described as the emperor of all diamonds in the world.
Scientists estimate that Cullinan was formed about 500 kilometers underground. As a result of various movements, the diamond reached the surface of the Earth 1.18 billion years ago and was hidden until Wells discovered it. Cullinan was ten centimeters long and 6.35 centimeters wide and weighed 621.2 grams. After its discovery, the diamond was put on display at the Standard Bank in another South African city, Johannesburg.
The diamond is named after Thomas Cullinan, the founder of the mine where Cullinan discovered it. A portion of the cullin, which had a slight bluish tint to the white, had a small air hole in it. Rainbows bloom here as the light flickers.
Read Also: Cruelty by pouring acid on stray dog: Dog loses sight
Whatever valuables were found in the British colonies at that time would be sent to London. Cullinan was likewise sent to England.
Authorities were sure that most people would have learned of Cullinan’s discovery through newspaper reports. So they decided to play a little drama. Cullinan was ceremonially sent aboard a steamer. Then he deliberately placed the diamond in the captain’s cabin and locked it. Soldiers and police officers were deployed inside the ship.
Then the ship started sailing. Cullinan’s trip to London was also celebrated in the media. But what was inside the ship was a fake diamond. The real Cullinan was sent by post from South Africa to England, as if nobody noticed. The diamond reached London safely without anyone catching it.
Due to the high price, the trade of diamond did not take place in the first two years. The diamond was eventually purchased for the then King Edward VII of Britain. That trade was for one and a half lakh British pounds. Today, this amount would be worth about one and a half million pounds. The king vowed that he and his descendants would always cherish and protect this precious diamond.
After receiving the diamond, the king gave it to the Asher brothers in the Netherlands to cut it into smaller diamonds. But Joseph Asher of the Asher brothers, who examined the diamond, really sweated. There were no modern techniques for cutting diamonds back then. If something goes wrong, all the value of this wonderful diamond will be lost. It will also damage his reputation and reputation in a big way. However, Asher decided to take up the challenge. After weeks of study, a one-and-a-half-centimeter hole was made in a specific spot in Cullinan. The diamond is then split by inserting a knife-like steel tool into it. The tool broke on the first attempt due to the hardness of the diamond. But he succeeded in the second attempt.
Read Also: Killadi! A boat rushing through a herd of crocodiles – a horrifying sight
The Nine Diamonds were created from Cullinan. The largest of these was known as the Great Star of Africa. The 106 gram diamond is the largest cut diamond in the world. Today, this gem is a part of the British dynasty. The second largest piece weighs 63.5 grams. Known as the Second Star of Africa, it adorns the British crown. The remaining 7 pieces are today in the possession of Britain’s King Charles.
Content Highlights: Cullinan Diamond| South Africa | Britain | Manorama
#Cullinan #brought #Britain #Africa #largest #diamond #world #pieces #today
2023-08-21 03:07:08
