Precious stones have always attracted people's attention, they became objects of lust and admiration, a source of wealth and a cause of envy. Stones were often endowed with mystical powers, especially those that differed in beauty and size. So, the most famous diamonds in some countries are revered almost as a deity.
Instructions
Step 1
The most luxurious and illustrious diamond ever found is the Cullinan, mined in January 1905. Its weight before processing (cutting) was 3106 carats, which is equal to 621.2 grams.
Step 2
An amazing find was made in the then British colony of Transvaal. A mine supervisor, Fred Wells, noticed a glint in the sun on the surface of the quarry during his tour. Recovered with a simple penknife, the sparkling shard was first mistaken for a piece of crystal and was nearly thrown out the window. This is how the largest diamond on the planet saw the light.
Step 3
The stone owes its name to the owner of the mine, where, in fact, it was discovered - Sir Thomas Cullinan. Size is not the only thing that amazed the diamond. The Cullinan is strikingly clean, with no foreign particles or cracks in it. By modern standards, the initial cost of the Cullinan before processing would be equivalent to the price of 90 tons of gold.
Step 4
The find was put on display to the public. But the price turned out to be so high that for several years not a single buyer was found. Then they decided to present the stone as a gift to the ruler of England Edward the Seventh for his birthday.
Step 5
The stone delighted and surprised with its enormous size, was of excellent quality, had perfect transparency and was absolutely colorless.
Step 6
It is difficult to say what the owners of the historical find were guided by, but the stone was crushed into pieces and cut. Experienced jeweler Joseph Asher took on such a responsible job. After the blow to the stone, Asher fainted from the heaped burden of responsibility. When, waking up, he saw that the stone was intact, he lost consciousness again.
Step 7
From the Cullinan, two of the largest diamonds in the world were formed: one - the "Great Star of Africa" (carat 530), the other was named "Minor Star of Africa" (carat 317). It is now the property of the UK. In total, as a result of the work done, nine large diamonds were obtained from the Cullinan diamond, as well as more than 95 small pieces. The total weight was 1063.65 carats. Thus, a weight loss of more than 60% occurred during treatment.
Step 8
Today, the largest Cullinan diamonds form an important part of the British royal family's jewelry collection. During especially solemn and important official events, jewelry with Cullinan diamond inserts is assumed by the Queen of England. Tourists can also see them at the exhibition in the Tower, namely the House of Treasures.
