![]() This is when it received its “Golden Jubilee” name. In 1996 it was given to King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand as a gift from the people on the 50th anniversary of his coronation. In 1995, it was purchased by a group of Thai businessmen, who also exhibited the diamond at many locations. The diamond was exhibited at numerous locations by De Beers to showcase the largest faceted diamond in the world. Its "fire rose cushion cut" shape was designed by Gabriel Tolkowsky, who faceted the gem between 19. The Golden Jubilee was cut from a 755.5-carat piece of rough found at the Premier Mine in 1986, while the mine was owned by De Beers. That is the 545.67-carat yellowish brown Golden Jubilee diamond. Since then, only one faceted diamond has exceeded it in carat weight. The World's Largest Faceted DiamondĪt the time of its cutting, the Cullinan I diamond was the largest faceted diamond in existence. Photo copyright iStockphoto / DiamondGalaxy. The specimen in the photo is a replica of the famous gem. The Golden Jubilee was cut from a 755.5-carat piece of rough found at the Premier Mine in South Africa in 1986. It weighs 15.37 carats more than the Cullinan I, which was previously the world's largest faceted diamond. It is a yellowish brown diamond weighing 545.67 carats. The Golden Jubilee Diamond: The Golden Jubilee is the world's largest faceted diamond. ![]() The Cullinan I and Cullinan II are also known as the “Great Star of Africa” and the “Second Star of Africa”, respectively. The Cullinan II has an accessory finding that enables it to be pinned to a garment as a brooch with the Cullinan I suspended below. The two diamonds were designed to be removed and worn together as a brooch. To give that position to the Cullinan II, the original gem in that position, the spectacular Stuart Sapphire, a 104-carat oval, was moved to to the back of the crown.īoth the Cullinan I and the Cullinan II have remained a part of the Crown Jewels in the sceptre and crown since their placement in 1910. The Cullinan II, a cushion-cut brilliant oval of 317.4 carats, was set in the front forehead position of the Imperial State Crown, immediately below the Black Prince's Ruby (which is really a red spinel). He ordered the Cullinan I, a 530.2-carat pendeloque-cut brilliant, be set in the head of the Sovereign's Sceptre (shown in the accompanying illustration). In 1910, after King Edward VII's death, King George V decided that the Cullinan I and the Cullinan II should become part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. This illustration was created by Cyril Davenport in 1919. The Cullinan I diamond serves as the head of the sceptre. It is a symbolic ornament that is held by the monarch at important events, such as a coronation or a significant anniversary. The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross: This sceptre is a part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. At 530.2 carats, the Cullinan I was now the largest faceted diamond in existence, and it was of exceptional color and clarity. This may sound like an excessive manufacturing fee however, each of the two largest stones had an individual value that greatly exceeded the value of all the rest combined. The rest of the cut stones and fragments remained with Asscher Brothers as their manufacturing fee. The two largest stones, the Cullinan I and Cullinan II, were sent back to the King. ![]() ![]() They were named using Roman numerals as Cullinan I through IX. Together the nine major diamonds weighed a total of 1055.89 carats. Asscher Brothers cut the Cullinan rough into 105 faceted gems: nine major diamonds totaling 1055.89 carats (shown in the accompanying photo), 96 small faceted stones totaling 7.55 carats, and 9.5 carats of uncut fragments. In Amsterdam, three people at Asscher Brothers worked 14 hours per day for 8 months cutting the diamond. A box containing the diamond was to be placed in the Captain's safe, and a team of detectives and armed guards were to travel with the diamond for safekeeping.īut, before the ship had left port, Abraham Asscher visited London and traveled back to Amsterdam by train and ferry - with the real Cullinan Diamond in his coat pocket. Their family was considered to be the most accomplished diamond cutters in Europe at that time.Īrrangements were made to ship the diamond aboard a Royal Navy ship. In January of 1908 he gave that job to Asscher Brothers Diamond Company, a family-owned business of gemcutters located in Amsterdam. King Edward VII decided to have the diamond cut into faceted gems.
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