Posts Tagged ‘Largest Diamond’
October 10th, 2009
At last, the largest diamond in the world had found a worthy contender. Under preliminary forecasts of experts the weight of the new diamond-champion is one 1.5 kg.
Before now the largest diamond in the world was the Cullinan diamond. This diamond was found in the British province Transvaal (nowadays the Republic of South Africa) in 1905. The weight of the ex-champion Cullinan is 3106 carat (621.2 gr.). The diamond was named for Sir Thomas Cullinan, who had discovered the Premier in Transvaal three years earlier. The diamond amazes not only by its size but also its cleanliness, absence of mineral inclusions, cracks, and bubbles.
The Cullinan diamond was presented to the reigning British monarch, King Edward VII, in 1907. It’s interesting that diamond represents a splinter (about 1/3 part) of larger diamond, but it haven’t found till now.
The diamond was cut into 9 large stones and about 100 smaller ones by I.J. Asscher and Company of Amsterdam. The Cullinan diamond decorates the brow of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain about one hundred years.
Nowadays, the 7000-carat diamond (1.5 kg) was found in the same country. Under armed guard the new diamond will be delivered in Johannesburg, the capital of the Republic of South Africa, where diamond will be determined its exact weight and the size with a help of special technical equipment.
What company possesses this precious find? It is not yet announced. However, during all last century the leadership in world production of diamonds belonged to giant De Beers who supervised about 65 % of all diamond market till now.