[Jewelry making - Article 00520] - Re: [Orchid] Diamond cutting

[Karen Lechner]

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    Hi, 

    It was the Cullinan diamond. I read somewhere that only half the
    original crystal was recovered from the quarry wall. Half the diamond
    may have been destroyed by the mining operation! What was left has
    certainly resulted in 9 very large stones! You can visit the stone in
    London at the Tower. 

    This link has a bit of information: diamondtutorials.com

          The Cullinan Diamond

           diamondtutorials.com/famousdiamonds/roughcullinan.jpg

                 Weight: 3,106 carat (rough)
                 Cut: Final cut Pear shaped diamond

          This 3,106 carat diamond is the largest gem diamond ever
          found. It was discovered in 1905 at the Premier mines in South
          Africa by Frederick Wells, a mine superintendent. He was
          walking through the mine at the end of the day, when he
          happened to glance up. He noticed a large mass in one side of
          the mine wall. Thinking it was a big piece of glass embedded
          by a practical joker he examined what turned out to be a huge
          diamond. Wells received $10,000 for his find. The diamond was
          named Cullinan, after the mine's owner Sir Thomas Cullinan. 

          It was purchased for $800,000 as a present for King Edward VII
          for his 66th birthday. The stone was sent to the Asscher
          Brothers in Amsterdam to be cut. They had successfully cut the
          Excelsior, previously the largest diamond. The huge uncut
          stone was studied for months. Then on February 10, 1908, Mr.
          Asscher stuck the steel cleaver's blade to make the first cut.
          The blade broke while the diamond remained intact. 

          On the second attempt, it split exactly as planned. It was
          reported that after the second cut, Mr. Asscher fainted.
          Further cuts produced three principal parts, and these in tern
          were cut into 9 major gems, 96 smaller brilliants, and 9.5
          carats of unpolished pieces.The Cullinan I was the largest gem
          produced from the rough stone. It is a pear shaped stone of
          530.2 carats and is the world's largest cut diamond. 

          The Cullinan I is now in the head of the royal scepter in the
          British crown jewels. The second largest cut diamond, the
          Cullinan II, is a cushion-shaped stone weighing 317.4 carats,
          and is set in the British imperial state crown. 

Karen in Toronto - where winter refuses to end - sigh


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