This day in history: The world's largest diamond is found in South Africa Kaitlyn FarleyMon, January 26, 2026 at 10:29 AM UTC 0 On January 26, 1905, the course of gemstone history was altered forever in a small town near Pretoria, South Africa. During a routine inspection at the Premier No. 2 mine, Frederick Wells, the mine's surface manager, spotted a flash of light reflecting from the side of a pit wall. Approximately eighteen feet below the surface, Wells extracted a crystal so massive that he initially suspected it was a piece of glass planted as a practical joke.
This day in history: The world's largest diamond is found in South Africa
Kaitlyn FarleyMon, January 26, 2026 at 10:29 AM UTC
0
On January 26, 1905, the course of gemstone history was altered forever in a small town near Pretoria, South Africa. During a routine inspection at the Premier No. 2 mine, Frederick Wells, the mine's surface manager, spotted a flash of light reflecting from the side of a pit wall. Approximately eighteen feet below the surface, Wells extracted a crystal so massive that he initially suspected it was a piece of glass planted as a practical joke. Upon closer inspection, it was identified as the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found: the Cullinan Diamond, according to Google Gemini.
The stone weighed a staggering 3,106 carats, or approximately 1.37 pounds. It was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the mine. The sheer scale of the diamond—roughly the size of a human fist—presented an immediate challenge regarding its security and eventual sale. To transport the stone to London, authorities famously utilized a clever ruse: a heavily guarded dummy box was sent via a steamship, while the actual diamond was reportedly posted in a plain box via standard registered mail.
After failing to find a private buyer for two years, the Transvaal Colony government purchased the diamond and presented it to King Edward VII as a gesture of loyalty and a symbol of the healing relationship between Britain and South Africa following the Boer War. The task of cleaving the diamond fell to Joseph Asscher of the Asscher Diamond Company in Amsterdam. Legend persists that the steel blade broke on the first attempt, and Asscher fainted after successfully cleaving the stone on the second try.
The rough crystal was eventually cut into nine major stones and 96 smaller brilliants. The two largest pieces remain the most famous. Cullinan I, also known as the Great Star of Africa, weighs 530.2 carats and is set in the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross. Cullinan II, or the Lesser Star of Africa, weighs 317.4 carats and is featured in the front of the Imperial State Crown. Today, these historic gems are housed in the Tower of London as part of the British Crown Jewels. While larger industrial-grade diamonds have been found, the Cullinan remains the unmatched benchmark for gem-quality diamonds in both size and historical significance.
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Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: January 26, 2026 at 05:45AM on Source: OPERA MAG
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