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KF5JRV > TODAY 25.01.19 13:30l 40 Lines 2058 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 30014_KF5JRV
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Jan 25
Path: IW8PGT<IR2UBX<SR1BSZ<LU4ECL<VE2PKT<N3HYM<KF5JRV
Sent: 190125/1225Z 30014@KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA BPQ6.0.18
On January 25, 1905, at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, a
3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine inspection by the
mine’s superintendent. Weighing 1.33 pounds, and christened the
“Cullinan,ö it was the largest diamond ever found.
Frederick Wells was 18 feet below the earth’s surface when he spotted a
flash of starlight embedded in the wall just above him. His discovery
was presented that same afternoon to Sir Thomas Cullinan, who owned the
mine. Cullinan then sold the diamond to the Transvaal provincial
government, which presented the stone to Britain’s King Edward VII as a
birthday gift. Worried that the diamond might be stolen in transit from
Africa to London, Edward arranged to send a phony diamond aboard a
steamer ship loaded with detectives as a diversionary tactic. While the
decoy slowly made its way from Africa on the ship, the Cullinan was sent
to England in a plain box.
Edward entrusted the cutting of the Cullinan to Joseph Asscher, head of
the Asscher Diamond Company of Amsterdam. Asscher, who had cut the
famous Excelsior Diamond, a 971-carat diamond found in 1893, studied the
stone for six months before attempting the cut. On his first attempt,
the steel blade broke, with no effect on the diamond. On the second
attempt, the diamond shattered exactly as planned; Asscher then fainted
from nervous exhaustion.
The Cullinan was later cut into nine large stones and about 100 smaller
ones, valued at millions of dollars all told. The largest stone is
called the “Star of Africa I,ö or “Cullinan I,ö and at 530 carats, it is
the largest-cut fine-quality colorless diamond in the world. The second
largest stone, the “Star of Africa IIö or “Cullinan II,ö is 317 carats.
Both of these stones, as well as the “Cullinan III,ö are on display in
the Tower of London with Britain’s other crown jewels; the Cullinan I is
mounted in the British Sovereign’s Royal Scepter, while the Cullinan II
sits in the Imperial State Crown.
73 de Scott KF5JRV
Pmail: KF5JRV@KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA
email: KF5JRV@ICLOUD.COM
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