Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1885-12-30
The Great African Diamond.
rdam correspondent of thu

An Amsterdam correspondent of the
I Manufacturing Jeueler tells the story
of the immense African diamond,
weighing 457 carats in the rough, which
is in process of being cut by Mr.. JAG
ques Metz, one of the largest diamond
cutters of the city. The stone is said
to have a somewhat curious history,
and, though its exact birthplace is only
matter of conjecture, it is known that
it was found by somebody in one of the
four mines of Kimberley, in the Cape
colony, South Africa. 1t is said that in
June or July OF last year one of the
surveillance officers of the Central
Mining company in the Kimberley
mine found the stone AKA, being ex-
empt fron, search, carried it through
the searching-house unperceived, and
sold it to four irregular dealers for
$4,000.
Before leaving the province the new
owners had a night of drinking and
gambling, which ended in two of them
becoming its owners instead of four.
The two owners escaped the secret po-
lice and reached Cape Town, where
they found dealer who readily paid
an export duty on diamonds shipped
from Cape colony of per cent, but it
appears that this stone was Struggled
out of the colony by passenger on the
nail steamer and brought to London,
where its presentation at Hatton garden
created a great sensation. A former
resident at the Cape mines managed to
form a company of eight persons, who
bought the stone between them for
1925, ZOO cash, on condition that the
seller or sellers should receive ninth
share of the eventual profits. The real
value of the stone has been estimated
at London at above $1,000.000. Ac-
cording to the rules of valuation of the
famous Travernier diamond, its value
would be ST., 166,9S0.
The correspondent says that the art
of diamond-polishing existing in Am
sterdam for more than three centuries
has been brought to such perfection
that it is expected that this stone,
weighing in the rough 457 carats (and
said to be whittier and purer than any of
its historical predecessors), will lose in
working much less than other famous
stones; that it will be more rapidly fin
ished, and it has every chance of re-
naming the largest and finest diamond
of the whole world. ITO enter into
comparisons, he says, "the Great
Mogul, now in the Persian treasury,
weighed in the rough 787 carats, but
through the incapacity of the Venetian
workman, the stone lost in cutting 5O7
carats. Shah Jehan, instead of paying
for the work, made the workman pay
him fine of 10000 rupees, and would
have taken more if he had had it. As it is,
the stone is yet the largest of all known,
weighing now 2S0 caratS. The next in
size is the Orlof, forming the top of
the imperial Russian scepter, and weighs
1876 carats. This stone formed one eye
of Brahmin idol, and was stolen by a
French soldier who fell in love with the
beautiful eyes of the Indian goddess.
Next in weight follows the regent, one
of the French crown diamonds. In its
rough state it weighed 210 carats; it
took two years to cut it, and 10000
francs worth of diamond powder was
used in its polishing. Its present
weight is 1861 carats. Next we came to
the Koh-i-noor, the property of her ma
jesty, the queen of Great Britain. The
stone was first cut in Indie holding
1861 carats, but it missed all the fire
that such magnificent stone ought to
possess. Hence the queen had it recut
in the brilliant form by the eminent
cutter Voorzanger, especially ordered
to London for the purpose. The cut
ting was performed in mastery man
ner, and, though losing S13 carats in
working, the stone was trebled in value.
The Star of the South has also been
polished here in Amsterdam, at the
mills of the late Mr. Coster. 1t is in
the shape of an oval brilliant, and now
weighs 125 ZIG carats.