Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-28
THE BIG DIAMOND
ALL ABOUT THE GREAT WHITE GEM
FROM SOUTH AFRICA.
Its Expected Arrival in England-What
will They Do with Tits Weight
and Color.
London standard.l

Before long we are likeiy 10 ne ia'or-
ed with a distinguished visitor, though
possibly one too expensive tor any OF
us numerous admirers to permanently
entertain. To parody phrase OF the
day, the Great White Diamond from
South Africa will soon be on view.
Some two years ago this glistering bau-
BILE arrived from GriQualand, and re-
NAMED for season the envy of the
many magnates who, after admirlng its
457 carats of rough weight, came
to the conclusion that, like Plato
on a celebrated occasion, 1t is quite
possible to "buy repentance at
too great a price," At last, how
ever, syndicate Of London and Paris
jewellers ventured on buying 1t, and, in
the hope that it would turn out for
their Joint benefit, dispatched the pre-
cious CRY stall to be cut by one Of those
skilful craftsmen of whom Amsterdam
seems TO possess the monopoly. For
eight months this artist has been en-
gagged in his delicate task, and hopes to
announce the completion of the SLOW and
risky operation by the beginning OF
April. In weight, in color, in purity
and in lustre. its owners claim that it
will surpass all the crown and histon-
cal bIilliants in the world. Without
adopting so lavish an estimate OF It's
merits as that held by its not i'm
partial proprietors, we may, neyerthe-
less. fairly assume that the stone now
on the polsher's wheel is very re-
maIkable bit OF carbon. In its almost
finished state it still weighs two hum
bred and thirty carats, or only fifty
eight less than the "Stewart " dia.
mond, from the same region, did in the
rough. But i'll order to give it the best
possible shape and luster, it is intended
TO facet it still further, at an additional
loss of thirty carats, so that when It Is
offered for the approval of the mill
lonaires it will weigh exactly two hun
dred carats. This will be a good
deal more than the Regent -
Of France. and almost twice as
much as the a. oh-i-noOr." though
considerably less than the " Mo-
gul" or the 4" MAN. which
weighs, in its uncut state, three hun
bred and seyenty-six carats, and is
valued at seven hundred and twenty
thousand pounds sterling. But when
all has been said in praise of the bic
diamond from South Africa, the first
question that arises is, Who will pay
for it? No private individual could
fairly afford to invest in a mere gem so
much money as will be claimed for it,
and. unless the Shah of Persia still
cherishes his historic taste for jewelry.
it is more than likely that with all its
virtues the two hundred carats of un-
surpassed brilliancy may for long
time hang heavy on the owners hands.
Meantime there is the diamond, and
TO doubt in couple of months half
the idle folk of the Metropolis will be
breaking the Tenth Commandment az its
rays beam on them through the jeweller' S
bars. However, even should some pur-
chaser be found for the glorious jewel,
it is a mistake to suppose that he will
be able to indulge the satisfaction OF
feeling that he is the owner Of the great
est diamond in the known world. There
are several much larger, and if the
"Braganza, (which in III was extract
ed from the mine of Caetha Merlin, should
prove to be a diamond, then it is GER
tain that no other stone or collection OF
stones can approach it. The Portu-
guese Government are very chary about
permitting any one to examine or to
weigh it. But the best estimates put il
at 1850 carats, though, at the same
time, the general belief is that the sup
posititious diamond is really a fine
white topaz rare and heavy stone,
worth some forty or fifty pounds when
the size of pigeon S egg and well cut
which in Brazil and elsewhere often
counterfeits the more costly gem.
4 Malay noble, in Brunei, offered
"a diamond " the size OF a pullet's egg
for the sum of one thousand pounds,
and nearly succeeded in disposing OF
il, when the stone was discovered to be
piukish topaz. The " Regent,
which weighs l3G carats, is, however,
an indubltable diamond and if the
republic persists in selling the French
Crown Jewels, may run hard with the
less historic gem now being fitted for
the fashionable world. 1t is one Of the
famous Golconda diamonds, and forms
the theme Of POpe's libellOus lines on
the grandfather of the first Earl OF
Chatham, who came in possession Of It
when Governor Of Fort St. George.
Hence il is sometimes called the
" Pitt" diamond. The "Orlof, -
which is affirmed 10 have been
stolen out Of an Indian temple,
where it formed the eye Of an idol, IS
much larger, weighing within y caTat-
of the South-Afrlcan one. What 1t Is
worth can only be guessed at. In l7l2
the Empress Catherine bought 1t for
10000 pounds, an annuity Of t 600 rou-
pies. anu Il huSSlHu ItlAc VI A''A''NJ
The Grand Duke" weighs 1872
carats, though some give It's bulk at
something less; and the " Koh-i-noor'
in its present condition, does not eX-
coed lO2l carats. When this stone was
first known it weighed 900 carats. II
was, however, successlyely reduced t.
$50, and then to l64l, which was 1T
weight when exhibited at the Great FIX
hibition in 1851. But, when 1t wa
found to have been badly cut
the brilliancy which depends or
the due proportions between th'
several parts of the stone not having
been maintained it was taken in hand
BIZ Herr Vorrsanger, cunning diamond
cutter Of Amsterdam, the result o
which operation was that it lost 3 GIT
carats, though even yet the economy
practiced in reducing this irregularll
shaped Indian-cut stone to symmetrca
form with the least loss of weight pos
sible has left It much too broad for II
depth, and, therefore, far less brilllln
than it would otherwise have become.
Symmetrical cutting according to the
ascertained refractory power Of th'
stone, though essential to the prope
, L., - cal a