The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-28
THE BIGGEST DIAMOND EYER.
ONE WEIGHING OVER 3, $50 CARATS
FOUND AT JOHANNESBURG.
Experts say IT'S SO Bis II WIN Have TO
Be Cut up-Jefrerson NJ. Levy Inter-
eSted in Company Which Owns II
The stone Waited Mt FL 900. 900.

tho Premier minO here, 1t weighs over
5000 0arats
Take a handful Of putty the size OF an
ordinary four pound iron weight 20 be
found in any grocery store. Fashion IT.
roughly into round mass and you will
have approximately the size OF the newly
found diamond. Or take two small tea
cups and hold them together: you will get
a similar result. Such a gem, IL was said
yesterday by the local diamond experts,
Is too large for wear. In all probability
it will be cut up into smaller stones. Even
If kept intact it would probably lose from
10 TO 60 per cent. in the cutting.
The first information OF the big find
came to this city yesterday in a cable des-
patch TO ex-Congressman Jefferson NJ
Levy the heaviest stakeholder in this
country in the company in whose mine
the diamond was found. 1t said:
Discovery of 5000 carat stone; value,
81 coo OOO.' Mr.. Levy knew nothing else
about the find. but told something about
the company which owns the stone
The Premier mine was opened about
two years ago, he said. The company
is known as tho Premier Diamond Mine
in the Transvaal' 1t had capital stock
Three months ago the stock was selling in
London at GS5 per share Ten days ago
the price had advanced to ISL. Last week
tho stock was reapportioned. For every
100 shares the holder got 400 shares in de-
ferred stock (known here as common stock
and 200 shares in preferred stock.
Yesterday the deferred stock was
quoted in London at SIS share. To-day
II III
at Gl0. The preferred stock sold yesterday
in London at Esil; to-day it was elo, For
several months the DeBeers Company.
which owns most Of the big mines in the
Kimberley region, with an enormous capt.
tai, has been after the Premier mine, but
the company has refused TO sell and has
remained Independent.
George +. Kunz, the Tiffany expert,
WIGS greatly interested yesterday when
he heard Of the diamond found in the Pre-
mier mine. IL was the largest diamond
ever found. he said. A few years ago
black diamond was found In Brazil which
weighed 3,032 carats It was Of 20 use
except cut up and used on diamond drills.
Except for this, the gem just foundis three
times bigger than any other yet discovered.
Kunz explained the size of the 1900 carat
diamond as compared with four pound
iron weight Approximately, he said, it
weighed about O2l56 grammes. or about
a pound and half avoirdupois. 1t would
lose from 10 TO 90 per cent in cutting, de-
pending on the shape of the stone He
thought that il was likely that dia-
uoud of such size would lie left a. large as
possible by the cutters. He wouldn't place
a value ou the Dig diamond. although he
didn't dispute the value of ~ .Co0,OO said
70 be placed on it. The value, nc sa!d.
would depend to great extent on its size
and quality.
The last diamond of any note found
In recent years was the Syndicate, dug
up In the DE Beers mines about two years
ago. 1t weighed, uncut, geo carats. 1t
was said TO have been purchased by the
Tinanys and out UP. Most of it is now
believed 10 be in the TiNany store in this
The new diamond weighing exactly
3O32 carats, win rank as the largest diamond
ever found. Some of the others notable
the Orion, the Regent. the Florentine,
the Southern Star. the Koh-i-noor. the
SHAH the Sanc and the Polar Star. The
collection OF gems Of the late Emperor of
Brazil was said to have contained a dia-
mond known as the Brazanza, which
weighed 1850 oarats or about twelve
ounces 1t is believed. however, that il
was only fine coloress topaz II is the
only diamond that approaches tho new
gem in size
Another large diamond when cut, was one
owned by the Rajah of NATHAN. 1t weighed
367 cerats and was egg shaped with an in
dented hollow near one end. Many years
ago the Governor Of Borneo offered $500 600.
two warships fully equipped and number
Of cannon and a quantity of powder for it,
The koh-i-noor weighed 100 carats when
found. but cut down TO 1856 carats and later
TO 1929, carats. 1t is valued at 1850 900.
IL was once in the possession of the Great
Mogul. 1t Is believed that in the first cut
ting q big piece, weighing $50 carats after
the cutting, and since known as the Orion.
was taken by the cutter. The Orof is
owned by the Emperor Of Russia and is
said once TO have been the eye of an Indian
idol 1t is valued at 100000.
The Regent another famous jewel.
In 1891 it was valued at s. 100000. Since
then IL has not been valued, 1t il unrivaled
for impidness and form. II was found in
Golconda and brought from India by Pitt,
the grandfather Of tie first Earl Of Chatham
who sold it 10 the Duke of Orleans for
100000. It decorated the hilt OF the sword
Of state of tie first Napoleon and was taken
from him by the Prussians at the Battle of
Waterloo. 1t now belongs to the King Of
Prussia.
oarats and cut TO 1876 carats. II was sold 10
an Oriental potentate for 100000.
The Florcntine weighed 1875 carats after
leaving the cutters hands and was sold for
about $500, 900. The Victoria diamond
shown at the Paris Exposition in 1883, was
sold TO the Nizam of Hyderabad for $500 600
nearly years income OF his realm
In point of historical interest the Sanci
diamond probably comes first II weighed
1908 carats and belonged to Charles the
Bold. Duke OF Burg ndv. who wore it in
his hat at the battle Of Nancy at which he
fen A Swiss soldier found the jewel and
sold il 10 a clergyman for a gulden It passed
into the possession of Anton, King Of
Portugal. who was obliged to sell II for
100000 francs 1t then got into the pos
session Of Sanc. a Frenchman, one Of
whose descendants was sent as Ambassador
byh sovereign, who required the diamond
as a pledge. The servant carrying IL was
murdered but not until he had swallowed
the diamond His master had the body
cut open and found the stone. The dia
mond then got into the possession Of the
Crown OF England, and James II. carried
il with him to France in 1883. Louis XIV.
wore il a. his coronation In 1895 II was
purchased by a rich Russian nobleman
The Sanc Is said TO have been the first
diamond cut in Europe