Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-09
WORLDS BIG DIAMOND
THE RECENTLY FOUND BIG GEM
AND ITS PREDECESSORS.
A Product of the Premier Mine-Facts
About the Mogul, Orlof
and Kohinoor.
From the Springfield Republican.

From the Springfield Republican.
The news of the finding of the great 3,O32-
carat diamond in the Premier mine in South
Africa was received by ex-Representatlve
Jefferson NJ Levy of New York from the
mining company, of which he is the heav-
lest stakeholder in this country He said
of the company recently: The Premier mine
was opened about two years ago. The COM
pany is known as the Premier Diamond
Mine in the Transvaal.' 1t has a capital
stock of $4,000. 1t has paid well from the
first Three months ago the stock was sell
ing in London at f35 a share. Ten days ago
the price had advanced to ISL. Last week
the stock was reapportioned. For every
100 shares the holder got 400 shares in de-
ferred stock (Snown here as common stock)
and 200 shares in preferred stock 4ester-,
day the deferred stock was quoted in Lon
don at TO share. Today. after the news
of the big find, it selling at f19 The
preferred stock sold yesterday in London
at fSl2; today it was flo For several
months the De Beers company, which owns
most of the big mines in the Kimberley re-
gion, with an enormous capital, has been
after the Premier mine, but The company
has refused TO sell and has remained in
dependnt."
George F. Kunz. the Tiffany expert. was
greatly interested when he heard of the
diamond found in the Premier mine. 1t
was the largest diamond ever found, he
said. A few years ago black diamond
was found in Brazil which weighed 1882
carats. 1t was of 10 use except cut UP and
used on diamond drills. Except for this
the gem just found is three times bigger
than any other yet discovered. Approx
mately, he said it weighed about 621.56
grams, or about a pound and a half avoir-
dupois 1t would lose from 40 to 60 per
cent in cutting. depending on the shape of
the stone. He thought that it was likely
that diamond of such size would be left
as large as possible by the cutters. The
las 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, 900 carats. 1t was said to
have been purchased by the Tiffanys and
cut up. Most of it is now believed to be
in the Tiffany store
Famous Diamonds.
The new diamond, weighing 1892 carats,
will rank as the largest diamond ever
found. Some of the others notable for
their size or history are the Great Mogul,
the Orloff, the Regent, the Florentine the
Southern Star, the Kohinoor, the Shah,
the Sanci and the Polar Star. The collec-
ton of gems of the late Emperor of Brazil
was said to have contained a diamond,
known as the Braganza which weighed
1850 carats, or about twelve ounces. 1t is
believed, however, that it was only a fine
colorless topaz. 1t is the only diamond
li'dt approaches the new gem IN size. An
other large diamond, when cut, was one
owned by the Rajah of Mattan. 1t weighed
36I carats and was egg-shaped, with an in
denied hollow near one end. Many years
ago the Governor of Borneo offered $780,
600. two warships fully equipped and a
number of cannon and quantity of pow
der for it.
The Kohnoor weighed 100 carats when
found, but was cut down to 1856 carats, and
later to 1929 carats. 1t is valued at ST.
100000 1t was once in the possession of
the Great Mogul. 1t is believed that in the
first cutting big piece, weighing $50
carats after the cutting, and since known
as the Orloff, was taken by the cutter. The
Orloff is owned by the Emperor of Russia,
and is said once to have been the eye of
Indian idol. 1t is valued at 81 100000. The
Regent, another famous jewel, weighed $50
carats and was cut down to 1876. In 1901 it
was valued at 81, 100000. Since then it has
not been valued. 1t is unrivaled for limp
idness and form. 1t was found in Col
conda and brought from India by Pitt, the
grandfather of the first Earl of Chatham,
who sold it ito the Duke of Orleans for
100000. 1t decorated the hilt of the sword
of state of the first Napoleon, and was
taken from him by the Prussians at the
battle of Waterloo. 1t now belongs to the
King of Prussia
Star of South Africa.
The Star of South Africa weighed 2s3
carats and was cut to 1876 carats. 1t was
sold to oriental potentate for 100000.
The Florentine weighed 135 carats after
leaving the cutters hands, and was sold
for about 100000. The Victoria diamond
shown at the Paris exposition in 1889, was
sold to the Nizam of Hyderabad for $780,
600, nearly a years income of his realm.
In point of historical interest the Sancti
diamond probably comes first. 1t weighed
1O6 carats, and belonged to Charles the
Bold, Duke of Burgundy, who wore it in
his hat at the battle of Nancy, at which he
fell. Swiss soldier found the jewel and
sold it to a clergyman for a gulden. 1t
passed into the possession of Anton, King
of Portugal. who was obliged to sell it for
100000 francs. 1t then got into the pos
session of Sanci, a Frenchman, of
whose descendants was sent ambassador
by his sovereign, who required the diamond
pledge. The servant carrying it was
murdered, but not until he had swallowed
the diamond. His master had the body cut
open and found the stone. The diamond
then got into the possession of the crown of
England and James II carried it with him
to France in 1858. Louis XIV wore it at his
coronation. In 1885 it purchased by a
rich Russian nobleman. The Sanci is said
to have been the first diamond cut in Eu-