Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-04-10
GUARDING A FINE GEM
Extraordinary Precautions For
Safety OF Cullinan Diamond.
ARTISAN EMPLOYED GUARDED

Will Take a Year 20 Cut and Polish
Transvaars Gift TO Ensland's King.
Stone Worth $4,000. ooo-seeret and
uniformed Police Employed as
Guards.
Some of the particulars about the
care bestowed on the Cullinan diamond
the Transvaal's gift To King Edward
VII.-read like a chapter from a detec-
tive story. To account for the anxiety
for the safety of the stone, il must be
crown jewels Of England, not another
OF which can approximate IL in value,
size and brilliancy. The most difficult
operation, the cleaving, was perform
ed 10y an expert, and its success was
celebrated with champagne. The dia-
mond now appears as pear shaped
stone, and when IL shall be polished
and quite ready ii will weigh about
1000 carats. In its rough original
state the stone weighed 1922 carats
The eventual shape TO Ike given the
stone is kept a profound secret 10y
King Edward and the head OF the dia
mond cutting firm, says w. J. l.. Kiehl,
special correspondent of the Chicago
News at The Hague. All that is known
is that it is to have fifty eight facets,
which is the largest number "A dia-
mund ever had.
The intrinsic value Of the diamond Is
about 100000 forms (S2. 400, 0O0l, but
because Of the rarity OF such large
stones it can safely be estimated at
l2,OO0,OO0 forms (S4 SOo,O00D. The skill
ell artisan who has TO polish the stone
is a master of his craft, and the great
est precautions are being taken to
guard him and the diamond during the
long and delicate operation of cutting
and polishing. which will he perform
ed in large, well lighted and ventilat-
ed room, situated in the second story
of a side wing of the factory contisu-
Gus to the room of the heads of the
firm. 1t will take Il whole year before
the stone is ready, and during all that
time the working hours for the skilled
artisan will he from : Il. III until .
p. III. He is not allowed to leave the
room even for his meals. Besides the
principal work man. there will be two
assistants. and one of the members OF
the firm will he constantly present in
the room. This is locked upon the
men 10y the head of the irlu himself.
who Keeps the key.
At night it is even more difficult to
reach the stone than in the daytime.
In tremendously strong tireproof
room, the walls of which are more
than a foot thick and made of cement
and iron, is placed great iron fire
proof safe. and in this lies the dia
mond The door of the strong room
can only be opened by means of fig
ure lock. the figures being known only
10 the heads of the firm Behind the
door is a heavy iron grating, and when
this is opened the place is Immediately
flooded with electric light Then the
great iron iireproof safe becomes viSi-
bic in the middle of the room. This
safe Is painted 10 resemble mahogany.
and not a siugle lock is visible. There
are nine strong locks. but these are
placed beneath Il secret sliding panel
Even when the outer doors of this safe
have been opened the diamond cannot
he reached before another secret pi-
geonhole has been opened. In which the
valuable stone repoSes. The factory
Is guarded night and day by private
guard of its own as well as by secret
and uniformed police. The strong
room is again specially guarded by
two men, who every half hour have to
touch an electric controller which sig.
nails their presence. If the signs of the
electric controller point only one sec.
ond past the regulation time, the
guards are severely reprimanded