530.20
Carats - the Cullinan I or Star Africa diamond is the
largest cut diamond in the world. Pear shaped, with 74
facets, it is set in the Royal Scepter (kept with the
other Crown Jewels in the Tower of London).
It was
cut from the 3,106-carat Cullian, the largest diamond
crystal ever found. The Cullian was discovered in Transvaal,
South Africa in l095 on an inspection tour of the Premier
Mine.
The Cullian
was cut by Joseph Asscher and Company of Amsterdam,
who examined the enormous crystal for around six
months before determining how to divide it. It eventually
yeilded nine major, and 96 smaller brilliant cut
stones. When the Cullian was first discovered, certain
signs suggested that it may have been part of a
much larger crystal. But no discovery of the "missing
half" has ever been authenticated.
