Jubilee Diamond
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 A copy of the Jubilee diamond. |
|
| Weight | 245.35 carats (49.07 g) |
|---|---|
| Color | E-grade colourless |
| Cut | Cushion |
| Country of origin | South Africa |
| Mine of origin | Jagersfontein Mine |
| Date discovered | 1895 |
| Cut by | M.B. Barends |
| Original owner | Wernher, Beit & Co.; Barnato Bros.; Mosenthal Sons & Co. (consortium) |
| Current owner | Robert Mouawad |
The Jubilee Diamond, originally known as the Reitz Diamond is a colourless, cushion-shaped diamond weighing 245.35 carats (49.07 grams), making it the sixth largest diamond in the world. It was originally named after Francis William Reitz, the then president of the Orange Free State where the stone was discovered, before being renamed to honour the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1897.
The original stone, a rough octahedron weighing 650.80 carats (130.16 g), was discovered in 1895 at the Jagersfontein Mine in South Africa. A consortium of diamond merchants from London purchased it along with its even larger sister, the Excelsior, in 1896, and sent it to Amsterdam where it was polished by M.B. Barends. A 40 carat (8 g) chunk was removed, which itself yielded a 13.34 carat (2.668 g) pear-shaped gem eventually purchased by Dom Carlos I of Portugal.
[edit] References
- "The Jubilee", Famous, Historic and Notable Diamonds
