The Cullinan Diamond

by Yi Yu
(Chofu, Tokyo)

The Cullinan Diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever discovered. At 3,106 carats (621 grams), it was almost as big as a man's fist. There is a life-size glass replica.

It was found in the 'big hole' of the Premier Diamond Mine, located in Cullinan, East of Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Folklore stories abound in connection with large mining finds; it was rumored that the diamond was found right next to a discolored rock pattern that is roughly heart-shaped!

The credit for finding the diamond was given to the miner Thomas Evan Powell who found it on January 26, 1905. He received a substantial award for his find (and his honesty in handing it over). The mine and the diamond were named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the original mine owner.