World's largest diamond at the time, the Cullinan, is found in South Africa
Cullinan Diamond
Date: 25 January, 1905
On 26 January 1905 miner Frederick Wells extracted a large diamond from the Cullinan mine, a few kilometres outside Pretoria in South Africa's mineral-rich Gauteng province. The diamond weighed a massive 3.106 carats and was found alongside two other diamonds, each greater than 50 carats. For almost a century the Cullinan Diamond was regarded as the largest single diamond ever found. The diamond was given as a gift to King Edward VII and now forms part of the British crown jewels. Experts have valued this diamond as being worth more than £200million.
References:
- (2009) One of the biggest diamonds discovered in South Africa from the Telegraph, 29 September [online], available at: www.telegraph.co.uk [Accessed 22 January 2010]