The Cullinan I

The Cullinan was the largest diamond ever found weighing 3.106 carats. It was found on 26 of January in 1905 in the Premier-Mine of South-Africa from Frederick Wells . He got 10.000 $ for its finding. The Cullinan I was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, owner of the mining company, A general of the ancient British colony gave the preciousness to king Edward VII as a birthday present in 1907. It is a pear shaped diamond weighing 530.20 carats. It measures 53mm x 44mm x 29mm, and has 76 facets (counting the culet and the table). It's called the Cullinan I because it's the largest of the 9 large stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond. The diamond was sent to be cut to the Asscher Brothers in Amsterdam, who already had successfully cut the Excelsior. They examined the uncut stone for months. On February 10, 1908, Joseph Asscher tried to make the first cut, but the blade broke while the diamond remained intact. On the second attempt, it split exactly as planned. It was reported that after the second cut Mr. Asscher fainted. Asscher cut the rough-diamond into three principal parts. 105 single stones: Nine big and 96 small stones and 9.5 carats of unpolished pieces. The nine big stones were cut to crown-jewels and are kept in London Tower. Cullinan I was cut from the largest diamond ever found, The Cullinan now resides in the Tower of London and is set in the sceptre of King Edward VII. It is possible to remove the diamond from the Royal Scepter to wear it as a pin or pendant. This diamond is also known as “The Great Star of Africa”

The Cullinan II

The Cullinan II is a cushion shaped diamond weighing 317,4 carats. It is the second largest diamond in the world and was cut from the same rough diamond as the Cullinan I. The Cullinan Diamond was discovered on a Thursday, Actually 26th January 1905 and when weighed immediatly after discovery tipped the scales at 3106cts (metric) It was actually thrown out of the window initially, dismissed as being far too big to be a diamond but recovered by Fred Wells, the mine manager who had actually dug the stone out himself after his attention was drawn to it by the workers The diamond is in the center-front of the British Imperial State Crown.

The new sovereign wears this crown upon leaving Westminster Abbey following the coronation, or during major state occasions. The most intrinsically valuable crown in the world, it is the best-known piece of the regalia. Design for Queen Victoria's 1837 coronation, it features more than 2,800 diamonds. The sapphire in the Maltese Cross (at the top) allegedly comes from the ring of King Edward the Confessor. The 104-carat Stuart sapphire is set into the rim, opposite the Black Prince's Ruby. Beneath the ruby rests the world's second largest diamond, the 317-carat The Cullinan II or The Second Star of Africa.

Cullinan III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX

Cullinan III
weight: 94.40 carats
Discovered in South Africa in the First Mine in 1905. This diamond is mounted in the Queen Mary's Crown.

Cullinan IV
weight: 63.60 carats
Discovered in South Africa in the First Mine in 1905. This diamond was originally set in the band of Queen Mary's crown, but can also be worn as jewelry.
 

Cullinan V
weight: 18.80 carats
Discovered in South Africa in the First Mine in 1905. This diamond is mounted in a brooch for Queen Mary.

Cullinan VI
weight: 11.50 carats
Discovered in South Africa in the First Mine in 1905. This diamond was mounted in a Elizabeth II necklace.
 

Cullinan VII
weight: 8.80 carats
Discovered in South Africa in the First Mine in 1905. This diamond was mounted in a pendant on a small all-diamond brooch.

Cullinan VIII
weight: 6.80 carats
Information: Discovered in South Africa in the First Mine in 1905. This diamond was mounted in a brooch with the Cullinan VII.
 

Cullinan IX
weight: 4.34 carats
Discovered in South Africa in the First Mine in 1905. This diamond is mounted in a ring with a prong setting that was made for Queen Mary. It too is sometimes worn by Queen Elizabeth

Cullinan III & IV

Cullinan V

Cullinan VII & VIII

Cullinan VI & IX

Cullinan III - Cullinan V - Cullinan II - Cullinan VIII - Cullinan VII - Cullinan I - Cullinan VI - Cullinan IV - Cullinan IX - Rough Cullinan

Natural Gemstones