Great Star of Africa

The Great Star of Africa diamond, which is also known as The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem quality diamond found in the year 1869. In the rough the diamond weighed in at 3,106.75 carats. This was then the result of it becoming the largest polished gem in the world, up until 1985 when there was the discovery of the Golden Jubilee Diamond, which was 545.67 carats, also from the Premier Mine.

The story goes that when the diamond was split, the knife broke during the first attempt. "The tale is told of Joseph Asscher, the greatest cleaver of the day," wrote Matthew Hart in his book Diamond: A Journey to the Heart of an Obsession, "that when he prepared to cleave the largest diamond ever known, the 3,106 carats Cullinan I, he had a doctor and nurse standing by and when he finally struck the diamond and it broke perfectly in two, he fainted straight away." It turns out the fainting story is a popular myth. Diamond historian Lord Ian Balfour wrote that Asscher was a very accomplished and competent cleaver, and that it was much more likely he opened a bottle of champagne, instead.

Cullinan I or Great Star of Africa is now mounted in the head of the Scepter with a Cross in London. The second largest gem from the Cullinan stone is the Cullinan II or the Lesser Star of Africa, at 317.4 carats, is the fourth largest polished diamond in the world. Both gems are in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.