Wednesday, February 10, 2016. In a mine located in South Africa, discovered a giant diamond that they have called «Cullinan» or better known as «South Star»; whose gross weight of 3,106 carats, gives it the title as the largest of all time.
This beauty was found January 25, 1905 by the renowned surface manager of the “Premier Mining Company” called Frederick Wellsin the village of «cullinan» about 40 kilometers to the east of “Petroria” -the province of “Gauteng” in South Africa-. Previously, the stone had been baptized with this name to give honorary recognition to the owner of the diamond mine Sir Thomas Cullinan; but the name given years later as «South Star» it was because of the writer’s novel Julio Verne named «The Star of the South» in which the epicenter of its entire history is the largest diamond in the world.
This beautiful rough diamond was given as a gift to the King Edward VII on his birthday, who later gave the order to carve it in the year 1906 with 150 gems carefully selected, to be baptized according to the weight that each one had with the names of Cullinan I, Cullinan II, Cullinan IIIuntil you reach the last one.
These three, already named together with Cullinan VI, have become large-scale pieces such as the Cullinan I, jeweled in the great cross scepter; Culinan II, the main attraction of the British Imperial State Crown; and the Cullinan III and VI, incorporated into a brooch of the queen mary.
The Scepter of the Cross, has been the largest cut diamond in the world until the year 1985then was pushed aside by the “Golden Saravia”. In the year 1661, This great scepter was baptized in such a way, for having been found on a cross; in the year 1910 its modification was made with the arrival of the precious stone Cullinan I, impressively surpassing the 530 carats -106 grams-.It was carried in the right hand of the King in the famous coronation ceremony of the monarch of the United Kingdom, to symbolize his power and Christian faith.
The Cullinan II was made and used in the year 1838, by Queen Victoria at his coronation; replacing the St Edward’s Crown and becoming the central attraction of the Imperial State Crown. Today it is exhibited in the great Tower of London Museum, also being used in coronations of the monarchs of the United Kingdom, and in opening ceremonies of parliament. The Cullinan III and VI, were put on a beautiful brooch by the wife of the great King-Emperor George V of the United Kingdomthe Queen Mary of Teck; nicknamed them as «Splinters».