The original stone, a rough octahedron weighing 650.80 carats (130.16 g), was discovered in 1895 at the Jagersfontein Mine in South Africa.
Diamond dimensions 245 free#
It was originally named after Francis William Reitz, the then president of the Orange Free State where the stone was discovered, before being renamed to honour the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1897. The Jubilee Diamond, originally known as the Reitz Diamond is a colourless, cushion-shaped diamond weighing 245.35 carats (49.07 grams), making it the sixth largest diamond in the world.
Sources:, , am-diamonds.Wernher, Beit & Co. After all, it is one of a kind, and it remains the largest cut and polished diamond on the planet. How much is the Golden Jubilee diamond worth? Is the Golden Jubilee diamond price of just $4 to $12 million USD correct? If sold at auction, it is likely that this stone would fetch a significantly higher price. Because of the Golden Jubilee diamond’s size and value, it is always guarded carefully. It has been exhibited in Switzerland and the United States in the past, and has sometimes been put on display at Henry Ho’s incredible 59-story Jewelry Trade Center in Bangkok. Today, the Golden Jubilee Diamond remains in the Royal Thai Palace, where it is part of the Crown Jewels. As the nation had been in financial straits for some time before the diamond’s acquisition, there was concern that news of the expenditure would cause the government’s popularity to drop. The government of Thailand originally reported the newly acquired stone as a large golden topaz, in order to prevent Thai citizens from becoming upset over the expense. Later, a plan was made to have it mounted in the royal seal of Thailand. Initially, plans were made to mount the massive diamond in the King’s royal scepter. He changed its name from “Unnamed Brown” to “The Golden Jubilee Diamond.” The diamond was presented to King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand in honor of his 50th coronation anniversary. Afterward, it was blessed by the Supreme Imam as well as the Supreme Buddhist Patriarch in Thailand. It was then brought to the Vatican in Rome, where it received a Papal Blessing from Pope John Paul II.
In 1995, ten years after its discovery, the stone was purchased from the De Beers company by a group led by Henry Ho of Thailand. Its beauty is magnified by a spectacular fire rose cushion cut that maximizes its fire while increasing its value.īrought to Thailand by the Thai Diamond Manufacturers Association for a special exhibit in the Thai Board of Investment Exhibition in Laem Chabang, the diamond was selected for the prestigious honor of heralding De Beer’s centennial celebrations, which were held in 1988. With time and patience, and over the course of two long years, this yellow-brown diamond was transformed to its current state. First known by the unremarkable name of “Unnamed Brown,” this gemstone was given to Gabriel Tolkowsky by the DeBeers company for the purpose of testing out special cutting tools and gem cutting methods that were initially developed for use on the colorless Centenary diamond.īecause the uncut stone had several inclusions and deep cracks, it was cut in a specially designed underground chamber that is free of vibrations that could cause the cutting process to go awry. Given the Golden Jubilee diamond’s size, it’s not terribly surprising that it came from the Premier Mine, which has yielded some other famous diamonds including the Cullinan Diamond and the Taylor-Burton Diamond. Discovered in 1985, this stone is fairly new to the world, and has only had a few owners. While many of the world’s biggest diamonds have long histories, the story attached to the Golden Jubilee Diamond is a relatively short one.