The Biggest Diamond
By Pallavi Ganeshkumar

Since times immemorial, man has an unending thirst to build, find, discover and make the biggest, the largest, heaviest, longest, things in the world. We are fascinated with the biggest airliner, the heaviest submarine, the longest bridge, the fastest jet, so on and so forth.

Of all these things, one little rock stands out. Though it is hardly more than a pound, it never ceases to amaze people, both young and the old. It is a proud possession. Owners pride and others envy. Women have wished to own a bit of it if not the whole of it. A rock found only in the deeper core of the earth. The hardest known of the metals! That is the diamond.

Cullinan is the biggest rough diamond in the world. According to the resources available on the internet, it was found in South Africa in 1905. It weighed nearly a pound and a quarter. Its weight before cutting was 3,106.75 carats and was cut into different shapes. Great Star of Africa was made with a weight of 530.2 carats. The Star of Africa is a pear shaped diamond weighing 530.20 carats. It measures 58.9 × 45.4 × 27.7 mm, and has 76 facets (counting the culet and the table).

The Great Star of Africa is now on the Royal Scepter. It can also be detached and worn as a pin or a pendant. It is presently at the Tower of London.

The Little Star of Africa, or Cullinan II is made with 317.40 carats and nearly a 100 other exquisite diamonds were crafted from the biggest diamond with flawless color and clarity. Not surprisingly, they are a part of the British crown's jewels. This little Star of Africa is at the center-front of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain.

There is an interesting story that in 1905, Fredrick Wells was doing the usual inspection at the Premier Mine, in South Africa, when his eyes fell upon a shining piece of stone a few feet above him. Though he was eighteen feet inside the mine, he scaled up and dug it out presuming it to be a large piece of glass. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Coincidentally Sir Thomas Cullinan, who opened that mine, was visiting on that day and so the name Cullinan was given to the diamond. Now safely tucked away with the British Crown jewels, this piece is presumed to be just a small part of a bigger stone.

There is also another theory doing the rounds that Golden Jubilee is the largest diamond in the world weighing 545.67 carats, presented to the King of Thailand on the 50th anniversary of his coronation ceremony.

Even though there is little ambiguity about the biggest diamond at the moment, official records still put the Cullinan as the biggest diamond. In 1985 it is said to have the lost the record to the Golden Jubilee, which was found in the same mine as the Cullinan.

What are the criteria used to determine how big a diamond is? Primarily it is the weight, for diamonds, mostly in carats. Then comes equally important color, clarity and finally the cut as it desired.
The size of a diamond is measured in carats. The more the carats the bigger is the diamond. But things would have been simpler if it was just that. As the size is pertinent to determine the weight, the clarity is also important. And so follows the color and the cut.

Be it the largest or the smallest, a diamond still flutters every body's heart. The sheer shine, look and gloss cannot be matched by any other precious stone. Cut, carat, color and clarity are the three things to look out for in a diamond. With all those in mind one needs cash, credit or card to buy one - be it the largest, biggest or even the tiniest one.