10 OF THE LARGEST GEM QUALITY DIAMONDS IN THE WORLD

The largest ever rough diamond to be discovered in the world at 3,106 carats , the Cullinan diamond was found in the Premier diamond mines of Transvaal , South Africa on January 26 , 1905 . During a mine inspection , superintendent Frederick Wells happened upon the diamond a few feet above his head – 18ft underground . The name stems from Sir Thomas Cullinan – founder of the Premier diamond mine . Purchased by King Edward VII , the diamond was cut into nine gems , with 96 smaller pieces . The Cullinan II was mounted on the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain , as worn by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II . The Crown Jewels , including the Cullinan II Diamond , can be viewed on display in the Tower of London .

How ironic that a diamond titled ‘ the incomparable ’ isn ’ t the largest diamond in the world . What is incomparable though , is the discovery of the diamond . Like many others , it too was found by accident . In the 1980s , in Mbugi Mayi , Democratic Republic of Congo , a girl playing at her uncle ’ s house spotted something in a rubble dump from a nearby MIBA mine . When she showed it to her uncle , he realised this was a large diamond and sold it to local dealers . Eventually the diamond moved into the hands of the Zale corporation before going up for auction in 1988 . The auction fell through after the $ 20 million reserve price wasn ’ t met . Rumours persist that the diamond made appeared on eBay , in November 2002 , for £ 15 million but the diamond didn ’ t sell .

25