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eventREF E-0011282Revised

Event record

World’s largest diamond at the time, the Cullinan, is found in South Africa

World’s largest diamond at the time, the Cullinan, is found in South Africa

Cullinan Diamond

Updated
30 Sep 2019
World’s largest diamond at the time, the Cullinan, is found in South Africa

Cullinan Diamond

On 26 January 1905 miner Frederick Wells extracted a large diamond from the Cullinan mine, a few kilometres outside Pretoria in South Africa's mineral-rich Gauteng province. The diamond weighed a massive 3.106 carats and was found alongside two other diamonds, each greater than 50 carats. For almost a century the Cullinan Diamond was regarded as the largest single diamond ever found. The diamond was given as a gift to King Edward VII and now forms part of the British crown jewels. Experts have valued this diamond as being worth more than £200million.

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How we know this

  1. 01Telegraph Media Group, (2009), One of the biggest diamonds discovered in South Africa, from The Telegraph, 29 September, [online], Available at  www.telegraph.co.uk [Accessed: 22 January 2010]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). World’s largest diamond at the time, the Cullinan, is found in South Africa. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011282

South African History Online (2011) 'World’s largest diamond at the time, the Cullinan, is found in South Africa', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011282 (Accessed: 3 September 2026).

South African History Online, World’s largest diamond at the time, the Cullinan, is found in South Africa [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011282, (accessed 3 September 2026).

"World’s largest diamond at the time, the Cullinan, is found in South Africa." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011282. Accessed 3 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "World’s largest diamond at the time, the Cullinan, is found in South Africa." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011282.

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