Cullinan II

Cullinan II is a 317.4-carat diamond cut from the larger rough stone found in 1905 at the Premier Mine in Cullinan, Gauteng. As the second-largest cut from that rough discovery, it forms a central component of the British Crown Jewels and is historically connected to the Second Boer War, the Transvaal Colony, and early 20th-century imperial relations between Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom. The stone's provenance involves figures such as Thomas Cullinan, Alfred Beit, and Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn; its cutting linked to Joseph Asscher of the Asscher Diamond Company and the gem's later display became a matter for institutions including the Birmingham trade and the Tower of London custodians.

Description and Characteristics

The cushion-cut rectangular diamond weighs 317.4 carats (63.48 g) and is noted for its exceptional colorless D-grade appearance, high clarity, and symmetrical faceting characteristic of early 20th-century lapidary work. Its optical performance and fire have been compared in contemporary accounts with other notable stones such as the Cullinan I, the Koh-i-Noor, the Hope Diamond, and the Orlov; gemologists reference sessions at institutions like the Gemological Institute of America and reports from the Gemmological Association of Great Britain when assessing such stones. The diamond serves as a centrepiece in a larger setting—set in the front of the Imperial State Crown alongside other major stones including the Black Prince's Ruby (a spinel) and the St Edward's Sapphire. Metallurgical records from royal jewel workshops detail the mount materials and settings used by royal jewellers including Garrard & Co. and firms linked to the British Royal Collection.

Discovery and Cutting

The rough crystal weighing 3,106 carats was recovered at the Premier Mine, owned by Sir Thomas Cullinan, in 1905 during the period of imperial consolidation following the Second Boer War. The rough was purchased by Sir Thomas Cullinan and sold to buyers including Cecil Rhodes-era investors and diamond merchants such as Joseph Asscher of the Asscher Diamond Company in Amsterdam. Cutting was overseen by Asscher experts who had previously worked on stones that circulated among houses like Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Mouawad. The assault on the cutting process, involving splitting and polishing, echoed earlier feats performed on the Star of Sierra Leone and the Regent Diamond. Contemporary dispatches in publications read by figures at The Times and The Illustrated London News documented the craftsmanship and risk, linking jewel-cutting to workshops in Amsterdam and trade networks through Antwerp.

Ownership History

After the rough was sold, Thomas Cullinan and associated South African stakeholders negotiated with British imperial representatives, culminating in presentation of cut stones to King Edward VII as a diplomatic gift from the Transvaal Colony and its business elite. The largest cut, presented as a single piece, became the Cullinan I and mounted in the Sceptre with the Cross; the second largest became the subject here and was acquired into the royal collection, later set into the Imperial State Crown. Throughout the 20th century the diamond remained under the custodianship of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom and institutions managing royal treasures including Historic Royal Palaces and the Royal Collection Trust. Ownership transfers or loans have involved state actors such as Campbell-Bannerman era officials and later consent by monarchs including George V, George VI, Elizabeth II, and Charles III.

Gemological Significance and Value

Gemologists regard the stone as an exemplar of large D-color diamonds and often cite comparisons with the Koh-i-Noor and Darya-ye Noor in studies by the Natural History Museum, London and specialized journals like those of the Gemological Institute of America. Valuation for such a historic, non-transactional jewel involves both market metrics used by auction houses including Sotheby's and Christie's and non-market heritage values considered by the British Museum community and conservation experts. Insurance valuations undertaken by royal insurers and heritage bodies place the stone within a portfolio of assets that include wearable regalia and museum objects; economic historians reference such valuations in analyses alongside items like the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom and holdings catalogued by National Inventory of Cultural Property. Its scientific and cultural significance also informs research at institutions such as the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge departments that study imperial material culture.

Exhibition and Public Display

The diamond is displayed as part of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, where curation involves conservation specialists from Historic Royal Palaces and security coordination with agencies including the Metropolitan Police. Public presentation places the jewel among display objects like the State Crown and the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross within exhibitions that attract visitors and scholars from institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Library. Loans or special exhibitions have occasionally involved negotiations with foreign institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and the Musée du Louvre for comparative displays; catalogues and guidebooks produced by the Tower of London and the Royal Collection Trust provide provenance narratives and technical descriptions for scholars from Courtauld Institute of Art and the Institute of Historical Research.

Category:Diamonds Category:Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom