Home Jubilee Diamond

Jubilee Diamond

The Jubilee Diamond is also known as the Reitz Diamond which was originally named after after Francis William Reitz, the president of the Orange Free State. The Jubilee Diamond is a colourless, cushion-shaped diamond which weighs about 245.35 carats (49.07 grams). It is considered to be the sixth largest diamond in the world. The original stone is a rough octahedron which weighs 650.80 carats (130.16 g). It was discovered at the Jagersfontein Mine in South Africa in 1895. A group of diamond merchants from London purchased it along with its even larger sister, the Excelsior, in 1896, and it was sent to Amsterdam where it was polished by M.B. Barends. A 40 carat (8 g) chunk was removed, which itself weighed about 13.34 carat (2.668 g) giving a pear-shaped gem which was purchased by Carlos I of Portugal.In 1900,Dorabji Tata acquired it and gave it to his wife Meherbai. She used to wear it during her visits to the royal courts and public functions. The Jubilee Diamond was the largest in the world until 1905 which was sold only after his death in 1932 and the money went to the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.