The Kimberley
Diamond was originally a 490-carat rough stone, champagne colored
and named after the Kimberley Mine in South Africa. It was first cut into a
70 carats diamond in 1921, and in 1958 the Kimberley Diamond was recut by its
owners, Baumgold Bros., New York City, to improve
the proportions and increase brilliancy. The new shape turned out to be a
beautiful emerald shape and weighted 55.09 carats. It is
one of the most far-famed emerald-cut diamonds in the world.
This emerald
cut was initially known as ‘step cut’ and was perfectly suited
for emeralds, hence the name emerald cut. The emerald cut consists of 58
facets, 8 girdles, 25 crowns and 25 pavilions. The shapes can vary from
squares to rectangles. Later this emerald cut was used while shaping hard
stones and so it was also applied in case of the diamonds.
The
Kimberley Diamond is very shining and has an effulgence quality as the bigger
facets act as mirrors, reflecting the rays of light.
Baumgold Bros. sold the
stone to an undisclosed collector from Texas in 1971.
All
famous diamonds
|