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Excelsior diamond has risen to fame due to its exclusive shape and unusual cleavage. In 1893, an African miner at the Jagersfontein Mine found this special diamond and gave it to his manager in exchange of a lucrative reward. It is the second largest diamond of the world, second only to Cullinan and the Golden Jubilee diamond. Excelsior is not only famous for its size but also for its quality.
The raw diamond weighed about 995 metric carats (971 of old carat) and after long research it was finally cut in 1904. It was taken to Amsterdam where I.J Asscher and Company of Amsterdam cut this magnificent diamond into 21 separate stones. The weights of those diamonds are between 70 and 1 carat. The color of this diamond is bluish white with fine cleavages.
Like all other diamonds of Jagersfontein, Excelsior also has black spots in the interior. the approximate weight of some of the large diamonds cut from the original Excelsior are 69.68 metric carats, 47.03 metric carats, 46.90 metric carats, 34.91 metric carats etc. The shapes in which these diamonds were cut are mainly of two types’ pear and marquise.
Eminent diamond trading companies like Tiffany & Co. and De Beers purchase these Excelsior diamonds separately. Though the information regarding the buyer and seller are kept confidential, speculations about the ownership and sales of the diamonds are always in the minds of media, diamond collectors and merchants.
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