Origin of name
The name of the diamond seems to have been inspired by
two of the unique characters of the stone, viz. the strong brown color, and
its extraordinary brilliance, which led the owner of the diamond, Mr.
Joseph Baumgold, of New York, to name it the "Earth Star".
Characteristics of the
diamond
The "Earth Star" is a 111.59-carat, pear-shaped diamond
with a strong brown color and extraordinary brilliance, The exact color
grade of the diamond is not known, but under the Argyle color grading scale
for brown diamonds, going by the description of the diamond, it may fall
under dark brown, which is equivalent to fancy cognac and C7 color grade.
Argyle color grading for
brown diamonds
|
Color |
Argyle Term |
Argyle Color Grade |
|
Very light brown |
light champagne |
C1 - C2 |
|
Medium brown |
medium champagne |
C3- C4 |
|
Brown |
dark champagne |
C5-C6 |
|
Dark brown |
fancy cognac |
C7 |
According to the list of known famous brown diamonds in
the world, given below, the "Earth Star" diamond is perhaps the 3rd largest
brown diamond in the world today.
List of famous brown
diamonds
|
S/N |
Name |
Carat Weight |
Shape/Cut |
color |
|
1 |
Golden Jubilee |
545.67 |
cushion |
fancy yellow brown |
|
2 |
Star of the South |
128.48 |
cushion |
fancy light pinkish brown |
|
3 |
Earth Star |
111.59 |
pear |
brown |
|
4 |
Cross of Asia |
109.26 |
radiant |
light brown |
|
5 |
Great Chrysanthemum |
104.16 |
pear |
fancy brown |
|
6 |
Ashberg diamond |
102.48 |
cushion |
amber |
|
7 |
Golden Maharajah |
65.57 |
pear |
fancy dark orange brown |
|
8 |
Kimberley |
55.09 |
emerald |
light brown |
The "Earth Star" diamond being a brown diamond, is most
probably a Type IIa diamond, which is nitrogen-free and in which the brown
color is caused by plastic deformation of the crystal structure, which
alters the absorption spectrum of the stone. Such diamonds have a highly
strained character, as observed under crossed polarizing filters. Most of
the Argyle brown diamonds are Type Ia diamonds, because apart from the
plastic deformation, these diamonds also contain detectable quantities of
Nitrogen, which vary from 100 to 500 ppm.
Type I diamonds contain detectable quantities of nitrogen
and Type II diamonds are nitrogen free or contain undetectable quantities of
nitrogen.
History
The diamond was discovered on May 16, 1967, at the
Jagersfontein mine in Orange Free State, South Africa. The Jagersfontein
mine was a diamond pipe mine opened in 1888, after the accidental discovery
of a 50-carat diamond on a farm in the area in 1870. The mine was owned and
operated by the New Jagersfontein Mining and Exploration Company Limited,
formed in 1887,
but subsequently came under the ownership of De Beers
Consolidated Mines Ltd. The Jagersfontein mine was the source of the world's
second and ninth largest gem-quality rough diamonds, the Excelsior of 995
carats discovered in 1893, and the Reitz of 650 carats discovered in 1895.
The Reitz was subsequently cut into a cushion-cut brilliant of 245 carats in
1887, the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, and was named the
"Jubilee Diamond", to commemorate this occasion. The Jagersfontein mine was
in operation from 1888 to 1970, except during the period of the "Great
Depression" and world war II, when it was temporarily closed.
In the rough state the "Earth Star" weighed 248.9 carats.
The diamond had gone through the entire recovery process until it appeared
on the grease tables of the recovery plant. The discovery of this unique
stone, was quite a surprise for the miners, as well as the people in the
diamond industry, because Jagersfontein had been a source of numerous fine
diamonds, and only a few of them had been brown. In almost 80 years of it's
existence, this was the first time, that a large stone of this color was
produced. Besides, this specimen came from 2,500 feet below the surface,
which was exceptionally deep, for a gem of this size to be found. The
diamond was purchased by Mr. Joseph Baumgold of Baumgold Brothers of New
York, who named the diamond the "Earth Star."
The "Earth Star" diamond was taken to South Africa in
1971, to be displayed at an exhibition, held to mark the centenary of the
discovery of the Kimberley mine.
Today the main source of brown diamonds in the world are
the Argyle diamond mines of Western Australia. In fact out of all the
gem-quality rough diamonds produced in the Argyle mines, almost 80 % are
brown diamonds. These diamonds are processed in the diamond cutting centers
of India, and marketed as champagne and cognac diamonds. Jewelry set with
these brown diamonds are becoming very popular, and has ensured the economic
viability of the Argyle mines.
Last transaction and
present owners of the diamond
In the year 1983, the Earth Star was purchased by Mr.
Stephen Zbova of Naples, Florida, for a sum of $ 900,000.
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