Diamond History

Discovered at the Premier Mine

The rough diamond that became the Golden Jubilee was recovered during the 1980s at South Africa's Premier Mine, the historic mine now known as the Cullinan Mine.

The mine is one of the most important diamond-producing locations in history and has yielded a remarkable number of exceptionally large and famous diamonds.

Among its other celebrated discoveries are the original Cullinan Diamond, the Taylor-Burton, the Premier Rose, the Centenary and a number of important blue diamonds.

755.5 Carats in the Rough

The Golden Jubilee began as an enormous 755.5-carat rough diamond.

Its size immediately made it exceptional, but the crystal was not a conventional colorless gem. The stone displayed a strong natural brownish-yellow to golden coloration.

Its irregular shape and internal characteristics also presented an extraordinary challenge for anyone attempting to transform such a large rough crystal into a finished gemstone.

The Famous Cullinan Mine

The Cullinan Mine, located near Pretoria, South Africa, occupies a special place in diamond history.

It was here in 1905 that the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, the largest gem-quality rough diamond historically recorded, was discovered.

Decades later, the same mine produced the massive rough diamond that became the Golden Jubilee.

GIA records the Golden Jubilee among the major famous diamonds produced by the mine, listing its weight as 755.5 carats in the rough and 545.67 carats after cutting.

An Unusual Brownish-Yellow Rough Diamond

At first glance, the rough stone was not considered as aesthetically desirable as the great colorless diamonds for which the Premier Mine was famous.

Its strong brownish-yellow color and unusual internal structure made the stone both challenging and unconventional.

Yet these same characteristics eventually became part of its identity. Rather than attempting to imitate a conventional colorless brilliant, the cutting team developed an approach intended to enhance the diamond's warm golden color and preserve as much of its enormous weight as possible.

Gabi Tolkowsky Takes on the Challenge

De Beers entrusted the enormous rough diamond to Gabriel "Gabi" Tolkowsky, one of the most respected master diamond cutters of the modern era.

Tolkowsky came from one of the world's best-known diamond-cutting families and was also responsible for the celebrated Centenary Diamond.

The Golden Jubilee presented an especially difficult challenge. A mistake made while working on a stone of this size could destroy millions of dollars in value and permanently damage an irreplaceable natural gem.

A Special Cutting Workshop

Extraordinary precautions were taken during the cutting of the massive stone.

Contemporary gemological accounts describe a specially prepared underground cutting environment near Johannesburg designed to minimize vibration and allow the cutters to work under carefully controlled conditions.

Even lighting, tools and surrounding surfaces were selected to reduce distractions and help the cutting team maintain concentration.

Three Years of Work

Planning, studying and cutting such an extraordinary diamond required years rather than months.

Tolkowsky assembled a highly skilled team that included master cutter Dawie du Plessis.

Contemporary gemological reporting states that the entire cutting process required approximately three years.

A Laboratory for New Cutting Techniques

The enormous brown diamond also provided Tolkowsky and De Beers with an opportunity to experiment with specialized tools and cutting techniques.

During the late 1980s, Tolkowsky was developing new approaches for difficult rough diamonds whose shapes and colors did not lend themselves easily to conventional round or step cuts.

Some of these techniques were relevant to the later preparation of other important stones, including the celebrated Centenary Diamond.

Larger Than Cullinan I

When cutting was completed, the Golden Jubilee weighed an extraordinary 545.67 carats.

This made it heavier than the famous Cullinan I, also known as the Great Star of Africa, which weighs approximately 530.2 carats.

The difference is only about 15 carats, but it was enough for the Golden Jubilee to surpass the Cullinan I in polished weight.

The achievement gave the Golden Jubilee an important place in the history of large faceted diamonds.

Introduced to the Public

After completion, the massive polished diamond began appearing at exhibitions where its extraordinary size and unusual coloration attracted international attention.

In the mid-1990s, the still unnamed diamond was brought to Thailand and displayed at an exhibition organized by Thailand's Board of Investment.

The public exhibition introduced the remarkable stone to audiences in Thailand and ultimately led to the diamond's association with the Thai monarchy.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej

During this period, Thailand was preparing to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, marking the fiftieth anniversary of his accession to the throne.

King Bhumibol had ascended the throne in 1946, and the Golden Jubilee celebrations were held during 1996.

The enormous golden diamond came to be regarded as an especially appropriate symbol for this royal milestone.

Acquired by Thai Businessmen

A group of Thai businessmen arranged to acquire the diamond from De Beers.

Their intention was to present the extraordinary stone as a gift associated with the celebration of King Bhumibol's fifty years on the Thai throne.

A Gift to the King of Thailand

The diamond was subsequently presented to King Bhumibol Adulyadej in connection with his Golden Jubilee.

This royal presentation permanently linked the stone with Thailand and provided the famous diamond with the name by which it is now known.

An International Exhibition Tour

Before settling into its royal association with Thailand, the Golden Jubilee was displayed at a number of important international exhibitions.

Contemporary reports documented appearances in Europe and the United States, allowing audiences outside Thailand to view the extraordinary 545.67-carat stone.

These exhibitions helped establish the Golden Jubilee as one of the best-known giant diamonds of the modern era.

The Golden Jubilee's Distinctive Color

The Golden Jubilee is generally described as a natural brownish-yellow or golden-brown diamond.

Its color differs dramatically from the famous colorless diamonds traditionally associated with royal collections.

Rather than diminishing the stone's importance, the warm color became one of its defining characteristics. Tolkowsky's cutting design was intended to work with the natural color and optical properties of the rough, producing the distinctive glowing appearance seen in the finished gem.

Golden Jubilee

545.67 carats

The Golden Jubilee was cut from a 755.5-carat rough diamond recovered from the Cullinan Mine.

Cullinan I

530.2 carats

The Great Star of Africa was fashioned from the historic 3,106-carat Cullinan rough diamond discovered at the same South African mine.

Why the Golden Jubilee Diamond Is Famous

The Golden Jubilee is famous for a combination of extraordinary characteristics.

Its enormous 545.67-carat polished weight places it among the greatest faceted diamonds ever produced.

Its rich brownish-yellow coloration distinguishes it from the giant colorless diamonds traditionally associated with royal collections.

Its innovative fire rose cushion cut represents an important achievement in modern diamond cutting.

Finally, its connection with King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the Thai royal Golden Jubilee transformed the enormous gem from an exceptional polished diamond into a gemstone of royal and national significance.

Legacy of the Golden Jubilee Diamond

The Golden Jubilee demonstrates how modern diamond cutting can transform a difficult piece of rough into one of the world's most extraordinary gemstones.

A 755.5-carat brownish-yellow crystal that initially presented enormous technical challenges ultimately emerged as a 545.67-carat polished diamond whose size exceeded that of the famous Cullinan I.

Its story also connects two different chapters in diamond history: the famous South African mine that produced some of the world's greatest diamonds and the modern Thai monarchy that gave the finished stone its enduring name.

Today, the Golden Jubilee remains one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of large diamond cutting and one of the most recognizable royal diamonds of the modern era.