Home › The Greater Gems in the Jewel House › The Greater Gems in the Jewel House: Star of Africa

The Greater Gems in the Jewel House: Star of Africa

THE GREATER GEMS inches in length, and one and eleven-sixteenth inches in breadth, whilst its weight is three-hundred and nine and three-sixteenth carats. This portion of the Star of Africa is set in the band of the King's State Crown, just below the Black Prince's ruby. The third and fourth portions of the Star of Africa are in Queen Mary's Crown. The largest of these, which has a square appearance and weighs ninety-six carats, is set in the band of the crown just below the Koh-i-Nur. The fourth portion which is drop-shaped, and weighs sixty-four carats, is to be seen in the cross-patée on the top of the crown.

The value of a diamond of the size of the Star of Africa when first found is difficult to gauge, for above a certain size stones have a very restricted market. No one but a king or a queen could appropriately wear a diamond weighing a pound and a half, whilst few would care to possess an unusable jewel of this size. From this the curious result may be arrived at that a diamond or other precious stone can be so large as to be unsaleable at its true value. THE STUART SAPPHIRE The early history of this sapphire is somewhat obscure, though it probably belonged to Charles II., and was certainly amongst the royal jewels which James II. took with him when he fled to France. From him it passed to his son, Charles Edward, the Old Pretender, who bequeathed it to his son Henry Bentinck, known later as Cardinal York. The Stuart cause being dead Cardinal York left the sapphire with other Stuart relics to George III.