The Jonker
Encyclopedia
The Jonker diamond
was found at the Elandsfontein mine in South Africa
by Johannes Jacobus Jonker on January 17, 1934. The diamond was 726 carats, which at the time was the fourth largest uncut gem ever found. The diamond was found 5 km away from the largest diamond ever found, the Cullinan Diamond
. There is speculation that the Jonker may have originally been part of the Cullinan crystal, as both crystals had cleaved faces which seemed to match up perfectly.
, a New York diamond dealer, for 150,000 pounds.
was chosen to cut the diamond into several gemstones. The process of examining the diamond to determine the optimal cuts took place over the course of several months. On April 27, 1936, the first cut was made which cut off a 35-carat section, finally ending with the diamond being cut into 13 pieces. The largest piece produced the Jonker I, a 142.90 ct D-color flawless diamond which was later re-cut to 125.35 carats.
purchased the Jonker I, but after he was deposed and exiled in 1952 the gem was lost. After a number of years the gem reappeared in the ownership of Queen Ratna of Nepal. The last known location of the Jonker I was in Hong Kong
in 1977 when it was sold to an anonymous buyer for $2,259,000.
Jonker V, VII, XI, and XII were reported to be in the ownership of The Maharajah of Indore
.
Jonker X is rumored to have been purchased by John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
was found at the Elandsfontein mine in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
by Johannes Jacobus Jonker on January 17, 1934. The diamond was 726 carats, which at the time was the fourth largest uncut gem ever found. The diamond was found 5 km away from the largest diamond ever found, the Cullinan Diamond
Cullinan Diamond
The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at .The largest polished gem from the stone is named Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, and at was the largest polished diamond in the world until the 1985 discovery of the Golden Jubilee Diamond, , also from the...
. There is speculation that the Jonker may have originally been part of the Cullinan crystal, as both crystals had cleaved faces which seemed to match up perfectly.
Discovery
The diamond was first purchased by Joseph Bastiaenen of the Diamond Corporation Ltd, a company owned by Sir Ernest Oppenheimer. In 1935 it was purchased by Harry WinstonHarry Winston
Harry Winston was an American jeweler. He donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after owning it for a decade, and traded the Portuguese Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1963.-History:...
, a New York diamond dealer, for 150,000 pounds.
Cut
Lazare KaplanLazare Kaplan International
Lazare Kaplan International Inc. is a diamond manufacturing and distribution company based in New York City. The Chairman of the Board of Directors is Maurice Tempelsman.- Business activities :...
was chosen to cut the diamond into several gemstones. The process of examining the diamond to determine the optimal cuts took place over the course of several months. On April 27, 1936, the first cut was made which cut off a 35-carat section, finally ending with the diamond being cut into 13 pieces. The largest piece produced the Jonker I, a 142.90 ct D-color flawless diamond which was later re-cut to 125.35 carats.
| Name | Cut Type | Cut Weight (ct) | Finished Weight (ct) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonker I | Emerald | 220 | 142.90 |
| Jonker II | Emerald | 79.65 | 41.29 |
| Jonker III | Emerald | 65.28 | 35.45 |
| Jonker IV | Emerald | 52.77 | 30.71 |
| Jonker V | Emerald | 54.19 | 25.78 |
| Jonker VI | Emerald | 53.95 | 24.91 |
| Jonker VII | Emerald | 43.30 | 19.76 |
| Jonker VIII | Marquise | 35.82 | 15.77 |
| Jonker IX | Emerald | 27.85 | 13.55 |
| Jonker X | Emerald | 29.46 | 11.43 |
| Jonker XI | Emerald | 13.57 | 5.70 |
| Jonker XII | Emerald | 10.98 | 5.30 |
| Jonker XIII | Baguette | 8.28 | 3.53 |
Jonker I
In 1949 King Farouk of EgyptFarouk of Egypt
Farouk I of Egypt , was the tenth ruler from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 1936....
purchased the Jonker I, but after he was deposed and exiled in 1952 the gem was lost. After a number of years the gem reappeared in the ownership of Queen Ratna of Nepal. The last known location of the Jonker I was in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1977 when it was sold to an anonymous buyer for $2,259,000.
Smaller Jonkers
In May 1994, the Jonker II came up for auction at Sotheby's. It appeared to have been recut from 41.29 carats to 40.26 carats, and was sold for $1,975,000.Jonker V, VII, XI, and XII were reported to be in the ownership of The Maharajah of Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
.
Jonker X is rumored to have been purchased by John D. Rockefeller Jr.