574 Carats

Larger than the largest diamond found in South Africa's Kimberley Mines (442 carats) or in her De Beers Mines (503 carats) was a monstrous Brazilian diamond of 574 carats found last week by an impecunious prospector in Bello Horizonte, 300 miles from Rio de Janeiro, on the lands of rich Dona Dolores Matta Machado Vidigal.

Dona Dolores, so far as could be learned, took no steps. In Rio a diamond merchant offered $80,000 for the stone, was refused by the prospector, who seemed to know a thing or two himself. (Thus in 1853 the Star of the South [254 carats and up to last week the largest diamond ever discovered in Brazil] was sold in the rough for $200,000. Jewelers who cut it down to a flawless, polished stone of 125 carats sold that to H. H. the Gaekwar of Baroda for $400,000, also sold other parts of the Star of the South for good prices.) In Amsterdam last week miserable striking diamond cutters went back to work for a reduced wage of 25 florins ($10) per week.

Largest diamond of all time was the Cullinan of 3,024 carats, discovered in South Africa, presented to King Edward VII and cut up into numerous smaller stones which were put to work among the British Crown jewels.

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