Mineral and Lapidary Museum
of Henderson County, inc.

has a wonderful exhibit of the

CULLINAN DIAMOND REPLICAS

The Cullinan Diamond was found in South Africa on January 25, 1905.
The specimen weighed 3,106.75 carats.

Robert C. Bissonnette is the master gem cutter who faceted the replicas in this exhibit. He researched the original diamond and the numerous gemstones cut from the specimen. The original diamond was cut into nine major stones: Cullinan I -- 530.20 carats; Cullinan II -- 317.40 carats; Cullinan III -- 94.40 carats; Cullinan IV -- 63.60 carats; Cullinan V -- 18.50 carats; Cullinan VI -- 11.50 carats; Cullinan VII -- 8.80 carats, Cullinan VIII - 6.80 carats; Cullinan IX -- 4.39 carats, and 96 incidental stones.

The stones in this exhibit are cut from cubic zirconium. The model of the original rough diamond was fabricated by Robert Nixon.

Another large page of photos of this collection.


Return to Exhibits