For a gem that is said to be the single most important diamond in the history of South African mining, it has a rather inconsequential beginning.

It was discovered in 1856 by a Dutch farmer's children, who used the shiny stone as a toy. A neighbour, who had some geological knowledge, offered to buy it but the family refused the money and gifted it to him instead.

In 1867, it was confirmed as the first diamond discovered in South Africa; it weighed 22.5 carats and was valued at pound 800. It was sold to Sir Philip Wodehouse, the governor of Cape colony, for pound 500 who took it back to England with him in 1870.

It was eventually cut into a cushion cut diamond of 10.73 carats; it is brownish-yellow in colour.

In 1967, a century after its discovery, De Beers purchased the diamond and gifted it to the people of South Africa.

Information courtesy: De Beers Group, Internetstones.com