Erasmus Jacobs discovers the Eureka Diamond on the Orange River
- When
- 1867
- Where
- Orange River banks; Paris Exhibition
- Episodes
- 2
Erasmus Jacobs discovered the Eureka Diamond near Hopetown on the Orange River in 1867. The 21.25-carat stone was identified as South Africa's first diamond, leading to its exhibition in Paris and eventual purchase by the Cape Colony Governor.
Episodes
- Discovery of the Eureka Diamond
Erasmus Jacobs found the 21.25-carat diamond near Hopetown on the Orange River in 1867.
- Paris Exhibition and Inspection
The diamond was displayed in Paris in 1867, with conflicting reports on whether it was a replica.
Background and detail
Background. The Eureka Diamond was the first diamond discovered in South Africa. It was found near Hopetown on the banks of the Orange River in the Cape of Good Hope. The discovery marked the beginning of the Mineral Revolution, though the specific event scope excludes the later Kimberley Diamond Rush.
Discovery. Erasmus Stephanus Jacobs, a 15-year-old boy, found the diamond in 1867. The stone originally weighed 21.25 carats. This discovery is distinct from the later mining rush, focusing on the initial identification and the stone's physical characteristics at the time of finding.
Identification. The diamond was recognized as a significant find. It was displayed at the 1867 Paris Exhibition, although some sources claim that this was a glass replica and that the real diamond was sent on to Windsor for inspection by Queen Victoria.
People involved
- Erasmus Stephanus Jacobs · Discoverer
- Sir Philip Wodehouse · Buyer
- Queen Victoria · Inspector
Sources
- Eureka Diamond Wikipedia, revision of 2025-11-11
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.