64                         PRECIOUS STONES
	polishing will obliterate the defective portions. Such a method was adopted with the great Cullinan diamond, as described in Chapter IV. From this remarkable diamond a great number of magnificent stones were obtained, the two chief being the largest and heaviest at present known. Some idea of the size of the original stone may be gathered from the fact that the traditional Indian diamond, the " Great Mogul," is said to have weighed 280 carats. This stone, however, is lost, and some experts believe that it was divided, part of it forming the present famous Koh-i-nur ; at any rate, all trace of the Great Mogul ceased with the looting of Delhi in 1730. The Koh-i-nur weighs a little over 106 carats; before cutting it weighed a shade over 186 ; the Culli­nan, in the same state, weighed nearly 3254 carats. This massive diamond was cut into about 200 stones, the largest, now placed in ' The Royal Sceptre with the Cross," weighing 516-1/2 carats, the second, now placed under the historic ruby in " The Imperial State Crown," weighing 309-3/16ths carats. These two diamonds are now called " The Stars of Africa." Both these stones, but especially the larger, completely overshadow the notorious Koh-i-nur, and notwithstanding the flaw which appeared in the original stone, every one of the resulting pieces, irrespective of weight, is without the slightest blemish and of the finest colour ever known, for the great South African diamond is of a quality never even approached by any existing stone, being ideally perfect. It requires a somewhat elaborate explanation to make clear the various styles of cut without illustrations. They are usually divided into two groups, with curved,