The Jonker Diamond (1936)

• 60%
• 1936
• Documentary
• Drama
• Jacques Tourneur
• Pete Smith
• Nat Carr
• John Hyams

In 1905, the Cullinan diamond, the largest diamond in the world, was found near Pretoria, South Africa. General speculation was that it was once part of a larger diamond, that remaining portion still undiscovered. This led to a stampede of prospectors to the area, including a young man named Jacobus Jonker. As other prospectors gave up the search over the years, Jonker continued on this single-minded search to the detriment of his family's welfare. But as close to two decades went past, his son, now a young man himself, joined his father's search. But as the elder Jonker gave up because of what he saw as the hardship he had caused his family, his son stumbled across a heavier than normal clay stone, which encased that long missing diamond, and what today is known as the 726 carat Jonker diamond. As news of the find spread across the world, many interested buyers submitted bids, the winning bid eventually being that of famed New York jeweler Harry Winston, who received his new buy through an unusual means. But the Jonker diamond, insured for $1 million, may have been rendered worthless if not cut properly. That task fell on the shoulders of Lazare Kaplan.