Today in Kimberley's History
July 29th
"Every day has a story about Kimberley's past."
On this day...
The twenty-ninth of July reminds us that even fifty years after the great diamond rush began, remarkable discoveries were still being made in the Kimberley district. In 1921, a chance decision by three struggling prospectors near Gong-Gong led to one of South Africa's largest diamond discoveries—a story of hardship, perseverance and extraordinary good fortune that captured headlines around the world.
1921 – The Arc Diamond is Discovered near Gong-Gong
On 29 July 1921, news reached London of an extraordinary diamond discovery made near Gong-Gong, about 50 kilometres north-west of Kimberley.
The rough diamond weighed an astonishing 381 carats, making it one of the largest diamonds ever found in South Africa. It became known as the Arc Diamond, taking its name from the initials of the three prospectors who purchased the claim together. Their story was almost unbelievable.
According to a report published in The New York Times, the three men—Scheepers, Kaltenbrun and Smith—had travelled from the Transvaal to the new diggings at Gong-Gong in search of fortune. Instead, they found hardship. Smith's young son became seriously ill and died during the expedition, leaving the men discouraged and almost ready to abandon their search.
Before leaving, another prospector suggested they try one final spot where diamonds had occasionally been found. On the very first swing of his pick, Kaltenbrun unearthed what initially looked like a piece of crystal. Even after washing it, the men struggled to believe it was a genuine diamond because of its extraordinary size. Only after careful examination was its true value confirmed.
When news of the discovery reached Barkly West, prospectors and diamond buyers rushed to Gong-Gong on horseback, hoping to uncover similar treasures. The diamond was eventually purchased by the London firm Allen, Russell and Crudgington, becoming one of the world's great gemstones. The story was remarkable not only because of the size of the diamond, but because it illustrated the uncertainty of diamond prospecting. After weeks of disappointment and personal tragedy, fortune literally emerged from the ground with a single strike of a pick.
Did You Know?
Although the Arc Diamond weighed 381 carats when discovered, it was later cut to approximately 280 carats. The cutting was widely criticised at the time, with experts believing that an inexperienced cutter had unnecessarily reduced one of South Africa's great diamonds.
The accompanying newspaper report from The New York Times, published on 30 July 1921, helped make the Arc Diamond famous around the world.
2025 - Also on this day...
On 29 July 1925, the Prince of Wales boarded HMS Repulse to leave South Africa after completing one of the most extensive royal tours ever undertaken in Southern Africa. Just six days earlier, he had spent a memorable day in Kimberley visiting the Big Hole, Wesselton Mine, the Honoured Dead Memorial and meeting thousands of local residents.
Can't find a Kimberley connection for a particular date? Our Today in Kimberley's History collection is continually expanding as we research Kimberley's rich history. If you know of a notable local event that occurred on a specific date, we'd love to hear from you using the Contact Us page.
Kimberley's Story Continues
The discovery of the Arc Diamond proved that the Kimberley region could still surprise the world long after the famous diamond rushes of the nineteenth century. Stories like these remind us why the Northern Cape remains one of the most important diamond-producing regions in history.
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