Jagersfontein Big Hole Open Mine in Jagersfontein, Free State

Polish up on diamond history at Jagersfontein Mining Museum - The little town of Jagersfontein is an hour's drive outside of Bloemfontein yet stretches back centuries in time as the world's oldest diamond mining town. Contrary to its simple modern day existence, Jonkersfontein was once the most glamourous town in the Free State thanks to the discovery of its natural diamond assets by the 18th century pioneers.

As the first town in the Free State to have piped water and electricity it subsequently had a social life for high-flyers of the day boasting Sir Herbert Baker buildings, its own newspaper, bank, town hall and theatre. The farm that this mining town was established on in 1870 was once the property of Grigua Jacobus Jagers, hence the name Jagersfontein (Jager's Fountain); colloquially referred to as 'Jaggers'. None other than Al Capone and Elizabeth Taylor are amongst the world's celebrities who have proudly adorned themselves with so-called 'Jagger' diamonds world renown for their size, clarity, quality and colour.

The term 'Jagers' has subsequently been coined to denote the pale blue tint distinctive of diamonds mined in Jaggersfontein. In South Africa the diamond mining industry was born before the gold mining era and thus Jagersfontein is thought of as the 'birthplace of the South Africa mining industry'.

The Jagersfontein Open Mine (Big Hole) boasts the biggest man-made hole on earth which was dug by the hands of enthusiastic diamond diggers aided only by simple pick and shovel. Olden day transport and original mining instruments archived in displays at this mining village's museum details the history of this local mine that produced eight of the worlds biggest two dozen diamonds.

1893 Saw the discovery of the Excelsior Diamond measuring 972 carats and second only in size to the Cullinan Diamond. Formed from the purest water this gem now described as a blue white diamond is estimated to be worth R1.2 Billion Rand today. In 1895 an additional history making diamond of 637 carats was excavated on site and was originally named after Francis William Reitz, the state president of the Orange Free State at the time, namely the Reitz Diamond. However the following year marked the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria's coronation (her diamond jubilee) and this prized gem was renamed for the occasion becoming the Jubilee Diamond in her honour. The Excelsior and Jubilee Diamonds are two of the world's ten biggest diamonds in history.

The Jagersfontein Mining Museum pays homage to the first place in the world where diamonds were discovered in Kimberlite; their mother stone or blue ground. The Jagersfontein mining area is known as a Kimberlite Pipe. Geologists confirm that this abandoned open-pit mine is prime locality for finding mantle xenoliths originating 300 - 500km below the earth's surface.

Enjoy the great facts of the little place that individually produced the greatest volume of the world's biggest diamond's. Discover the interesting trivia of South Africa mining that led the world in the appreciation of flawless twinkling beauty. Take a stroll and see the mining site of history at the neighbouring Big Hole, the site is no longer active as a mine but the outlook is more impressive than ever; afterall this is the place that had the foresight to notice a diamond in the rough.