At an event during JCK, Grandview Klein Diamonds and London Jewelers unveiled the rough that will be transformed into a 20.26-carat D-color, flawless diamond as a tribute to the retailer’s milestone anniversary.
Las Vegas—Grandview Klein Diamonds and London Jewelers have unveiled a 63-carat rough diamond that will be transformed into a D-color, flawless, old mine cushion-cut diamond of more than 20 carats in honor of the retailer’s centennial.
It will be cut as part of the Origin De Beers Group mine-to-market traceability program.
Every step of the process will be documented, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry, precision, and human mastery required to transform a diamond of this size, the companies said.
This 63-carat rough will be cut into a 20.26-carat D-color, flawless diamond, representing “the absolute pinnacle of rarity,” the companies said.
London Jewelers operates 16 stores on Long Island and in New Jersey.
The first store was established by Charles London in 1926 in Glen Cove on New York's Long Island, and was eventually passed down to his daughter Fran and her husband, Mayer Udell.
Fran and Mayer’s son Mark, along with his wife Candy, bought the business in 1990.
Today, the couple runs it alongside their children, Randi Udell Alper and Scott Udell, and nephew, Zach Udell—the fourth generation.
“For 100 years, London Jewelers has been built on craftsmanship, resilience, family, and relationships that span generations,” said Mark at an event during JCK Las Vegas where the diamond was showcased.
“What began as a modest storefront in Glen Cove has grown into something far greater than a jewelry business. This extraordinary diamond represents our history, our family, and the future still ahead of us.”
Other speakers at the event included Candy; Moshe Klein, CEO of Grandview Klein Diamonds; Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group; and Don Gaetsaloe, permanent secretary of Botswana’s Ministry of Minerals and Energy.
The rough diamond was showcased at an event during JCK Las Vegas and, in this photo, is held by Candy Udell, an owner of London Jewelers.
The partners chose an old mine cushion cut for the diamond’s final form because it is among the earliest known diamond cuts, done by candlelight and entirely by hand.
Its soft rounded outline and romantic faceting evoke an era when craftsmanship alone determined brilliance, the companies said.
Grandview Klein Diamonds added it reimagines the historic cut through modern mastery.
“We are cutting a new diamond in an old style because we honor our past, but we are shaping the future,” said Scott.
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The Udell and Klein families have worked together for decades.
Their relationship is rooted in trust, admiration, history, and genuine affection that extends far beyond business, they said.
“To be entrusted with cutting a diamond of this importance in honor of London Jewelers’ centennial is one of the greatest honors of my lifetime,” said Moshe Klein.
“There is deep history between our families, and with a stone like this, that trust means everything.”
The rough will be cut by Grandview Klein Diamonds in Botswana where it was mined, making the project “a full-circle expression of partnership, provenance, and purpose.”
Fashioned from a single rough crystal, the finished diamond, weighing more than 20 carats, will rank among the rarest natural diamonds in the world, the companies said.
“There was only one partner we trusted to bring a stone of this importance to life,” said Mark.
“Moshe Klein and the team at Grandview Klein Diamonds.”
