Sourcing

See the World’s Largest Flawless Heart-Shaped Diamond

SourcingNov 02, 2016

See the World’s Largest Flawless Heart-Shaped Diamond

The “Graff Venus” weighs in at 118.78 carats.

20161102_Graff-Heart.jpg
The “Graff Venus,” a 118.78-carat heart-shaped stone, was cut from a 357-carat type IIa rough diamond.

London--Graff Diamonds has unveiled what it reports to be the world’s largest D flawless heart-shaped diamond, which it has dubbed the “Graff Venus.”

“The Graff Venus is testament to the skill and expertise of our elite team,” said Graff Diamond Chairman Laurence Graff.

The stone weighs in at a whopping 118.78 carats. It’s a type IIa diamond, meaning it has no visible nitrogen impurities. It is also free of fluorescence and, according to Graff, boasts excellent symmetry.

“The stone itself is beyond words,” said Graff Diamond Chairman Laurence Graff. “It is the most beautiful heart-shape diamond I have ever seen.”

The stone was cut from a 357-carat rough diamond discovered at Lesotho’s Letšeng mine in 2015. It sold for $19.3 million at tender.

The stone was so large that Graff had to develop special tools to cut it. From the time the diamond that became known as the Graff Venus was discovered, the process of analyzing, mapping, cutting and polishing took 18 months in total.

“We were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the Graff Venus and we created absolute perfection. I am proud to say that we delivered the very best,” said Laurence Graff.

Graff Diamonds said it has cut and polished more than half of the 20 largest diamond discovered this century.
Ashley Davisis the senior editor, fashion at National Jeweler, covering all things related to design, style and trends.

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