Wheat Ridge, Colorado police took a 50-year-old man into custody Wednesday following a two-month search.
Graff Cut This 302-Carat Diamond from Lesedi La Rona
Lesedi La Rona was the 1,109-carat rough diamond discovered in Botswana almost four years ago.
New York—Graff has unveiled the principal polished diamond cut from Lesedi La Rona, the 1,109-carat chunk of rough discovered in Botswana in 2015.
It is a square emerald-cut stone that weighs 302.37 carats and is the largest diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America as being of highest color, D, and “highest clarity.” A Graff spokeswoman could not confirm the diamond’s exact clarity grade by press time Wednesday.
The stone, which has been named the Graff Lesedi La Rona, also holds the distinction of being the largest square emerald-cut diamond in the world, the company said.
Laurence Graff (no relation to author), who’s become known as the modern-day Harry Winston for handling many of the largest and most spectacular diamonds of the last century, called crafting the Graff Lesedi La Rona “an honor.”
“This diamond, our diamond, is beyond words,” he said.
Workers for Lucara Diamond Corp. found the 1,109-carat rough diamond (originally 1,111 carats before cleaning) at the Karowe mine in November 2015.
A naming contest open to all Botswana citizens was held a few months later and Thembani Moitlhobogi submitted the winning moniker, which means “Our Light” in Tswana, the official language of Botswana.
Lucara put the stone up for auction at Sotheby’s in June 2016 but bidding failed to reach the reserve price of $70 million, so the stone went unsold until Graff stepped forward in September 2017. The company paid $53 million, or about $48,000 per carat, for Lesedi La Rona.
Chipping Away
Before he even purchased the diamond, Graff had some idea how cutting the Lesedi La Rona would go.
In May 2017, the London-based diamantaire bought a 373.72-carat chunk of rough thought to have chipped off Lesedi La Rona, so he knew the stone could result in “sensational” polished diamonds.
Even so, Lesedi La Rona’s size presented a challenge to Graff’s gemologists because they had never analyzed a stone of that size. Lesedi La Rona is the second largest gem-quality rough diamond on record, topped only by the 3,106-carat Cullinan, which was discovered in 1905.
The tennis ball-sized diamond was too big for the company’s existing equipment, so a scanner had to be custom built with brand new imaging software.
Using the
WATCH: The Cutting of Lesedi La Rona
{youtube}3LSHnLj-utw{/youtube}
The analysis continued for months before gemologists moved forward with a plan for cutting and polishing the diamond. Laurence Graff described the task of cutting a diamond of this size as “the riskiest form of art.”
“You can never add and you can never cover up a mistake, you can only take away,” he said. “You have to be careful, and you have to be perfect.”
The initial cutting was done with lasers, while the following shaping and faceting was done by hand. The company said polishing the table facet alone took “hundreds of hours.”
All told, a little more than 18 months elapsed between the time Graff bought the diamond in September 2017 and when his gemologists and craftsmen finished polishing its final facets.
Neither the asking price for the Graff Lesedi La Rona nor its current location are being disclosed.
Fragments from the cutting of the stone were donated to the Smithsonian Institute to help its advanced diamond research, as the Lesedi La Rona has been identified by GIA as being a “superdeep” diamond, a stone that, like blue diamonds, formed three times deeper in the earth than other diamonds.
The Graff Lesedi La Rona is one of 67 diamonds cut from the 1,109-carat rough, the first of which were unveiled late last year.
The Latest
PGI partnered with four new and seven returning designers for its annual platinum capsule collection.
Nicolosi, president and CEO of The Kingswood Company, previously sat on WJA’s board from 2011 to 2018.
Meet Ben Claus—grand prize winner of For the Love of Jewelers 2023 Fall Design Challenge.
Karina Brez’s race-ready piece is a sophisticated nod to the horse-rider relationship.
The men are allegedly responsible for stealing millions in jewelry and other valuables in 43 burglaries in 25 towns across Massachusetts.
“Horizon” invites individuals to explore the limitless possibilities that lie ahead, said the brand.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
The jeweler credits its recent “Be Love” campaign and ongoing brand revamp for its 17 percent jump in sales.
The co-founder of Lewis Jewelers was also the longtime mayor of the city of Moore.
Elvis Presley gifted this circa 1967 gold and diamond watch to Dodie Marshall, his co-star in “Easy Come, Easy Go.”
Concerns about rising prices, politics, and global conflicts continue to dampen consumer outlook.
May’s birthstone is beloved for its rich green hue and its versatility.
Last month in Dallas, David Walton pushed another jeweler, David Ettinger, who later died.
The “Tiffany Céleste” collection reimagines designer Jean Schlumberger’s interpretations of the universe.
The brand also created a 100-carat lab-grown diamond necklace in honor of its centennial.
Tim Schlick has been promoted from his previous position as COO.
It’s the second year for the event, slated to take place in October in Toronto.
Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
“SIS x MISA Denim and Diamonds” is a collaboration between the designer and celebrity stylist Misa Hylton.
The retailer is moving to a newly designed space in the same shopping center.
Gifts that are unique and thoughtful are top of mind this year, according to the annual survey.
The necklace is featured in the brand’s “Rebel Heart” campaign starring Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo.
The two organizations will host a joint event, “Converge,” in September 2025.
Big changes appear to be on the horizon for the diamond miner and its parent company, Anglo American.
Padis succeeds Lisa Bridge, marking the first time the organization has had two women board presidents in a row.