Image source: House of Graff
Renowned for representing the rarest of gemstones, House of Graff is the name that comes to mind when thinking of the next big “It” stone to be unveiled in the world of jewellery. With a mindset to unearth the finest diamonds, the brand, whose designs are crafted with an artful simplicity that conceals its complexity, embodies flawless balance and proportion does not hold back. Their gemologists breathe life into every stone with unwavering precision, revealing its extraordinary beauty consistently time and time again.
Back in November 2015, the diamond industry collectively breathed a sigh of delight when the world was introduced to Lesedi La Rona. Translated from Tswana, the language of Botswana, it gracefully means “our light.” Now, here’s the sparkle in the tale – the whopping 1,109-carat raw diamond emerged from the depths of the Karowe Mine in Botswana, proudly owned by the Canadian diamond producer, Lucara Diamond Corp.
“This crude stone, the size of a tennis ball, is the largest diamond with the quality of a true gemstone discovered in the last hundred years, and the second largest ever found on earth. Only the legendary Cullinan, which had the splendid weight of 3,106.75 ct, was bigger than it” said an expert in the precious stones market, Marcin Marcok, in a conversation with Mart Diamonds.
The diamond was put up for auction at Sotheby’s in June 2016 by Lucara Diamond Corp and after several months of negotiations, it was bought by Graff Diamonds in September 2017 for INR 440 crores ($53 million).
The Graff Lesedi La Rona, standing at 302.37 carats, is the largest diamond ever certified by the GIA in terms of both colour and clarity and holds the title of the world’s largest square emerald cut diamond. Meticulously crafted by Graff’s team of master polishers and gemologists, this gem represents a historic milestone in the world of diamonds. The transformation from its rough 1,109 carat state to its final form required over 18 months of hard work and dedicated craftsmanship.
The team looked deep within the diamond and initially their research concluded that a 300 carat principal diamond was simply unachievable. However, it was Laurence Graff who set the challenge, believing that it could be possible. According to the GIA, Lesedi La Rona is no ordinary diamond – it’s classified as a gem from the deepest strata with depths exceeding 750 kilometres below sea level.
Image source: House of GraffIn a generous move for the advancement of diamond research, Graff Diamonds decided to handover the remnants from the cut stone to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, the colossal hub of museums and educational research centres. As the curtain descends, the Lesedi La Rona Diamond takes its well-deserved place among the stars of diamond lore, leaving behind a trail of awe and fascination for all who bask in its radiant glow.
The conversion rates mentioned are based on the exchange rate at the time of the article’s publication.
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