Giant diamond to be cut in Antwerp
"Sewelô", the second largest rough diamond in the world, discovered in a mine in Botswana in April 2019, will be cut in Antwerp, where it will be transformed into a jewel by the Antwerp-based company HB.
HB was selected by the renowned luxury goods brand Louis Vuitton to design this exceptional jewel, the "Sewelô". The 1758 carat stone weighs more than 350 grams. It is the second largest rough diamond in the world. It is estimated to be worth more than $50 million, based on the price of a comparable diamond discovered at the same mine in 2017.
About the same size as a tennis ball, the stone is currently in Antwerp where it is waiting to be worked, polished and cut into several smaller gemstones to create a diamond collection. It will undergo a complex process during which the stones will be processed and carefully monitored, which may take several months.
In the words of Raluca Anghel, Head of External Affairs and Industry Relations at the Diamond Producers Association: "It is an incredible discovery that can only be created naturally, with that magical power that only natural diamonds can have".The arrival of the jewel is also generating a buzz in Belgium, as Melissa Smet, Executive Director of the Union of Belgian Diamond Industry, explains the uniqueness of the diamond: "What also makes the stone special is its mysterious nature. The stone is covered with black carbon and the quality of the diamond hidden under this layer is shrouded in mystery."
It goes without saying that everyone is eagerly awaiting the completion of this precise work!