Luxury French fashion house Louis Vuitton has sealed a deal with Canadian diamond producer Lucara Diamond and Belgian manufacturer HB to polish and set the Sewelô diamond which is currently the world’s largest at 1,758 carats.
It’s the second-largest diamond to be mined in history, the first spot goes to the 3,106.75-carat Cullinan found in South Africa in 1905.
The Sewelô is also the largest diamond ever discovered in Botswana and the second 1,000-plus carat diamond recovered from the Karowe mine in the past four years and it is going to experience a sparkling transformation at the house of Louis Vuitton.
Sewelô, which means “rare find” in the Tswana language (a Bantu language spoken in Southern Africa by about five million speakers), has been identified as a gem of variable quality, but Lucara believes the right cut will reveal its full potential.
According to HB, Louis Vuitton paid 50% upfront for the diamond. Lucara will retain an interest in the other half.
The two players have also reached an agreement that will see 5% of the proceeds from the retail sales go into community-based initiatives in Botswana.
Lucara Diamond CEO Eira Thomas said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Louis Vuitton, the famous luxury house, to transform the historic, 1,758-carat Sewelô, Botswana’s largest diamond, into a collection of fine jewellery that will commemorate this extraordinary discovery and contribute direct benefits to our local communities of interest in Botswana.”
In 2019, Louis Vuitton launched the Riders of the Knights high jewellery collection, unveiling pieces dressed in an impressive number of emeralds, sapphire, rubies and diamonds. The move to secure this gem signals its commitment to the world of high jewellery.
Powerful black diamonds
The Sewelô is black in colour and according to some stakeholders in the diamond industry, black diamonds are very chic and good for making a powerful statement. Georg Jensen is one of the great names that uses black diamonds in stylish ways.
The first largest diamond to be mined in history
Known as the “Great Star of Africa,” or the Cullinan Diamond, the largest diamond to mined in history is a whopping 3,106 carats for a weight of 1.3 pounds. The diamond was originally found in 1905 in the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa by Thomas Evan Powell. The diamond was named after Thomas Cullinan, the mine’s chairman. Before it was cut, the Cullinan Diamond weighed a whopping 3,106 carats.
The Cullinan Diamond was cut into the Cullinan I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and XI and it is owned by the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II.
