The 813-carat Constellation Diamond, the world’s most expensive rough diamond, has come to Israel for laser cutting at the advanced Synova laser cutting facility located in the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE).

The IDE said that the Synova Laser MicroJet (LMJ) technology which will be used during this first stage of processing, enables maximum precision and minimum waste in diamond cutting, reducing damage to expensive rough stones and providing higher yields. Israel’s LMJ facility is the most technologically advanced worldwide and is operated by a team with unsurpassed expertise, it added.

The 813 ct diamond was discovered at Lucara’s Karowe Mine in Botswana in 2015, and sold for US$ 63 million at a private Sotheby’s auction last year to Dubai-based Nemesis International. The 1,109 ct Lesedi La Rona, also found at Karowe, sold this year for US$ 53 million.

Luxury jeweler de Grisogono acquired the rough stone and will determine its final creation into polished diamonds. It is estimated that the 813-carat rough will yield two polished stones of 325-carat and 100-carat, of D colour and flawless clarity, the larger of which will be one of the world’s biggest certified flawless diamonds.

IDE President Yoram Dvash said, “Having the Constellation Diamond brought to Israel for laser cutting highlights Israel’s role as the global technology capital of the diamond industry. This is the Diamond Exchange we strive for – innovative, creative and energetic.” 

Pic caption: The 813 ct Constellation Diamond
Courtesy: IDE