Russian diamond producer Alrosa presented the first-of-itskind collection of large coloured diamonds at the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair as part of a new strategy to become the world leader in the production of coloured polished diamonds.
“Alrosa polished branch now focuses on the processing of large and coloured diamonds and the subsequent sales. We are the world’s largest producer of diamonds, and that gives reason to believe that we are also ahead in terms of coloured rough diamond production. Today, Alrosa produces at least 7,000 carats of coloured diamonds per year. We have all it takes to dominate the market of coloured diamonds. The collection presented in Hong Kong demonstrates our capabilities,” said Evgeny Agureev, director of the United Selling Organization of Alrosa.
The collection showcased in Hong Kong comprised 250 diamonds of different shapes and hues. The company held the “True Colours” auction on September 19th and was scheduled to announce the results by the month-end, at the time of going to press. The company plans to hold the “True Colours” auction on a regular basis.
The key stones of the collection, which are expected to be the most expensive lots, include a 11-carat diamond of rare yellow hue (fancy vivid yellow), an orange-yellow oval diamond of over 15 carats and a 11-carat cushion of noble purple colour (deep purple-pink). According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the Deep Purple is the largest diamond of this colour ever graded by GIA.
Alrosa said the alluvial mines of JSC “Anabar Diamonds” in Yakutia and the open pit of PJSC “Severalmaz” in the Arkhangelsk region have the largest coloured diamond reserves. Alrosa sorts coloured diamonds according to a new technology that includes almost all hues and colour grades. Most of these diamonds are processed by Diamonds Alrosa, the company’s polished branch.
“One of the Alrosa’s competitive edges is the in-house lapidary division, which gives us the opportunity to trace the history of each diamond from mine to market. Our diamonds enjoy a sterling reputation and comply with the highest ethical and environmental standards. We invest in our diamond cutters, providing extensive training and opportunities for professional development. This allows us to keep the tradition of the highest quality of gem cutting, the paragon of diamond cutting art also known as the ‘Russian cut’,” said Agureev.
