Named Sewelo, which means “rare find” in the Setswana language, it was discovered in April last year at a mine in Botswana owned by Canadian diamond mining company Lucara Diamond Corporation.
Image credit: Louis Vuitton
The black rough stone is the second largest rough gem diamond in recorded history, second only to the Cullinan—a 3,106-carat gem mined in South Africa in 1905.That makes the Sewelo, estimated to be two billion years old, the largest diamond discovered in this century.
The LVMH-owned brand entered high jewellery only in 2012, with an atelier in the esteemed Place Vendome in Paris. It is not known exactly how many millions the French fashion house paid for the stone.
Michael Burke, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton reportedly said “This rough stone is unique. Unveiling it to a handful of clients is a testament to our daring spirit and our desire to be a major player in jewellery. We’re positioning ourselves for the next 100 years.”
Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished
