Nearly 28-Carat Pink Diamond Found in Russia

Moscow–Alrosa reported this week that subsidiary Almazy Anabara has recovered what is by far the largest pink diamond in company history.

Weighing 27.85 carats, the rough diamond has dimensions of 22.47 x 15.69 x 10.9 mm, and is described by the company as being “of gem-quality and almost free of inclusions.”

Prior to this find, Alrosa said the biggest pink diamond it had ever recovered was 3.86 carats. That too was discovered by Almazy Anabara, which recovers pink and other natural color diamonds at the Severalmaz kimberlite pipes and placer deposits.

Apart from that stone, which was found in 2012, Alrosa has found only three pink diamonds weighing more than 2 carats over the last eight years.

This week’s news of the recovery of a nearly 28-carat high-quality pink follows the company’s August unveiling of the five polished diamonds it cut from a colorless 179-carat piece of rough it found in 2015 and dubbed “The Romanovs” diamond.

The largest of the stones is a 51.38-carat round brilliant, D color, VVS1 clarity diamond with triple excellent cut. Called “The Dynasty,” it is the biggest stone of this quality ever cut by the company.

Commenting on The Dynasty, Alrosa said: “This stone gives a start to a new stage in the development of Alrosa’s cutting division that will actively develop polishing of extra-large and colored diamonds. The Dynasty demonstrated that we can do it at the highest level.”

But whether the company will apply these cutting skills to the newly discovered pink diamond remains to be seen.

In a news release issued Thursday, Evgeny Agureev, the head of USO (United Selling Organization) Alrosa, said the company’s polishing division is examining the diamond in order to decide whether to cut it or sell it rough.

“Large stones, particularly colored, are always in demand at auctions. But if the company decided to cut it, it would become the most expensive diamond in the entire history of Alrosa,” he said.

News Source: nationaljeweler.com