Incorporating an extraordinary combination of science with senses, Graff has unveiled The Graff Venus, a 118.78 carat D Flawless heart shape diamond.

The diamond is the largest D Flawless heart shape diamond, to ever be cut and polished, the company said.
This reaffirms Graff as the leader in the world of special diamonds exceeding 100 carats, it added.

Graff shares an illustrious history with the Letšeng mine in Lesotho, where many of its most famous and magnificent stones have been uncovered.

It was therefore an exhilarating moment when a 357 carat rough was discovered at the Letšeng mine, displaying outstanding colour, clarity and a quality of the highest standard, it said.

"On viewing the 357cts rough through a loupe, Laurence Graff knew instinctively that hidden within its depths lay the potential to create a magnificent diamond – the rough displayed an outstanding size, colour and clarity of the highest standard," the company said.

It took Graff’s dedicated team several months of in-depth analysis and examination, using the latest computer technology and expertise, before the stone was ready to be cut and polished. Senior gemmologists scanned the rough, mapping each tiny flaw in 3D and searching for its unique and distinct personality.

The assessment by Graff’s elite team revealed within the diamonds’ frosty surface a phenomenal heart shape diamond that would far exceed 100 carats, it said.

"To cut a heart shape stone of such size presents an enormous risk, but also a once in a lifetime opportunity which surpassed anything the world had ever seen before," it said.


WORK OF ART
A heart shape diamond must be perfectly faceted and entirely symmetrical to ensure a perfect silhouette and exquisite scintillation - its shape is a work of art in the hands of the master cutter.

After the initial cuts were made, using advanced laser technology, Graff’s craftsmen took the diamond to the wheel and worked tirelessly, continually assessing and ensuring the vital symmetry of the stone was exact.

The intensely skilled operation demanded the skills and experience of the world’s finest craftsmen. The cleft between the two fully rounded spheres of the heart increased the risk of cutting the diamond and required specially made tools bespoke to the task.

A MOMENTOUS RESULT

Following many hours of painstaking work, the diamond was sent to the Gemological Institute of America for certification, it was confirmed that Graff had achieved a miracle.

Laurence Graff, chairman, comments: “We were given a once in a lifetime opportunity and we created absolute perfection. I am proud to say that we delivered the very best . The Graff Venus is beyond words. It is the most beautiful heart shape diamond I have ever seen.”   - TradeArabia News Service