Sewelo Diamond Goes on Tour

(IDEX Online) - The Sewelo diamond, the second largest rough gem ever found, is in Singapore on a "worldwide tour" before owners Louis Vuitton decide what to do with it.

The 1,758-carat stone, the size of a tennis ball, was discovered in the Karowe mine in Botswana in April 2019, and is the biggest diamond since the 3,106-carat Cullinan was discovered in South Africa in 1905.

The French luxury and fashion house Louis Vuitton bought the Sewelo diamond from miners Lucara Diamond Corporation for an undisclosed sum.

There is speculation that the stone will yield a single ovale diamond of 900 carats or one 300-carat diamond plus multiple satellites of three to five carats. Louis Vuitton is working with Antwerp-based HB Company to decide how it will cut and polish the diamond for optimum yield.

It is on a tour of selected cities including London, Tokyo and Taipei and will return to Paris before a decision is made on the cut.

Michael Burke, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, 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."