A precious specimen, larger than a tennis ball, was discovered last year in the Karove mine by the Lucara Diamond Corporation. Now the second largest diamond in history and the largest in existence - recall that the Cullinan was divided into nine parts, some of which adorn the symbols of the British crown - belongs to the luxury brand Louis Vuitton. The amount of the deal was not disclosed, but it is about millions, according to The New York Times, quoting the head of the fashion house Michael Burke.
The diamond measuring 83x62x46 mm and weighing almost 532 g was named Sewelo, "a rare find" translated from the local Tswana language. Lucara Diamond said that the full potential of the stone, which now looks like a dark mineral, will only be revealed after its processing. The Belgian HB Company will cut and polish Sewelo, and the diamond collection created from it by Louis Vuitton will be partly charitable: 5% of the profits from its sales will go to support the people of Botswana.
The purchase of the largest diamond in modern history is evidence of Louis Vuitton's commitment and LVMH's ambition to strengthen its position in the jewelery market. In 2018, Francesca Amphitheatroph, who had previously created collections for Tiffany, was named Creative Director of the jewelry business. In November 2019, the American jewelry house was bought out by the LVMH holding.>