PARIS, Sept. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To mark the opening of the 28th Biennale des Antiquaires, de GRISOGONO is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Constellation, the world's most expensive rough diamond, at a press conference held in the Grand Palais today. The purchase represents a ground-breaking moment for the company in its journey to become one of the world's leading high jewellery and watch brands.
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Measuring over six centimetres wide, The Constellation weighs 813-carats and was discovered by Canadian company, Lucara Diamond, at its Karowe mine in Botswana in November 2015. The gem was purchased for USD63 million earlier this year, following a competitive bidding process.
The Constellation naturally boasts the colour, clarity and carat weighting of an internationally and historically significant stone. It is expected that the cutting process, due to be completed by the middle of 2017, may unveil one of the world's largest certified flawless diamond.
Speaking about the purchase, Founder and Executive Board member of de GRISOGONO, Fawaz Gruosi said:
"I am thrilled to have the chance to work with such an incredible and important diamond as The Constellation. As a jeweller I am conscious of the extraordinary responsibility I have to the stone and to the team who have worked so hard to secure it. To be able to bring my creative skills to the cutting and setting process of such a stone is both an honour and a privilege and I cannot wait to realise my vision for it."
de GRISOGONO's partnership with Nemesis International, allowing the company to market their best stones, reflects its determination to find unique gems from around the world in order to create exceptional and exclusive pieces of art for its clients. It enables de GRISOGONO to access the most precious rough diamonds, manage the entire cutting process and bring the very highest quality stones to its clients, combined with the distinctive de GRISOGONO creativity and craftsmanship.
Speaking about what the purchase means for the business, John Leitao, Chief Executive Officer of de GRISOGONO, said:
"By purchasing The Constellation, de GRISOGONO has shown its commitment to bringing the most unique stones from around the world to our clients in exceptional and exclusive pieces. We firmly believe that, despite a challenging market environment, people will continue to cherish and value those objects which are truly unique and special, such as this extraordinary piece of history.
"Our position today has been enabled by the incredible vision and creative flair of Fawaz over the last 25 years, the support of our team and our clients and, most recently, by our mutually beneficial partnership with Nemesis."
The Constellation, represents the second major acquisition this year after the purchase in May of a 404-carat rough diamond, also from Nemesis International.
Speaking further about the acquisition, Nemesis International Director Nickolas Polak said:
"This deal recognises the outstanding qualities of this stone and demonstrates the enduring value of historic diamonds. It also demonstrates how, as a company, we can help mine operators sell the most remarkable stones to expert designers and creative geniuses like Fawaz Gruosi, whose international client base demands the highest quality and most exclusive gems."
