Discover more about an extraordinary gem that forms the basis for an entire jewellery collection
Throughout its lifetime, Van Cleef & Arpels has acquired legendary stones revered for its significant value and beauty. One such historic piece, a 60-carat pear-shaped gem known as the Prince Edward of York was the first major diamond that the maison has acquired. Said to have been named in honour of the future Duke of Windsor Prince Edward’s birth, it was discovered in South Africa’s Kimberley mine in 1894.
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The maison’s love of exceptional gems continues unabated throughout the ages. In 1953, it acquired the Blue Heart, a 31-carat heart-cut blue diamond said to be the most beautiful diamond in the world. That year, the necklace travelled to Paris by registered mail, addressed to the famous dancer Zizi Jeanmaire who dazzled everyone when she wore it to the Ball of Versailles. In December 1964, the 30.58-carat Mazarin diamond that once belonged to the French Crown Treasury entered the Van Cleef & Arpels collection which was bought at Sotheby’s for £70,000, setting a new world record for public auction price.
Van Cleef & Arpels traditionally starts with cut and faceted stones that are already deemed suitable for jewellery-making and seldom works with rough stones. But that changed in 2018, when the Lesotho Legend landed in its lap, presented by diamond dealer Taché, a long-time partner of the maison’s. Weighing 910 carats, it was the fifth largest rough diamond in both size and quality. It is a highly sought-after Type 2A diamond, meaning it is chemically the purest with great optical quality. The stone was originally from the Letseng Mine in Lesotho, known for providing remarkable large gems and being committed to ensure complete traceability for rough stones.
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As it was, the Lesotho Legend presented the maison with a rare opportunity to create an entire collection centred around the stone right from the starting point. So it enlisted the best diamond cutters in Antwerp, who used both state-of-the-art 3D software and traditional manual techniques to cut the rough stone into ideal proportions. For almost a year, the specialists worked to perfect these combinations, avoiding inclusions while limiting the loss of material. Their efforts yielded a family of 67 diamonds, totalling 441.75 carats, nearly half of the original stone’s weight. Each of the diamonds extracted was exceptional, ranging from Flawless to Internally Flawless, achieving the highest purity grade.