- Title: Russia to auction giant 51-carat polished diamond online
- Date: 1st August 2017
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (AUGUST 1, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** STAFF TAKING COVER OFF DIAMOND COLLECTION ON STAND VARIOUS OF DIAMONDS ON STANDS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ALROSA COMPANY PRESIDENT, SERGEI IVANOV, SAYING: "We took a board decision to call this collection 'Dynasty' (PAUSING FOR TRANSLATION) in order to commemorate several generations of talented Russian craftsmen, gem-cutters, who started cutting gems in the times of (Russian emperor) Peter I. And we want to perpetuate these traditions through the collection which we present today." RUSSIAN COAT OF ARMS AND SIGN READING (English): "DYNASTY" (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ALROSA COMPANY PRESIDENT, SERGEI IVANOV, SAYING: "For centuries the situation in the market has been that when experts evaluate a gem they decide how to get maximum profit out of diamond. In this case an optimal decision was made - to get five gems of certain categories (out of the diamond). This is connected with structure of the gem, with cutting technology and with an aim to lose as little diamond as possible in process of cutting." VARIOUS OF DIAMONDS ON STANDS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) DIAMONDS ALROSA (GEM CUTTING) COMPANY DIRECTOR, PAVEL VINIKHIN, SAYING: "The thing is that this diamond was being cut for a year and a half. This mineral is very hard, as it turned out. Although we cut diamonds all the time, this was the hardest mineral we have seen. So it was tough physically and psychologically, because the responsibility was colossal and it was on everyone who took part in the process. We were gathering to take any decision, even minor one. And that was torture, we were taking decisions overnight, spending days in consultations. But all in all we have managed." DIAMOND ON DISPLAY WOMAN TAKING PICTURES ASSISTANT CHANGING PLACE OF DIAMOND ON STAND DIAMOND ON STAND
- Embargoed: 15th August 2017 17:40
- Keywords: Russia diamond Alrosa diamond diamond collection Dynasty diamond collection
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Economic Events,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News
- Reuters ID: LVA0016SBQRFD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russian miner Alrosa said on Tuesday (August 1) it plans to sell at an online auction in November a rare collection of polished diamonds produced domestically, including a giant 51.38-carat gem.
This huge, traditional round-cut diamond, whose 2.5 cm (1 inch) diameter is equal in size to the visible part of a human eye, bears the same name as the entire Dynasty collection.
According to Alrosa, which is state-controlled, it is potentially the most expensive diamond manufactured in the history of Russian jewellery because of its quality.
It took a year and a half for Alrosa's specialists to create five polished diamonds for the collection from a 179-carat Romanovs rough diamond, extracted at one of the company's mines in Russia's far eastern Yakutia region in 2015.
The collection is dedicated to the Tsar Peter the Great, who built the city of St Petersburg, and the Romanov dynasty, which ruled Russia for 300 years. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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