Consumers know diamond from the slogan “A Diamond is Forever”. With some care considerations this is relatively true. The Asscher cut was popular decades ago and is again a very popular cut style. This stone has exceptional quality being D color and VVS2 Clarity.
The 187.7 ct “Diavik Foxfire,” discovered in spring 2015, is the largest gem-quality rough diamond found to date at the mine. Photo courtesy of Rio Tinto Diamonds.
Figure 23. Brazilian diamonds were shipped to Europe from the 1720s through the 1860s. The rose-cut diamonds, seen in this necklace and brooch, are part of the Danish crown jewels on display in the Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen. The necklace was originally worn by Queen Louise, consort of King Frederik VIII (1843–1912). The brooch could be taken apart and the components worn separately. The jewelry was fashioned by the firm of C.M Weishaupt & Söhne of Hanau, Germany in 1840 using diamonds most likely of Brazilian origin. Photo by Iben Kaufmann.
Figure B-2. Left: A selection of rough Brazilian diamonds, 262 carats total, photographed in Antwerp. The crystal at the center weighs 7.46 ct. The diamonds are from the Braúna kimberlite field near Nordestina. Right: These larger diamond crystals from the Lipari mine include a 3.87 ct resorbed yellow crystal, a 3.49 ct octahedral crystal, and a 2.94 ct macle. Photos by Robert Weldon/GIA, courtesy of Aftergut N. & Zonen and Lipari Mineração Ltda.
Figure 21. The distribution of kimberlites in the cratonic areas of Brazil. According to Companhia de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais (2004), there are there are 1,212 known kimberlite bodies distributed throughout the country, most of them concentrated in the Alto Paranaíba region of Minas Gerais.
