London Jewelers is rocking its 100th anniversary in a big way.
The renowned luxury retailer is celebrating its centennial by transforming a massive 63-carat natural rough diamond into a 20.26-carat D-color, flawless, old mine cushion-cut sparkler.
The final weight was chosen to match the current year, a nod to the company’s major milestone.
The precious stone will be shaped in Botswana, its homeland, by Grandview Klein Diamonds as part of the Origin De Beers Group program. The innovative initiative uses the Tracr blockchain platform to trace a diamond’s country of provenance, rarity and history.
Every stage of this giant gemstone’s journey from earth to eternity will be documented, offering an in-depth look at the artistry, expertise and human touch needed to bring a diamond of this scale to life.
“For 100 years, London Jewelers has been built on craftsmanship, resilience, family, and relationships that span generations,” says Mark Udell, CEO of London Jewelers and the grandson of its founder Charles London. “What began as a modest storefront in Glen Cove has grown into something far greater than a jewelry business. This extraordinary diamond represents our history, our family, and the future still ahead of us,” continues Udell, who leads the company with his wife, Candy, their children, Randi and Scott, and their nephew, Zach.
The old mine cushion is a square cut with rounded corners that was popular in the Georgian and Victorian eras. At the time, diamonds were faceted entirely by hand, so no two are exactly the same. Today, this romantic cut with a gentle “candlelit” glow is surging in popularity, especially since Travis Kelce proposed to Taylor Swift last summer with an estimated 8-carat old mine diamond ring.
“We are cutting a new diamond in an old style because we honor our past, but we are shaping the future,” says London VP Scott Udell.
As for its grade, D flawless is the highest possible rating for color and clarity. It is perfectly colorless and internally flawless under 10x magnification. This means that the finished stone will rank among the world’s rarest natural diamonds.
The rough diamond was the centerpiece of an event during last month’s JCK Las Vegas.
Speakers included Mark and Candy Udell; Moshe Klein, CEO of Grandview Klein Diamonds and a longtime friend of London Jewelers; Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group; and Don Gaetsaloe, Permanent Secretary of Botswana’s Ministry of Minerals and Energy.
“To be entrusted with cutting a diamond of this importance in honor of London Jewelers’ centennial
is one of the greatest honors of my lifetime,” said Moshe Klein. “There is deep history between our
families, and with a stone like this, that trust means everything.”
“There was only one partner we trusted to bring a stone of this importance to life,” notes Mark Udell. “Moshe Klein and the team at Grandview Klein Diamonds.”
What a brilliant way to commemorate London’s 100-year legacy.
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