Found inside a mine in Botswana last April, the second-largest rough diamond ever documented—at a whopping 1,758 carats—recently sold to Louis Vuitton. While the brand is best known for their leather goods and apparel, the purchase of the Sewelô (as the stone is called) is evidence of their commitment to the high-end jewelry market. This comes shortly after parent company LVMH’s acquisition of Tiffany & …
Fittingly dubbed the “Russian Nesting Doll Diamond,” this tabular-shaped diamond within a diamond was found in the Nyurba mine in Yakutia, Russia. Perhaps the world’s first-ever instance of such a gem, an outer diamond (.62 carats) holds a smaller one (.02) carats within, but the two differ enough so that the smaller rock rattles around inside. Because this is such a rare occurrence, researchers have yet …
The lava currently erupting from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano happens to be very crystal-rich. Launching some 130 feet into the air and landing on and near homes, olivine—an olive green gem—happens to be common on the island (and turns certain beaches green) but not usually falling from the sky. The gems were formed under the ground long ago, but the violent eruption spews them and separates …
