December 24, 2019 – Graff Diamonds, the world-renowned hi-end jewelry brand, has acquired the Firebird 20.7 ct diamond from ALROSA. The parties do not disclose the transaction details, but note that it achieved one of the highest prices per carat for such a stones in recent years.

Yellow Asscher-cut 20.69 ct diamond was graded by GIA as Fancy Vivid Yellow – VS1 – Excellent polish and symmetry. Created by nature and brought to perfection by ALROSA cutting and polishing masters, the diamond resembles a simultaneous ensemble of flame, reflections of sunlight on crystal water and a trail of sparkles coming from the tail of a Firebird.

“This Fancy Vivid Yellow with high clarity and very special step-cut is truly unique. And one can only imagine the wealth of rough colors that comes from that fire that sparks the diamond’s lightness. It is extremely rare and very special in the world of diamonds to see unique yellow diamond like this,” said John King, GIA Chief Quality Officer.

The diamond is a part of “The Spectacle” unique diamonds collection, dedicated to the Russian ballet. There are two more diamonds in the collection, one of them is “Spirit of the Rose” 14.8 ct Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink stone. Another diamond will be announced later when cutting and polishing is finished.

“Firebird”, the legendary ballet show, premiered in 1910 at the Grand Opera in Paris. The ballet was the first of Sergei Diaghilev\'s Ballets Russes productions to have an all-original score composed. It had the idea of creating a “national ballet” driven by the popularity of Russian folk songs and dances among the French public. The plot is based on the Russian fairytale of the Firebird and the blessing and curse it possesses for its owner. Stravinsky composed the music; Michel Fokine choreographed the dance, while Alexander Golovin and Leon Bakst created the decorations and costumes.

Outstanding Firebird diamond was created from “Stravinsky”, a 34.17 ct rough diamond, bearing both rare honey-yellow overtones and incredible clarity. Discovered at the Ebelyakh mine in Yakutia in 2017, it is one of the largest rough diamonds of such color and quality ever extracted in Russia. It was defined by its naturally-occurring shape, smooth structure and, most certainly, by its incredible intensity and homogeneity of color.

Sergey Ivanov, ALROSA CEO, said: “We are delighted to see that such a beautiful exceptional diamond has found an equally exceptional owner. Without a doubt, it could be a heart for a magnificent exclusive jewelry piece. It is more than just a regular deal for ALROSA. This is the first direct purchase of Graff made without intermediaries, and we hope that it will be the beginning of a new phase of our work. We are pleased to see the trust of major industry players, which, among other things, was made possible thanks to our efforts in the field of business transparency, diamond provenance guarantees and our high contribution to society.”