Alrosa has unveiled the largest polished colored diamond in Russia’s history — a fancy vivid yellow gem weighing over 100 carats, named New Sun.
The striking honey-golden diamond was cut from a 236-carat rough stone named Dawn, discovered in 2020 at Alrosa’s Ebelyakh deposit in Yakutia.
The transformation from rough to polished was a meticulous process undertaken by a team of 15 master cutters at Alrosa’s manufacturing complex.
To achieve the final result, the team used advanced 3D modeling and spectral analysis. They simulated multiple cutting options to determine the shape and symmetry that would best enhance the stone’s vivid color while retaining maximum carat weight. The entire manufacturing process took more than two years.
The unveiling of New Sun comes amid challenging times for Alrosa. The Russian diamond miner recently reported a 77% decline in profit for 2024, falling to RUB 19.25 billion ($215.3 million).
Revenue also dropped by 26% to RUB 239.07 billion ($2.67 billion), driven by international sanctions and a RUB 4.98 billion ($55.6 million) impairment tied to a weak global market.
In response to the downturn, Alrosa announced it would suspend operations at several of its smaller deposits as part of broader cost-cutting measures.
