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Jackie O Lesotho III Diamond Sells for $2.6 Million at Sotheby's
May 21, 1996 12:52 PM
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In a bidding frenzy at Sotheby's the historic Lesotho III diamond,
given to Jackie Kennedy as an engagement ring by Aristotle Onassis,
sold for $2,587,500 (estimated at $500,000 to $600,000). The L-
color, VS2, marquise shaped 40.42 carat ring flanked by tapered
baguettes came with an original working diagram stating that the stone
may be potentially flawless. The stone was cut from the 601 carat
rough Lesotho Diamond the eleventh largest gem quality diamond ever
found. The diamond was discovered in 1967 in Lesotho South Africa by
Ernestine Ramaboa the wife of digger Petrus Ramaboa. The diamond is
the largest ever discovered by a woman. The couple traveled on foot to
Maseru the capitol of Lesotho to sell the diamond which was eventually
purchased by Harry Winston. The stone was exhibitied at the
Smithsonian Institution in Washington , D.C and the Musuem of Natural
History in New York before being cut into 18 gems. The stone was
cleaved by Winston master-cutter Pastor Colon in a live televised
broadcast in March of 1968. The Lesotho III was the third largest of
the group and hence its name.
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Tags:
Harry Winston, Lesotho, Sotheby's, South Africa
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