Blab Business
London Jewelers Celebrates 100th Anniversary with 20-Carat D-Flawless Diamond
On June 15, 2026, London Jewelers marked its centennial by announcing the transformation of a 63‑carat natural rough diamond into a 20.26‑carat D‑color, flawless, old‑mine cushion‑cut sparkler. The polished stone will be cut in Botswana by Grandview Klein Diamonds as part of De Beers’ Origin program, which uses the Tracr blockchain platform to record a diamond’s provenance from mine to market.
The company’s 100‑year milestone is echoed in the final weight of the polished stone, which matches the current year. CEO Mark Udell said the diamond “represents our history, our family, and the future still ahead of us.” London Jewelers began as a modest storefront in Glen Cove, New York, and has grown into a global retailer while keeping a focus on craftsmanship and long‑term relationships.
The rough stone, rated D flawless in color and clarity, is among the rarest natural diamonds. After cutting, the 20.26‑carat stone will take an old‑mine cushion cut—a square cut with rounded corners popular in Georgian and Victorian eras. The cut is prized for its gentle, candlelit glow and has seen a resurgence in recent years, partly due to high‑profile celebrity engagements.
Grandview Klein Diamonds, headquartered in New York, will perform the cutting and polishing in Botswana, the diamond’s country of origin. The partnership is part of De Beers’ Origin program, which tracks each diamond’s journey through the supply chain. The program’s use of Tracr, a blockchain‑based provenance platform, ensures that the diamond’s country of provenance, rarity, and history are recorded in an immutable ledger.
The unveiling took place at the JCK Las Vegas trade show on May 29, 2026. Speakers included Mark and Candy Udell, Moshe Klein—CEO of Grandview Klein Diamonds—Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, and Don Gaetsaloe, Permanent Secretary of Botswana’s Ministry of Minerals and Energy. Moshe Klein remarked that being entrusted with cutting a diamond of this importance in honor of London Jewelers’ centennial was “one of the greatest honors of my lifetime.”
VP Scott Udell explained that the choice of an old‑style cut was a nod to the company’s heritage while also signaling a forward‑looking vision. “We are cutting a new diamond in an old style because we honor our past, but we are shaping the future,” he said.
The diamond’s D‑flawless grade places it among the world’s rarest natural stones. Under 10‑x magnification, the stone shows no internal flaws, and its colorless appearance is the highest possible rating for color. The 63‑carat rough will undergo meticulous cutting to achieve the final weight, a process that will be documented from extraction to polishing.
London Jewelers’ centennial celebration underscores the company’s long‑standing emphasis on quality and heritage. The partnership with Grandview Klein Diamonds and the use of De Beers’ Origin program highlight a growing industry trend toward traceability and transparency in the luxury jewelry market.
As the company prepares to bring the polished diamond to market, it remains focused on its core values of craftsmanship, resilience, and family. The next steps will involve final polishing, certification, and potential inclusion in London Jewelers’ retail offerings, though no specific launch date has yet been announced.
The centennial diamond project exemplifies the intersection of heritage and technology in the luxury jewelry sector, offering a tangible symbol of a century of business while embracing modern traceability solutions.
The company’s 100‑year milestone is echoed in the final weight of the polished stone, which matches the current year. CEO Mark Udell said the diamond “represents our history, our family, and the future still ahead of us.” London Jewelers began as a modest storefront in Glen Cove, New York, and has grown into a global retailer while keeping a focus on craftsmanship and long‑term relationships.
The rough stone, rated D flawless in color and clarity, is among the rarest natural diamonds. After cutting, the 20.26‑carat stone will take an old‑mine cushion cut—a square cut with rounded corners popular in Georgian and Victorian eras. The cut is prized for its gentle, candlelit glow and has seen a resurgence in recent years, partly due to high‑profile celebrity engagements.
Grandview Klein Diamonds, headquartered in New York, will perform the cutting and polishing in Botswana, the diamond’s country of origin. The partnership is part of De Beers’ Origin program, which tracks each diamond’s journey through the supply chain. The program’s use of Tracr, a blockchain‑based provenance platform, ensures that the diamond’s country of provenance, rarity, and history are recorded in an immutable ledger.
The unveiling took place at the JCK Las Vegas trade show on May 29, 2026. Speakers included Mark and Candy Udell, Moshe Klein—CEO of Grandview Klein Diamonds—Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, and Don Gaetsaloe, Permanent Secretary of Botswana’s Ministry of Minerals and Energy. Moshe Klein remarked that being entrusted with cutting a diamond of this importance in honor of London Jewelers’ centennial was “one of the greatest honors of my lifetime.”
VP Scott Udell explained that the choice of an old‑style cut was a nod to the company’s heritage while also signaling a forward‑looking vision. “We are cutting a new diamond in an old style because we honor our past, but we are shaping the future,” he said.
The diamond’s D‑flawless grade places it among the world’s rarest natural stones. Under 10‑x magnification, the stone shows no internal flaws, and its colorless appearance is the highest possible rating for color. The 63‑carat rough will undergo meticulous cutting to achieve the final weight, a process that will be documented from extraction to polishing.
London Jewelers’ centennial celebration underscores the company’s long‑standing emphasis on quality and heritage. The partnership with Grandview Klein Diamonds and the use of De Beers’ Origin program highlight a growing industry trend toward traceability and transparency in the luxury jewelry market.
As the company prepares to bring the polished diamond to market, it remains focused on its core values of craftsmanship, resilience, and family. The next steps will involve final polishing, certification, and potential inclusion in London Jewelers’ retail offerings, though no specific launch date has yet been announced.
The centennial diamond project exemplifies the intersection of heritage and technology in the luxury jewelry sector, offering a tangible symbol of a century of business while embracing modern traceability solutions.
