LAS VEGAS DIAMOND

A MASTER DIAMOND CUTTER AT WORK IN THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES OF SASKATCHEWAN IS BEHIND ONE OF THE MOST STUNNING NEW DIAMOND CUTS IN RECENT HISTORY, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST INTRICATE AND LIGHT-REFLECTING IN THE WORLD. THE NEW LAS VEGAS DIAMOND WAS CREATED BY MIKE BOTHA AND ONLY BOTHA AND TWO APPRENTICES HAVE THE TALENT TO CREATE THE STONES WHICH BEAR A STAGGERING 111 FACETS. AN AVERAGE BRILLIANT CUT DIAMOND HAS 57 FACETS, AND ALTHOUGH BOTHA SAYS MORE FACES COULD HAVE BEEN ADDED TO HIS DESIGN, HE'S CONVINCED IT HITS THE 'SWEET SPOT'. 'IT REACHED OPTIMAL BRILLIANCE. THIS STONE REALLY CAME UP TRUMPS AND WE KNOW THAT WE'RE IN THIS SWEET SPOT FOR A DIAMOND THAT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL', HE SAID. 'ONE MORE FACET AND THE DIAMOND'S CUT COULD LOSE ITS SPARKLE AND DEFINITION', HE ADDED. AND HE KNOWS HIS DIAMONDS, HE HAS ALREADY HANDLED THOUSANDS OF THE SPARKLING GEMS IN OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA, MAURITIUS, RUSSIA AND CANADA. BOTHA'S DESIGN HAS ALREADY BEEN BRANDED BY CALGARY-BASED LUXURY FIRM, KIMBERLIGHT BRANDS. IT'S CO-OWNER LAURA SERENA AND HEATHER KIRK, NAMED THE DESIGN THE LAS VEGAS CUT AFTER LAYING EYES ON BOTHA'S FINISHED PRODUCT. 'WHAT BETTER PLACE TO BRAND A DIAMOND AFTER LAS VEGAS? DIAMONDS ARE ABOUT LIGHT AND LAS VEGAS IS ABOUT LIGHT', SERENA SAID. THE ONLY OTHER DIAMOND CUT TO BE NAMED AFTER A CITY IS THE DUBAI, A GLEAMING RIVAL WITH 99 FACETS. THE LAS VEGAS CUT WAS LAUNCHED IN JUNE AND WILL LIKELY CATCH THE ATTENTION OF SOME OF THE WORLD'S WEALTHIEST PEOPLE WHEN THE CANADIAN DESIGN IS FEATURED AS THE LATEST 'MUST-HAVE' ITEM IN AN EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE GIVEN TO READERS WHO HAVE ONE SPECIFIC THING IN COMMON: THEY ALL OWN PRIVATE JETS. FOR NOW THE DIAMONDS ARE SOLD LOOSELY AND ALTHOUGH PRICES VARY BASED ON CARAT, COLOUR AND CLARITY, THE APPROXIMATE STARTING PRICE FOR ONE CARAT LAS VEGAS CUT DIAMOND IS $10,000