ALEX FRANCKEL

Diamond Cutting and Diamond Repair by the Best Diamond Cutter

Chipped Diamonds - Broken Diamonds - Re-Polish Burned Diamonds - Old Miners
Improve Make - Improve Grade - Diamond Cutting From Rough Diamonds
All Shapes - All Sizes

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While at Zale, Alex Franckel was responsible for cutting the Zale "Light of Peace" the 14th largest diamond in the world weighing 434.6 carats.  The rough diamond produced 13 diamonds weighing a total of 172.46 carats, the largest of which is the "Light of Peace", a 130.27 carat D VVS1 Pear Shape diamond which, according to the New York Times, was sold in 1980 for a $6 million profit.  Two D Flawless Marquise diamonds weighing 9.11 and 9.04 carats were also cut from the rough diamond.  Alex Franckel spent one year to study the diamond and decide how to cut it.  For this process, a lead casting of the rough diamond was made and dozens of lucite castings were made (I have the lead casting and a lucite casting and will add photos of them soon).  From the castings, we planned the most advantageous ways to saw and cleave the pieces so as to result in the biggest possible diamond.  Nothing was wasted and the remaining pieces produced 12 other diamonds, two of which were the 9ct. D Flawless Marquise diamonds pictured below.  After a year of planning, another year was spent cutting the diamond.  Alex Franckel appeared together with Morris Zale in the New York Times when the diamond was purchased.

Light of Peace 434.6 cts rough diamond - The 14th largest in the world
This is a "D" color diamond.  The yellowish color was in the skin of the rough diamond.
(Photo taken of the diamond on a chair)

The rough diamond is embedded in epoxy with a sliver exposed from which two 9ct Marquise diamonds were made.  The circular diamond saw can be seen at the bottom of the photo just beginning to cut through the diamond.  The saw is following a black vertical slightly irregular line which Alex Franckel drew on the diamond.

Alex Franckel supervising the sawing process.

The rough diamond shown with the piece for the two Marquise diamonds now sawed-off.

These are the two Marquise diamonds, 9.11cts and 9.04 cts.  Both are D Flawless.
(Photo taken of the diamond on my chair)

To speak with Alex Franckel about re-cutting your diamond, please send an e-mail
Diamond cutting for the trade only.  If you don't own a retail jewelry store or are in the diamond business and need a diamond recut or repaired, please contact a local jeweler who can send your diamond to me.  If you need a diamond recut or repaired and would like an estimate of how much weight your diamond will lose and how much it will cost to repair, your local jeweler can send your diamond to me for an estimate.