Gabriel Tolkowsky and the Centenary Diamond

““From the moment I knew I was going to cut it,” he said, “I became another man. A strange man. I was looking at the stone in the day, and the stone was looking at me at night.””

— Gabriel Tolkowsky

In an interview with Martin Rappaport, Tolkowsky shared, “I was a very lucky man cutting the Centenary Diamond. For three years while cutting and polishing the Centenary Diamond, I could see my eyes and face reflecting from inside the diamond because of its size. That means, it was not only light, it was the image. Of course my face is light, but the image of what I was and what was all around me was reflecting from every facet inside the diamond. I realized that this should be the case with any diamond, whether it's a 10-pointer, or 200 carats. That is what I'm trying to do with diamonds — increase and enhance the journey of light that carries the image inside and on the diamond to give it more emotional impact because this is the psychological part of what we call the emotion of beauty.”

Meet Sir Gabriel ‘Gabi’ Tolkowsky, a trailbazer in the jewelry industry known for his contributions to the art and science of diamond cutting and polishing. He is the grandson of Marcel Tolkowsky, who is considered the father of modern diamond cutting and who developed the mathematical proportions for the ideal cut diamond in 1919. Gabriel was raised in a family of diamond cutters and polishers, where he learned the craft and inherited the knowledge and skills of the family business. Continuing the family tradition, he made a name for himself and is renowned for his exceptional skill and attention to detail in the cutting of large and fancy-shaped diamonds.

Gabriel Towolksky has worked on many notable diamonds throughout his career, but the most famous of these is the Centenary Diamond. The Centenary Diamond is a natural polished 273.85-carat diamond that was mined in 1986 by De Beers. The rough diamond originally was 599 carats of exceptional quality and it was decided that it should be cut and polished to the highest possible standards.

Tolkowsky was chosen to cut the Centenary Diamond because of his expertise and reputation in the field of diamond cutting. The Centenary Diamond was cut and polished over a period of 36 months in a special secure underground facility created for the sole purpose of cutting and polishing this diamond. Tolkowsky used a combination of traditional techniques and modern technology to create a diamond that is considered to be one of the most perfect diamonds in the world. He used the mathematical proportions developed by his grandfather, Marcel Tolkowsky, to yield a diamond that has exceptional symmetry, brightness, and fire. The diamond was cut into a heart-shaped design, which is considered to be one of the most challenging cuts to achieve.

The Centenary Diamond was cut into a total of 247 facets: 164 on the pavilion and crown, and 83 on the girdle, which is more than the traditional round brilliant cut diamond, which only has 58 facets. This allowed Tolkowsky to maximize the diamond's potential and bring forth a diamond that is extremely rare and valuable. The diamond's final weight after cutting was 273.85 carats and it was graded as a D color, which is the highest color grade possible, indicating that it is colorless and extremely rare.

In an interview with Martin Rappaport, Tolkowsky shared, “I was a very lucky man cutting the Centenary Diamond. For three years while cutting and polishing the Centenary Diamond, I could see my eyes and face reflecting from inside the diamond because of its size. That means, it was not only light, it was the image. Of course my face is light, but the image of what I was and what was all around me was reflecting from every facet inside the diamond. I realized that this should be the case with any diamond, whether it's a 10-pointer, or 200 carats. That is what I'm trying to do with diamonds — increase and enhance the journey of light that carries the image inside and on the diamond to give it more emotional impact because this is the psychological part of what we call the emotion of beauty.”

The Centenary Diamond is considered a masterpiece in the world of diamonds, and a testament to Tolkowsky's extraordinary skill and dedication to his craft. In recognition of his contributions to the industry, he was knighted by the government of Belgium in The Order of Leopold II in 2002.

The diamond was unveiled to the public in 1991 at the Tower of London and was later donated to the De Beers Millennium Jewel 4 collection. It has been on display in several countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, and has been admired by millions of people.

The true value of the Centenary Diamond is unknown as it has never been publicly appraised or been listed at an auction. However, it is rumored to have been insured for over $100 million back in 1991 so one can only imagine what that value has risen to now. De Beers no longer owns the Centenary diamond and the identity of the current owner remains anonymous. Let’s wait and see if the Centenary Diamond is available to view in public again or will remain in a private collection.

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Update: 29th May 2023

We are saddened to hear that Sir Gabi Tolkowsky passed away on Monday 29th May 2023 at the age of 84. He lived a remarkable life and is a true industry legend. We will always be inspired by him and remember him fondly for his passion for diamonds and his warm, friendly and encouraging words to us.

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