The Lesotho I diamond, Harry Winston

The step-cut diamond weighing 71.73 carats, mounted as a ring by Harry Winston, set between tapered baguette shoulders, mounted in platinum,

Cf: Ian Balfour, Famous Diamonds, London 1987, pages 200-203;
Laurence S. Krashes, Harry Winston: The Ultimate Jeweler, Harry Winston Inc., and the Gemological Institute of America, New York: 1988 (Third Revised Edition), page 100;
Diamond Promotion Service, Notable Diamonds of the World, edited by Barbara Gleason, pages 25-26.

Stamped 950 PT for platinum to inside of band. Maker's marks for Jacques Timey a jeweller for Harry Winston. Inscribed 71.73 to inside of band representing the carat weight of Lesotho 1. Please see GIA report and diamond classification report for further details on the Lesotho I. Very minor nicks to girdle edge, visible only with a 10x lens, consistent with normal wear. Estimated total weight of side stones approximately 0.60 carats each, estimated colour H/I, estimated clarity VS. Band with evidence of resizing and scratches consistent with wear. In good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that colour, clarity and weight of gemstones are statements of opinion only and not statements of fact by Sotheby's. We do not guarantee, and are not responsible for any certificate from a gemological laboratory that may accompany the property. We do not guarantee that watches are in working order. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue, in particular to the Notice regarding the treatment and condition of gemstones and to the Notice regarding import of Burmese jadeite and rubies into the US.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Lesotho

The Lesotho, a spectacular rough diamond of 601 carats, was the first and only major diamond to be discovered by a woman. Subsequently, in the hands of Harry Winston, the rough was eventually cut into eighteen gems weighing a total of 252.40 carats.

The present stone, the Lesotho I, an emerald-cut diamond of 71.73 carats, was the largest to be cut from the rough. This remarkable diamond was sold to the present owner by Harry Winston himself, and it has remained in her collection ever since. 

Third in the sequence, the Lesotho III, a marquise-shaped diamond of 40.42 carats, was in the collection of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. It was an engagement gift from Aristotle Onassis; the couple were married on Onassis' private island Skorpios in Greece in October of 1968. The ring was later sold by Sotheby's in New York on April 24, 1996 for $ $2,587,500. See the catalogue the Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, lot 453.

The history of the Lesotho diamond begins with Ernestine Ramaboa, wife of miner Petrus Ramaboa, who came upon a large rough on May 26, 1967. As a couple, the Ramaboas had experienced a certain degree of luck finding smaller stones that Petrus would occasionally set off to sell. It was during her husband's absence that Ernestine discovered the huge rough at Letseng-la-Terai while sifting gravel. Despite the fact that the stone was covered in mud and gravel, she was certain that it was a diamond; she placed it in her pocket and made her way home to await her husband's return.

Together the Ramaboas made their way on foot to Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, where they hoped to find a buyer.  They were rewarded for their efforts; the stone was purchased by a South African dealer who, in turn, sold it to a dealer from Europe.

In October of 1967, the Lesotho, like many other famous rough diamonds, made its way into Harry Winston's hands. He invited the Ramaboas to New York to participate in a press conference where the stone was introduced to the American public. Winston also arranged for the stone to be exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and the Museum of Natural History in New York. After months of deliberation, the rough was cleaved by Pastor Colon, one of Winston's master cutters, eventually yielding eighteen gems of various cuts and sizes. The initial cleaving of this diamond was so significant that it was broadcast live on television.

It is highly unusual for a diamond of this size and significance to remain in the hands of a single owner for over four decades. Sotheby's is honoured to sell yet another of the extraordinary Lesotho diamonds.