The key facts
- For the first time in domestic diamond mining, a natural gem-quality type IIb blue diamond weighing 2.74 carats has been found
- The color is caused by boron in the crystal's structure; the stone contains no inclusions
- The cutting is being done by 11 Russian specialists; the diamond's presentation is expected at the end of November 2026
A rarest find at the Nakyn field
In Yakutia, for the first time in the history of Russian diamond mining, a natural gem-quality blue diamond of the rarest type IIb has been discovered. The 2.74-carat crystal was extracted at the Nakyn kimberlite field, reports Life.ru. According to ALROSA, over decades of developing domestic deposits, specialists have encountered a blue diamond of this type for the first time.
What makes the crystal unique
The stone's natural color is due to the presence of boron in its structure — it is this element that gives the diamond its blue hue. Another feature of the find is exceptionally high clarity: according to ALROSA, the crystal contains no inclusions whatsoever. The combination of natural color, clarity, and rare origin makes the stone especially valuable for the jewelry art. According to the company, natural blue diamonds are even rarer than pink ones, and high-clarity specimens are particularly sought after by collectors.
Cutting and the company's plans
«For the first time in domestic history, such a unique blue crystal has been obtained. This is a very important event for ALROSA and the entire diamond industry. It is possible that such a find will never happen again,» said the company's CEO Pavel Marinychev. According to him, the specialists' task is to preserve the crystal's natural beauty, and it is especially significant that all the work is being done by Russian craftsmen. Currently, 11 highly qualified specialists are working on the cutting; the final weight, shape, and value of the diamond have not yet been disclosed. The company intends to publicly present the finished stone at the end of November 2026.
Significance for science and the industry
The find is also of interest to geologists: it has for the first time confirmed the presence of boron-bearing type IIb diamonds at the Nakyn field deposits, which may help scientists study in more detail the conditions under which such crystals form in the Earth's interior. For context: earlier the same outlet reported the mining of the largest gem-quality diamond in Russia's history — an amber-colored crystal weighing 468.30 carats named «80 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War,» also found in Yakutia. The new find differs from that record not in size but in the rarity of its type: blue type IIb diamonds are among the rarest and most expensive gemstones.
