The auction, arranged by Alrosa in collaboration with the Russian Diamond Chamber, was attended by representatives from 56 gem companies from Russia, Israel, Belgium, India, Japan, China and the United States.
A total of 893 gems weighing over 16,000 carats, including 29 extra-large stones that came in at more than 50 carats, were put up for auction. The largest diamond in the auction weighed 283.94 carats.
Alrosa is one of the world's biggest diamond mining companies, accounting for 25% of overall production in monetary terms. The company's major shareholders are the Federal Agency for the Management of Federal Property (37%), the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), where it is based (40%), and various legal entities and individuals (23%).
