India's Narendra Modi gifts 7.5-carat green diamond to US First Lady: Why is the precious stone special?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on his first state visit to the US where he attended a dinner hosted by President Joe Biden and his wife at the White House. During the state dinner, Modi gifted a 7.5-carat eco-friendly green diamond to the US First Lady Jill Biden.

Why is the green diamond special?

The precious stone is lab-grown, which makes it eco-friendly. It has the physical and chemical properties of earth-mined diamonds and was made using eco-diversified resources like solar and wind power, according to a press release.

The 7.5-carat green stone has been sculpted meticulously using cutting-edge technology. It emits only 0.028 grams of carbon per carat and has been certified by the Gemological lab of the International Gemological Institute (IGI).

As per the press release, the green diamond 'bears the hallmarks of excellence through the 4C’s: Cut, Colour, Carat and Clarity'. “It is a beacon of responsible luxury that symbolises India’s 75 years of freedom and sustainable International relations,” the official release added.

A set of pictures of the diamond were shared by the news agency ANI on Twitter. The text attached to it read, “The diamond reflects earth-mined diamonds’ chemical and optical properties. It is also eco-friendly, as eco-diversified resources like solar and wind power were used in its making.”

Here is a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting US President Joe Biden and the First Lady.