Acclaimed diamond cutter demonstrates craft

Budding diamond cutters will be given the opportunity to help cut a Sirius Star diamond and possibly win it as well, when Canadian master diamond cutter, Mike Botha, demonstrates diamond cutting and polishing at J. Bacher Fine Jewelry in Harrisburg 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2.

Botha is President of Embee Diamond Technologies Inc., a family-owned diamond cutting and polishing atelier located in Saskatchewan, Canada, according to a release from J. Bacher Fine Jewelry. An internationally acclaimed master diamond cutter, with four decades in the profession, Botha's training and subsequent career began in South Africa - a journey which has led him to Russia and Canada - from Vancouver to the Northwest Territories to Saskatchewan.

In 2008, he relocated to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on the promise of its diamond mining future. His rare perspective, craftsmanship, leadership, academic achievements and entrepreneurial enthusiasm combine to make him one of North America's most iconic and successful diamond professionals.

Botha's lifetime of experience and in-depth knowledge of diamond cutting, polishing and diamond crystallography formed the foundations for the critically acclaimed Sirius Star - the world's brightest diamond, mined, designed, cut and polished in Canada - by a growing team of Canadian diamond cutters.