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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Former premier Floyd Roland is happy with all the attention a gift of diamond jewelry to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge received after a visit to Yellowknife in July.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were in Yellowknife July 4 to 6. They were presented with two sets of diamond jewelry crafted and paid for by Harry Winston, famed jewellers to Hollywood stars. - NNSL file photo

A brooch and set of cufflinks were made from nearly 700 small diamonds mined at the Diavik Diamond Mine.

They were crafted and paid for by famed jeweller Harry Winston. The company is a 40 per cent owner of Diavik Diamond Mine.

"As protocol is when you have the Royal Family visiting, you give a gift," said Roland. "We were approached by Bob Gannicott of Harry Winston that they would provide such a gift that would highlight the North and what we have available, and we agreed and they put it together."

The jewelry is comprised of 692 diamonds - 302 for Kate's brooch and 390 for William's cufflinks - set in platinum, all in the shape of the Government of the Northwest Territories' (GNWT) polar bear logo.

"The fact that we were approached by a company that has benefited from the diamond development in the Northwest Territories ... and when they approached, it made sense that we agree with them," Roland said. "I hope that the royals look at this trip and the experience they got from the North, including the very nice gifts they were provided, and that they would look at coming back again."

He said he hopes people look back on the royal visit, and the gift presentation, as a positive experience for the territory.

Shaun Dean, deputy secretary of corporate communications and protocol for the GNWT, said the royals were pleased with the presentation and echoed Roland's sentiment about it being good for the North.

"I mean, diamond mining is one of the biggest industries of the Northwest Territories and makes a huge contribution to our economy. We wanted to take the opportunity to promote NWT diamonds and let folks know that we have a great diamond industry up here," said Dean. "When we had the opportunity to present their royal highnesses with the diamonds, we thought it was something that would make perfect sense."

While the value of the gift is unknown, both Roland and Dean emphasized that the gift was from Harry Winston and that NWT taxpayers didn't pay for the gifts.

"Well, we're first again," said Yellowknife Mayor Gord Van Tighem in response to reports that the jewelry was the most lavish the couple received during their tour of Canada.

"The gifts are part of international protocol ... if you have people here from certain countries, if you don't exchange gifts, they are insulted, so this is essentially a wedding gift, 'welcome to the Northwest Territories.' I'm certain that they'll remember us because it's got lots of diamonds on it," said Van Tighem.

"I spoke quite a bit with them. Primarily I was telling them about who was here, pointing out various people in the audience, talking about when they might come back again," he said. "(Kate) said specifically that she would like to come back in the winter to see the northern lights."

Van Tighem said his wife had a good conversation with the Duchess about weddings, because their son was soon to be wed.

While the jewelry was the most lavish gift William and Kate received on their tour, they were far from the only ones the couple received. Prime Minister Stephen Harper presented them with a wool blanket, framed photograph of himself, souvenir edition Canadian magazines, two jackets, a bottle of whiskey and a Canadian flag. The Governor General, the Queen's representative in Canada, offered the couple a quilt and Quebec Premier Jean Charest gifted a Nunavik soapstone carving.

Representatives at Buckingham Palace and Harry Winston couldn't be reached for comment by press time.

The diamond is the official gemstone of the Northwest Territories.

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