Diamond’s may be a girl’s best friend, but the gigantic diamond uncovered in Botswana this week really takes that friendship to a brand new level.
The giant gem, which is nearly the size of a tennis ball, is the second largest diamond ever discovered, and is said to be 1,111 carats.
Found in the Karowe Mine by the Lucara Diamond Corp, the company that owns and operates the mine, it is the largest diamond every found in Botswana. On top of this, other very large diamonds were also unearthed, including a 374 carat and 813 carat diamond.
Lucara Chief Executive William Lamb stated that he was “…truly at a loss for words,” and that “We are truly blessed by this amazing asset.”
After the discovery of this huge gemstone, Lucara’s shares rose 28 percent, and the value of the diamond could be in the tens of millions. Phil Swingen, who is an analyst for Numis Securities, said it is difficult to put a price on a diamond without knowing details such as how it will be cut or its color. He estimates, however, that is could range in the $40 to $60 million range.
Though this gem is large, it is only about a third of the size of the largest diamond ever found. The largest was located in South Africa in 1905 and was 3,106 carats. That diamond was cut into pieces including two, the Great Star of Africa and the Lesser Star of Africa, which are both part of Britain’s crown jewels.
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