A 2,492-carat diamond discovered in Botswana may be the second-largest gem-quality diamond ever. Lucara Diamond Corp revealed this huge find from their Karowe mine.
In Botswana, a huge 2,492-carat diamond has been found, possibly the second-largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered. Lucara Diamond Corp, a Canadian mining company, announced this incredible find from their Karowe diamond mine. A photo shows the rough diamond resting in the palm of a hand, highlighting its massive size.
The biggest diamond ever found was the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond. Discovered in South Africa in 1905, it was given to King Edward VII and later cut into several gems now part of the Crown Jewels.
Lucara's president, William Lamb, shared excitement about their new find. “We are thrilled about the recovery of this amazing diamond,” he said. The company has not yet revealed the diamond’s value or if it will be cut into smaller gems. Botswana’s government has noted that this is the largest diamond found in the country.
Lucara's Karowe mine has produced other notable diamonds. In 2019, they found the 1,758-carat Sewelo diamond, which was bought by Louis Vuitton. Earlier, the 1,111-carat Lesedi La Rona diamond sold for $53 million to a British jeweler in 2017.
Interestingly, the largest diamond ever found was the black Sergio stone. Discovered in Brazil in 1895, it was used for industrial drills. Black diamonds like Sergio are believed to come from meteorites.
Botswana, a major diamond producer, has been boosting its role in the diamond industry. The country recently negotiated a bigger share of stones with De Beers. President Mokgweetsi Masisi will be among the first to see Lucara’s new diamond before it is shown to the public.
[Mokgweetsi Masisi examined the diamond in his office on Thursday afternoon. Credit: MONIRUL BHUIYAN/AFP]
What is the largest diamond ever found?
The largest diamond ever found is the Cullinan diamond. It weighed an incredible 3,106 carats, which is about 1.37 pounds (621.35 grams). Discovered in 1905 at the Premier Mine near Pretoria, South Africa, this diamond was a huge find in the world of gemstones.
[The Biggest Diamond in the World. Photo: Cape Town Diamond Museum]
Named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, who owned the mine, the diamond was found by a miner named Frederick Wells. The discovery was exciting because of its huge size and clear quality. At first, the diamond was so big that it couldn’t be cut with the tools available at the time.
The Cullinan diamond was bought by the Transvaal government and given as a gift to King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. It was sent to London, where expert diamond cutter Joseph Asscher cut it into several stones. This was a challenging task, but it resulted in some very famous gems.
The most well-known of these are the Great Star of Africa and the Lesser Star of Africa. The Great Star of Africa weighs 530.2 carats and is the largest clear-cut diamond in the world. It is set in the Sovereign’s Sceptre. The Lesser Star of Africa, at 317.4 carats, is set in the Imperial State Crown. Both of these are part of the British Crown Jewels.
The Cullinan diamond is a symbol of the amazing beauty of nature and the skill needed to turn raw diamonds into stunning jewels.