Someone holds a 2,492-carat diamond discovered in Botswana, displayed in Gaborone on Thursday, August 22, 2024. (AP Photo)
Botswana has made history with the discovery of the largest diamond found in over a century. The stunning 2,492-carat gem was unearthed at the Karowe Mine, a site already known for producing massive diamonds. This incredible find is not only the largest diamond discovered since 1905 but also the second-largest ever mined. The gem, which weighs about half a kilogram, was presented to the world during a special ceremony at the office of Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi.
The president, visibly awed by the sight of the massive stone, remarked on its sheer size and beauty. "It is overwhelming," President Masisi said as he held the diamond for the first time. His reaction, a simple yet profound "wow," captured the magnitude of this discovery. The stone was later passed around to senior government officials who were equally impressed.
While it’s too early to determine the exact value of the diamond or the method of its sale, history suggests it could fetch an enormous sum. In 2016, a smaller diamond from the same mine was sold for a staggering $63 million, setting a record for the sale of a rough gem. This latest find has undoubtedly stirred excitement and pride across Botswana, a nation known for producing some of the world’s most valuable diamonds.
Naseem Lahri, the managing director for Lucara Diamond Corp., the Canadian company that owns the Karowe Mine, expressed immense pride in the discovery. “This is history in the making,” Lahri said. “I am very proud. It is a product of Botswana.” The diamond, which has yet to be named, was recovered using advanced X-ray technology designed to detect large, high-value stones. According to Lucara, the diamond is of exceptional quality and was found intact, making the find even more remarkable.
Lucara’s President and CEO, William Lamb, shared in the excitement, calling the discovery extraordinary. "We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond," Lamb said. The diamond’s discovery marks a significant moment for Lucara, Botswana, and the global diamond industry.
This 2,492-carat diamond is now the largest found in 119 years, second only to the legendary Cullinan Diamond, which was discovered in South Africa in 1905. The Cullinan Diamond, weighing in at 3,106 carats, was later cut into smaller gems, some of which now adorn the British Crown Jewels.
Botswana, with a population of 2.6 million, is the second-largest producer of natural diamonds in the world, trailing only Russia. In recent years, Botswana has unearthed several of the world’s largest diamonds, solidifying its reputation as a leader in the diamond industry. The Karowe Mine, in particular, has been a prolific source of these massive stones, producing four diamonds over 1,000 carats in the past decade alone.
This latest discovery follows the Sewelo diamond, a 1,758-carat gem also found at Karowe in 2019, which was purchased by French luxury brand Louis Vuitton. Another notable find from Karowe, the 1,111-carat Lesedi La Rona diamond, was sold to a British jeweller for $53 million in 2017. The Constellation, another Karowe diamond, holds the record for the most expensive rough gem ever sold at $63 million.
Diamonds, formed deep underground under intense pressure, are among the oldest natural materials on Earth. Scientists believe that most diamonds are at least a billion years old, with some dating back more than 3 billion years.
