Lucara Diamond Corp. has recently unearthed the second-largest diamond ever discovered in its Karowe mine in Botswana, but that doesn’t mean it will fetch a record-breaking price.
The Diamond
At 1,758 carats, the diamond found in the Karowe mine is the second-largest ever discovered. It’s about the size of a tennis ball, and it weighs close to 12.42 ounces, beating out the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona which was discovered a few years back. The only other diamond to beat it is the 3,106-carat Cullinan, which was found near Pretoria in South Africa in 1905.
The Karowe Mine
This is not the first ground-breaking discovery from the Karowe mine. In fact, Lucara’s Karowe mine has become famous for unearthing giant stones. It was in 2015 when Lucara found the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona which sold for $53 million, and earlier when it also yielded an 813-carat stone which sold for a record $63 million. The reason this mine has unearthed such massive stones is because Karowe’s plant can process and detect huge gems all without breaking them.
How Much is the Diamond Worth?
Being the second-largest diamond ever discovered would make you think that the stone is priceless, but not quite. The size of the stone isn’t what’s important, but rather its color and clarity. Those are two things which, sadly, this diamond is lacking. Many experts are labeling it as “near-gem quality,” meaning its quality is in between gem quality and industrial diamonds. As a result, while this diamond’s size is break-recording, its quality is not.
Here at Frank Pollak & Sons, we may not have the largest diamonds ever discovered, but we do have plenty of high-quality modern and vintage diamond jewelry for you to choose from. Give us a call at 1-800-342-2878 to learn more.