Biggest diamond discovered in over a century worth more than Rs 300 crore

Biggest diamond discovered in over a century: A massive diamond has been discovered in Botswana, marking it as one of the largest ever found. The 2,492-carat gem was unearthed at the Karowe Mine, and experts believe it could be worth more than $100 million. The diamond, discovered by the Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp, is the biggest ever found in Botswana and the second-largest ever extracted globally. It ranks just behind the famous Cullinan Diamond, a 3,106-carat gem found in South Africa in 1905, which was later cut into pieces, some of which are part of the British Crown Jewels.

The discovery was made possible through advanced X-ray technology, which helped preserve the diamond in its rough form. Described as an "exceptional" and "high-quality" diamond, this find surpasses any other discovered in over a century. The diamond weighs about a pound and is roughly the size of a fist.

Botswana is known for being one of the world's largest diamond producers and has seen several significant discoveries in recent years. Before this, the Sewelo diamond, weighing 1,758 carats and also from the Karowe Mine, was the second-largest mined diamond globally. The Sewelo was purchased by French fashion house Louis Vuitton for an undisclosed amount. Another notable find from the same mine was the 1,111-carat Lesedi La Rona diamond, which was sold to a British jeweler for $53 million in 2017.

While it is still too early to determine the exact value of this new diamond, experts like Fred Cuellar believe it could be worth between $100 million and $160 million. Cuellar compared diamond pricing to real estate, suggesting the value could be higher based on previous sales of similar-sized diamonds from the same mine.

This week, the diamond was presented to the public at a ceremony in Botswana, where President Mokgweetsi Masisi expressed his awe upon seeing it. Holding the diamond for the first time, he described the experience as "overwhelming" and invited senior government officials to admire the gem.

The discovery of this remarkable diamond further cements Botswana's reputation as a leading source of some of the world's most extraordinary gems.

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