Sotheby’s have recently announced the sale of the largest gem-quality rough diamond to have been mined in over a century. The Lesedi la Rona diamond has a weight of 1109 carats, and was discovered at the Karowe mine in Botswana late last year. It is due to grace the auction block at Sotheby’s New Bond Street saleroom on the 29th of June, and is expected to achieve in excess of £48 million.
Initial reports on the rough stone suggest that it may be classified as a type IIa diamond – a rare subgroup which includes less than 2% of all gem diamonds. This group comprises only the most chemically pure and transparent of diamonds. It has also been suggested that the Lesedi la Rona has the potential to yield the largest top quality diamond that has ever been cut and polished.
In terms of its size, the Lesedi la Rona diamond is second only to the Cullinan diamond, which at 3,106.75 carats remains the largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered. If your taste is for larger gemstones but your budget doesn’t quite meet the millions required to secure the Lesedi la Rona diamond, our Old mine diamond solitaire ring, circa 1905. could be the one for you.
There is already speculation as to who will buy this important gemstone, and as to the record-breaking sum that it will undoubtedly achieve when it goes under the hammer later next month. If the Lesedi la Rona diamond is slightly out of your price range, at Berganza we have a range of antique and vintage diamond jewellery to suit a variety of budgets, all of which are available to buy online and in store.
