Third Largest Diamond Found -- Big, Bigger, Biggest

1,098.3 carat diamond discovered in Botswana

“I loved being outside. We'd hold lightning bugs in our fingers and pretend they were diamond rings.”

– Loretta Lynn

Marilyn Monroe is often credited with saying “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” Every woman desires a big diamond on her ring finger; however, this one is surely too large to grace my lady's hand – it weighs in just shy of a half-pound. Yes, I said “a half-pound.”

In fact, this new discovery is a 1,098.3 carat stone and believed to be the third largest “gem quality” diamond ever mined behind the 3,106-carat Cullinan found in South Africa in 1905 – now among the British monarchy’s crown jewels – and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona discovered in Botswana in 2015 and sold to luxury jeweler Graff for $53 million.

Rough diamonds are usually classified as being gem-quality, near-gem or industrial-quality, depending on their color, clarity, size and shape.

So while another, even larger diamond was found in Botswana in 2019 -- a 1,758-carat stone dubbed Sewelô – experts said it could not be considered entirely gem-quality. The stone was purchased by French luxury brand Louis Vuitton in 2020 for an undisclosed sum.

(Oscar Holland. “Botswana diamond could be third-largest of its kind ever found.” CNN. June 18, 2021.)

Note:

The Cullinan diamond was presented to King Edward VII of England. Later, it was cut into nine major stones, including the 530.20-carat Star of Africa diamond that is set in the Royal Scepter displayed in the Tower of London.

The Great Mogul was previously believed to be the third-largest uncut diamond ever found. It was discovered around 1650. Its original size is said to have been 787.50 carats, but it was cut to just 280 carats. The diamond is named for Shah Jehan, who built the Taj Mahal. After the diamond was cut, he fired the cutter for doing such a poor job. Mysteriously, the whereabouts of the Great Mogul diamond are unknown today.

(Kevin Bonsor. “How Diamonds Work.” How Stuff Works. science.howstuffworks.com.)

The diamond firm Debswana made the newest 1,098.3 carat find – as yet to be named – in the southern African nation of Botswana this June. The huge stone was discovered in Jwaneng mine's South Kimberlite pipe by metallurgy assistant Orakeng Kefentse. The mine is a joint venture between the nation and the De Beers Group.

The company’s acting managing director, Lynette Armstrong, presented the stone on June 16, 2021, to the country’s president, Mokgweetsi Masisi. who commended the find and said that, as usual, proceeds from the sale of the diamond will be used to "advance national development."

"Debswana will work with the Government of the Republic of Botswana and De Beers to value and sell the diamond to ensure it returns maximum benefit for the people of Botswana," the company said in a statement. "And will communicate further plans to bring this unique treasure to market in due course."

The minerals minister, Lefoko Moagi, said the discovery of the stone, which is yet to be named but measures 73 by 52 by 27mm, could not have come at a better time after the Covid-19 pandemic hit diamond sales in 2020.

(Staff. “World’s third largest diamond discovered in Botswana.” The Guardian. June 16, 2021.)

Diamonds – Did You Know?

A diamond is just carbon in its most concentrated form, and carbon is the element that makes up 18 percent of the weight of your body. In truth, diamonds are no rarer than many other precious gems. They continue to demand higher market prices because the majority of the diamond market is controlled by a single entity.

Only in the last century did diamonds become readily available. Prior to that, ruby and sapphire were the most popular gems, especially for engagement rings. Pure red rubies are so rare today that there is no trade data available.

Diamonds form about 100 miles (161 km) below the Earth's surface, in the molten rock of the Earth's mantle, which provides the right amounts of pressure and heat to transform carbon into diamond. Most diamonds that we see today were formed millions (if not billions) of years ago. Powerful magma eruptions brought the diamonds to the surface, creating kimberlite pipes.

Kimberlite is named after Kimberley, South Africa, where these pipes were first found. Most of these eruptions occurred between 1,100 million and 20 million years ago.

Kimberlite pipes are created as magma flows through deep fractures in the Earth. The magma inside the kimberlite pipes acts like an elevator, pushing the diamonds and other rocks and minerals through the mantle and crust in just a few hours. These eruptions were short, but many times more powerful than volcanic eruptions that happen today. The magma in these eruptions originated at depths three times deeper than the magma source for volcanoes like Mount St. Helens, according to the American Museum of Natural History.

(Kevin Bonsor. “How Diamonds Work.” How Stuff Works. science.howstuffworks.com.)

Cape Town Diamond Museum offers these diamond myths and legends …

“In the time of the Pharaohs, 3000BC, a diamond was placed in the middle of the ankh – a cross with a loop on top. This was the Egyptian hieroglyph meaning life. Diamonds represented the sun, symbol of power, courage and truth.

“The Hindus, who were known to use diamonds in the eyes of their statues, believed that diamonds were created when bolts of lightning struck rocks. Diamonds were also believed to attract lightning bolts.

“The ancient Romans and Greeks had powerful beliefs about diamonds, including the thought that diamonds were the tears of the gods or splinters that had broken off of falling stars. Roman literature also stated that Cupid’s arrows were tipped with diamonds. Classical Greek philosopher Plato wrote about the idea of diamonds as living beings that embodied celestial spirits.

“In the 8th Century BC, the diamond became synonymous with the term adamas – the Greek term meaning 'unconquerable and invincible.' The legend goes that Chronos had changed a young man called Adamas into a precious stone. He possessed unbelievable strength and good fortune, was seen as an antidote for poisons and reinforced the love between married couples. In ancient times, Kings led wars on the battlefield wearing heavy leather breastplates studded with diamonds. It was believed that diamonds possessed magical qualities and superpowers far beyond the understanding of humans.

“In the Middle Ages (between the 5th and 15th century), diamonds were thought to have exceptional healing abilities and considered to be a 'miracle stone.' They were believed to have the ability to cure stomachaches, memory loss, depression, fatigue, infections, mental illnesses, nightmares, skin diseases and other head and heart ailments. It was believed that a diamond could cure simply by being placed on a part of the body. It wasn’t until the Renaissance when Pope Clement VII swallowed a medicine based on powdered diamond and died, it was understood that eating powered diamond killed more people than it cured.”

(“Diamond Myths and Legends. Cape Town Diamond Museum. www.capetowndiamondmuseum.org.)