Motswedi: World's Second Biggest DIAMOND Could Soon Dazzle A Sheikh's Collection

The dazzling Motswedi diamond, the world's second-largest gem, could soon dazzle visitors in a sheikh's private museum once its true worth is assessed. Discovered in Botswana last year, the colossal 2,492-carat marvel has already sparked global fascination. Yet assigning a price remains a delicate task.“At the moment it's very hard to put a price on it,” Margaux Donckier, HB Antwerp's public affairs director, told AFP.“We first have to inspect the stone and see what we can yield from it in polished form.”

The world's second largest diamond ever has been found by a Canadian company, Lucara Diamond in Botswana 2,492 carat diamond was found in Karowe Diamond Mine, which is managed by the company. twitter/C8xXhXJ4Ao

- Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) August 22, 2024

Unearthed by Canadian mining powerhouse Lucara, Motswedi is the largest diamond seen in over a century, rivaling the legendary Cullinan Diamond discovered in South Africa in 1905. That 3,106-carat behemoth was cut into nine dazzling stones, many of which now adorn the British crown jewels.

Although Motswedi has not yet been assigned a formal valuation, Donckier confirmed it has already attracted“plenty of interest from all over the world.” HB Antwerp is currently showcasing the gem alongside three other extraordinary diamonds, including the world's third-largest diamond, recently unearthed from the same Karowe mine, roughly 300 miles north of Botswana's capital, Gaborone.

While exact valuations remain pending, collectively the four extraordinary stones are projected to command at least $100 million, according to Donckier.“The size of these stones is so exceptionally rare that they also perfectly could end up in a museum,” she added.“But it could also maybe end up in the hands of a sheikh that would like to add it to his collection.”

Images of Motswedi highlight its jaw-dropping proportions, showing the diamond resting in the palm of a hand and dwarfing a golf ball. It joins an elite lineage of giants from the Karowe mine, including the 1,758-carat Sewelo and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona. The latter two fetched multimillion-dollar sums, with British diamond mogul Laurence Graff paying $53 million for Lesedi La Rona in 2017, and Louis Vuitton acquiring Sewelo in 2019 for an undisclosed sum.

Motswedi now stakes its claim just shy of the largest gem-quality diamond ever mined, the 3,016.75-carat Cullinan Diamond, famed for its dazzling blue-white brilliance and flawless clarity. Named after Thomas Cullinan, the chairman of the mining company, it remains the most celebrated diamond in history.

MENAFN24092025007385015968ID1110103271