Diamond discoveries are what diamond dreams are made of!
Planet earth's geological history is fascinating. Within this history, Diamonds are earth’s oldest preserved minerals and have captured human imagination unlike any other mineral. Diamonds are geological masterpieces, forged by nature, billions of years ago. Until 1725, India was the world's only source of diamonds, followed by discovery of diamond mines in Brazil. Countless diamond discoveries were made, mostly alluvial, till diamond mining became a preferred method of recovering diamonds. Discovered rough diamonds are cut, polished and are then set in your dazzling piece of jewelry.
Did you ever wonder what are some of the most famous and largest gem-quality rough diamonds ever discovered on planet earth? Take a look!
[NOTE: Listed and numbered by ‘Largest Gem-Quality Rough Diamonds’ ever discovered. Includes ‘Variable -quality rough diamonds as well’ by size***. Updated, August 8, 2023. ~ Reena Ahluwalia].
1. Cullinan Diamond - 3106.75 carats
These “Variable-quality” rough diamonds are large! ***
- The Sewelô - 1758 carats. Near gem of variable quality, including domains of high quality white gem.***
- Currently unnamed, Lucara recovered - 1174 carats. A clivage gem of variable quality with significant domains of high-quality white gem material. ***
2. The Lesedi La Rona – 1111 carats
3. Debswana recovered diamond - 1098 carats
4. Lucara Diamond Corp. recovered diamond - 1080.1 carats
5. Lucara Diamond Corp. recovered diamond - 998 carats
6. The Excelsior Diamond – 995.2 carats
7. The Star of Sierra Leone – 969 carats
8. The Lesotho Legend - 910 carats
9. The Incomparable – 890 carats
10. The Constellation Diamond – 813 carats
11. The Koh-i-Noor Diamond – 793 carats
12. The Millennium Star – 777 carats
13. The Woyie River Diamond – 770 carats
14. The Vargas - 726.6 carats
Here's a closer look at the statistics and images of these historical and legendary diamonds.
Carat Weight: 3,106.75 carats (621.350 g)
Color: Near colourless
Country of origin: South Africa
Mine of origin: Premier Mine
Cut by: Asscher Brothers
Original owner: Premier Diamond Mining Company
Owner: Queen Elizabeth II in right of the Crown (I and II) and as a private individual (III–IX)
Full article on CULLINAN DIAMOND by Reena Ahluwalia.
Recommended read: Historical and gemmological analysis of Cullinan I & II by Russell Shor and Kenneth Scarratt.
THE SEWELÔ DIAMOND (A notable diamond, the Sewelô is near-gem of variable quality)***
Carat Weight: 1,758-carat
Color: Near gem of variable quality, including domains of high quality white gem
Country of origin: Karowe mine, Botswana
Cut by: The polishing will take place via a partnership with Belgium’s HB Company
Original owners: Lucara Diamond Corp., HB Antwerp
Owner: Louis Vuitton
UNNAMED 1,174 CARAT LUCARA DIAMOND (Note: A notable diamond by size, the 1,174 carat diamond is of variable quality) ***
Carat Weight: 1,174-carat .
Color: A clivage gem of variable quality with significant domains of high-quality white gem material. Dimensions: 77 x 55 x33 mm
Country of origin: Karowe mine, Botswana
Cut by: The polishing will take place via a partnership with Belgium’s HB Antwerp
Original owners: Lucara Diamond Corp., HB Antwerp
Owner: ———
2. THE LESEDI LA RONA DIAMOND
Carat Weight: 1,111 carats (222.2 g; 7.14 oz)
Dimensions: 65 mm × 56 mm × 40 mm (2.6 in × 2.2 in × 1.6 in)
Colour: Colourless/white, Type IIa
Cut: Rough diamond
Country of origin: Botswana
Mine of origin: Karowe Mine
Discovered: 16 November 2015
Original owner: Lucara Diamond
Owner: Graff Diamonds
The Lesedi La Rona is a Type IIA diamond. Type IIa diamonds are the most valued and the purest type of diamonds. They contain either very little or no nitrogen atoms in the crystal structure. White stones are exceptionally colorless and fancy colored diamonds are often found with a brown, purple, blue, or pink tone. They represent only 1% - 2% of all mined diamonds in the world. Learn about TYPE IIA DIAMONDS.
3. Currently unnamed. 1098-carat rough diamond.
Carat Weight: 1098 carats
Dimensions: 73 x 52 x 27 mm
Colour: Colourless/white. Rough diamond
Country of origin: Botswana
Mine of origin: Jwaneng Mine
Discovered: 1 June 2021.
Original owners: Debswana Diamond, a joint venture between De Beers and the government of Botswana
Debswana Diamond, a joint venture between De Beers and the government of Botswana, found a 1,098-carat stone, one of only four rocks over 1,000 carats ever unearthed (as of June 2021), and the biggest by the company since it began operations five decades ago. The yet to be named massive stone was picked on June 1 at Jwaneng, the world’s richest diamond mine by value.
4. Lucara Diamond Corp., 1080.1 carat rough diamond
Carat Weight: 1080.1 carats
Dimensions: 82.2 x 42.8 x 34.2 mm
Colour: Colourless/white, Type IIa. Rough diamond
Country of origin: Botswana
Mine of origin: Karowe Mine
Discovered: 8 August 2023
Original owners: Lucara Diamond Corp
Lucara Diamond Corp. announced the recovery of a 1,080.1 carat diamond from its 100% owned Karowe Diamond Mine located in Botswana in August 2023. The diamond, shown above, measuring 82.2 x 42.8 x 34.2mm is described as a Type IIa top white gem of high quality, recovered in the Coarse XRT unit at Karowe from direct milling of ore sourced from the M/PK(S) unit of the South Lobe. The 1,080.1 carat diamond represents the fourth +1,000 carat diamond recovered from the South Lobe of the AK6 kimberlite since 2015. Other notable recoveries include the 1,758 carat Sewelô (2019), a 1,174 carat diamond (2021), and the 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona (2015).
5. Lucara Diamond Corp., 998 carat rough diamond
Carat Weight: 998 carats
Dimensions: 67 x 49 x 45 mm
Colour: Colourless/white, Type IIa. Rough diamond
Country of origin: Botswana
Mine of origin: Karowe Mine
Discovered: 10 November 2020
Original owners: Lucara Diamond, HB Antwerp
The 998 carat diamond was recovered in the MDR ("Mega Diamond Recovery") XRT circuit that allows for diamond recovery post primary crushing and prior to milling. The diamond, measuring 67x49x45mm, was recovered from direct milling of ore sourced from the EM/PK(S) unit of the South Lobe of the Karowe Diamond Mine. Lucara is working with HB Antwerp, a high-quality diamond cutting and polishing specialist, to evaluate the next steps in maximizing the value of the rare large stone. The two have an agreement to work together for all diamonds greater than 10.8 carats that Lucara discovers.
6. THE EXCELSIOR DIAMOND
Carat weight: 975.2 carats (194.35 g) rough
Color: G (near colorless)
Cut: Assorted (ten stones total, largest is a pear shape)
Country of origin: South Africa
Mine of origin: Jagersfontein Mine
Discovered: June 30, 1893
Cut by: I. J. Asscher Company
Owner: Multiple owners. The Excelsior I was purchased by Robert Mouawad
7. THE STAR OF SIERRA LEONE
Carat weight: 969 carats (193.78 g) rough
Country of origin: Sierra Leone
Mine of origin: Diminco mine
Discovered: Feb 14, 1972
Cut by: Harry Vos
Original owner: Purchased by Harry Winston on Oct 3, 1972
8. THE LESOTHO LEGEND
Carat weight: 910 carats rough
Color: D-Color, Type IIA
Country of origin: Lesotho
Mine of origin: Letšeng mine / Gem Diamond Ltd.
Discovered: January 2018
9. THE INCOMPARABLE DIAMOND
Carat Weight: 890 carats (178 g) rough
Colour: Fancy Deep Brownish Yellow
Country of origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mine of origin: A young girl discovered it in a pile of rubble from old mine dumps of the nearby MIBA Diamond Mine
Discovered: 1984
Owner: Mouawad. In 2013, the 637-ct. L’Incomparable diamond necklace (set with Incomparable diamond) was named the world’s most expensive necklace by Guinness World Records, with a valuation of $55 million.
10. THE CONSTELLATION DIAMOND
Carat Weight: 813 carats (rough)
Dimensions: 2.4 inches
Colour: D Flawless
Country of origin: Botswana
Mine of origin: Karowe Mine / Lucara Diamond Corp
Discovered: 2015
Owner: Nemesis International DMCC purchased the diamond in $63.1 million. In 2016, Geneva-based De Grisogono purchased the rights to market Constellation diamond at the launch of the 28th Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris.
11. THE KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND
Rough Carat Weight: 793 carats
Polished Carat Weight: 105.6 carats
Color: D (colourless), Type IIa
Cut: Polished, Oval brilliant
Country of origin: India
Origin: Alluvial. Southern India. The Koh-i-Noor was unearthed from a dry river bed, probably in south India.
The Koh-i-Noor, which weighed 190.3 metric carats when it arrived in Britain, had had at least two comparable sisters, the Darya-i-Noor, or Sea of Light, now in Tehran, and the Great Mughal Diamond, believed by most modern gemologists to be the Orlov diamond. All three diamonds left India as part of Iranian ruler Nader Shah's loot after he invaded the country in 1739. It was only in the early 19th Century, when the Koh-i-Noor reached the Punjab, that the diamond began to achieve its preeminent fame and celebrity. It is impossible to know when the Koh-i-Noor was found, or where. That's what makes it such a mysterious stone. Koh-i-Noor was perhaps found in alluvial deposits of dry river bed, probably in south India. — Source: BBC
12. THE MILLENNIUM STAR DIAMOND
Carat weight: 777- carats (155.4 g)
Color: D-color, Colorless
Cut: Pear Brilliant
Country of origin: Zaire
Mine of origin: Mbuji-Mayi
Discovered: 1990
Cut by: Steinmetz Group
Owner: De Beers
13. THE WOYIE RIVER DIAMOND
Carat weight: 770 carats (154 g)
Dimensions: 71 x 53 x 32mm
Color: D-flawless
Country of origin: Sierra Leone, alluvial diamond
Discovered: 1945
And, now skipping to number 17. The Peace Diamond is the 17th largest diamond in the world. Since I had the pleasure to see it in person, I want to share it with you.
In the past I have authored posts on, Bejeweled Maharaja & Maharani of Mysore, Koh-i-Noor Diamond, Diamonds on World Postage Stamps, Top Ten - Largest Diamonds Discovered In The World, Splendors of Mughal India, The Magnificent Maharajas Of India, Mystery & History Of Marquise Diamond Cut, Ór - Ireland's Gold, The Legendary Cullinan Diamond, Bejeweled Persia - Historic Jewelry From The Qajar Dynasty, Famous Heart-Shaped Diamonds, Type II Diamonds, Green Diamonds, Red Diamonds and more. Over years, I have spent countless hours in self-driven studies on diamond, jewelry history and research. I wrote these blogs for a simple reason - to share my collected knowledge with all who are interested, so that more can benefit from it. Take a look and enjoy! -- Reena