MajorsSep 18, 2025
Pandora to Open New Distribution Center in MarylandThe jewelry giant will relocate its existing facility to a larger space in Anne Arundel.
SourcingMar 22, 2016
1,111-carat diamond found in Botswana
The Type IIa stone is the second-largest gem-quality diamond ever recovered, and the biggest find in more than a century.
Vancouver, B.C.--Lucara Diamond Corp. President and CEO William Lamb knew that it was either very good or very bad news when his phone rang at 1:28 a.m. Monday morning Vancouver time.
Lucara President and CEO William Lamb said the 1,111-carat diamond workers found Monday at the company’s Karowe Mine is “slightly smaller than a tennis ball.”
It turned out to be the former, as he learned that workers at the company’s Karowe Mine in Botswana had recovered a “magnificent” stone: a 1,111-carat Type IIa diamond that goes down in the record books as the second-largest gem-quality diamond ever found.
Only the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, which was discovered in January 1905 at the Premier mine in South Africa and later cleaved by Joseph Asscher, is bigger.
Workers recovered the stone from materials that originated in the mine’s south lobe, an area that has yielded three 300-carat-plus rough diamonds this year, including a 342-carat stone that Lucara sold in July for $20.5 million.
Still, when that call came in Monday, Lamb was “very, very surprised,” he told National Jeweler in an interview Thursday morning.
While he isn’t shocked by the recovery of 300-, 400- or even 500-carat stones from the mine anymore, a 1,000-carat diamond is something differently entirely. “A thousand carats … I think it would be a surprise for anybody,” he said.
The diamond, which measures 65 mm x 56 mm x 40 mm, is too large to fit in any of the rough evaluation machines Lucara has on-site in Botswana and likely will be sent to Antwerp for further evaluation. Lamb, who has not yet seen the stone in person, said what he knows from his employees on the ground in Botswana is that the diamond is a Type IIa and likely is “top color,” meaning D, E or F, and high clarity as well.
He said it is “almost impossible” at this point to estimate a sale price for the stone, or what it could yield in terms of polished diamonds.
Gem Diamonds sold a 603-carat diamond, the “Lesotho Promise,” for $12.4 million in 2006, and Petra Diamonds got $35.3 million for a 507-carat diamond in 2010.
But this diamond is much bigger, Lamb pointed out, and has added historical value as the world’s second-largest diamond behind the Cullinan. It is also the largest diamond ever found in Botswana and the largest ever recovered through a modern processing facility.
Lucara, which accounts for only 0.83 percent of global diamond production but is responsible for a high percentage of the big diamond discoveries these days, found the 1,111-carat stone using its newly installed Large Diamond Recovery (LDR) XRT machines.
The machines scan pre-cleaned material recovered from diamond mines for large chunks of carbon.
The machines scan pre-cleaned material recovered from diamond mines for large chunks of carbon.
Also this week, the Vancouver-based mining company found another incredible diamond, an 813-carater discovered late Tuesday.
Lamb said more information on that diamond will be available next week.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
TechnologySep 18, 2025
Hill & Co. Launches AI Strategy ProgramThe 21-day program was designed to help jewelry retailers identify opportunities and eliminate inefficiencies with AI.
AuctionsSep 17, 2025
Mythical Set of Patek Philippe Pocket Watches Expected to Sell for $10M+A set of four Patek Philippe “Star Caliber 2000” pocket watches is part of Sotheby’s upcoming auction in Abu Dhabi.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
TrendsSep 17, 2025
Silvia Furmanovich’s Book Tells the ‘Journey of a Jeweler’The Brazilian jeweler’s latest book marks her namesake brand’s 25th anniversary and tells the tale of her worldwide collaborations.
Weekly QuizSep 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
WatchesSep 17, 2025
Bob’s Watches Acquires Vintage Rolex Won on ‘The Price is Right’ The Submariner Ref. 1680 with a Tiffany & Co. dial came from the original owner, who won it as a prize on the game show in the 1970s.
TechnologySep 17, 2025
Jewelers Mutual Launches Shipping Solution App for Shopify The new integration allows users to manage shipments directly from the Shopify dashboard.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
EditorsSep 16, 2025
Out & About: 7 Great Quotes From Converge in CarlsbadAt Converge 2025, Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff attended sessions on DEI, tariffs, security, and more. Here are her top takeaways.
CrimeSep 16, 2025
2 Robbery Suspects Killed in California Pawn Shop ShootoutSix people were shot last week at an Oakland cash-for-gold shop as employees exchanged gunfire with individuals trying to rob the store.
CollectionsSep 16, 2025
Chopard Adds New Designs to Its ‘Ice Cube’ Capsule CollectionThe jeweler has expanded its high jewelry offering, which launched last year, with new pieces featuring its cube motif that debuted in 1999.
EditorsSep 15, 2025
Skipping the Necklace, Embracing Snakes: The Best Jewelry From the 2025 Emmy AwardsAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco shares eight of her favorite jewelry looks from the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, held Sunday night.
SurveysSep 15, 2025
Resilient Shoppers to Boost Holiday Retail Sales, Says DeloitteIt’s predicting a rise in retail sales this holiday season despite economic uncertainty and elevated inflation.
SourcingSep 15, 2025
Gemfields Achieves $32M at High-Quality Emerald AuctionIt included the sale of the 11,685-carat “Imboo” emerald that was recently discovered at Kagem.
SourcingSep 15, 2025
AGTA Elects 8 Members to Board of Directors The newly elected directors will officially take office in February 2026 and will be introduced at the organization’s membership meeting.
EditorsSep 12, 2025
Out & About: Mining Sapphires in Rock Creek, MontanaAssociate Editor Lauren McLemore headed out West for a visit to Potentate Mining’s operation hosted by gemstone wholesaler Parlé Gems.
TrendsSep 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Arunashi’s Fordite and Rhodolite EarringsFordite is a man-made material created from the layers of dried enamel paint that dripped onto the floors of automotive factories.
Events & AwardsSep 12, 2025
Al Gilbertson Wins 2025 Robert M. Shipley AwardGilbertson has worked as a researcher, jeweler, lapidary artist, appraiser, and business owner throughout his decades in the industry.
Policies & IssuesSep 11, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case in November A decision likely won’t come until January 2026 at the earliest, and the tariffs remain in effect until then.
MajorsSep 11, 2025
Tabayer Opens Nordstrom Shop-In-ShopLocated in the revamped jewelry hall at the retailer’s New York City flagship, this opening is Tabayer’s first shop-in-shop.
SourcingSep 11, 2025
Need to Sell More Natural Diamonds? De Beers Has an App for ThatThe new, free app offers accessible educational content, like games and podcasts, for U.S. retailers.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
Stuller to Swap Gold Scrap for Full Credit to AccountAs the gold price rises, the manufacturer is offering a 100 percent payout through Sept. 30 for gold clean scrap.
SourcingSep 10, 2025
Tech Meets Style in the New Loewe x Jacob & Co. HeadphonesJacob & Co. partnered with the German technology company on two pairs of headphones, one set with diamonds and the other with sapphires.
TrendsSep 10, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Archival Jewels Bring Life to ‘Frankenstein’Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 “Frankenstein” will feature 27 jewels and objects from the storied brand, including pieces from its archives.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
24 Karat Club of New York’s Banquet to Return to Waldorf AstoriaThe Waldorf Astoria New York’s grand reopening this past summer means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event.
SourcingSep 09, 2025
Anglo American to Merge With Canadian Copper Miner Anglo plans to merge with Teck Resources Ltd. to form Anglo Teck. The deal changes nothing about its plans to offload De Beers.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
‘The Mellon Blue’ to Return to Auction, This Time at Christie’s The 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which set two world auction records at Sotheby’s in 2014, is estimated to fetch up to $30 million.
