Rare Half-Pink 37.4-Carat Diamond Unearthed in Botswana

A remarkable two-coloured natural diamond has been discovered in Botswana, astonishing experts with its size and formation. The gem half pink and half colourless weighs an impressive 37.41 carats and measures approximately 24.3 x 16 x 14.5 millimetres, according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

The GIA describes the stone as having formed in two distinct geological stages. Sally Eaton-Magaña, Senior Manager of Diamond Identification at the GIA, explained that the pink section likely began as colourless before undergoing plastic deformation possibly caused by a mountain-forming event millions of years ago. This natural deformation altered the crystal lattice, giving rise to the diamond’s vivid pink hue. The colourless section, in contrast, appears to have formed later under more stable conditions.

Pink diamonds are among the rarest gems on Earth, prized for their beauty and scientific intrigue. Unlike coloured diamonds that owe their hue to trace elements or radiation exposure, pink diamonds result from structural distortions within the crystal lattice. This phenomenon must occur under highly specific pressure and temperature conditions too little deformation and the diamond remains colourless; too much and it turns brown.

“It’s a geological balancing act like Goldilocks,” noted Curtin University geologist Luc Doucet, referencing the fine threshold that determines a diamond’s colour outcome.

What makes this new discovery even more extraordinary is its size. While other bi-coloured diamonds have been documented, they are typically no larger than 2 carats. The 37.4-carat specimen from Botswana represents a significant leap in both scale and scientific importance.

The diamond was unearthed at Lucara Diamond Corporation’s Karowe mine, one of the world’s most productive sources of exceptional diamonds. The Karowe mine has previously yielded some of the most celebrated finds in modern history, including the 2,488-carat “Motswedi” diamond, the second-largest rough diamond ever recovered, and the 62-carat “Boitumelo” pink diamond.

This latest discovery further cements Botswana’s position at the forefront of the global diamond industry and provides scientists with another remarkable glimpse into the complex natural processes that create the Earth’s most coveted gemstones.

Source: DCLA

Lucara Recovers Rare 37-Carat Pink Diamond from Karowe

Lucara Diamond Corp. has announced the recovery of a rare and unusual pink diamond from its Karowe mine in Botswana.

The 37.42-carat stone, classified as a Type IIa, was unearthed in August and is described as near-gem quality with a distinctive bicoloured appearance. While the majority of the diamond displays an intense pink hue, part of the stone appears partially colourless an exceptionally rare feature.

HB Antwerp, Lucara’s cutting and technology partner, described the discovery as “a rare and remarkable find.” Oded Mansori, co-founder of HB Antwerp, noted:
“This stone has the potential to become one of the most important pink diamonds ever polished. Its intensely rich coloration is a testament to the geological uniqueness of the Karowe mine, and our expertise in the manufacturing process will ensure its vibrant colour is maximised.”

The recovery underscores Karowe’s reputation as a consistent source of exceptional diamonds. Also in August, Lucara recovered a 1,019.85-carat non-gem-quality diamond, the third stone of more than 1,000 carats to be found at Karowe in 2025. This brings the total number of diamonds over 1,000 carats from the mine to nine.

Both diamonds were recovered from the EM/PK(S) section of the deposit using Lucara’s Mega Diamond Recovery (MDR) unit, an advanced X-ray transmission system installed in 2017 to identify and preserve large stones. The MDR is credited with detecting several of Karowe’s most significant recoveries, including the 2,492-carat diamond discovered in August 2024—the second-largest rough diamond ever found.

Meanwhile, Lucara has announced a $10 million drawdown from its $63 million standby loan facility with Nemesia, its largest shareholder, to address short-term funding needs for the Karowe underground expansion project. The $683 million project, now scheduled for completion in the first half of 2028, is expected to extend the mine’s life to at least 2040.

Lucara President and CEO William Lamb said the arrangement reflects the company’s commitment to financial prudence while advancing the underground project.
“This funding mechanism demonstrates the continued confidence and support of our major shareholders in Lucara’s long-term strategy and in the exceptional value potential of the Karowe mine, including the ongoing recovery of some of the world’s most significant diamonds.”

Source: DCLA

The Kao Legend Collection: A Rare Suite of Pink Diamonds from Lesotho

The Kao Legend Collection represents an extraordinary achievement in diamond cutting and curation. Cut from a single 108.39-carat pink diamond crystal unearthed at the renowned Kao Mine in Lesotho, this suite features seven magnificent pink diamonds each documented in detail by the GIA Monograph.

At the heart of the collection lies the Kao Legend, a 20.49-carat diamond graded Fancy Intense Purplish Pink by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The accompanying diamonds in the collection range in colour from Fancy Intense Purplish Pink to Faint Pink, showcasing a delicate and rare spectrum of pink hues.

What sets this collection apart is not only its shared origin and harmonious beauty but also the diamonds’ classification. All seven are Type IIa diamonds known for their exceptional chemical purity and rarity, comprising less than 2% of all natural diamonds. Type IIa pink diamonds are especially coveted for their remarkable clarity and vibrant colour saturation.

The Kao Mine, one of Lesotho’s most prominent diamond sources, has established a reputation for yielding high-quality pink diamonds. Alongside the Kao Legend, the mine also produced the celebrated Pink Eternity, a 47.80-carat gem of international acclaim.

For gemmologists and collectors alike, the Kao Legend Collection exemplifies nature’s artistry and the pinnacle of diamond excellence.

See The World’s Rarest Diamonds, Worth a Total of $100 million, in Abu Dhabi

Sotheby’s, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, is exhibiting extremely rare coloured diamonds at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation this week, in the biggest showcase of diamonds outside of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.

All together, the spectacular diamonds are worth around $100 million. The largest flawless diamond in the world, the largest vivid orangey pink diamond ever graded, the second largest red diamond known to exist and several diamonds over 100 carats are included in the collection, which will be available for public view this Wednesday, April 9 and Thursday, April 10.

“The exhibition is incredibly exciting for the simple reason that to purely just have eight diamonds of this calibre in the same room is something that is worthy of one of the great museums in the world, and I can’t imagine that we will ever see this array together again,” says Paul Redmayne, Sotheby’s senior vice president for luxury private sales. “It is definitely a career highlight for me to see these stunning gemstones side by side, and I look forward to no doubt witnessing many a jaw drop as the public come through the doors.”

The star of the showcase is none other than The Mediterranean Blue. Weighing 10.03 carats, this Fancy Vivid Blue rarity has earned the highest GIA colour grading and a coveted Type IIb classification, an elite status held by less than 0.5 per cent of diamonds. Its cushion cut intensifies its liquid-like saturation, an electrifying depth that feels almost surreal. With an estimated value of $20 million, The Mediterranean Blue will be the highlight of Sotheby’s High Jewellery Sale on May 13 in Geneva.

“The Mediterranean Blue diamond on its own is an incredibly rare stone, and ticks so many of the boxes that you could look for: it is a connoisseur’s diamond, whilst also being infinitely wearable,” shares Redmayne. “The depth of the blue is unrivalled, and even to someone who knows nothing about diamonds, it’s clear to see what makes it so special.”

The diamond is a timeless symbol of love, power, beauty and status – but a captivating collection of this stature is awe-inspiring at an entirely different level; a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the UAE’s capital city, which Redmayne says marks an incredibly exciting moment in the city’s history. “This project further enriches the dynamic landscape of Abu Dhabi for both collectors and the general public,” he says.

Source: voguearabia

Petra’s entire interest in Williamson headed for Tanzania’s Pink Diamonds

An agreement has been entered into for the outright sale of Williamson Diamonds Limited, Petra Diamonds announced on Wednesday.

The London-listed and South Africa-active Petra is taking steps to sell its entire shareholding in the Tanzanian entity to Pink Diamonds Investments for a headline consideration of up to $16-million.

This follows Petra’s sale in May of just under half of the asset, in which the Tanzanian government has a stake, for $15-million via long-term technical services contractor Taifa Mining.

Since then, Williamson’s coming under consolidated ownership has emerged increasingly as the preferred way forward.

As a Taifa affiliate, Pink Diamonds is viewed by Petra CEO Richard Duffy as possessing the technical and financial capability to conduct operations in a responsible manner for all stakeholders.

As a wholly Tanzanian-owned company with more than three decades of mining-related experience, Taifa’s working relationships extend to mining majors such as De Beers, Barrick and AngloGold Ashanti. It is now entering a phase of exclusive ownership of the asset where about 1 100 people are employed, most of them Tanzanian.

The mine’s reserves and resources as of June 30 were reported as 37.17-million carats. With liquidity challenges continuing, further capital investment will be required.

“We look forward to working closely with the Mining Commission, the Fair Competition Commission, employees, community representatives and other key stakeholders in completing the sale as soon as possible,” Duffy stated in a stock exchange announcement accessed by Mining Weekly.

In South Africa, Petra operates the Cullinan diamond mine in Gauteng and the Finsch diamond mine in the Northern Cape.

“We’re committed to adopting and adhering to the latest internationally recognised standards throughout all aspects of our business,” said Pink Diamonds chairperson Rostam Azizi, whose family are from the area around Mwadui, the other name for the Williamson mine, which is situated 23 km north-east of Shinyanga in northern Tanzania.

Mining Weekly can report that the discovery of the kimberlite pipe by Canadian geologist John Williamson in 1940 led to ongoing operation since then, making it one of the world’s oldest continuous operating diamond mines. Its yield of 19-million-plus diamond carats includes the 54.5 ct Williamson pink diamond presented to British royalty in 1947.

Source: DCLA

4ct. Pink Diamond Takes Spotlight at Sotheby’s

A fancy-pink diamond pendant is set to headline an upcoming jewelry auction at Sotheby’s in Paris, where it is expected to fetch up to EUR 550,000 ($612,797).

The cushion-cut, 4.03-carat diamond piece will feature at the October 10 Fine Jewels sale, according to the Sotheby’s website. The auction will also offer jewels from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Giovanni Ferraris.   

Additionally, the event will showcase more than 80 pieces from the collection of British singer Dame Shirley Bassey, including diamond jewelry Elton John gifted her.   

Here are the rest of top 10 jewels that will be auctioned:   

This Cartier Tutti Frutti bracelet designed as a band of articulated branches —embellished with carved emeralds, rubies and emerald beads drill-set with single-cut diamonds — carries a top estimate of EUR 450,000 ($501,395).   

A necklace from the Shirley Bassey collection composed of a row of graduated brilliant-cut diamonds, with the main ones weighing 5.50, 5.36, and 4.61 carats, could sell for up to EUR 280,000 ($311,798).   

Sotheby’s will offer this gold and diamond Cartier set comprising a necklace, two bracelets, a pair of ear clips, and a ring, each paved with brilliant-cut diamonds, for a high price of EUR 260,000 ($289,687).   

A David Morris ring bearing a rectangular step-cut, 7.15-carat diamond of F color and internally flawless clarity, flanked by tapered baguette diamonds, is expected to bring in EUR 140,000 to EUR 250,000 ($155,990 to $278,554).   

This sapphire and diamond bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels forms a stylized buckle set with a row of oval sapphires framed by brilliant-cut diamonds. It has a presale range of EUR 140,000 to EUR 240,000 ($155,990 to $267,410).  

This ring with a pear-shaped, fancy-brownish-yellow diamond weighing 20.03 carats could achieve as much as EUR 220,000 ($245,116).   

A necklace composed of openwork and oval motifs, each set with an oval sapphire within a double surrounding of brilliant-cut diamonds, has an upper price of EUR 180,000 ($200,540).

A 21.17-carat, fancy-light-brown-yellow, SI2-clarity diamond ring with marquise-shaped diamond shoulders is anticipated to realize up to EUR 170,000 ($189,415).   

This claw-set ring with a rectangular step-cut, 5.06-carat diamond flanked by triangular diamonds carries a high estimate of EUR 150,000 ($155,990).