2,488-Carat Titan: Botswana’s World’s Second-Largest Diamond Teeters Between Museums and Royal Collections
Unearthed last year at the Karowe mine in northeastern Botswana, the 2,488-carat diamond known as Motswedi is being analyzed by HB Antwerp in Antwerp, a global diamond hub. At the moment it's very hard to put a price on it. “We first have to inspect the stone and see what we can yield from it in polished form,” Margaux Donckier, HB Antwerp's public affairs director, told AFP. HB Antwerp is showcasing Motswedi as part of a collection of four gems from Karowe, including the world's third-largest diamond, discovered at the same mine. Donckier said that while it’s difficult to price them individually right now, collectively the four stones should fetch at least $100 million. There’s already plenty of interest from customers around the world, even before a formal price tag exists. The size of these stones is so exceptionally rare that they could end up in a museum, Donckier added, but they could also find a home with a buyer such as a sheikh who would like to add it to his collection.
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A Half-Kilogram Giant Under Evaluation in Antwerp
With a reported weight of about half a kilogram, Motswedi weighs 2,488 carats and was found last summer at the Karowe mine in northeastern Botswana, Africa's top diamond producer. The Karowe mine is owned by Canadian company Lucara Diamond, which has partnered with HB Antwerp to handle the processing and marketing of stones exceeding 10.8 carats. HB Antwerp is presenting Motswedi as part of a quartet of gems discovered at Karowe, including the world’s third-largest diamond. The team notes that while pricing the individual stones is challenging, the four together are expected to reach a combined value of at least $100 million.
Pricing Remains Unclear as Polishing Reveals Value
While it’s hard to set a price on the Motswedi today, the four stones from Karowe are anticipated to fetch at least $100 million in total, Donckier said. “At the moment it’s very hard to put a price on it. We first have to inspect the stone and see what we can yield from it in polished form.” There is already “plenty of interest from all over the world.” The size of these stones is exceptionally rare, and they could end up in a museum or, perhaps, in the hands of a sheikh who wants to add one to his collection.
Botswana’s Giant Diamonds: Sewelo Before Motswedi
Before Motswedi was found, Botswana’s largest diamond was a 1,758-carat stone mined by Lucara at the Karowe mine in 2019 and named Sewelo. The largest gem-quality diamond ever found is believed to be the Cullinan, discovered in 1905 in South Africa and weighing 3,106 carats. Among the stones cut from it was the Star of Africa, which is part of the British crown jewels on display in the Tower of London.
