This Diamond Weighs More Than A Baseball

And it’s bigger than a baseball too!

Certain celebrities are known for the penchant for gigantic diamonds. Mariah Carey rocked a 35-carat diamond ring from James Packer until the engagement was called off. Paris Hilton’s new bling from husband-to-be Chris Zylka is a staggering 20 carats. Beyonce’s engagement ring from Jay Z is a sizeable 18 carats. But we bet none of them could wear this newly unearthed diamond from Lesotho, which clocks in at a mind-blowing 910 carats!

The Letseng mine is situated 10,000 feet high in the Lesotho mountains, and can now claim to have unearthed the country’s largest ever diamond. Weighing 6.4 ounces, this humongous diamond is heavier than a regulation baseball or for the morbidly inclined, it’s more than half the weight of an average man’s heart! Oh, and it’s also the fifth largest gem quality diamond ever found. Ever.

The diamond is a D-colour (i.e. colourless) and is expected to fetch tens of millions when it’s auctioned as a rough diamond at a later date. After the discovery was announced, Gem Diamonds, the London based company that owns a majority stake in the Letseng mine, saw a surge in their stock prices. We’re not surprised!

The person or company who ends up purchasing the rough diamond will likely cut and polish it into a flawless, huge diamond that will be worth millions. Depending on the interior make-up of the diamond, they may instead split it into several gems. If those stones are in turn auctioned off, the buyer will make a very tidy profit. Watch this space.