World’s largest pink diamond in 300 years found in Angola

Miners at a site in Angola have unearthed a rare, pure pink diamond which the company believes to be the largest gemstone of its kind to be found in 300 years. According to VOA, the rough diamond was discovered at the Lulo alluvial diamond mine.

The rare gemstone, which is 170 carats, was named the “Lulo Rose” after its discovery, the Australian-operated mine announced. Two of the largest diamonds to have been unearthed in the Southern African nation were also discovered in the same mine. 

The “Lulo Rose” is also the fifth largest diamond that the mine has unearthed. The Angolan state diamond marketing company will sell the diamond at an international tender. 

“This record and spectacular pink diamond recovered from Lulo continues to showcase Angola as an important player on the world stage for diamond mining and demonstrates the potential and rewards for commitment and investment in our growing diamond mining industry,” Diamantino Azevedo, Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas said.

Stones of such nature have historically sold at record-breaking prices after they’re cut and polished, BBC reported. In 2017, a pink 59-carat pink diamond named “The Pink Star” was sold for $71.2m. That made it the world’s most expensive diamond.

And although the size of the “Lulo Rose” is said to be groundbreaking, several clear diamonds have exceeded 1,000 carats, per VOA. The largest diamond to have ever been discovered is the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond. It was unearthed in South Africa in 1905.

The Cullinan diamond, which is also known as the “Star of Africa”, is mounted on the British Sovereign’s Scepter.