Lulo Rose: Largest coloured diamond in 300 years found in Angola

What experts believe to be the largest coloured gemstone unearthed in 300 years, the “Lulo Rose” is a beautiful pink diamond that weighs in at an impressive 170 carats. Discovered at the Lulo alluvial diamond mine in the African nation of Angola, it was announced to the world by the Australian-based Lucapa Diamond Company that owns the mine on Wednesday.

Lucapa and its partners Endiama EP and Rosas & Petalas announced that Sodiam, a state-owned diamond trading company in Angola will facilitate the sale of the gem internationally.

While coloured diamonds are caused by impurities and defects in the gem, they are rarer and more valuable than the standard clear diamond. In April, the 39.34-carat De Beers Cullinan Blue diamond fetched an astounding US $57.5 million in Hong Kong at an auction run by Sotheby’s.

The largest colored diamond known was found in 1984 and named the Incomparable Diamond, an 890-carat gem with a fancy deep brownish yellow colour, while the Cullinan diamond, the largest diamond ever unearthed, was found in 1905 in South Africa. The massive 3,106 carat diamond now sits in the British Sovereign’s Scepter.

Angola is one of the top 10 diamond producers in the world with the Lulo mine already producing 4 clear diamonds larger than Lulo Rose, and a total of 27 diamonds over 100 carats. The two largest diamonds ever found in Angola were also from that mind, with the biggest a whopping 404 karats.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post