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Rough diamond »Lulo Rose«: pale pink and uncut
Photo: HANDOUT/AFP
Miners in Angola have unearthed a 170-carat pink diamond.
According to the Australian company Lucapa Diamond Company, it is probably the largest pink rough diamond discovered worldwide in the past 300 years.
The company operates the Lulo mine in the northeast of the country.
Based on the name, it christened the gemstone »The Lulo Rose«.
The Angolan government, a partner of the Lulo mine, also celebrated the find.
According to them, it is a type IIa diamond - the category includes particularly rare and pure stones.
»Lulo Rose« is now to be sold at an international auction.
Although the rough diamond still needs to be cut and polished to reach its full value - a process that can lose a stone half its weight - it could change hands for an astronomical price, according to AFP news agency.
The highest price so far is more than 66 million euros
Similar pink diamonds have achieved record prices in the past: The previous record price of $71.2 million (€66.7 million at the time) was achieved by the 59.6-carat "Pink Star" at an auction in Hong Kong in 2017.
Southwest Africa is known for its spectacular diamond discoveries.
Just last year, two giant diamonds found in Botswana, each weighing more than 1,000 carats, caused a stir.
The diamonds are among the largest in the world, but differ in color from the current find.
fek/AFP
