An impressive 2,492-carat diamond has been recovered by Canadian miner Lucara Diamond Corp from its Karowe mine in Botswana. 

It is now believed to be the second-largest diamond in the world – a record previously held by the 1,758-carat Sewelô diamond, which was also mined in Karowe in 2019. French luxury house Louis Vuitton purchased Sewelô in 2020 for an undisclosed amount. Karowe likewise produced the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona diamond, which was subsequently acquired by Graff for US$53 million. 

The 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, recovered in South Africa in 1905, currently holds the Guinness World Record as the largest diamond ever found. 

William Lamb, president and CEO of Lucara, commented, “We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary diamond. This not only showcases the remarkable potential of our Karowe mine but also upholds our strategic investment in cutting-edge XRT technology.”

The 2,492-carat rough was detected and recovered by the company's Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray Transmission technology, which it installed in 2017 to identify and preserve large, high-value diamonds.