World's most expensive diamond comes to Dubai

Dubai - Valued at $63 million, the gem was discovered by the Lucara Diamond Corporation at their Karowe Mine in Botswana.

By Staff Report

Published: Tue 15 Nov 2016, 7:30 PM

The world's most valuable diamond ever discovered, named the Constellation, was displayed in Dubai today.

Valued at $63 million, the gem was discovered by the Lucara Diamond Corporation at their Karowe Mine in Botswana.

The colorless diamond is characterized by its substantial size of an impressive 812,77 carat and has been categorized as being the largest pure Type IaB diamond ever to be examined by the Gemological Institute of America. Type IaB is known within the industry to be the rarest type of natural diamond.

The diamond was showcased at a press conference attended by Executive Chairman of Dubai Multi Commodities Center and Chair of the Kimberley Process, Ahmed Bin Sulayem, together with Nemesis International Director, Nickolas Polak, Founder and Executive Board Member of de GRISOGONO, Fawaz Gruosi and Director of Sales of Lucara Diamond Corporation Steven Lincoln.

Shining facts:

- The Constellation is a 812.77 carat diamond with a net weight of approximately 162 grams (5.7 ounces)

- The stone was acquired for US$63 million - averaging $77,649 per carat

- It is expected that this gemstone will give birth to the largest DColor, flawless, polished diamond, which is likely to weigh over 300 carats

- Less than 2% of the world's production of gemstone quality diamonds have this level of color and clarity

- An estimated 20 billion cubic meter of earth were removed and processed before finding the Constellation diamond

- The gem has a maximum dimension spanning over 64 mm

- The Constellation is third largest diamond ever mined in recorded history

- The complete production of quality Gems from the mine since its inception fits in a single, small, suitcase

- It is the most valuable rough diamond ever

- The Constellation Diamond has a morphology characterized by stepped, primary octahedral faces (creating the appearance of crystalline triangles), irregular natural resorbed surfaces, and fractured faces

- FTIR analysis of the Constellation revealed that the diamond is a Type Iab; even more rare than the highly prized Type IIa diamond

- The Constellation is notable for being the largest pure Type IaB diamond to be examined by GIA, emphasizing its historical significance