Graff’s $53M Purchase Reunites 1,109-Carat Lesedi La Rona With Her 373-Carat Sibling

British billionaire and diamantaire Laurence Graff paid $53 million for the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona, the largest gem-quality rough diamond discovered in more than a century. Graff’s purchase marks the poignant reunion of two of the world’s largest and most high-profile diamonds. You see, Graff had already paid $17.5 million for the 373.72-carat “chunk” that fractured from her sibling during …

$8 Garage Sale Brooch Delivers $26,250 Windfall at Bonhams Auction

A sparkly red, white and green brooch that was scooped up for just $8 at an Ohio garage sale five years ago delivered a $26,250 windfall at Bonhams New York on Tuesday. Although the brooch was hardly the highest priced lot of the Bonhams auction, the feel-good It Could Happen to You narrative behind the piece made it the most …

Government of Botswana Calls ‘First Dibs’ on Exceptional Diamond Discoveries

In mid-November 2015 — during a span of just 72 hours — Lucara’s Karowe Mine in Botswana yielded three exceptional rough diamonds that tipped the scales at a combined 2,296 carats. Now, the government of Botswana wants first dibs on future historic finds. A new clause in Botswana’s Precious and Semi-Precious Stones Act compels mining companies to notify the minister …