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| Diamond sale: Lesedi La Rona goes for $53m | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The world's second-largest gem-quality diamond has been sold to a London-based company for $53m (£39.5m). | The world's second-largest gem-quality diamond has been sold to a London-based company for $53m (£39.5m). |
| The private sale comes after its owner, Canada's Lucara Diamond Corporation, failed to sell it at a Sotheby's auction last year. | The private sale comes after its owner, Canada's Lucara Diamond Corporation, failed to sell it at a Sotheby's auction last year. |
| The 1,111-carat stone was recovered by Lucara in Botswana two years ago. | The 1,111-carat stone was recovered by Lucara in Botswana two years ago. |
| The company said the price was an improvement on the highest bid received at the Sotheby's auction in June 2016. | The company said the price was an improvement on the highest bid received at the Sotheby's auction in June 2016. |
| The diamond is named "Lesedi La Rona", which means "our light" in Botswana's Tswana language. | The diamond is named "Lesedi La Rona", which means "our light" in Botswana's Tswana language. |
| It is the largest gem-quality diamond discovered in more than a century, and the second-largest ever. The largest was the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905. | It is the largest gem-quality diamond discovered in more than a century, and the second-largest ever. The largest was the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905. |
| Graff Diamonds, the London-based luxury jeweller that purchased the diamond, described the stone as "the world's most valuable rough diamond". | Graff Diamonds, the London-based luxury jeweller that purchased the diamond, described the stone as "the world's most valuable rough diamond". |
| "The stone will tell us its story, it will dictate how it wants to be cut," said Laurence Graff, founder of the company. | "The stone will tell us its story, it will dictate how it wants to be cut," said Laurence Graff, founder of the company. |
| Graff acquired another 373-carat diamond that was originally part of "Lesedi La Rona" earlier this year. | Graff acquired another 373-carat diamond that was originally part of "Lesedi La Rona" earlier this year. |