October 12, 2006

Paris, France - The Lesotho Promise, the 10th largest white diamond to ever be discovered, was auctioned on Monday, October 9, 2006. The diamond was discovered in the Letseng Diamond mines of the small African mountain kingdom of Lesotho.

The sale of the 603-carat diamond fetched in a whopping $12.36 million. It was acquired by the South African Diamond Corporation, which hopes to bring in more than $20 million once the diamond has been cut up into smaller pieces and sold off to jewellers and private collectors.

Lesotho is a small nation encircled at all sides by South Africa. The world’s largest two rough diamonds were found in the latter country. The largest being the Cullinan diamond weighing in at 3,106 carats and the second largest being the Excelsior at 995 carats. At 603 carats, the Promise is 1/3 larger than a standard golf ball.