Who was able to invest money in the Lesedi La Rona? | BNT Diamonds
Diamond expert

The Lesedi La Rona has finally been sold!

07 Jul 21
  • What makes the Lesedi La Rona this unique?
  • Not the most expensive diamond ever sold?
  • How can you invest your money in diamonds?

The size of approximately a tennis ball and a value of at least 53 million dollars. We are talking about the ‘Lesedi La Rona’, the largest raw diamond mined in the past 100 years. If you invest money in raw materials or if you follow the investment news, you have probably heard of this stone before. Around one year ago, this diamond was put on sale. After a year of negotiations, the British jeweller Laurence Graff reached an agreement with the people of Lucara, the mine in Botswana where the diamond was mined. But what makes the Lesedi La Rona this extraordinary?

What makes the Lesedi La Rona this unique?

The Lesedi La Rona, which means ‘our light’ in Tswana, was mined in November 2015. This colourless, white diamond has a carat weight of 1109 and weighs 222, 2 grams. With these figures it is the largest diamond found in the past 100 years. Moreover, the quality and clarity of this diamond can be labeled ‘unique’, as confirmed by GIA. The Lesedi La Rona is thus no stranger to its name. Investors had to be willing to invest a staggering amount of money in order to take this diamond home with them. When this raw stone was auctioned at Sotheby’s last year, the minimum amount of 70 million dollar was not met.


Not the most expensive diamond ever sold?

The only diamond larger than the Lesedi La Rona was the Cullinan, mined in South Africa in 1905 and good for a carat weight of 3106. However, this diamond was brought to a diamond polishing establishment in Amsterdam and cut in 105 separate diamonds that now adorn the British crown jewels. The Lesedi La Rona is not the most expensive diamond either. In December 2015 we reported that the ‘Blue Moon’ was the most expensive diamond of all time, sold at auction for 45 million dollars. In May 2016, however, the ‘Blue Moon’ was overthrown by the Oppenheimer Blue, which sold at Christie’s for 51.3 million euro. Now, the Pink Star holds the title of most expensive diamond in the world, with a record amount of 67 million euro in April 2017. This is no surprise, as pink diamonds are the world’s fastest growing fixed assets. If you want to invest money in pink diamonds, you will have to hurry up, as raw pink diamonds are rarely discovered these days. Their scarcity renders them remarkably expensive.

How can you invest your money in diamonds?

If you wish to invest your money in diamonds and generate a profit in the long term, less uncommon diamonds are a better fit, as it will increase your chances for future resale. It is also advisable to diversify your investment portfolio and to seek the counsel of experts.

Would you like to invest your money in diamonds? Maximize your return on investment and contact the BNT Diamonds experts for more information.


Fabienne Rauw
About Fabienne Rauw
BNT Diamonds Antwerp

Fabienne, manager of the German market is able to guide every client with finding the right jewel. She takes care of most of the German orders, but also takes other task on her plate. Thanks to her six years of experience at BNT Diamonds she acquainted well with the product and the marketing around it. Her degree in PR ensures that BNT Diamonds is well presented across all media channels. For anyone looking into a new investment opportunity, Fabienne is the perfect guide in this process. No question will be left unanswered, and she will help you every step of the way.

With this article, BNT Diamonds strives to inform you thoroughly about investing in diamonds. No investment can be guaranteed to be without risk or fully according to your expectations. That is why we recommend to research the risks and aspects of investing in diamond properly to ensure that you make the right choice for your portfolio.