A stunning blue diamond has been discovered in Botswana whose value could outstrip that of the Hope Diamond thanks to its stunning clarity.
Discovered in the Orapa mine, the world's largest diamond mine by area in central Botswana, the 41.11 carat uncut, rough stone is one of the rarest natural diamonds in the world.
Named in honour of the Okavango Delta in Botswana the Okavango Blue is not the world’s largest blue diamond, this honor is bestowed upon the Hope Diamond - a 45.52-carat, deep-blue diamond now kept at the U.S. National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C but it is definitely the clearest. The 20.46 carats has been given a "VVS2" clarity rating from the Gemological Institute of America. This means that its imperfections can only be seen by a skilled grader using 10x magnification. It also means that it is the clearest blue diamond ever discovered.
The Okavango Blue will be showcased over the coming months to promote Botswana as a leading global producer of natural ethical diamonds with an anticipated sale scheduled toward the end of the year.
