In what seems to be the ideal way to kick start the new year, Gem Diamonds Ltd has recovered two over-100 carat high quality rough diamonds from its Letšeng mine in Lesotho in the very first week of operations in 2018.

The Company yesterday announced the recovery of high quality 117 and 110 carat, D colour Type IIa diamonds, the first two large stones for this year.

Over the years, Letšeng has become renowned for its large, high quality diamonds and is described by Gem Diamonds as “the highest dollar per carat kimberlite diamond mine in the world”.

Last year it discovered seven stones bigger than 100 carats to add to the five found in 2016 and the dozen large diamonds recovered in 2015. Since 2006, when the Company acquired the mine, it has produced over 60 100+ carat, predominantly high value, white diamonds, including the iconic 603 carat Lesotho Promise, the 550 carat Letšeng Star and the 493 carat Letšeng Legacy.

Pic caption: The 117 carat diamond recovered in 2018.