THE largest diamond discovered in more than a century is to go on display in London ahead of a record-breaking £50 million (US$70.8 million) sale.

    The diamond, named Lesedi la Rona, is 3 billion years old, is a staggering 1,109 carats and the size of a tennis ball.

    It was uncovered by Lucara Diamond Corp. at its Karowe mine in Botswana in November last year in what was described as a “once in a lifetime discovery.”

    The gem, which is only beaten in size by the diamond now found in the Crown Jewels, is to go on display at Sotheby’s Bond Street headquarters in London from Saturday.

    Sotheby’s will sell Lesedi la Rona on June 29, and the auction house expects it to go for a world-record £50 million.

    Nothing of the size and quality of the Lesedi la Rona, which translates as “our light” in the Tswana language, has been found in more than 100 years.

    In terms of its size, the “rough” is exceeded only by the 3,016.75-carat Cullinan Diamond, which was mined in South Africa in 1905.

    The Cullinan ended up producing nine diamonds that are now found in the Crown Jewels.

    Independent reports say the Lesedi la Rona has the potential to yield the largest top-quality diamond that has ever been cut and polished.

    The record is currently held by the pear-shaped Great Star of Africa, which came from the Cullinan and weighs 530.20 carats.

    (SD-Agencies)