A young man just months into his apprenticeship at a mine uncovered the 'diamond of the century' which is now set to be auctioned for a record £50 million.
Tiroyaone Mathaba, 27, said he 'wanted to scream' when he found the tennis-ball sized diamond in the Karowe mine in Botswana.
It is the biggest find since 1905, when a 3,106.75-carat rough gem was uncovered in a South African mine and cut into nine diamonds - eight of which now form part of the Crown Jewels.
Named 'Lesedi la Rona', the diamond has been described as a the 'find of a lifetime' and its sale at Sotheby's on June 29 is expected to smash the world record for the most expensive diamond ever sold at auction.
The Lesedi la Rona was uncovered by Mr Mathaba last November, while he was on probation as a trainee at the Lucara Diamond Corp at its Karowe mine.
Mr Mathaba spotted the diamond, which upon first glance appeared nothing more than a stone.
However on closer inspection he realised it was exceptionally valuable.
Mr Mathaba told The Sunday Telegraph: 'At first I wanted to scream. Then I said in a low hoarse voice 'God, it's a diamond! It's a diamond, it's a big diamond!'
He added: 'Everyone looks forward to coming to work, it’s been a breath of new life.'
Mr Mathaba, the grandson of a chief from a village in the hills of Botswana, continues to help care for the family cattle herd in his spare time.
He began working for Lucara after graduating in geology from the University of Botswana, despite his studies being interrupted when his father died.
The 27-year-old has now been offered a full-time job at the mine - but won't be given a bonus despite his ground-breaking and historic discovery.
The company does not award individual employees bonuses for finding big stones, but all 804 people working at Lucara have received a bonus related to the find.
Sotheby's have given the 1,109 carat gem, which is three billion years old, a guide price in excess of £48million ($70million).
The current record stands at £32million, paid for a blue diamond at Sotheby's last year.
Independent reports say the gem has the potential to yield the largest top-quality diamond that has ever been cut and polished.
The record is currently held by the Great Star of Africa, which came from the Cullinan – unearthed in 1905, and weighs 530.20 carats.
It sits atop the sovereign's sceptre with cross.
David Bennett, worldwide chairman of Sotheby's jewellery division, said: 'The Lesedi la Rona is simply outstanding and its discovery is the find of a lifetime.
'Not only is the rough superlative in size and quality, but no rough even remotely of this scale has ever been offered before at public auction.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3649313/Diamond-geezer-Trainee-five-months-apprenticeship-gem-tells-moment-discovered-world-s-biggest-sparkler-worth-50m.html#ixzz4CCxATrVy
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