To present it to the world, a viewing ceremony led by Botswana’s president Mokgweetsi Masisi was thrown.
The stone was then gently dropped into his hands, which caught the president by surprise.
Masisi opened his eyes to see the diamond, expressing an animated, What?!
and growing increasingly bewildered.
It is overwhelming, Masisi said.
I am lucky to have seen it in my time.
He then took a better look at it with the help of magnifying glasses.
Lucara said the high-quality stone was located using X-ray technology designed to find large, high-value diamonds.
Officials said it was too early to value the stone or decide how it would be sold.
Overall, diamonds account for well over half the financial value of Botswana’s total exports.
It was then turned into 105 stones of assorted cuts.
