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The Second Biggest Diamond Ever Was Just Discovered, And It's Gorgeous (Photos)

by Sean Levinson
Getty Images

A Canadian company discovered what it claims to be the second-largest diamond ever found.

According to VICE, the 1,111-carat stone was unearthed from Lucara Diamond's Karowe mine in Botswana, Africa.

It reportedly measures 6.5 by 5.6 by 4 centimeters.

Biggest diamond discovery in over 100 years -- and 2nd biggest of all time. 1,111 carats. https://t.co/Mu8f7d8Z5i pic.twitter.com/xuHtHvojKt — Robert Frank (@robtfrank) November 19, 2015

In 2013, the two largest diamonds found in the same mine were just 200 carats each.

Lucara finds 1,111 carat #diamond. The second biggest in history pic.twitter.com/O82tWlzif1 — Thomas Biesheuvel (@tbiesheuvel) November 19, 2015

In a statement, Lucara Diamond CEO William Lamb said,

The significance of the recovery of a gem quality stone larger than 1,000 carats, the largest for more than a century... cannot be overstated.

Botswana's diamond industry is responsible for 75 percent of the money the nation earns in foreign exchanges and accounts for 30 percent of its gross domestic product, CNBC reports.

Two huge white diamonds, one measuring 813 carats and the other 374, were also recently found at the Karowe mine.

It was 1905 when a South African mine produced the Cullinan diamond, the largest diamond ever found. The miner who found the 3,106-carat stone was reportedly rewarded with 3,500 British pounds (about $5,350).

King Edward VII, the British monarch who was given the diamond for his birthday, was reportedly very concerned about his present being stolen as it was being transported to him.

He had a decoy of the diamond sent on a ship with detectives while the real diamond was concealed in a box.

Pieces of the largest diamond, which was cut up, can be seen on the Crown Jewels, on display in Britain.

Citations: The Second Biggest Diamond Ever Has Just Been Discovered in Botswana (VICE), World's second largest diamond discovered in Botswana (CNBC)