In a tender by Gem Diamonds, attracting world’s leading diamantaires, Johannesburg-based SAFDICO bought two large rough white diamonds from Gem Diamonds’ Letšeng mine in Lesotho, for a total of $22.7 million, or $59,833 per carat. The diamonds, as Gem Diamonds describes, are of top color and outstanding clarity and weigh 196 carats and 184 carats, respectively.

SAFDICO, is partly owned by Laurence Graff, Brian Gutkin and Johnny Kneller.

The sale also saw a 4.68 carat rough blue diamond being bought for $155,000 per carat, which Gem Diamonds describes is the highest price paid for a Letšeng. The tender which closed in Antwerp on November 24, realized an average price of $2,341 per carat, excluding the 196 carat and 184 carat sales.