I just wanted to scream: rookie on diamond find of the century
probably an exceptionally valuable diamond. But the urgent question was: how valuable?
As a trainee, Mr Mathaba’s first move was to pass the diamond to his on-thejob trainer, who quickly estimated it to be 400 carats. But Mr Mathaba felt that his discovery must be bigger.
He called in Nkoke Tshupo, the mine’s chief sorter, who had been off duty. Mr Tshupo passed the diamond up the chain to the senior process engineer and then the geology department of Lucara, the Canadian company which runs the mine.
The verdict was that Mr Mathaba’s discovery was the second biggest diamond ever found, smaller only than the 3,106 carat Cullinan unearthed in South Africa in 1905.
Excitement rippled around the mine, but Mr Mathaba and his colleagues were careful not to spread the word before the find was officially declared. Since it was confirmed, the mood at the mine has changed. “Everyone looks forward to coming to work, it’s been a breath of new life,” he said.
Mr Mathaba is the grandson of a chief from a village in the Tswapong hills of central Botswana. In his free time, he still looks after the family cattle herd. He started working for Lucara after graduating in geology from the University of Botswana, where his studies were interrupted when his father died. He has also lost a sister; he has a young daughter of his own.
Mr Mathaba spoke of his fascination with the art of being a sorter, charged with picking out glittering needles from the haystack represented by the rock and earth produced by the mine. “You get to see diamonds how nature made them – the octahedron shapes, the cubes – before humans touched them,” he said.
He is convinced Karowe mine holds many more treasures. “I think we are in for a surprise,” he said. “With some kimberlites, diamond size and grade tends to improve as you go down.”
Meanwhile, Mr Mathaba has been promoted to permanent member of staff. There are no individual bonuses for employees who find big stones, but all 804 people working at Lucara have received a bonus related to the find. MEN’S STYLE EDITOR
Messrs Dolce and Gabbana throw one hell of a party, anyone who’s been lucky enough to be treated to their gregarious Italian hospitality is aware of that. So, in a week marred with so much darkness, the masters of sartorial showmanship decided to shine some light; or rather, turn the lights down low, ramp up the music and invite the audience to a particularly raucous jazz lounge.
Palm frond lamps and the strains of greeted the audience and a procession of jazz idol attire, serenaded by a New York jazz band The Hot Sardines, celebrated the uplifting qualities of music.
That zestful Dolce & Gabbana sense of revelry came through in the clothes, which took us to the music halls of the Forties with loose-structure suiting in monochrome with trilbies tilted just so to echoes of Seventies rock god cool with spray-on tight zebra trousers and tiger print jackets – Rod Stewart and the Rolling Stones for a new generation.
There were also riffs on urban rap culture with swamping hoodies and loose-fit trousers, models wearing chunky headphone sets and a Nineties festival feel in the loose fit, cropped trousers decorated in palm fronds and pineapples.
Instrument imagery tooted and hooted across sequined jackets, soft structure silk tops and hoodies, either in print or encrusted embellishment.
But away from the theatrical, bombastic elements, Dolce & Gabbana also showed their skill for impeccable tailoring in the form of precise suits in cream and black with contrasting top stitching.
Evoking a nightclub couldn’t help – particularly in an industry largely made up of gay men – bring to mind recent events in Florida.
Stefano Gabbana commented: “Music is universal, it’s forever, it has the power to take on cultures and religions.” If music be the food of love, play on.