Gaming mogul Stanley Ho Hung-sun showed off his new 218-carat diamond yesterday, which he had purchased for hundreds of millions of dollars to add glamour to his new flagship, the Grand Lisboa.
Named the Star of Stanley Ho, the Angola-mined stone measures 39.8mm by 36.2mm (a table tennis ball is 40mm in diameter) and 17.8mm high.
Its weight, 43.6 grams, the same as about three HK$5 coins, makes it the largest diamond of its kind in the world - cushion-shaped, flawless and colourless, or D-coloured.
It will soon go on display at the casino.
At its unveiling ceremony yesterday, mainland gamblers jostled outside the show area for a faraway glimpse.
Asked about its worth, the casino magnate said he preferred to leave the world guessing.
'I can't give out the exact price at the moment,' said an elated Mr Ho. 'It's a matter of hundreds of millions.
