7,000-CARAT DIAMOND FIND UNVERIFIED

A small South African mining company has sent shock waves through the diamond industry. It claims to have unearthed a rare green diamond of about 7,000 carats, or twice the size of the current largest single gem. But industry experts remain sceptical and say the find still needs to be verified.

How friendly could a girl get with a diamond of almost 7,000 carats?

BRETT JOLLY, GROUP CHAIRMAN TWO POINT FIVE CONSTRUCTION: Totally, absolutely, totally unbelievable.

This is the only picture of the massive green-tinged stone in question, flanked by a mobile phone. The current largest diamond in the world is the Cullinan, also found in South Africa. It's the centrepiece of the British crown jewels and weighed about 3,000 carats before being cut up. But if the recent discovery is found to be the real thing, the new diamond will be twice the size of the original Cullinan. And jeweller Michael Neuman says it's not just its size.

Yalda Hakim,