London: The 1,109-carat ‘Lesedi la Rona’ is the second-largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, but bidding didn’t reach the Sotheby’s reserve price, reports theguardian.

Turns out the largest diamond discovered in over a century may not be worth that much after all.

The tennis ball-sized “Lesedi la Rona” failed to find a buyer on Tuesday, a disappointing result for a stone that had been described as “the find of a lifetime” by David Bennett, the chairman of Sotheby’s jewellery division.

The diamond was unearthed in November in Botswana at a mine owned by Canada’s Lucara Diamond Corporation. It measured 1,109 carats, the second-largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered. Its name means “our light” in the Tswana language.

A spokeswoman said bidding reached $61m – below the $70m minimum Sotheby’s had hoped for.

No rough diamond of this size had ever been auctioned, and after Wednesday’s sale it is unclear if one will for a while.