Star of Sierra Leone

The 968.9-carat (193.78 g) Star of Sierra Leone diamond was discovered by miners on February 14, 1972, in the Diminco alluvial mines in the Koidu area of Sierra Leone. It ranks as the fourth-largest gem-quality diamond and the largest alluvial diamond ever discovered.[1]

Star of Sierra Leone
The Star of Sierra Leone rough diamond
Weight968.9 carats (193.78 g)
Country of originSierra Leone
Mine of originDiminco mine
DiscoveredFeb 14, 1972
Cut byHarry Vos
Original ownerPurchased by Harry Winston on Oct 3, 1972

On October 3, 1972, Sierra Leone's then-President, Siaka Stevens, announced that Harry Winston, the New York City jeweller, had purchased the Star of Sierra Leone for under $2.5 million.[2]

The stone was initially cut into an emerald shaped stone weighing 143.2 carats (28.64 g) but was later re-cut due to an internal flaw,[3] eventually resulting in 17 separate finished diamonds, of which 13 were deemed to be flawless. The largest single finished gem was a flawless pear-shaped diamond of 53.96 carats (10.792 g). Six of the diamonds cut from the original rough were later set by Harry Winston into the "Star of Sierra Leone" brooch.[4]

A rare characteristic of the stone is its perfect chemical purity: it is ranked as a type IIa diamond, a category which includes less than 1% of all diamonds.[5]

References
  1. Internet Stones: Star of Sierra Leone
  2. Third Biggest Diamond Bought by Dealer Here, NY Times, October 3, 1972
  3. Koidu Holding: Famous Diamonds of Sierra Leone
  4. About Harry Winston: Legendary Gems
  5. The Star of Sierra Leone by Famous diamonds. 24hgold.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-28.
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