User:Winston789/Star of Sierra Leone

The 968.9-carat Star of Sierra Leone diamond was discovered on February 14, 1972 in the Diminco alluvial mines in the Koidu area of Sierra Leone. It ranks as the third-largest gem-quality diamond and the largest alluvial diamond ever discovered.

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.

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