Woyie River diamond
The Woyie River diamond was recovered on 6 January 1945 from the Woyie River near Koidu in eastern Sierra Leone. The uncut stone weighed, and at that time it was the largest alluvial diamond ever found, and the third largest diamond discovered in Africa, after the Cullinan Diamond and the Excelsior Diamond. The alluvial Star of Sierra Leone, discovered at the Diminco mine in Sierra Leone in 1970, is larger at uncut.
The uncut Woyie River diamond had a broadly lozenge shape, measuring, with one unusually flat cleavage plane. The rough diamond was brought to London, where it was viewed by Queen Mary in October 1947 and then exhibited at the British Industries Fair in May 1949. The stone was cut by diamond cutters Briefel and Lemer in London into 30 gems weighing in total, including 10 of over each. The largest of the gems is the Victory Diamond which is weighs and is Emerald cut.