NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Government of Sierra Leone is pleased to announce the appointment of The Rapaport Group as the marketing and sales agent of the Peace Diamond. This 709 carat diamond, discovered by diamond diggers in the village of Koryardu, is the 3rd largest diamond ever found in Sierra Leone and 14th largest worldwide. The Peace Diamond is special because it is a development diamond. Over 50% of its sales value will directly benefit the community where the diamond was discovered and the people of Sierra Leone.
An international online press conference for the Peace Diamond will be held on Tuesday, October 17th at 2:00pm Freetown time (GMT), 10:00 am New York time (EST). Additional information will be provided including the viewing schedule, auction date, videos and images. To participate in the press conference or to request a viewing of the diamond please email PeaceDiamond@Diamonds.Net.
“The Peace Diamond will greatly improve the lives of our people as it will bring clean water, electricity, schools, medical facilities, bridges and roads to our villages and the Kono District. This diamond represents our hope for a better future as the resources of Sierra Leone fund growth, development and jobs,” said Pastor Emmanuel Momoh, the owner of the diamond.
“I thank the local chief and his people for not smuggling the diamond out of the country, and the owners should get what is due to them and it should also benefit the country as a whole. The Government remains committed to ensuring a transparent and competitive auction process that will ensure fair market value for Sierra Leone’s diamonds,” said Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of Sierra Leone. “We call on the worldwide diamond industry to bid generously for the Peace Diamond as it will bring vital infrastructure and benefit to thousands of Sierra Leone’s artisanal diggers.”
“I believe in the positive energy of the Peace Diamond and the great good it will do for the people of Sierra Leone. The lucky buyers of the Peace Diamond and the resultant polished Peace Diamonds can take pride in knowing that they have created a better life for tens of thousands of people. This is a diamond that makes the world a better place. This is a diamond with spiritual sparkle,” said Martin Rapaport, Chairman of the Rapaport Group.
About the Rapaport Group: The Rapaport Group is an international network of companies providing added-value services that support the development of ethical, transparent, competitive and efficient diamond and jewelry markets. Established in 1976, the Group has more than 20,000 clients in over 121 countries. Group activities include Rapaport Information Services, providing the Rapaport benchmark Price List for diamonds, as well as research, analysis and news; RapNet – the world’s largest diamond trading network, with over 15,000 members in 95 countries and daily listings of over 1.4 million carats valued at over $8 billion; Rapaport Laboratory Services, providing GIA and Rapaport gemological services in India, Israel and Belgium; and Rapaport Trading and Auction Services, the world’s largest recycler of diamonds, selling over 500,000 carats of diamonds a year. Additional information is available at www.diamonds.Net
