Star of Arkansas
15.36 carats (rough) 8.27 carats (cut) After two days of rain, Winifred Parker, of Dallas, Texas, found this large, white diamond near here on March 5, 1956. Parker, who collected and cut semi-precious stones as a hobby, was visiting Millar's Crater of Diamonds public mining attraction (now an Arkansas State Park) when she found the stone. Parker recognized the diamond by its luster but was stunned at its size. An examination by Howard Millar, owner of the Crater of Diamonds, revealed that the inch-long gem had broken from a larger diamond that may have weighed more than 200 carats. The Star of Arkansas was cut into a marquise-shape gem, which is graded as E-colorless, with very, very slight inclusions. Sold at auction in 1994, the diamond was purchased for more than $145,000