Headlines

She Picked Up a ‘Piece of Glass’ … And It Was Really a 2.63-Carat Diamond!

She found it at Crater of Diamonds State Park.

Published

6 years ago

October 2, 2018

INSTORE Staff

MURFREESBORO, AR — A 71-year-old retiree from Aurora, CO, made the find of a lifetime last month Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas when she discovered an ice white diamond weighing 2.63 carats.

According to the finder, who wishes to remain anonymous, she had been searching for about 10 minutes with her husband, son, grandson, and granddaughter when she made the discovery, according to a press release from Arkansas State Parks.

“I was using a rock to scrape the dirt but don’t know if I uncovered the diamond with it or not,” she said. “It was just lying on the surface!”

She Picked Up a ‘Piece of Glass’ … And It Was Really a 2.63-Carat Diamond!

This 2.63-carat diamond was found at Crater of Diamonds State Park.

She found the gem about halfway between the East Drain and North Wash Pavilion in the park’s 37.5-acre diamond search area, the eroded surface of an ancient, diamond-bearing volcanic crater.

The Coloradan didn’t realize that she had picked up a diamond, and thought it might be a piece of glass. Fortunately, she gave the gem to her son to put in his pocket. The family continued searching for another hour before having their rocks and minerals identified at the park’s Diamond Discovery Center, where staff revealed that the Coloradan had found the largest diamond so far in 2018. Upon learning that she had found a large diamond, the finder said, “I didn’t know what to think. I was shocked!”

Park interpreter Waymon Cox said, “About one out of every five diamonds registered by park visitors is found right on top of the ground, including many of the largest ever found at the Crater of Diamonds.” Park personnel plow the diamond search area periodically to loosen the soil and assist with natural erosion. Diamonds are a bit heavy for their size and lack static electricity, so dirt doesn’t stick to them. When rainfall uncovers larger diamonds and the sun comes out, they sparkle and are often easy to see.

According to Cox, “Like other rocks and minerals, no two diamonds are exactly alike. This white diamond is about the size of a pinto bean and is shaped somewhat like a fingernail. Several brownish, freckle-like marks along the surface give the gem a unique, one-of-a-kind appearance.”

Many visitors choose to name the diamonds they find at Crater of Diamonds State Park. This finder named her gem Lichtenfels, the name of her hometown in Germany and a word that means “a rock between two lights.” The finder’s son pointed out that she was standing between her grandchildren when she found the diamond.

“She wouldn’t have come to the park if it weren’t for her grandkids,” he explained, “They’re her two points of light.”

So far in 2018, 256 diamonds have been registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park, weighing a total of 49.64 carats. Five diamonds registered this year have weighed at least one carat each.

In total, more than 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed at the Crater of Diamonds since the first diamonds were found here in 1906 by John Huddleston, a farmer who owned the land long before it became an Arkansas State Park in 1972.

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”