In a recent event that underscores the aptness of its name, Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, witnessed a French tourist unearth a 7.46-carat diamond.
The tourist, Julien Navas from Paris, made the remarkable discovery during his visit to the park in early January.
According to a statement from Arkansas State Parks, Mr. Navas found the diamond lying on the surface within the park's 37.5-acre search area. It is speculated that the weather conditions may have played a role in revealing the diamond. The region had experienced over an inch of rainfall a few days prior to Mr. Navas's visit, which, as reported by USA Today, could have potentially unearthed the previously concealed gem.
Mr. Navas rented a diamond-hunting kit from the park on the day of his discovery and embarked on his quest for precious minerals. "I got to the park around nine o'clock and started to dig," he shared. He further added, "That is back-breaking work so by the afternoon I was mainly looking on top of the ground for anything that stood out."
During his exploration, Mr. Navas collected a few minerals that caught his eye. After a day of digging, he took his findings to the park's Diamond Discovery Centre. It was there he was informed that he had stumbled upon a rare find - a brown diamond. The park's press release described the diamond as rounded, akin to a marble, and roughly the size of a gumdrop candy.
Mr. Navas expressed his joy at the discovery and shared his plans to name the diamond after his fiancee, Carine. He said, "I am so happy! All I can think about is telling my fiancee what I found." He reportedly intends to have the diamond cut into two separate stones, one for his fiancee and one for his daughter. He also expressed his desire to revisit the park with his daughter when she is older.
Mr. Navas joins the ranks of three other fortunate visitors who have discovered diamonds at the park this year, as per park officials. His find is particularly significant as it is the largest diamond discovered at the park since 2020, and the eighth-largest since the park's inception in 1972.
In 2020, a visitor named Kevin Kinard discovered a 9.07-carat diamond, which he named the Kinard Friendship Diamond. However, the park's largest diamond to date was found in 1975 - a 16.37-carat diamond, later named the Amarillo Starlight.
Since its opening in 1972, Crater of Diamonds State Park has seen over 75,000 diamonds discovered within its premises, further cementing its reputation as a treasure trove for diamond enthusiasts.
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