In a bold move to secure its long-term production capacity, Russian diamond giant Alrosa has approved a 20 billion ruble ($240 million) investment to extend the life of its famed Udachnaya mine in Yakutia through 2055. The deep-level development will ensure the continued productivity of one of the world’s richest diamond deposits — at a time when several of the world’s major mines are winding down operations.



Located in the Mirny district of western Yakutia, the Udachnaya (meaning “lucky”) pipe was discovered in 1955 and became a cornerstone of Russia’s diamond industry. Open-pit mining began in 1967, and by 2014, Alrosa had transitioned to underground operations to access deeper ore reserves. Today, Udachnaya accounts for more than 10% of Russia’s total diamond output, producing millions of carats of gem-quality stones each year.

Under the newly approved project, mining will reach depths of 1.13 kilometers below the surface — some 450 feet deeper than previously planned. Construction and mine development will proceed in tandem until 2040, with annual output projected to exceed 4 million tons of diamond-bearing ore. According to Alrosa CEO Pavel Marinychev, the extended plan will generate nearly 6 billion rubles in annual profits, supporting more than 1,200 jobs at the site.

The Udachnaya expansion comes as a rare bright spot amid a series of mine closures that have reshaped the global diamond landscape. Australia’s Argyle mine — once the world’s leading source of pink diamonds — was permanently closed in 2020. In Canada’s Northwest Territories, three active diamond mines are also nearing the end of their productive lifespans: the Diavik Mine is scheduled to close in early 2026, the Ekati Mine by 2029, and the Gahcho Kué Mine around 2030. As these operations wind down, the global supply of natural diamonds is expected to tighten considerably.

Russia, however, remains a powerhouse. In 2024, the country produced 37.3 million carats of rough diamonds, representing about 32% of global supply and generating $3.335 billion in revenue. With the Udachnaya project ensuring decades of additional production, Alrosa is reinforcing its position as the world’s largest producer of rough diamonds by volume.

Digital innovation will play a key role in the mine’s future. Alrosa has already implemented AI-driven systems to monitor ore conveyors, assess truck loading, and remotely control rock crushers — part of a broader push toward safer and more efficient deep-mining operations.

Credit: Image courtesy of Alrosa.

A team of modern-day treasure hunters has recovered more than 1,000 silver and gold coins from the fabled 1715 Treasure Fleet shipwrecks off Florida’s coast. The find, announced by 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC, is valued at approximately $1 million and offers a rare glimpse into the riches and tragedy of one of history’s most storied maritime disasters.



According to the company’s press release, the coins — 1,051 silver reales and five gold escudos, along with several other rare gold artifacts — were recovered this past summer by Captain Levin Shavers and the crew of the M/V Just Right. The discovery was made in the waters off Vero Beach, part of Florida’s aptly named Treasure Coast, where 11 Spanish galleons met their fate more than three centuries ago.

The 1715 Treasure Fleet had departed Havana, Cuba, bound for Spain with a cargo of immense value: gold and silver coins, gold bars, jewelry and other treasures from the Spanish colonies of Mexico, Peru and Bolivia. But on July 31, 1715, the convoy sailed into a catastrophic hurricane. Eleven of 12 ships were lost, along with more than 1,000 lives and an estimated $400 million in riches.



“This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells,” said Sal Guttuso, Director of Operations for Queens Jewels. “Each coin is a piece of history, a tangible link to the people who lived, worked and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. Finding 1,000 of them in a single recovery is both rare and extraordinary.”

The newly found coins — sometimes called “pieces of eight” — were preserved beneath layers of sand and sea life for more than 300 years. Many still display clear dates and mint marks, making them valuable to both collectors and historians. Their condition suggests they may have once been stored in a single chest that broke apart during the hurricane’s fury.



Captain Shavers described the emotional impact of the find in local interviews: “It’s like finding something you thought was lost forever. You can feel the connection to the past — it’s an awesome feeling.”

Modern salvage operations along the Treasure Coast operate under strict state oversight and archaeological guidelines. Queens Jewels holds the exclusive US District Court custodianship and salvage rights to the remains of the 1715 Fleet. After conservation, the newly recovered coins will be cataloged and prepared for public exhibition, with select pieces planned for display in Florida museums.

“Every find helps piece together the human story of the 1715 Fleet,” Guttuso added. “We are committed to preserving and studying these artifacts so future generations can appreciate their historical significance.”

Three centuries after the hurricane scattered Spain’s fortune across the Florida seabed, the Treasure Coast continues to live up to its name — reminding the world that the lure of lost riches and the romance of discovery still endure beneath the waves.

Credits: Photos courtesy of 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLC.

When Starbuck’s “Moonlight Feels Right” hit the airwaves in the spring of 1976, it became one of the most unforgettable summer anthems of the decade. The smooth, synth-driven track rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has since become a yacht rock classic. And jewelry lovers may perk up at one very specific lyrical detail: the girl in the song is said to be “from Ole Miss with a class of ’74 gold ring.”



That image — the college sweetheart, proud of her alma mater, flashing her gold class ring — adds a very personal touch to the song’s breezy romance. It’s a small detail that has given the song a unique sparkle for nearly 50 years.

Interestingly, songwriter Bruce Blackman explained in his 2018 memoir The Road to Moonlight Feels Right, that the object of his affection "wasn’t from Ole Miss at all — she went to Mississippi Delta Community College. But ‘Ole Miss’ just sang better.” Likewise, the couple didn’t meet in Baltimore, as the lyrics claim.

The real woman behind the lyric was Peggy, a local beauty queen from Greenville, MS. Blackman first spotted her photograph on a dorm room wall, enrolled in her school just to meet her, and worked up the courage to ask her out. After being turned down twice, he finally scored a yes — on a breezy, moonlit night after a pep rally.

“I wasn’t writing a documentary,” Blackman later recalled. “I was writing a song. Some words just feel right.” Peggy would eventually become his wife, making the class ring lyric a playful nod to the romance that inspired it all.

The song is remembered not only for its evocative imagery but also for one of the most unusual instrumental breaks in pop history: a 32-second marimba solo performed by Starbuck's co-founder Bo Wagner. The record label wanted it cut, but Blackman refused. Wagner recorded the take in one go — what he thought was just a rehearsal — and it has since been hailed as one of the most iconic marimba solos ever captured on vinyl.

Starbuck’s rise was hardly overnight. After releasing the single in December 1975, Blackman and Wagner packed their car with records and personally visited 200 radio stations across the South and Midwest. Most DJs turned them away. Their big break came when WERC in Birmingham, Alabama finally spun the record in springtime, reasoning that it was “a summer song.” From there, momentum snowballed, and “Moonlight Feels Right” became one of 1976’s defining hits.

Today, the song endures as a breezy, romantic time capsule of the 1970s — moonlight, marimbas and, yes, a flash of gold jewelry. For fans who grew up cruising with their car radios turned up loud, few songs better capture the carefree magic of a summer night.

Please check out the video of Starbuck performing "Moonlight Feels Right." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Moonlight Feels Right"
Written by Bruce Blackman. Performed by Starbuck.

The wind blew some luck in my direction
I caught it in my hands today
I finally made a tricky French connection
You winked and gave me your okay
I'll take you on a trip beside the ocean
And drop the top at Chesapeake Bay
Ain't nothing like the sky to dose a potion
The moon'll send you on your way

Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right

We'll lay back and observe the constellations
And watch the moon smiling bright
I'll play the radio on southern stations
'Cause southern belles are hell at night

You say you came to Baltimore from Ole Miss
A class of '74 gold ring
The Easter moon looks ready for a wet kiss
To make the tide rise again

Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right

You see the sun come up on Sunday morning
And watch it fade the moon away
I guess you know I'm giving you a warning
'Cause me and you are itchin' to play
I'll take you on a trip beside the ocean
And drop the top at Chesapeake Bay
Ain't nothing like the sky to dose a potion
The moon'll send you on your way

Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right



Credit: Screen capture via Youtube / sergol.

A glittering window into the Byzantine world has opened on the slopes above the Sea of Galilee. Archaeologists from the University of Haifa, working in Israel’s Susita National Park, have uncovered a remarkable 1,400-year-old hoard of 97 pure gold coins and dozens of fragments of gold earrings — some inlaid with pearls, semi-precious stones and glass.



“This is one of the main hoards from the Byzantine period discovered on land in Israel,” explained Dr. Michael Eisenberg, co-director of the excavation. “Its uniqueness lies in the combination of jewelry and gold coins from the reigns of various emperors.”

For jewelry lovers, the earrings are the true stars. Delicate craftsmanship reveals how Byzantine artisans blended gold with shimmering pearls and stones to create pieces that were both luxurious and symbolic.

“The earrings are the big surprise for me,” said Dr. Arleta Kowalewska, co-director of the excavation. “Delicate goldsmithing combining semi-precious stones and pearls – I hope that contemporary goldsmiths will recreate this beauty.”



The coins themselves add historical weight to the jewelry’s sparkle. Spanning from Emperor Justin I (518–527 CE) to the early years of Emperor Heraclius (610–613 CE), the collection includes solidi, semisses, and tremisses, or third-solidus pieces.



Most astonishing is a rare tremissis, minted in Cyprus in 610 during the revolt of Heraclius the Elder and his son against Emperor Phocas. Only the second such coin ever discovered in Israel, it provides an extraordinary glimpse into the political upheavals of the era.

“This is a rare find that adds an important layer to the understanding of the political and economic history of the period,” noted Dr. Danny Syon, the excavation’s numismatist.

The treasure was first detected in July by metal detector operator Eddie Lipsman, who recalled, “The device went crazy — I couldn’t believe it. Gold coins began to be revealed one after another.”

The find likely represents valuables hurriedly hidden before the Persian invasion of 614 CE, when residents of Susita (also known as Hippos), then a flourishing Christian city with at least seven churches, faced impending danger. Although the city survived the conquest, it was ultimately abandoned after a devastating earthquake in 749 CE.

“Gold is a noble metal,” Dr. Eisenberg reflected. “When you find coins and jewelry about 1,400 years old that look like new, it is a rare experience.”

The ancient artifacts remained in pristine condition because gold retains its luster and doesn't easily corrode or degrade over time.

For today’s jewelry world, these earrings and coins are not only treasures of the past, but also timeless inspirations for future design.

Credits: Images courtesy of Dr. Michael Eisenberg/University of Haifa.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History just welcomed a breathtaking new addition to its National Gem Collection: the “ZaZa Azul Paraiba.” This 13.34-carat, flawless Paraiba tourmaline — a dazzling example of October's birthstone — was gifted to the museum earlier this year by philanthropists Sandi and Bob Kolitz.



The gem’s name reflects both personal meaning and geographic heritage. “ZaZa” is the affectionate nickname Sandi Kolitz’s grandchildren use for her, while “Azul” is Portuguese for blue — an homage to the stone’s vivid neon hue and Brazilian origin. The gem was discovered in the 1980s at the famed Batalha Mine in Paraíba, Brazil, the birthplace of the world’s most sought-after copper-bearing tourmalines.



Paraiba tourmalines are celebrated for their electric, almost “Windex” blue glow, a color phenomenon caused by trace amounts of copper within the crystal structure of the mineral elbaite. While similar copper-bearing tourmalines have since been found in Nigeria and Mozambique, those from Brazil’s early discoveries remain the rarest and most prized. Few achieve the size, clarity and vibrancy of the ZaZa Azul, making it a fitting new member of elite gemstones housed at the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals.

Adding to its allure is its mounting: a Bvlgari “Trombino” ring, an iconic design that features 44 diamonds totaling six carats, set in white gold with yellow gold accents. Remarkably, this is also the first Bvlgari jewel to enter the Smithsonian’s collection, marking a milestone for both the museum and the storied Italian house.

For jewelry lovers, the ZaZa Azul exemplifies the allure of October’s tourmaline. While the gem family encompasses nearly every color of the rainbow, the Paraiba variety has captivated collectors, connoisseurs and museum visitors alike with its unforgettable neon glow. Its rarity, history, and now its place at the Smithsonian, underscore why tourmaline continues to shine as one of the most intriguing birthstones.

Tourmalines range from 7 to 7.5 on the Moh’s scale of hardness, which makes them durable enough to be used in any type of jewelry. Tourmaline has been an official birthstone for October since the original list was published by the National Association of Jewelers in 1912. Opal is the month’s other official birthstone.

Credits: Photos courtesy of Smithsonian.

When I recently toured The Breakers — the 70-room, 138,000-square-foot Italian Renaissance-style palazzo that served as the Newport, RI, cliffside summer home for Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his family at the turn of the 20th century — one detail stopped me in my tracks: the shimmering platinum wallpaper that lined sections of the mansion’s morning room. It was a precious-metal flourish so extravagant that even Anderson Cooper, in his bestselling book Vanderbilt, highlighted it as an emblem of his family’s unrivaled wealth. (Cornelius was Cooper's great-great-grandfather.)



This glimpse of Gilded Age opulence sets the stage for a new chapter in the Vanderbilt story. On November 10, Phillips Auction House will present “The Vanderbilt Family Jewels” at its Geneva Jewels Auction: V, held at the Hôtel President. Twelve pieces once owned by Gladys Moore Vanderbilt, the youngest daughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt II and Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt, will cross the block, offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire heirlooms of extraordinary provenance.



Gladys, who spent childhood summers at The Breakers and returned there as a widow later in life, embodied the transatlantic alliances of her era. In 1908, she married Count László Széchényi of Hungary, bridging American industrial wealth with European nobility. Her jewels — many commissioned for her wedding or gifted by her mother — reflect both personal milestones and the artistic ambitions of the Gilded Age.

The highlight of the collection is the Vanderbilt Sapphire, a 42.68-carat sugarloaf Kashmir sapphire and diamond brooch by Tiffany & Co., estimated at $1 to $1.5 million. Its “Royal Blue” hue and remarkable clarity place it among the most coveted sapphires ever to appear at auction. Originally presented to Gladys by her mother, the jewel symbolizes both family affection and dynastic ambition.



Another offering is a Cartier diamond brooch, once part of a magnificent tiara commissioned for Gladys’ marriage. Designed as sprays of lilies and adorned with interchangeable stones, the tiara could be dismantled for versatile wear — a hallmark of Belle Époque ingenuity. The surviving brooch, featuring a 4.55-carat pear-shaped diamond, carries an estimate of $100,000 to $150,000.

Other treasures include a ruby and diamond Cartier vanity case monogrammed for Gladys, a delicate diamond comb, and an emerald-and-diamond bow brooch. Together, the collection paints a portrait of the Countess’ life amid glittering court society and her enduring ties to America’s most storied dynasty.

“The Vanderbilt Family Jewels stand as the purest embodiment of Gilded Age elegance,” said Benoît Repellin, Phillips’ Worldwide Head of Jewellery. “They are pieces of extraordinary beauty, historical resonance and fascinating provenance.”

Ahead of the auction, the jewels will embark on an international tour, with stops in Hong Kong, New York, Singapore, Taipei, London and, finally, Geneva.

For visitors to The Breakers today, the platinum-leaf panels of the morning room remain a reminder of the Vanderbilts’ audacity in material form. In Geneva, that same spirit of extravagance will sparkle once more — this time under the lights of a Phillips auction room, where history and luxury meet at the highest level.

Credits: Jewelry images courtesy of Phillips; Gladys Vanderbilt portrait by Philip de László, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. The Breakers photo by UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Platinum wallpaper photo by Renata3, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Russian mining giant Alrosa has announced that its Smolensk-based Kristall cutting facility has successfully implemented high-tech automation across several stages of the diamond cutting process. The move is designed to dramatically increase efficiency while maintaining the precision and artistry associated with the famous “Russian Cut.”



According to Alrosa, automation has reduced the labor intensity of cutting operations by up to 80%, accelerated production timelines and lowered costs — all while preserving the hallmark quality that distinguishes Russian diamonds on the global stage.



The new system begins with advanced scanners that create precise 3D models of each rough diamond, mapping both external and internal structures, including inclusions. Based on these scans, digital cutting plans are generated, offering multiple options to optimize yield and maximize value. Once the plan is selected, the stones undergo automated laser sawing and shaping.

At the final stage, Kristall’s master craftsmen step in. While technology has taken over much of the heavy lifting, artisans still complete the most delicate aspects of polishing and faceting. They are supported by a trio of technological assistants: parameter scanners, real-time polishing quality monitors and navigational devices that ensure perfect facet alignment. The result is a diamond that meets the uncompromising standards of the “Russian Cut.”

More a quality benchmark than a specific shape, the Russian Cut is internationally recognized for its exceptional brilliance, precision and balance of carat weight and sparkle. It reflects a long tradition of Russian gem-cutting artistry, now enhanced by modern innovation.

As the world’s largest producer of rough diamonds by volume, Russia remains a dominant force in the industry. In 2024, the country produced 37.3 million carats, representing roughly 32% of global output and valued at $3.335 billion.

Credits: Images courtesy of Alrosa.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we feature songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics. Today, we revisit Jim Croce’s 1972 folk-rock gem, “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be a Brighter Day,” a tender anthem of reconciliation in which the singer uses the imagery of diamonds and pearls to express his longing to be a better husband and father.



In the song, Croce paints a vivid picture of devotion through gifts he cannot afford to give. He imagines fabricating a present from the stars from the heavens and making a chain “out of diamonds and pearls from a summer sea.”

The metaphor is powerful: diamonds, pearls, and even stars become symbols of promises, regret, and the depth of his love. Yet, lacking material wealth, all he can truly offer is “a kiss in the morning and a sweet apology.”

The lyric reveals the vulnerability of a young man caught between the demands of a blossoming music career and the needs of his family at home. Later, Croce underscores the song’s theme of growth and redemption with another piece of imagery: “Nobody ever had a rainbow, baby, until he had the rain.”

Released as the second track on his breakthrough album You Don’t Mess Around with Jim, the song captures Croce’s talent for storytelling — everyday struggles expressed through simple, heartfelt poetry. The album launched Croce into stardom with other classics like “Operator” and “Time in a Bottle,” cementing him as one of America’s most beloved singer-songwriters.

Tragically, Croce’s career was cut short just 17 months after the release of this song. In September 1973, at the height of his fame, he died in a plane crash in Louisiana at the age of 30. The loss stunned fans worldwide. Just days before, he had written to his wife, Ingrid, sharing how much he missed her and their infant son and revealing plans to give up touring in favor of a quieter life writing stories and spending time with his family.

Croce’s legacy continues to shine. His music — often marked by themes of love, regret, humor and resilience — remains a staple of American folk and soft rock. "Time in a Bottle" became his first #1 hit in December of 1973, three months after his death. In 2012, Croce was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a testament to the enduring power of his words.

With “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be a Brighter Day,” Croce leaves us not just with a melody, but with a promise — that love, like a diamond or pearl, can endure even through lean times and hardship.

Please enjoy Croce's performance of “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be a Brighter Day.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Tomorrow’s Gonna Be A Brighter Day”
Written and performed by Jim Croce.

Well, I’m sorry for the things that I told you
But words only go so far
And if I had my way
I would reach into heaven
And I’d pull down a star for a present
And I’d make you a chain out of diamonds and pearls from a summer sea
But all I can give you is a kiss in the morning
And a sweet apology

Well, I know that it hasn’t been easy
And I haven’t always been around
To say the right words
Or to hold you in the mornin’
Or to help you when you’re down
I know I never showed you much of a good time
But baby things are gonna change
I’m gonna make up for all of the hurt I brought
I’m gonna love away all your pain

And tomorrow’s gonna be a brighter day
There’s gonna be some changes
Tomorrow’s gonna be a brighter day
This time you can believe me
No more cryin’ in your lonely room
And no more empty nights
‘Cause tomorrow mornin’ everything will turn out right

Well, there’s something that I’ve got to tell you
Yes I’ve got something on my mind
But words come hard
When your lying in my arms
And when I’m looking deep into your eyes
But there’s truth and consolation
And what I’m trying to say
Is that nobody ever had a rainbow, baby
Until he had the rain

And tomorrow’s gonna be a brighter day
There’s gonna be some changes
Tomorrow’s gonna be a brighter day
This time you can believe me
No more cryin’ in your lonely room
And no more empty nights
‘Cause tomorrow mornin’ everything will turn out right

It’s gonna, it’s gonna, it’s gonna be a brighter day
It’s gonna, it’s gonna, it’s gonna be a brighter day
It’s gonna, it’s gonna, it’s gonna be a brighter day
It’s gonna be, it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be a brighter day
Come on tomorrow
Come on tomorrow
It’s gonna be a brighter day



Credit: ABC Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

One of the most audacious creations in the history of numismatics goes under the hammer today at Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s in London. "The Crown Coin: Her Masterpiece" — a dazzling work of art commissioned by The East India Company in 2022 to honor Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee — will headline the auctioneer’s September 25 evening sale.



The 24-karat gold piece carries a conservative pre-sale estimate of £2 million to £3 million (about $2.7 million to $4 million), although its last independent valuation placed its worth closer to £16 million ($21.5 million). Given its rarity, craftsmanship and cultural significance, experts suggest the final hammer price could soar well above the estimate.

(The current record for the most expensive coin ever auctioned is held by a 1933 American “Double Eagle,” which sold for $18.9 million at Sotheby’s New York in June 2021.)

Measuring an imposing 235mm across — nearly the size of a dinner plate — The Crown Coin weighs 3.61 kilograms (7.96 lbs) and glitters with 6,426 GIA-certified diamonds totaling 483.57 carats.

Its centerpiece is a 1-kilogram legal tender coin with a face value of £10,000, encircled by 10 one-ounce coins that together bear five official portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and the six virtues — Truth, Justice, Charity, Courage, Victory, and Constancy — depicted on the Victoria Memorial at Buckingham Palace.



The diamond array on the multi-coin face is said to be inspired by Elizabeth II’s tiaras. The diamond formation on the effigy side of the coin follows the lines of the British flag. The outer ring is inscribed with passages from her 1953 coronation oath, including the vow, “Throughout all of my life and with all my heart I will strive to be worthy of your trust.”



The creation of this singular tribute was a global collaboration involving 83 artisans across many countries. The design was conceived in Britain, refined in Sri Lanka and England, engraved in Singapore, minted in Germany and the Netherlands, and assembled in India. Diamonds were cut and polished in Australia, South Africa, and Canada before being certified by the Gemological Institute of America.

“This is more than a coin; it is a cultural artifact,” said a spokesperson for Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s. “The Crown Coin: Her Masterpiece stands alongside the greatest numismatic achievements in history, a once-in-a-generation tribute to Britain’s Golden Queen.”

The sale will be conducted live from Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s London flagship at 399 Strand, with international bidding available online. In keeping with the house’s embrace of innovation, cryptocurrency payments will be accepted subject to due diligence, signaling the auction’s appeal to next-generation collectors.

Beyond its staggering materials and craftsmanship, The Crown Coin represents continuity, loyalty and the shared admiration Queen Elizabeth II inspired worldwide during her record-breaking 70-year reign. For collectors, today’s auction presents an unparalleled opportunity to own a piece that unites artistry, heritage and majesty in a form unlikely ever to be replicated.

Credit: Images courtesy of Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s Auctions.

For Raynae Madison and her family from Cookson, OK, a nephew’s birthday celebration turned into the adventure of a lifetime when they unearthed a 2.79-carat brown diamond at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro on September 13.



Armed with little more than a beach digging kit and sand sifters purchased at a dollar store, the family picked a spot near the Prospector Trailhead in the park’s 37.5-acre search field. After filling a few buckets and carefully sifting through the dirt, Madison spotted an oblong, shiny stone.

“At first I thought it looked really neat, but I wasn’t sure what it was,” she said. “I honestly thought it was too big to be a diamond!”

They brought the gem to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center, where staff confirmed it as a 2.79-carat chocolate-brown diamond with distinctive inclusions. The family named it the “William Diamond” in honor of Madison’s nephew.

According to park interpreter Emma O’Neal, brown diamonds from Crater of Diamonds often owe their color to “plastic deformation,” a natural process that creates structural defects within the crystal lattice. These imperfections reflect red and green light, which combine to produce the diamond’s warm hue.



Arkansas diamonds often look like pebbles or polished stones, with rounded edges and surfaces. This is in contrast to the more classic, sharp, octahedral crystal shape of rough diamonds from other regions. Arkansas diamonds have a brilliant, reflective and metallic-like shine. This luster helps them stand out against the darker soil, especially after a rainfall.

The William Diamond ranks as the third-largest diamond found at the park this year.

“[It] has been a great year for large diamond finds,” O’Neal said. “So far, we have registered four diamonds weighing over two carats.”

As of mid-September, 403 diamonds have been registered at the park in 2025. Since the first diamonds were discovered in 1906 by farmer John Huddleston, more than 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed on the site. In 1972, the land officially became Crater of Diamonds State Park, the only public diamond-producing site in the world where visitors can keep what they find.

The park has produced some of the most celebrated diamonds in American history, including the 40.23-carat “Uncle Sam” diamond discovered in 1924 — still the largest diamond ever found in the U.S. — and the celebrated 3.03-carat Strawn-Wagner, later graded as a D-flawless “perfect” diamond and now on display at the park’s visitor center. The Uncle Sam diamond is now part of the Smithsonian's mineral and gem collection and can be seen at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

For Madison and her family, the William Diamond is a sparkling reminder of a special weekend spent together — and proof that with a little luck and persistence, anyone can take home a piece of history from Crater of Diamonds State Park.

Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.