During a cross-state road trip, a French tourist named Julien Navas made a remarkable discovery at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park, unearthing a substantial 7.46-carat diamond on January 11.
Visiting from Paris, Navas had originally planned to travel to New Orleans after witnessing the launch of the United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur Rocket in Florida.
His interest in searching for gold and ammonite fossils led him to explore the Crater of Diamonds State Park upon learning about it.
- California RESIDENTS To RECEIVE $500 MONTHLY PAYMENTS In New Guaranteed Income Program: Here Is Who Is Eligible
- Us Job Market Booms With 272,000 New Jobs, But Unemployment Rises Slightly To 4.0%
- Credit Scores Of 720+ See Improved Loan Rates This Week
- Examining The Facts: Fact Check On IRS $8700 Stimulus Check Eligibility & Payment Dates
- Gas Prices On Downward Trend As Fourth Of July Road Trips Approach: AAA
This state park is unique as it allows individuals to safely search for real diamonds in their original volcanic state.
Following the purchase of a ticket and the rental of a basic diamond hunting kit from the park, Navas engaged in extensive digging within the search area.
Reflecting on his experience, he mentioned, “I got to the park around nine o’clock and started to dig.
That is back-breaking work, so by the afternoon, I was mainly looking on top of the ground for anything that stood out.”
Despite challenging conditions with wet and muddy ground due to rain, Navas persevered for hours in the hope of finding a valuable gem.
7.46-Carat Marvel: Diamond Center Confirmation
Ultimately, he brought a sizable rock to the Diamond Discovery Center at the park, where it was determined that he had uncovered a 7.46-carat diamond with a deep chocolate brown color and a marble-like shape.
The park described the diamond as approximately the dimensions of a confectionery gumdrop.
He christened the gem the Carine Diamond in honor of his partner and intends to have the gemstone divided into two diamonds – one for his fiancée and the other for his daughter.
Since the initial discovery of sparkling treasures by a farmer many decades ago, over 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed at the Crater of Diamonds State Park.
The most sizable diamond ever found in the United States was identified in 1924 during a mining operation on the same land that would eventually transform into the state park.