Park's Jewel Found: Arkansas Man Discovers Largest Diamond in 3 Years

A close-up of the 4.87-carat diamond found in Murfreesboro's Crater of Diamonds State Park last spring is displayed.Photo byFrom Arkansas State Parks

In a stroke of unexpected luck and curiosity, Jerry Evans from Arkansas stumbled upon a surprising treasure during his visit to Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro. What initially appeared as a mere piece of glass turned out to be a dazzling 4.87-carat diamond, much to Evans' astonishment.

Evans narrated his visit, recalling how he and his girlfriend, during their first outing to the park, noticed what seemed like glass atop a plowed ridge just moments after arriving. Intrigued, Evans picked it up, uncertain of its true identity. He confessed, "It was so clear. I really didn't know. We were handling everything as though it were a precious stone."

Crater of Diamonds State Park, renowned for yielding diamonds from their volcanic origins, has been a site of fascination since becoming a state park in 1972. Evans, upon returning home to Lepanto, Arkansas, pondered the possibility that his discovery might be more than just glass. He decided to seek assistance from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), a non-profit institution specializing in gem and jewellery research.

Weeks later, Evans received confirmation from the GIA: the object he found was indeed a near-colourless diamond. Overjoyed by the news, he expressed, "When they called and told me it was real, I was tickled to death!"

Excited to share his discovery, Evans contacted the park authorities, and his find marked the largest diamond recorded at the park since Labour Day of 2020, when another individual unearthed a 9.07-carat brown diamond.

Waymon Cox, assistant park superintendent at Crater of Diamonds State Park, remarked on the rarity of such occurrences, stating, "While I get many emails from people wanting me to identify To the best of my memory, this is the first time someone has gotten in touch with me following a diamond's GIA identification that they found online."
The park continues to be a hotbed for unexpected discoveries, with an average of one to two diamonds being found daily by park visitors. In the year 2023 alone, 798 diamonds, totaling more than 125 carats, have been registered at the park, showcasing the ongoing allure and abundance of treasures waiting to be unearthed.

Jerry Evans' chance encounter serves as a testament to the allure of Crater of Diamonds State Park, where the line between ordinary and extraordinary often blurs, offering visitors the thrilling possibility of discovering precious gems hidden within its grounds.