Rare Red Diamond from Arkansas

Interesting video popped up today of a natural red diamond from Arkansas. If you didn't already know it, diamonds come in all colors of the rainbow - one of the rarest is red. You can read more in my post on fancy colors from almost exactly a year ago today.

Even cooler than the color, which if you ask me looks more like a brownish brick red, is the fact that this diamond was found in the US.

Of all places, the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, AR can actually lay claim to being the world's most rare diamond mine, because it is open to the public and for a modest fee anyone can take away whatever they happen to find. Only in America!

There are just a few ground rules at this park in the bucolic pine woods of southwestern Arkansas, ironically located only about an hour north of the town called Hope and a mere 10 miles over on Rt. 19 to Delight, the birthplace of Glen Campbell.

Rule #1: You can bring your own shovel and pail, but you have to fill any hole you dig the same day. This keeps amateur diggers from going pro by coming come back day after day to dig their own personal glory holes. It also prevents the holes from any serious danger of collapsing. And, did I say you have to shovel by hand, the old-fashioned way?

Rule #2: No mechanical help.

If you can't tell, I love this place. You can get lost in the southern hospitality all by yourself. You can bring the whole family. You can camp overnight. Best of all, you can really dig diamonds. And, yes they've found a few more that are notable and valuable.

The largest was the Uncle Sam (1924) at 40.23 carats in the rough. The most political was perhaps the 4.25 carat Kahn Canary Yellow diamond rough worn by Hillary Clinton at his nibs' presidential inaguaration. The finest no doubt was the Strawn/Wagner rough (1990) that I got to see when it was found weighing in at 3.03 carats. It was eventually cut to finish at 1.09 carat as a true AGS 0/0/0 - graded Ideal cut, D color and flawless.

For a Thorough and Accurate History of Genuine Diamonds in Arkansas, check out Glenn Worthington's excellent book by that title.