Dr. Mindy Pomtree named her 6.39 ct. diamond “Serendipity.”
Confirmation of two large diamonds found at Crater of Diamonds State Park made for a busy week at the park, one of the only places in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source.
Dr. Mindy Pomtree of Benton, AR, found her diamond in June when she spotted a glittering pebble on top of the ground. She put the stone in a pocket and continued searching, not knowing what it was. “I kept feeling of my pocket throughout the day to make sure it was still there. I didn’t know if it was a diamond but thought it looked cool, and it was definitely shiny!”
Pomtree later took the stone to a jeweler who confirmed she had indeed found a genuine diamond. Park Superintendent Caleb Howell arranged for her to return to the park to have it weighed and registered. Howell confirmed that at 6.39 carats, about the size of a pumpkin seed, it is one of the biggest diamond finds in several years.
Many visitors choose to name the diamonds they find at the park. Pomtree chose to name her gem Serendipity, noting that she was lucky to have found it.
William “David” Dempsey from Athens, AL, was wet sifting with his youngest daughter when he found the diamond. “I was running my finger through some gravel I had just sifted, and the diamond popped right out. My son had come over to tell me lunch was ready, and he saw it at the same time I did.”
Dempsey named his gem the Dempsey-Ducharme Diamond, as a tribute to his family’s unforgettable experience at the park. He plans to have the diamond examined and appraised before deciding whether to keep or sell it.
Located on Arkansas Hwy. 301 in Murfreesboro, admission to the park’s diamond search area is currently limited to 800 tickets per day, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance at www.CraterofDiamondsStatePark.com, to ensure access.
