There are precious gems and then there are precious gems.
The FoxFire Diamond, a whopping 187.63-carat rock, definitely falls in the latter category.
The unbelievable find was discovered a few years ago in the Diavik diamond mine, buried deep beneath a frozen lake in Canada. Normally, the stone would have been destined for destruction as part of standard quarrying, but its unique shape saved it and catapulted it into global fanfare.
The fanfare has been so great that the Smithsonian extended the FoxFire’s stay in their Henry Winston Gallery through April 2, 2017. After that, the diamond will continue its tour around the world with dates and locations kept under wraps for now (we can only speculate that the secrecy is because of the value of the gem).
Beyond the sheer weight of it, the FoxFire has a special luminosity that only a gem of this size could obtain. It casts a glow that causes the diamond to appear as if it’s emitting light.
As for the mine, the Diavik produces about 6-7 million (!) carats of gem-quality diamonds annually, but it’s set to close sometime by 2024. It’s expected another stone of this quality will never be found there again before that time.
If you’re looking to try your hand at diamond mining a little closer to home, pay a visit to Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. This 37.5 acre plowed field is the world’s only diamond-bearing site that is open to the public. In fact, for only $10, you can search the field for an entire day. And the best part? The park’s motto: finders, keepers.
