The 187-Carat Foxfire Diamond is So Big It has Its Own World Tour

By Geoff Nudelman March 22, 2017

FoxFire Diamond — Image used with permission by copyright holder

There are precious gems and then there are precious gems.

FoxFire Diamond — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The FoxFire Diamond, a whopping 187.63-carat rock, definitely falls in the latter category.

FoxFire Diamond — Image used with permission by copyright holder

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.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

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).

Image used with permission by copyright holder

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.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff is a former contributor to The Manual. He's a native Oregonian who’s always up for a good challenge and a great hike…

Culture

The 10 best comedy movies on Netflix

From Netflix Originals to much older comedy classics, these are the best you can stream on Netflix

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Finding a great movie on Netflix is hard enough, but it can sometimes feel like finding the best comedy movies on Netflix is nearly impossible. While Netflix certainly makes plenty of comedies of all stripes to choose from, they're often less than excellent. We're not here to judge, of course, but if you're looking for a comedy that has actual production value and some decent jokes, you may need to get just a little bit choosier. Thankfully, we're around to help you find the best comedy movies that Netflix has to offer.

Culture

Hugh Jackman on playing Wolverine again: ‘It literally doesn’t matter how I answer this’

Hugh Jackman isn't sure whether he'll be back as Wolverine

Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine's arrival in theaters is imminent, and with it, the return of Hugh Jackman's Logan. Jackman has been playing some version of Wolverine since all the way back in 2000. In 2017, it seemed like he had hung up his claws for good with the critically acclaimed Logan, which sees the character meet what seems to be a permanent end.

Seven years later, though, he was drawn right back into the fray. In a recent interview with Collider, Jackman was asked whether he would be playing Wolverine again, and he seemed to understand that fans could no longer take him at his word.

Culture

Steven Spielberg is to blame for the lack of kissing in ‘Twisters’

Steven Spielberg wanted to keep things professional for the Twisters leads

The cast of Twisters.

Fans of disaster movies are relishing in the news that Twisters made more than $80 million in its opening weekend. The decades-later sequel to Twister had an opening weekend that wildly exceeded expectations, and left many wondering whether we may eventually get another sequel.

For all of the movie's critical and commercial success, though, some notice that this disaster romance was lacking something that the first Twister was sure to include. Namely, the movie ends without Glen Powell's Tyler and Daisy Edgar Jones's Kate sealing their new relationship with a kiss. Some people naturally wondered why there was no kiss in the film, and it turns out that legendary director Steve Spielberg is the one to blame.