Oklahoma family uncovers 2.79-carat brown diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park

An Oklahoma family has found a brown diamond weighing 2.79 carats at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, the park announced on Sept. 23. The discovery was made Sept. 13 by Raynae Madison and relatives visiting the Natural State to celebrate the birthday of Madison’s nephew, William. The group purchased a beach digging kit and sand-sifting tools from a dollar store in preparation for the trip and dug in a spot on the north side of the park’s 37.5-acre diamond search area, near the Prospector Trailhead. After screening several buckets of dirt, Madison spotted an oblong, shiny stone that surprised the group and prompted further inspection. The aunt recalled thinking at first that the find was “really neat,” but she did not realize what it was until it was identified as a diamond. The gem was subsequently described as brown and weighed at 2.79 carats, an impressive size for a find at Crater of Diamonds.

Park staff said the diamond was named William Diamond by Madison in honor of her nephew. Emma O’Neal, a park interpreter, explained that brown diamonds found at Crater of Diamonds occur due to plastic deformation during a diamond’s formation or movement in magma, which creates structural defects that reflect red and green light and give the gem its brown hue. The family’s use of inexpensive equipment from a dollar store is noted in the park’s press release, which described the tools as a beach digging kit and sand-sifting screens.

The value of the diamond is not disclosed by Arkansas State Parks. The organization notes that it does not grade or appraise diamonds found at the park, and the exact value often remains undetermined until the gem is cut or professionally appraised. As of 2025, Crater of Diamonds State Park has reported 403 diamonds found this year, four of which weighed more than two carats.

Earlier this year at the same park, a Minnesota farmer found a “candy-like” diamond that the finder likened to a Werther’s candy wrapper. In 2024, a French tourist uncovered a 7.46-carat diamond at Crater of Diamonds and named the gem after his fiancée, Carine. These finds underscore Crater of Diamonds’ reputation as a place where visitors can search for real gems and keep what they find, a hallmark that drew the Madison family to the park for a birthday trip.

The park has long served as a destination for gem enthusiasts and casual visitors alike, offering a combination of natural geologic processes and a public search area where individuals may uncover undiscovered stones. Arkansas State Parks continues to monitor finds and provide context on the diamonds discovered, including explanations of color variations and the geological processes that yield different types of stones.

Overall, the William Diamond adds to Crater of Diamonds State Park’s ongoing record of discoveries and highlights how everyday consumer tools can lead to extraordinary finds in a controlled, publicly accessible setting. The park’s policy remains to refrain from valuing or grading the stones, focusing instead on public access, education, and the preservation of the site for future gem enthusiasts to explore.