What a gem: Man finds 4.87-carat diamond in Crater of Diamonds State Park

MURFREESBORO, Ark. — An Arkansas resident thought he had found a piece of glass at the Crater of Diamonds State Park. Instead, he uncovered the largest diamond discovered at the Arkansas park in three years.

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Jerry Evans, of Lepanto, said he had been in the park only 10 minutes this spring when he picked up the shiny object on top of a plowed ridge, KARK-TV reported.

It turned out to be a 4.87-carat, near-colorless diamond, according to the television station.

“I thought it might be a piece of glass, it was so clear. I really didn’t know,” Evans said in a statement. “We were picking up everything thinking it was a diamond.”

Evans put the object in his pocket. After arriving home, he wondered if it was something more valuable than glass. Wanting to be sure, he sent the glass to the Gemological Institute of America to be examined, according to KTHV-TV.

Experts determined that it was a gem -- and the largest diamond found at the park since a 9.07-carat brown specimen was discovered by Kevin Kinard in 2020, KAIT-TV reported.

“When they called and told me it was real, I was tickled to death,” Evans told the television station.

Evans’ son encouraged him to contact officials at the Crater of Diamonds State Park about his find, KARK reported. They described the diamond as the size of a jellybean and shaped like a pyramid.

Evans decided to call the gem the “Evans Diamond,” according to the television station.

“Mr. Evans’ diamond is spectacular to see,” Assistant Park Superintendent Waymon Cox said, according to KAIT. “It’s a complete crystal with a brilliant white color reminiscent of many other large, white diamonds I’ve seen from here in the past.”

Park officials said that 798 diamonds have been registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park this year, totaling more than 125 carats, KARK reported.

“Come and search, because there’s a chance,” Evans said, according to park officials. “They’re out there!”