Jack Pearadin, a Navy reservist who moved from Missouri to Murfreesboro, Arkansas, to pursue his diamond‑hunting hobby, announced a remarkable find at Crater of Diamonds State Park earlier this year. After more than a dozen years of sifting rocks in the park, Pearadin and a friend uncovered a 6.03‑carat yellow diamond that collectors say could be worth over $1 million.
Discovery and reaction
While livestreaming the moment on TikTok, Pearadin exclaimed, “Oh my God! Oh my God! Holy crap, we got a big one!” after rinsing gravel from a bucket and turning the pile over to reveal the sparkling stone. The diamond, roughly the size of a fingernail, is the largest find at the park in 2024.
Expert appraisal
At least one experienced appraiser told the Associated Press that a diamond of this size and quality could be worth a quarter of the claimed amount—still an impressive valuation. Certified gem appraiser Laura Stanley of Little Rock noted that a typical 0.17‑carat diamond from the park sells for about $700, while a high‑quality six‑carat yellow diamond can command around $250,000 because of its unique origin.
Park background
Crater of Diamonds State Park, a former open‑pit mine turned public park in 1972, charges a $15 entry fee that allows visitors to fill a five‑gallon bucket with rocks and keep any gemstones they find. Since its conversion, more than 37,000 diamonds have been recovered, most weighing about a quarter of a carat. Notable larger finds include a 9‑carat diamond in 2020 and a 7‑carat stone in 2024.
Park interpreter Sarah Bivens estimates that 400 to 800 diamonds are found each year. Assistant superintendent Waymon Cox highlighted the rarity of such large stones, noting that the park is one of only two primary diamond deposits in the United States—the other being Colorado’s Kelsey Lake.
Scientific context
According to Nathan Renfro, senior manager at the Gemological Institute of America, natural diamonds form under extreme pressure and heat deep within the Earth and are brought to the surface by volcanic activity. Roughly 25% of a diamond’s weight is lost during cutting and polishing.
Renfro emphasized that Crater of Diamonds offers a unique public opportunity to hunt for diamonds, a privilege rarely available at high‑security commercial mines.
Future plans
Pearadin, who has sold most of his previous finds online, named the new stone “American Dream.” He intends to split any proceeds with fellow gem hunter Michael Schumacher of Wisconsin, who helped dig the gravel that produced the find, and is exploring the possibility of opening his own crystal mine.
The discovery adds to the park’s storied history, which includes the 1924 “Uncle Sam” 40.23‑carat diamond—now a 12.42‑carat polished gem on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Original reporting: Allentown News – 6abc Philadelphia — read the source article.
