Man stumbles onto rare diamond treasure during Arkansas park trip with family: 'Knew it was different'
A Texas man unearthed an unexpected treasure during a family trip this winter — all thanks to his sons and his wife's Siri search.
Arkansas State Parks recently shared news about the find, which was made at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Pike County. Forty-one-year-old James Ward unearthed the 2.09-carat brown diamond on Dec. 30.
Ward, who lives in Cypress, Texas, was visiting the park with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two young sons, Adrian, 9, and Austin, 7.
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Visiting the park was the 7-year-old's idea, according to Elizabeth Ward.
"One day we were watching TV, and Austin came and said, ‘Mommy, Mommy, is there any place in Texas or nearby that we can mine for crystals?’" the mother recalled.
She quickly searched with Siri and found information on Crater of Diamonds State Park.
"I sent the link to James, and he’s like, ‘Oh wait, that’s only like six hours away. We can go!’" added Elizabeth Ward.
The gem, named the Ward Diamond, was found on the family's second day of searching.
The first day was long and cold, but 9-year-old Adrian encouraged the family to come back the next day — when the gem was found.
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"I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it was different than everything else I had found," said the dad.
Waymon Cox, an assistant park superintendent, compared the diamond to a corn kernel.
"[It has] a dark yellowish-brown hue and a beautiful, metallic luster [that's] characteristic of all Crater diamonds," said Cox.
He added that crater diamonds formed in Earth's upper mantle — and "were carried to the surface by an ancient volcanic pipe" millions of years ago.
"Most are chipped, broken or include flaws from the immense geological forces they endured," Cox said.
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"Given its current size, you can imagine how much bigger Mr. Ward’s diamond might have been as a complete crystal."
What lies ahead for the diamond is unknown — and Ward said he's open to selling it or keeping it.
"I’ll have to see how much it’s worth first," he said.
Ward also encouraged fellow park visitors not to give up on their first day of digging.
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"Listen to your kids about their dreams and what they want to do!" his wife added.
Arkansas State Parks told Fox News Digital that park employees "are not trained to grade or appraise diamonds or other rocks and minerals."
"Our primary training involves properly identifying and registering diamonds for guests who find them," the official said.
"Anyone interested in having their diamonds graded or appraised can reach out to a certified gemologist, who has had special training to properly grade gemstone quality and estimate value."
Ward's discovery adds to a growing list of substantial gems found by visitors at Crater of Diamonds State Park.
An Oklahoma family unearthed a 2.79-carat diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park back in September, thanks to tools they bought at a dollar store.
In April, a Minnesota resident unearthed a stunning 3.81-carat brown diamond at the park — a find that he compared to a candy wrapper.