Lesotho's Prolific Letšeng Mine Delivers 245-Carat Gem-Quality Diamond

Two miles above sea level in the rarefied air of the tiny, landlocked Kingdom of Lesotho, twin diamond mines are churning out some of the largest and highest-value diamonds in the world.

Continuing a run of impressive discoveries, Gem Diamonds announced that it had recovered an exceptional 245-carat white Type II diamond from its Letšeng mine.

The mining company's newsworthy find is the third 100+ carat diamond unearthed this year and the 121st since Gem Diamonds acquired Letšeng in 2006. (Type II diamonds are extremely rare, colorless and chemically pure with no traces of nitrogen impurities.)

An aerial view of the Letšeng site shows side-by-side diamond mines — the Main and Satellite kimberlite pipes. The pits are currently just over 250 meters deep and have a planned final depth of 450 meters, placing them among the deepest pits in the world. Ironically, at twice the elevation of Denver, Letšeng is also one of the world's highest diamond mines.

Despite a land mass about the size of Maryland (12,407 square miles) and a population less than that of Houston (2.3 million), Lesotho flexes its muscles on the world diamond stage.

Among the country's highest-profile rough diamonds are the Lesotho Legend (910 carats, sold for $40 million), Lesotho Promise (603 carats, $12.4 million), Letšeng Star (550 carats, undisclosed amount), Lesotho Legacy (493 carats, $10.4 million), Light of Letšeng (478 carats, $18.4 million), Letšeng Icon (439 carats, $16.1 million), Letšeng Princess (367 carats, $9.6 million), Letšeng Dynasty (357 carats, $19.3 million) and the Letšeng Destiny (314 carats, undisclosed amount).

The destiny of the unnamed 245-carat diamond has yet to be determined. About 40% to 60% of a diamond's weight is typically lost during the cutting and polishing process, so there is a very good chance that the sizeable rough will yield a gem-quality faceted stone larger than 100 carats.

The United Kingdom-based Gem Diamonds holds a 70% stake in the Letšeng mine with the government of Lesotho owning the remaining 30%. In October 2019, the partners renewed the mining lease for an additional 10 years. Gem Diamonds claims the Letšeng site generates the highest average dollar per carat of any kimberlite diamond mine in the world.

Trivia: Lesotho is one of only three countries fully surrounded by another country. Lesotho is encircled by South Africa, while San Marino and The Vatican are fully contained within Italy.

Credits: Diamond and mine images courtesy of Gem Diamonds. Map by Google Maps.

Bedazzled Basketball Becomes Unofficial Mascot of NBA's Diamond Anniversary

Exactly a week after the Golden State Warriors put an exclamation point on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary season by defeating the Boston Celtics in the Finals, the basketball association's senior director of social media, Ashley Atwell, revealed the backstory of how a bedazzled basketball became the unofficial mascot for NBA 75.

It all started with a fresh take on the NBA's iconic NBA logo, which features a silhouette of former LA Laker and Hall of Famer Jerry West. For the league's diamond anniversary season, the NBA "Logoman" was reimagined in the center of a blue and red diamond with the number 75 superimposed over facets rendered to mimic the seams of a basketball.

“It was the NBA’s diamond season, so we took that theme of the diamond logo while creating the ball,” Atwell told NBA.com. “The idea was sparked because we previously used the bedazzled ball at an award show. This was a really good opportunity to bring that idea back to life. So, once we saw the logo, we thought it would be cool to put it on a ball. This really started because we needed a cool idea for the NBA Draft.”

All the draftees who were in Brooklyn last July got to take a pic with the gem-encrusted ball. And slowly but surely, the ball started making appearances everywhere.

It appeared at the G League Winter Showcase, NBA All-Star Weekend, Formula One Grand Prix and NBA venues throughout the country. There was so many requests for the ball that the league decided to create eight additional promotional balls to fill the demand.

We're guessing that the white, red, blue and black stones affixed to the "diamond" balls are actually glass crystals.

Atwell challenged fans to search for the NBA 75th Anniversary ball on Tik Tok, Instagram or Twitter. The results will be collection of celebrities, players and fans of all ages posing with the ball.

“The celebrities are cool,” Atwell said. “There are definitely moments where you’re like, 'Oh my God, I can’t believe that celebrity had the ball.’"

Atwell said that actor Kevin Hart was the first to post to IG a picture of himself with the ball. Then there was a photo of former Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller sharing the ball with actor-director (and NY Knicks fan) Spike Lee.

"The ball has become the face of the 75th anniversary, especially on social media," said Atwell. "It’s a big part of the campaign. I don’t think I realized that was going to happen."

Atwell said that she remembers pitching the diamond ball idea in preparation of the 75th anniversary season. At the time, she said, it seemed insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Now, in retrospect, she acknowledged that the diamond ball evolved into one of the biggest fan-facing initiatives of the season.

"It’s helped us carry the campaign all season long," she said. "And bring these generations together – fans and players.”

Credits: Houston Rockets rookie Jalen Green with the 75th anniversary ball, photo courtesy of the NBA. Logos via NBA.com.

Music Friday: Neil Diamond Sings, ‘Gold Don’t Rust, Love Don’t Lie’ in His Country Classic

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, the legendary Neil Diamond sings about how “gold don’t rust” and “love don’t lie” in a country classic from his 1996 Tennessee Moon album.

Diamond, who was a pre-med student at New York University and can certainly find his way around a periodic table, took an interesting fact about a chemical property of gold and spun it into a love song.

Besides its rarity, value and radiance, gold in its purest form is an element that will never oxidize or rust. That’s why gold is considered a "noble precious metal" and has been used for jewelry and coinage for millennia.

In “Gold Don’t Rust,” Diamond assures his lover that she doesn’t have to worry every time he goes away. His sweet feelings for her will continue to shine.

He offers her a 24-karat commitment in the chorus, which goes like this: “Gold don’t rust / Love don’t lie / I’ll be true ’til the day that I die. / Trust in me, you will find / Baby, you’re the gold in this heart of mine / And that gold will shine for a long, long time.”

“Gold Don’t Rust,” which Diamond co-wrote with Gary Burr and Bob DiPiero, was the seventh track of Diamond’s 23rd studio album, Tennessee Moon. The album was certified gold (500,000 units sold) by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Over the course of his stellar 60-year career as a singer-songwriter-musician, Diamond has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Diamond was a member of Erasmus Hall High School’s Chorus and Choral Club along with close friend Barbra Streisand. Diamond was inspired to write music after meeting folk singer Pete Seeger, who visited a summer camp he was attending.

“And the next thing, I got a guitar when we got back to Brooklyn, started to take lessons and almost immediately began to write songs,” he told Rolling Stone magazine.

Just 10 credits short of an undergraduate degree from New York University, Diamond dropped out of college to take a 16-week assignment writing songs for Sunbeam Music Publishing. The job paid $50 per week. Later in his career, he would joke, “If this darn songwriting thing hadn’t come up, I would have been a doctor now.”

The 81-year-old Diamond shook the music world four years ago with the news that he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and wouldn't be touring anymore. Instead, he's been collaborating on a Broadway-bound musical based on his life story and extensive catalog of timeless hits. "A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond Musical" premiered on Tuesday at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre.

Diamond was a surprise guest on opening night and earned a standing ovation as he took his seat in the audience. The show began a six-week engagement in Boston before it opens this fall in The Big Apple at the Broadhurst Theatre.

Please check out the audio track of Diamond’s “Gold Don’t Rust.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Gold Don’t Rust”
Written by Gary Burr, Bob DiPiero and Neil Diamond. Performed by Neil Diamond.

I know you worry every time I go away
You wonder will these sweet, sweet feelings shine or fade
Well, that’s a question you don’t have to ask
What heaven makes, it always makes to last

Gold don’t rust
Love don’t lie
I’ll be true ’til the day that I die
Trust in me, you will find
Baby, you’re the gold in this heart of mine
And that gold will shine for a long, long time.

I wish that I could give you
What you need from me.
But what good is a promise or a guarantee?
Love is still a simple act of faith
And a faithful heart is always worth the wait

Gold don’t rust
Love don’t lie
I’ll be true ’til the day that I die
Trust in me, you will find
Baby, you’re the gold in this heart of mine,
And that gold will shine for a long, long time

Love is still a simple act of faith
And a faithful heart is always worth the wait

Gold don’t rust
Love don’t lie
I’ll be true ’til the day that I die
Trust in me, you will find
Baby, you’re the gold in this heart of mine
And that gold will shine for a long, long time

Baby you’re the gold in this heart of mine
And that gold will shine
For a long, long, long time
Yeah

Credit: Image by Irisgerh at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Exceptional Pair of Mozambican Rubies Headlines Gemfields' Auction

An exceptional pair of Mozambican rubies — one weighing 32.5 carats and the other 29 carats — headlined Gemfields' most recent series of ruby auctions in Bangkok. Each ruby is expected to surpass 10 carats when cut and polished.

Exhibiting a vivid red hue and remarkable crystalline luster, the featured rubies represent the finest production from Montepuez, the most prolific ruby mine in the world.

More specifically, the sizable rough gems were sourced at the Mugloto mining pit, a secondary deposit at the Montepuez mine, where rubies have been concentrated by alluvial flows along ancient paleochannels. Gemfields explained that the stones found in Mugloto secondary deposit are often the most exceptional because they had to survive the arduous journey along the ancient riverbed.

Among the world-famous rubies found at Mugloto are the 45-carat total weight matched pair of vivid red gems called the "Eyes of the Dragon" (2015) and the 40.23-carat "Rhino Ruby" (2014).

Overall, Gemfields reported that the $95.6 million generated during seven mini-auctions held between May 30 and June 17 represented "an all-time high for any Gemfields auction." The company sold 94.1% of the 119 lots offered, with 49 companies participating in the sealed-bid process.

A portion of the proceeds arising from the sale will be donated to the Quirimbas National Park in Mozambique, a long-standing Gemfields conservation partner.

The Montepuez ruby mine is 75% owned by Gemfields and 25% by Mozambican partner Mwiriti Limitada. Gemfields also operates Kagem, the world’s largest and most productive emerald mine. Kagem is 75% owned by Gemfields and 25% by the Government of the Republic of Zambia.

Credits: Images courtesy of Gemfields.

Finals MVP Steph Curry Breaks Out His Championship Jewelry for Warriors' Parade

Flaunting a gold chain strung with three NBA championship rings, Finals MVP Steph Curry and the rest of the Golden State Warriors paraded up Market Street in San Francisco on Monday afternoon to celebrate their six-game victory over the Boston Celtics and their fourth Larry O'Brien Trophy in eight years.

When questioned about his jewelry during NBC's coverage of the parade, Curry said, "I had to bring the jewelry back out. I don't look at it during the year… But, every once in a while you've got to remind yourself. You got four!"

Curry turned to his Instagram Story to show off his three previous championship rings and an armful of trophies. The 2021-2022 championship ring will be unveiled prior to the team's home opener in late October.

In the world of professional sports, championship rings tend to get more elaborate as teams become dynasties. This was seen with the NFL's six-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots and now with the NBA's Golden State Warriors (7th title overall).

To mark their 2017-18 championship run, the Warriors employed designer Jason Arasheben, aka Jason of Beverly Hills, who created a technically challenging championship ring composed of nearly 20 pieces.

The ring's most compelling feature was a reversible top, the first-of-its-kind for a championship ring. The head of the ring, which could be completely detached from its band, had a centerpiece that could be flipped to show blue sapphires on one side or white diamonds on the other. Blue and white are two the Warriors’ primary colors with golden yellow being the third. Twisting off the top of the ring revealed the slogan ‘Strength in Numbers’ etched in gold.

We expect the 2021-2022 edition will be even more impressive.

Curry had a hunch that this year's team could make it all the way to the championship.

"It's all about the journey," he said. "I knew last year, the way that we finished the season, we could carry that momentum into this year. I'd be lying if I said I knew for a fact that we would be NBA champions. [We had to] make that the goal and stay in the present."

After a stunning 18-2 start to the season, the team was on its way.

The Warriors players began the parade waving to fans from an open-top tour bus. But as the parade progressed, many players jumped down from the bus to meet and greet their passionate and proud Dub Nation fans one-on-one.

Credits: Steph Curry images via Instagram / stephencurry30. Ring image via Instagram/Jason of Beverly Hills.

Journalist's Nobel Medal Nets $103.5MM at Auction to Benefit Ukrainian Refugees

Russian journalist Dmitri Muratov put his 18-karat gold Nobel medal on the auction block last night, with the proceeds benefiting children who have been displaced by the war in Ukraine. Nobel medals rarely come to auction, and until last night the highest price ever paid for one was $4.76 million. Now the record is $103.5 million.

Muratov, the editor-in-chief of the now-shuttered independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, had already donated his $500,000 cash reward for winning the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. The melt value of the 175-gram medal is less than $10,000, but the historical and humanitarian significance of Muratov's medal pushed the bidding at Heritage Auctions to more than 10,000 times that amount. The event was streamed live from The Times Center in midtown Manhattan.

The live auction began at 7:26 p.m. EST with the opening bid at $875,000. Over the first 14 minutes, the bids grew gradually in increments of $100,000. When the price hit $10 million, auctioneer Mike Sadler asked for bids in increments of $200,000.

Four bidders — two on the phone and two online — kept the excitement going until the bidding seemed to stall at $16.6 million. But then, at 7:49 p.m, a Heritage Auctions associate holding paddle #303 shocked the auctioneer, Muratov and the live crowd when he stood up to declare his head-turning bid.

At first, Sadler seemed to not quite comprehend what the associate was saying and asked him to take off his mask and repeat the bid. At that point it was clear the winning bid would be $103,500,000. At the conclusion of the auction, Muratov returned to the stage to hug members of the Heritage Auctions team. The identity of the phone bidder was not immediately disclosed.

Just before the auction, Muratov had said, "I will not see this medal again, but I will like to see the future of those people who will benefit from it."

The proceeds will go directly to UNICEF to aid with efforts to support Ukrainian refugees, 90% of whom are women and children and 5.2 million who Muratov classified as needing desperate help. Heritage Auctions waived all of its fees related to running the sale.

Fittingly, the bidding had opened on June 1st, International Children's Day, and concluded on June 20th, World Refugee Day.

Established and financed by Alfred Bernhard Nobel (1833-1896), the Nobel Prize is regarded as the ultimate recognition for contributions to humanity. Nobel wanted to recognize the remarkable achievements of "those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." Since 1901, Nobel Prizes have been awarded annually for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace by the Nobel Foundation.

On the rare occasions Nobel prizes come to auction, the results can be spectacular. In 2014, a bidder paid $4.76 million for the medal earned by James Watson, whose co-discovery of the structure of DNA earned him a Nobel Prize in 1962. In 2017, the family of Watson's co-recipient, Francis Crick, received $2.27 million for his Nobel medal.

Heritage Auctions explained that the Nobel Peace Prize is distinct from the Nobel medals for sciences and literature. Unlike the other prizes awarded in Sweden, the Peace Prize is presented by the Norwegian Nobel Institute. The artistic engravings of the two different medals are distinct, with the Peace Prize more bas-relief than medallic in form. Gustav Vigeland executed the engraving, which since 2012, has been struck by Det Norske Myntverket (Mint of Norway) in Kongsberg.

Prior to the auction, the Norwegian Nobel Institute lauded the sale of a medal for this fundraiser. In a letter of support, Director Olav Njølstad stated, "This generous act of humanitarianism is very much in the spirit of Alfred Nobel. The intended sale is therefore subject to the wholehearted approval of the Norwegian Nobel Committee."

Measuring 66mm in diameter, the Nobel medal is smaller than the Olympic medals (85mm) awarded in Tokyo last summer. But unlike the Olympic medals, which are made mostly of silver and clad with just six grams of pure gold, the Nobel medals are composed of 18-karat green gold plated in 24-karat gold. The Nobel medals contain 75% gold and about 25% silver, with trace amounts of copper.

This type of alloy is often called green gold, but is also known as electrum, a naturally occurring precious alloy that had been cherished by the ancients. According to sciencenotes.org, the Egyptians used the metal for jewelry, ornaments and drinking vessels. In addition, they used the metal to adorn pyramidions (capstones) atop pyramids, dating back as early as the third millennium BC.

Credits: Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions, HA.com. Screen captures via HA.com.

Diamond-Shaped Cafe Floats Like a Pendant 280 Meters Above Dashbashi Canyon

In an effort to draw hundreds of thousands of adventure tourists each year to its stunning Tsalka Nature Reserve, the country of Georgia has just unveiled a first-of-its-kind "Diamond Bridge" featuring a multi-level diamond-shaped cafe that seems to float like a pendant 280 meters above the Dashbashi Canyon.

The cafe is believed to be the largest and tallest hanging structure in the world, a notion that may soon be affirmed by the authorities at Guinness World Records. The diamond-shaped cafe weighs 9 tons and can accommodate 2,000 tourists.

Designed and constructed by the Georgian-Israeli Kass investment group at a total cost of $38.7 million, the bridge and related amenities took three years to come to fruition.

Tomer Mor Yosef, Vice President of Kass Group, told The Jerusalem Post that the inspiration for the diamond cafe came from how the canyon itself is shaped like a diamond, spanning some 800 meters at the top while only 4 meters at the bottom. The canyon has been carved over time by the Ktsia River.

The bridge spans 240 meters and is made of glass and steel. Tourists can literally see the gorge beneath their feet as they traverse the bridge. The developers also created a bicycle zip line that runs parallel to the bridge and a 40-meter cliff swing.

The complex also includes hiking trails to the canyon, caves and waterfalls, as well as cottages, a hotel, camping site and a visitor's center.

A two-hour drive from Georgia's capital of Tbilisi, the Diamond Bridge was opened for visitors last Wednesday. The fee to access the bridge is 29 Georgian Lari ($9.91) for Georgian citizens over 12 years old and 49 GEL ($16.75) for foreigners. Discounts are available for younger visitors and children under 3 can cross for free.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Georgian Government Administration.

Music Friday: Bonnie Raitt Sings, 'Blame It on Stars Strung Like Jewels From Here to Mars'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bonnie Raitt compares the stars in the night sky to a fantastical gemstone necklace in her brand new release, "Blame It on Me."

She sings, "Blame it on stars / Shining like headlights from a million cars / Strung like jewels from here to Mars / Blame it on stars."

In the song, Raitt tells the story of a woman of advancing age contending with a drifting lover. Her ex-boyfriend is blaming her for the breakup, but she wonders whether the relationship has been a victim of uncontrollable factors, like the stars or the passage of time.

But at the end of the song she predicts, "But one summer night / When my door is open and the moon is new / And some sad melody comes stealing through / And my heart should break in two / If my heart should break in two / Oh baby, ooh / Oh baby, I’m gonna blame it on you / Blame it on you."

"Blame It on Me" was released in April as the 7th track from Raitt's new album titled Just Like That… on the artist's own Redwing label.

“On this record, I wanted to stretch,” Raitt said in a statement. “I always want to find songs that excite me, and what’s different this time is that I’ve tried some styles and topics I haven’t touched on before.”

She added, “I’m really aware of how lucky I am and I feel like it’s my responsibility to get out there and say something fresh and new — for me and for the fans. But I need to have something to say or I won’t put out a record.”

Raitt delivered an intimate, soulful, live performance of the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this past Wednesday. The show was seen by an estimated 3.5 million viewers.

The 72-year-old rocker is also promoting the album on her current seven-month tour, which includes stops in 69 cities from coast to coast.

A 10-time Grammy winner, Raitt rated 50th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time" and 89th on the magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

Please check out the video of Raitt's live performance of "Blame It on Me" on The Late Show. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Blame It on Me"
Written by John Capek and Andrew Matheson. Performed by Bonnie Raitt.

Blame it on me
Hold up my faults for all to see
Truth is love’s first casualty
Blame it on me

Blame it on me
It’s not the way love is supposed to be
How can you so casually
Blame it on me

Blame it on stars
Shining like headlights from a million cars
Strung like jewels from here to Mars
Blame it on stars

Blame it on time
The fugitive, the vagabond, it’s the perfect crime
Poured like sand through your hands and mine
Blame it on time

How can you talk that way?
Just turn around and walk away
Your words, they sting so heartlessly
So go ahead, be free, blame it all on me

But one summer night
When my door is open and the moon is new
And some sad melody comes stealing through
And my heart should break in two

If my heart should break in two
Oh baby, ooh
Oh baby, I’m gonna blame it on you
Blame it on you

I’ll blame it on you, baby

Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com / The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Mastercard Survey: Jewelry Sales Growth Continues to Outpace All Other Sectors

Jewelry continues to outperform all other retail sectors, according to statistics released by Mastercard SpendingPulse. Jewelry sales in May of 2022 were up 22.3% compared to May 2021.

When comparing May's performance with pre-pandemic levels, the numbers are even more impressive. Retail jewelry sales for May 2022 grew 65.4% compared to May of 2019, the strongest three-year gain of any retail sector.

“The continued retail sales momentum in May aligns with the sustained growth rates we’ve seen so far this year,” said Michelle Meyer, U.S. Chief Economist, Mastercard Economics Institute. “The consumer has been resilient, spending on goods and increasingly services as the economy continues to rebalance."

Mastercard SpendingPulse reported that total U.S. retail sales, excluding automotive, increased 10.5% year-over-year in May, and 21.4% compared to pre-pandemic May 2019. In-store sales were a key driver, up 13.7% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The jewelry sector has been riding a year-long wave of impressive sales data. Last summer Mastercard singled out “jewelry” as the fastest growing retail sector, with July 2021 sales jumping a whopping 54.2% compared to pre-pandemic July 2019 levels.

In December, the jewelry sector was highlighted again when Mastercard emphasized how “smaller boxes had a big impact” during the holiday season. Jewelry sales soared 32% during the period that spanned November 1 through December 24.

Mastercard SpendingPulse™ reports on US retail sales across all payment types. The findings are based on aggregate sales activity in the Mastercard payments network, coupled with survey-based estimates for certain other payment forms, such as cash and check.

Credits: Shopper image by Bigstockphoto.com. Table courtesy of Mastercard SpendingPulse.

'Great American Diamonds' Take Center Stage at Smithsonian's Newest Exhibit

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History just unveiled "Great American Diamonds," a new exhibit showcasing four of the most stunning diamonds ever found in the United States.

Some of the new gems going on display are record holders, including the Freedom Diamond, the largest faceted diamond ever to originate in the United States, and the Uncle Sam Diamond, an emerald-cut stone fashioned from the largest uncut American diamond ever discovered.

For decades, the Uncle Sam Diamond was feared to have been lost before recently resurfacing in a private collection. This is the first time the Uncle Sam Diamond has been on public display in more than 50 years.

These precious gemstones hail from the only two diamond mines that have operated in the United States: Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds (1919–1926) and Colorado’s Kelsey Lake Mine (1996–2001). Together, these sites produced tens of thousands of carats of rough diamonds.

“Most people are surprised to learn that diamonds have been mined in the United States, and as the national museum, we are delighted to introduce these great American diamonds to our visitors,” said mineralogist Jeffrey Post, the museum’s curator-in-charge of gems and minerals.

The flawless 12.4-carat pinkish-brown Uncle Sam Diamond was cut from a crystal weighing a whopping 40.23 carats. The rough gem was discovered at Crater of Diamonds in 1924, making it the largest faceted diamond ever discovered in the Arkansas mine.

The cushion-cut Freedom Diamond, which is now set in a ring, was fashioned from a 28-carat diamond crystal discovered at the Kelsey Lake Mine in 1997.

These American diamonds join the Smithsonian’s National Gem and Mineral Collection, the world’s most visited collection of gems, thanks to gifts by Peter Buck (Uncle Sam Diamond) and Robert E. and Kathy G. Mau (Freedom Diamond). The national collection contains more than 10,000 precious stones and pieces of jewelry, including the iconic Hope Diamond.

“Amazingly, the Uncle Sam and Freedom diamonds were donated to our national collection within a month of each other,” Post said. “The generosity of the donors ensure that these great Earth treasures will forever belong to the people of the United States, and the world.”

In “Great American Diamonds,” the two new gems will be displayed alongside two additional American diamonds from the museum’s collection.

Unearthed in Arkansas, the “Canary Diamond” is a golden-yellow gem crystal weighing nearly 18 carats. This stone is one of the largest uncut diamond crystals from Arkansas. It was discovered in 1917 and acquired by famed civil engineer and mineral collector Washington Roebling, whose son donated it to the Smithsonian nearly a century ago.

Originating in Colorado, the 6.5-carat Colorado Diamond Crystal displays the typical eight-sided (octahedral) shape of natural diamond crystals.

Despite the beauty of the diamonds they produced, neither American mine proved to be commercially successful, causing each to close after less than a decade of operation.

That does not mean that the United States is devoid of diamonds. The Arkansas site where the Uncle Sam Diamond was found has been refashioned into Crater of Diamonds State Park, one of the world’s only diamond-bearing sites accessible to the public. The search area at the park is actually a plowed field atop the eroded surface of an extinct, diamond-bearing volcanic pipe. Visitors have found more than 33,100 diamonds since the Crater of Diamonds opened as an Arkansas State Park in 1972.

During an average year, amateur treasure hunters discover and get to keep roughly 600 new diamonds, potentially unearthing the next “Great American Diamond.”

Credit: Image courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution.