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Notable Diamonds From Arkansas's Diamond Site
Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only diamond-producing site in the world where the public can search for real diamonds. And prospectors can keep any gems they find, regardless of value. The first diamonds were discovered here in 1906, long before the state park was established in 1972. Through the years, the ownership of the site changed as the Crater's history evolved, but one aspect always remained consistent-the diamond deposit's treasure trove of gem-quality stones.
Among the 75,000 diamonds that have been discovered at Arkansas's diamond site over the years are many notable and much publicized gems including these splendid stones.
The "Strawn-Wagner Diamond"
On permanent display at Arkansas's Crater of Diamonds State Park where it was discovered, "Strawn-Wagner Diamond" is the most perfect diamond the American Gem Society (AGS) has ever certified in its laboratory. Cut to a 1.09-carat stone in 1997, the gem was certified in the ACS laboratory in 1998 and given the perfect grade of 0/0/0 (Ideal cut/"D" color/Flawless). A "Triple Zero" as it is called in the diamond industry, is the highest grade a diamond can achieve. A diamond this perfect is so rare that most jewelers and gemologists never see one.
A diamond this perfect, and weighing over a carat after cutting, is estimated to occur one time in a billion. Its occurrence is even rarer coming from a non-commercial diamond mine.
Found in 1990 by Shirley Strawn of Murfreesboro, Arkansas, this white diamond weighed 3.03 carats in the rough. In 1997, under the recommendation of Bill Underwood, Arkansas's first certified gemologist, Strawn's diamond was sent to Lazare Kaplan International of New York for cutting. Lazare Kaplan cut Strawn's gem to perfection into a 1.09-carat, round brilliant shape diamond featuring an "Ideal Cut." This cut allows for the maximum amount of light to be reflected from facet to facet and up through the top of the diamond.
The diamond is mounted in a special Arkansas-inspired ring setting that Underwood's Fine Jewelers of Fayetteville created for it. Since Arkansas is known as The Natural State because of its natural beauty, and the state flower is the apple blossom, Underwood's carried through this theme in the custom-designed, handmade mounting that carries the diamond. The mounting is pure 100-percent (natural) platinum with a slight amount of pure (natural) 24K gold trim. The ring contains a thin line of 24K gold around the center of the shank and a 24K gold apple blossom on each side of the crown. Both the natural metal and the apple blossom signify the Arkansas origin of the diamond.
Nature formed, and man then transformed this diamond to the perfect one-in-a-billion gem park visitors see today in its special exhibit at the Crater of Diamonds State Park visitor center.
The "Uncle Sam" Diamond
Originally weighing 40.23 carats, this white diamond is the largest diamond ever found in the United States. Discovered at Arkansas's diamond site in 1924, it was named the "Uncle Sam." Legend has it the diamond was named after its finder, W. O. Bassum, who went by the nickname Uncle Sam. Over the years, this diamond was cut twice. The second cutting resulted in the final 12.42-carat, emerald-cut.
The "Kahn Canary" Diamond
The flawless 4.25-carat "Kahn Canary" diamond from the Crater of Diamonds received national news media attention when it was worn by First Lady Hillary Clinton in a special ring setting at her husband's Presidential Inaugural galas in 1993 and 1997. Mrs. Clinton wore the yellow diamond as a beautiful and unique symbol of Arkansas's diamond deposit, the site where this gem was unearthed in 1977. Park visitor George Stepp, a logger from Carthage, Arkansas, discovered the diamond and later sold it to Stan Kahn, a jeweler and gemologist from Pine Bluff, Arkansas whom the gem was named after. Kahn had also loaned the "Kahn Canary" diamond to Mrs. Clinton for two of Bill Clinton's gubernatorial inaugurals as Governor of Arkansas.
To place the diamond in a ring setting that would grace Mrs. Clinton's hand during the 1993 Presidential inaugural balls, Kahn worked in 1992 with renowned diamond jewelry designer Henry Dunay of New York to create the 18K gold and platinum ring setting for the diamond. Dunay's design incorporated textures and colors reflecting the diverse natural topography of Arkansas, and pave? diamonds to represent the state's lakes and rivers.
Left uncut because of its flawless natural beauty, this stunning diamond remains in its raw form just the way the forces of heat and pressure created it millions of years ago. Nature formed this gem into a triangular shape, called a "pillow" shape in the jewelry industry, and gave it a vibrant yellow color called "canary." Diamonds come in many colors; at the Crater of Diamonds, the three most common colors are white, brown and yellow, in that order.
The "Kahn Canary" diamond has been on exhibit around the globe at prestigious museums, diamond and jewelry exhibitions, and is renowned as one the world's celebrity diamonds.
The "Amarillo Starlight"
This 16.37-carat white gem is the largest diamond ever found by a park visitor at the Crater of Diamonds State Park following the site's establishment as an Arkansas state park in 1972. The gem was discovered by W. W. Johnson of Amarillo, Texas in 1975 while he was vacationing at the state park with his family. Johnson had the diamond cut into a spectacular 7.54-cart, marquise shape.
NOTABLE DIAMONDS FROM ARKANSAS'S CRATER OF DIAMONDS
| NAME | DATE FOUND | UNCUT WEIGHT | CUT WEIGHT | COLOR |
| "Uncle Sam" | 1924 | 40.23 carats | 12.42 carats | white |
| "Amarillo Starlight" | 1975 | 16.37 carats | 7.54 carats | white |
| "Star of Arkansas" | 1956 | 15.33 carats | 8.27 carats | white |
| "Star of Shreveport" | 1981 | 8.82 carats | uncut | white |
| Lamle diamond | 1978 | 8.61 carats | | brown |
| Connell diamond | 1986 | 7.95 carats | | white |
| Stevens/Dickenson diamond | 1998 | 7.28 carats | uncut | yellow |
| Cooper diamond | 1997 | 6.72 carats | uncut | brown |
| "Gary Moore Diamond" | 1960 | 6.43 carats | uncut | canary |
| Lee diamond | 1988 | 6.30 carats | | white |
| Newman diamond | 1981 | 6.25 carats | | white |
| Fedzora diamond | 1991 | 6.23 carats | | white |
| Stockton diamond | 1981 | 6.20 carats | | white |
| Schall diamond | 1981 | 6.07 carats | | white |
| Cooper diamond | 1997 | 6.00 carats | | brown |
| "Kahn Canary" | 1977 | 4.25 carats | uncut | canary |
| "Strawn-Wagner Diamond" | 1990 | 3.03 carats | 1.09 carats | white |
This list of notable diamonds from the Crater of Diamonds includes all diamonds weighing six carats for more, and the much publicized "Strawn-Wagner Diamond." Each unnamed diamond is listed by its owner's name.