Woman Finds 2.3-Carat Diamond at Arkansas' Crater of Diamonds State Park

The third largest diamond of 2025, a 2.3-carat stone, was discovered by a New York woman at Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park.

Micherre Fox, 31, of Manhattan, New York, achieved a dream years in the making at Crater of Diamonds State Park, the world’s only public diamond-bearing site. After a month-long search, she unearthed a 2.30-carat white diamond—the third-largest find of the year—which she named the Fox-Ballou Diamond.

Micherre Fox, 31, discovers a 2.30-carat white diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Micherre Fox, 31, uncovers a 2.30-carat diamond in volcanic lamproite at Crater of Diamonds State Park.

A Personal Quest for a Diamond with Meaning

Fox’s journey began two years earlier with an unusual goal: to find her own engagement diamond rather than purchase one. “There’s something symbolic about solving problems with hard work instead of money,” she explained. With her partner’s support, she researched opportunities worldwide and discovered that Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas was the only place where visitors can legally search for and keep genuine diamonds.

Fresh out of graduate school, Fox devoted July 2025 to her search. She arrived on July 8 and spent long days combing the park’s 37.5-acre search field, an eroded volcanic pipe of lamproite rock. To balance the heat and fatigue, she alternated between digging in freshly plowed soil and resting at the shaded Diamond Springs Water Park. “I was willing to go anywhere in the world to make this happen,” she said.

The Discovery

On the morning of July 29, Fox’s persistence paid off. While walking through the West Drain area around 11 a.m., she noticed a glimmer that resembled a dew-drenched spiderweb. Nudging it with her boot, she realized it was solid. The smooth, rounded stone—about the size of a canine tooth—had a metallic luster that immediately stood out.

“Having never held a diamond before, I wasn’t certain, but it was the most ‘diamond-y’ diamond I had ever seen,” she recalled.

At the Diamond Discovery Center, staff confirmed her suspicions: she had found a 2.30-carat colorless (white) diamond with minor surface blemishes from its volcanic journey. Overwhelmed with joy, Fox dropped to her knees in tears, naming the stone the Fox-Ballou Diamond in honor of her partnership. She plans to have it custom-set into her engagement ring.

Hard Work Meets Good Fortune

According to Park Assistant Superintendent Waymon Cox, Fox’s discovery illustrates the mix of perseverance and luck that defines the Crater experience. “Even with your best effort, being in the right place at the right time plays a key role,” Cox explained. “After weeks of hard work, she found her diamond sitting right on the ground.”

The park’s “finders, keepers” policy has drawn treasure hunters since 1906, when local farmer John Huddleston first discovered diamonds in the volcanic soil. To date, more than 75,000 diamonds have been registered, with colors ranging from white and yellow to brown.

In 2025 alone, by early August, 366 diamonds had been found, including 11 larger than one carat—making Fox’s two-carat stone exceptionally rare. Most finds are no bigger than a match head.

The Geology Behind the Diamonds

Crater of Diamonds State Park is one of the few places on Earth where the public can search for natural diamonds at the surface. The site sits atop a lamproite volcanic pipe formed about 100 million years ago. Explosive eruptions carried diamonds from deep within the mantle to the surface, where erosion—and periodic plowing by park staff—continue to expose new stones.

Lamproite pipes are far rarer than the more common kimberlite pipes that host most of the world’s diamond deposits. This geological uniqueness makes Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds a world-class natural wonder.

Famous Diamonds from the Crater

Fox now joins a long tradition of extraordinary finds at the park, including:

Uncle Sam Diamond (1924): At 40.23 carats with a pink cast, it remains the largest diamond ever discovered in the U.S. It was cut to 12.42 carats and is now displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Strawn-Wagner Diamond (1990): A 3.03-carat white gem, cut to 1.09 carats and graded flawless in cut, color, and clarity. It was purchased by the state for $34,700 and is exhibited at the park’s visitor center.
Amarillo Starlight (1975): Originally 16.37 carats, cut to 7.54 carats, known for its exceptional clarity.

More Than a Gem

For Fox, the find represents far more than geology. “After all the research, there’s luck and there’s hard work,” she said. “Nothing replaces digging with your hands. It was daunting but unforgettable.” She praised the staff and fellow visitors for turning her solitary mission into a shared triumph.

Her story underscores the enduring allure of Crater of Diamonds State Park: a place where determination, persistence, and a little luck can transform ordinary visitors into discoverers of extraordinary treasures.

Quick Facts: Crater of Diamonds State Park