California Woman Discovers 4.38-Carat Yellow Diamond At Arkansas State Park

“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” has rung true for one California woman, who found a 4.38-carat yellow diamond at the Arkansas Crater of Diamonds State Park.

While on a vacation with her husband at the Hot Springs National Park on Sept. 23, Noreen Wredberg realized she is not that far from the diamond park.

“I first saw the park featured on a TV show several years ago,” she told Arkansas State Parks news. “When I realized we weren’t too far away, I knew we had to come!”

Initially, Noreen started searching in a shaded area near the mine's entrance, but on her husband’s suggestion ventured out. The exploration turned out to be fruitful as she found the rock sitting on top of the ground within an hour of exploring.

“I didn’t know it was a diamond then, but it was clean and shiny, so I picked it up," Noreen said, according to KATV.

She then reportedly gave the diamond to her husband Michael, who had it checked by the park authorities. They informed him that the stone was a 4.38-carat yellow diamond.

“When I first saw this diamond under the microscope, I thought, ‘Wow, what a beautiful shape and color!’ Mrs. Wredberg’s diamond weighs more than four carats and is about the size of a jellybean, with a pear shape and a lemonade yellow color,” said Park Superintendent Caleb Howell, who initially identified the gem to the State Parks news.

The Wredbergs named the diamond Lucy after Michael’s yellow-furred cat. The diamond has not been valued yet.

“We really didn’t think we would find one, let alone something that big!” said a surprised Noreen to the Parks staff after learning the news.

Howell said the area had received an inch of rainfall, and coupled with the morning sunlight the time was optimal for uncovering a sparkling diamond.

The Crater of Diamonds park sits on top of an ancient diamond-bearing volcanic crater and for a small price treasure enthusiasts can dig for their own precious stones across a 37.5-acre plowed field.

In 1990, the park produced the Strawn-Wagner Diamond, one of the most colorless and internally flawless diamonds found in the world so far.