MURFREESBORO, Ark. - A Washington state man recently found a 2.2-carat diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park while mining for materials to make an engagement ring.
Christian Liden, 26, of Poulsbo, Washington, found the light yellow stone May 9, the third day he and a friend used homemade mining equipment in their search at the park, according to a news release. It was the largest diamond found at the park since last October, when a visitor from Fayetteville, Arkansas, discovered a 4.49-carat yellow diamond there.
"I saw it shining as soon as I turned the screen over and immediately knew it was a diamond. I was shaking so bad, I asked my buddy to grab it out of the gravel for me," Liden said.
Liden previously had panned enough gold for the ring in his home state. He and his friend left Washington on their quest May 1 and tested their equipment at a Montana sapphire mine along the way. The pair arrived at Crater of Diamonds on May 7.
"We spent about an hour in the field that afternoon and returned early the next morning to mine all day," Liden said.
On his third day at the park, Liden was wet sifting when he finally spotted what he had traveled more than 2,000 miles in search of. He found it in dirt from the West Drain of the park's 37.5-acre diamond search area, the surface of an ancient, diamond-bearing volcanic pipe.
He named the diamond Washington Sunshine "because it's got a nice, light yellow color, just like sunlight in Washington."
"Mr. Liden's diamond is light yellow, with a triangular shape and a sparkling, metallic luster. Like most diamonds from the park, it contains a few inclusions, making it one of a kind.
"As beautiful as this diamond is, I think the best part is the story behind it. Since the eighth grade, Mr. Liden has dreamed of creating a special ring for his future wife, with stones and gold he mined himself. And now he can make that dream come true," Assistant Park Superintendent Dru Edmonds said.
Liden plans to mine for opals in Nevada before returning home. Once he proposes, he wants to design an engagement ring with his bride-to-be using his diamond and other gemstones collected across the country.
So far in 2021, visitors have registered 121 diamonds, with a combined weight more than 20 carats, at Crater of Diamonds State Park. Visitors find an average of one to two diamonds at the park each day.