They say that luck happens when preparation meets opportunity. That was the case for one man from Paris, France, whose training, dedication, and patience resulted in some pretty amazing luck. He recently found a 7-carat diamond while visiting the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.
Julien Navas normally digs for gold and ammonite fossils. But this time, after digging nearly all day, he found something far more valuable.
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Navas traveled to two states before he made it to Arkansas.
Navas was visiting the US to see the United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur Rocket launch in Florida, according to a press release from Arkansas State Parks. From there, he traveled to New Orleans.
During the trip, he learned about Arkansas’ world-famous park: Crater of Diamonds State Park. With his previous experience, he knew he needed to make a trip.
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Navas did hours of back-breaking work before he found anything.
A few days before Navas arrived, it rained, so the ground was still wet and muddy. He bought a ticket for entry and rented a basic diamond hunting kit from the park. He ventured to the 37.5 acre search area and started looking. It wasn’t a quick find.
“I got to the park around nine o’clock and started to dig,” Navas said. “That is back-breaking work so by the afternoon I was mainly looking on top of the ground for anything that stood out."
The recent rainfall helped in his search.
Assistant Park Superintendent Waymon Cox said many of the park’s biggest diamonds are usually found on the surface. “We periodically plow the search area to loosen the diamond-bearing soil and promote natural erosion,” he said. “As rain falls on the field, it washes away the dirt and uncovers heavy rocks, minerals, and diamonds near the surface.”
'It is a magical place, where the dream of finding a diamond can come true!' Navas said.
After several hours, Navas carried his finds to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center. There, he learned he had found a brown diamond weighing 7.46 carats. Hearing the news, Navas said, “I am so happy! All I can think about is telling my fiancée what I found.”
Navas' diamond is a chocolate brown color and the size of a gumdrop. Of his trip, Navas said, “It is a magical place, where the dream of finding a diamond can come true! It was a real great adventure.” He plans to bring his fiancée and daughter with him next time.
75,000 diamonds have been found at Crater of Diamonds.
Navas named the diamond after his fiancée. The Carine diamond is the fifth largest diamond registered at the park. More than 75,000 diamonds have been found at Crater of Diamonds since it became a national park in 1972. Navas plans to split the stone and give one piece to his fiancée and the other to his daughter.
