Some new bling is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, in D.C., as the museum unveiled an exhibit called Great American Diamonds on Friday.
It features four of the most stunning diamonds ever found in the United States.
“Most people are surprised to learn that diamonds have been mined in the United States, and as the national museum, we are delighted to introduce these great American diamonds to our visitors,” said mineralogist Jeffrey Post, the museum’s curator-in-charge of gems and minerals.
The Uncle Sam Diamond, an emerald-cut stone fashioned from the largest uncut American diamond ever discovered, was cut from a crystal weighing 40.23 carats that was discovered in Arkansas in 1924. It’s being displayed for the first time in more than 50 years.
For decades, the 12.4-carat, pinkish-brown diamond was feared to have been lost before recently resurfacing in a private collection.
Another diamond, the Freedom Diamond, is now set in a ring and is the largest faceted diamond ever to originate in the United States. It was fashioned from a 28-carat diamond crystal discovered in Colorado in 1997.
“Amazingly, the Uncle Sam and Freedom diamonds were donated to our national collection within a month of each other,” Post said. “The generosity of the donors ensures that these great Earth treasures will forever belong to the people of the United States, and the world.”
Also featured in the exhibit is the Canary Diamond, a golden-yellow diamond crystal from Arkansas, and the 6.5-carat Colorado Diamond Crystal.
The Smithsonian’s National Gem and Mineral Collection is the world’s most visited collection of gems. It contains more than 10,000 precious stones and pieces of jewelry, including the iconic Hope Diamond.
The Natural Museum of Natural History is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but is closed on Christmas.
