Events & AwardsMay 17, 2022
‘Cartier and Islamic Art’ Exhibition Opens in DallasSourcingJun 13, 2022
New Smithsonian Exhibit Highlights ‘American Diamonds’
Two of the four stones on display are record holders.
The four diamonds displayed in the new “Great American Diamonds” exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History are (from left to right): the Colorado Diamond Crystal, the Freedom Diamond, the Uncle Sam Diamond, and the Canary Diamond. (Image courtesy Department of Mineral Sciences; photo by James Tiller and Brittany M. Hance, Smithsonian Institution.)
Washington, D.C.—The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History has debuted an exhibit with a focus on American-mined diamonds.
“Great American Diamonds” opened Friday, June 10, displaying four top stones found in the U.S.
This includes the “Freedom Diamond,” the largest faceted diamond to be sourced in the U.S.
The cushion-cut stone came from a 28-carat diamond recovered from the Kelsey Lake Mine in Colorado in 1997. It’s now set in a ring.
The Smithsonian’s exhibit also includes the flawless emerald-cut 12.4-carat pinkish brown “Uncle Sam Diamond.”
Fashioned from a crystal weighing 40.23 carats, making it the largest rough diamond found in the U.S., the stone was discovered at the Crater of Diamonds mine in Arkansas in 1924.
The diamond was feared to have been lost but recently resurfaced in a private collection. “Great American Diamonds” will be the first time it’s being displayed in more than half a century.
Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas, which is now a state park and one of the world’s only diamond-bearing sites accessible to the public, and the Kelsey Lake Mine in Colorado are the only two diamond mines that have operated in the United States.
These two sites produced tens of thousands of carats of rough diamonds between them, but neither was commercially successful with both closing after less than a decade in operation.
The Uncle Sam Diamond and Freedom Diamond are now part of the Smithsonian’s National Gem and Mineral Collection. They came as gifts from Peter Buck and Robert E. and Kathy G. Mau respectively, and were donated to the museum’s national collection within a month of each other.
They are displayed alongside two other American diamonds from the museum’s collection.
The first is the “Canary Diamond,” a golden-yellow diamond crystal weighing nearly 18 carats also sourced from the Arkansas mine.
It was discovered in 1917 and acquired by famed civil engineer and mineral collector Washington Roebling, whose son donated it to the Smithsonian nearly a century ago.
The other is the 6.5-carat “Colorado Diamond Crystal,” which showcases the typical octahedral crystal shape of natural diamonds.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
WatchesAug 25, 2025
London Jewelers Brings Rolex to Historic Hamptons HomeThe new stand-alone Rolex boutique is housed in the former Odd Fellows Hall, a landmark built in 1897.
CollectionsAug 25, 2025
Tennis Star Madison Keys Has the Perfect Necklace for the US OpenThe Brilliant Earth ambassador co-designed a diamond medallion featuring meaningful symbols.
WatchesAug 25, 2025
WatchTime NY Show Returns for 10th Anniversary EditionThe three-day watch collector show, coming this October, will feature 44 exhibiting brands, as well as a new dinner experience.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
TrendsAug 25, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: That’s a WrapWrap jewelry is more than just a trend; it’s the perfect motif for the coming season of layering, scarves, and pumpkin spice.
Weekly QuizAug 22, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
GradingAug 22, 2025
Former Head of GIA India Promoted to Oversee Global Operations Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.
CollectionsAug 22, 2025
Piece of the Week: Retrouvaí’s ‘Diamond Vein Bond’ CollarThe one-of-a-kind collar represents the beauty of imperfection and the strength to rebuild.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
MajorsAug 22, 2025
Kendra Scott Returns as CEO of Her Jewelry EmpireThree C-suite executives, including former CEO Tom Nolan, have resigned as part of what the company describes as a “transition.”
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Claire’s Finds Buyer, Could Save up to 950 StoresThe retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Target Names New CEO as Sales Continue to Lag Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.
Policies & IssuesAug 21, 2025
JA, IDMA Talk Tariffs With Execs in DC The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Pops Up at 2025 US OpenThe pop-up will display this year's Tiffany & Co. Singles Championship trophies along with a diamond-encrusted tennis racket and ball.
IndependentsAug 20, 2025
Bellman’s Jewelers Opens Second Store After COO's TikTok Takes OffThe New Hampshire-based store has expanded to Boston, propelled by the success of Alex Bellman’s TikTok page, “The Truthful Jeweler.”
CrimeAug 20, 2025
Another CA Jewelry Store Rammed With Car, RobbedThe latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.
WatchesAug 20, 2025
Oris Launches Watch Benefiting NYC Harbor Oyster RestorationThe new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2025
Take the Jewelers for Children ‘Trinity of Purpose’ ChallengeParticipants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.
ColumnistsAug 19, 2025
Peter Smith: The Arrival Fallacy and Jewelry RetailSmith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.
CrimeAug 19, 2025
Customs Seizes 7,300 Pairs of Fake ‘Alhambra’ EarringsThe counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.
MajorsAug 19, 2025
MJSA Apprenticeship Program Is Nationally RecognizedThe MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.
WatchesAug 19, 2025
Casio America Names New Timepiece Division ManagerCasio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.
MajorsAug 18, 2025
Verragio’s Michael Barabash, a ‘Kind Soul,’ Dies at 58Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.
CollectionsAug 18, 2025
John Hardy’s New ‘Dot’ Collection Is on PointOriginally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.
Events & AwardsAug 18, 2025
IJO Announces 2025 Vendor of the YearAllison-Kaufman has received the honor for the fourth year in a row.
FinancialsAug 15, 2025
In Q2 Results, Pandora Talks Tariffs, Q4 Plans The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.
EditorsAug 15, 2025
Piece of the Week: Etho Maria’s Showgirl-Approved Ruby Drop Earrings Taylor Swift dons the vibrant pair in new promotional imagery for her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” set to release in October.
WatchesAug 15, 2025
Audemars Piguet Acquires Majority Stake in ManufacturerIts investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.
