TrendsJul 10, 2026
Jade Trau Creates a Constellation of DiamondsThe “Constellation Plié” collar, our Piece of the Week, features diamonds arranged in a constellation of shining stars.
EditorsJan 19, 2017
The Biggest Diamond in Washington
It weighs nearly 188 carats and it’s not on Melania Trump’s hand. Our Editor-in-Chief reports from the nation’s capital.
The Foxfire Diamond, pictured here in the display case it will occupy for another month in Washington, D.C., is the largest known rough gem-quality diamond ever mined in North America. It was found at the Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada in August 2015. (Photo credit: Clay Blackmore)
As I write this, I am on an Amtrak train bouncing, tilting and clattering its way to Washington, D.C., where I have been invited to the inauguration as a personal guest of our 45th president, Donald J. Trump.
Just kidding.
I am actually going to speak at the D.C. chapter of the GIA alumni association tonight at a Holiday Inn in Arlington, Virginia, giving the PowerPoint version of the blog post I recently wrote on my retail prognostications for the year.
Since I am on my way to our nation’s capital, however, I feel like it’s a good time to catch readers up on my last trip to D.C. As they say, there’s no better time than the present to finish a story you should have written two months ago.
Back in November, I was invited to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History for a dinner welcoming the 187.63-carat Foxfire Diamond as a temporary resident of the museum’s Harry Winston Gallery, which is also home to the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond.
Discovered at Canada’s Diavik Diamond Mine in August 2015, the Foxfire is the biggest diamond ever known to be found in North America.
Rio Tinto, which owns a 60 percent stake in Diavik, had the diamond in New York back in May and I got my little, grubby, never-polished fingers on it then. The following month, the stone went up for auction and Deepak Sheth of Amadena Investments/Excellent Facets Inc. placed the winning-but-never-disclosed bid for the diamond.
As I reported in November, Sheth has opted to keep the diamond in its rough state for now, lending it first to the Smithsonian and very kindly inviting me to the above-mentioned dinner welcoming the stone.
Held after hours in the gallery itself, the event presented the perfect opportunity for a private, albeit self-guided, tour of the two rooms that house the museum’s mineral collection.
It also gave me the chance to meet Sheth and Jeffrey Post, geologist, chair of the museum’s Mineral Sciences department and the curator-in-charge of the museum’s mineral collection.
and took its name from the aboriginal description of the Northern Lights as resembling a “brush of undulating fox tails.”
Post spoke to the crowd on two separate occasions that evening, first addressing why he’s excited to have (and why it may be difficult to separate from) the diamond in the museum’s collection, and then talking a little bit more about the scientific properties of this special stone.
The Foxfire, he said, has strong fluorescence; he compared the shade of blue it turns when under UV light to blue glacier ice. It also exhibits bright-orange phosphorescence when the light is turned off that fades away slowly.
“We’ve never actually seen it stop. We just finally get tired and walk away from the diamond,” he joked.
Post--who, admittedly, has not seen a ton of diamonds in his lifetime but has examined some extraordinary stones--said he’s never seen a diamond that fluoresces so blue and then phosphoresces so orange. They are studying the Foxfire while they have it to get a better idea of what it means and “really, what’s going on inside this diamond.”
He also remarked on how this big rough diamond fits into the museum’s mission of educating and creating an experience for its visitors, saying, “How often do any of us get to see a large diamond that’s been found and mined anywhere in the world, and the public--never. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of our visitors.”
Listening back to my recording of that evening’s remarks, I was reminded of what Larry West told me when I was interviewing him about his company’s natural colored diamonds that are now on display in Los Angeles: The general public does not get to see these types of stones very often, which is something that you tend to forget when you work around jewelry every day.
Yes, people can walk through jewelry stores and see showcases filled with row after row of 1-carat diamonds but it’s not very often, if ever, that they get to see truly rare and wonderful stones, like West’s colored diamonds or a big diamonds in it rough form like the Foxfire.
The Foxfire Diamond will remain on display at the Smithsonian, housed in a glass case just feet from the Hope, until Feb 16. After that, Sheth plans to take it on a “world journey” to share it with other admirers.
We’ll let you know where it’s headed.
Post spoke to the crowd on two separate occasions that evening, first addressing why he’s excited to have (and why it may be difficult to separate from) the diamond in the museum’s collection, and then talking a little bit more about the scientific properties of this special stone.
The Foxfire, he said, has strong fluorescence; he compared the shade of blue it turns when under UV light to blue glacier ice. It also exhibits bright-orange phosphorescence when the light is turned off that fades away slowly.
“We’ve never actually seen it stop. We just finally get tired and walk away from the diamond,” he joked.
Post--who, admittedly, has not seen a ton of diamonds in his lifetime but has examined some extraordinary stones--said he’s never seen a diamond that fluoresces so blue and then phosphoresces so orange. They are studying the Foxfire while they have it to get a better idea of what it means and “really, what’s going on inside this diamond.”
He also remarked on how this big rough diamond fits into the museum’s mission of educating and creating an experience for its visitors, saying, “How often do any of us get to see a large diamond that’s been found and mined anywhere in the world, and the public--never. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of our visitors.”
Listening back to my recording of that evening’s remarks, I was reminded of what Larry West told me when I was interviewing him about his company’s natural colored diamonds that are now on display in Los Angeles: The general public does not get to see these types of stones very often, which is something that you tend to forget when you work around jewelry every day.
Yes, people can walk through jewelry stores and see showcases filled with row after row of 1-carat diamonds but it’s not very often, if ever, that they get to see truly rare and wonderful stones, like West’s colored diamonds or a big diamonds in it rough form like the Foxfire.
The Foxfire Diamond will remain on display at the Smithsonian, housed in a glass case just feet from the Hope, until Feb 16. After that, Sheth plans to take it on a “world journey” to share it with other admirers.
We’ll let you know where it’s headed.
More on Editors
The Latest
WatchesJul 10, 2026
Brilliant Earth Expands Into WatchesIn honor of its 20th anniversary, the jewelry brand has released a limited-edition collection of Swiss-made timepieces.
SourcingJul 10, 2026
CFO of De Beers’ Consumer-Facing Division Leaves Company Shaun Wills joined the company in 2024 and was chief financial officer of the De Beers Brands and Consumer Markets division.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
CollectionsJul 09, 2026
Boucheron’s New High Jewelry Collection Is an Ode to the Human Touch“Human Being” highlights the similarities and differences between us through five sets of jewelry that celebrate fine craftsmanship.
Weekly QuizJul 09, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
WatchesJul 09, 2026
Damiani Group Finalizes Acquisition of Baume & MercierRichemont will continue to provide operational services for the watch brand for a period while the group prepares to integrate it.
AuctionsJul 09, 2026
Pharrell Williams’ Joopiter Hires Former Bonhams Exec to Head New Watch DivisionNate Borgelt will lead the digital auction house and content platform’s new division as head of watches.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
Events & AwardsJul 09, 2026
Halstead Names 2026 Grant WinnerEnoch Platero, founder and designer behind Enoch Michael, is the first Native American jeweler to win the award.
Events & AwardsJul 09, 2026
AGS, GIA Name 2026 Beatrice Shipley Scholarship WinnerAGS also announced the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.
MajorsJul 08, 2026
Kendra Scott Joins ‘Shark Tank’ As Permanent Investor The founder of the billion-dollar jewelry and lifestyle brand will debut as a full-time “Shark” on the upcoming season of the show.
SurveysJul 08, 2026
Signet Jewelers Falls 5 Spots on NRF’s ‘Top 100’ Retailers ListPlus, why retailers should be ready to adjust as the U.S. population may decline this year for the first time since the Great Depression.
CrimeJul 08, 2026
Here’s What Thieves Stole From the Lalique Museum René Lalique’s “Woman Dragonfly With Open Wings” pendant, the first piece the museum acquired, was one of the jewels taken.
MajorsJul 08, 2026
Richline Group Promotes 2 ExecsArien Gessner and Moss Makhoulian have been elevated into newly created roles.
ColumnistsJul 07, 2026
Peter Smith: Diamond Branding and the Origin ParadoxA podcast prompted Smith to share his views on where origin fits into the natural diamond story and the viability of branded diamonds.
Events & AwardsJul 07, 2026
JA Announces 2026 Impact Initiative RecipientsThe association selected eight recipients for the funding program, which is in its second year.
TrendsJul 07, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Ruby, White and Blue Whether celebrating America’s 250th birthday or the USA’s World Cup run, July birthstone jewelry can double as a patriotic accessory.
CrimeJul 07, 2026
Thieves Steal Millions in Jewels From France’s Musée LaliqueAround 20 pieces of jewelry were stolen from the museum dedicated to French jeweler and glassmaker René Lalique.
CollectionsJul 07, 2026
Robinson Pelham Is Partying Like It’s 1996The “Summer of ’96” campaign and collection celebrate the year the brand was founded for its 30th anniversary.
SourcingJul 06, 2026
Gemfields CEO Sean Gilbertson Steps DownAfter eight years, Gilbertson is leaving his post at the mining company, which is currently facing a slew of operational challenges.
IndependentsJul 06, 2026
Bachendorf’s To Open Fifth Store In DallasThe new location is set to open this winter, featuring the retailer’s first rotating jewelry designer residency.
MajorsJul 06, 2026
Graff Names BTS Star Jung Kook as New AmbassadorThe pop artist appears in the latest campaign for the “Laurence Graff Signature” collection.
CollectionsJul 06, 2026
Pandora’s New Baroque Pearl Collection Is a Whimsical ‘Wonder’One-of-a-kind pearls take the shape of ice cream cones, frogs, submarines, and other imaginative charms.
SourcingJul 02, 2026
London Diamond Bourse Elects First Female PresidentCharlotte Rose said her election is “a sign that this is an industry capable of change.”
Supplier BulletinJul 02, 2026
Elevating Retail Showcases with Today's Necklace & Bracelet TrendsSponsored by Rio Grande Jewelry Supply
TrendsJul 02, 2026
Oscar Heyman’s Flag Brooch Celebrates AmericaThe American jewelry house, founded by Latvian immigrants, has been creating American flag brooches since 1917.
IndependentsJul 02, 2026
D. Geller & Son Partners with KSU Art Students on Store MuralThe artwork celebrates the Atlanta jeweler’s legacy and symbolizes its commitment to supporting local artists and its community.
