A casual question to a virtual assistant led to a memorable discovery for a Texas family visiting Crater of Diamonds State Park.
James Ward, a 41-year-old high school teacher from Cypress, Texas, found a 2.09-carat brown diamond on Dec. 30 while searching the park’s diamond field with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two sons.
The family’s trip began earlier in December after their youngest son asked if there were any nearby places to mine for crystals. A quick search pointed them to Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park, prompting the family to make the six-hour drive during the holiday break.
After spending several cold hours searching the field on their first day, the family considered cutting the trip short. Instead, they returned the next morning a decision that paid off. About two hours into the search, Ward spotted a metallic-looking stone near the West Drain area of the park’s 37.5-acre search field.
Park staff later confirmed the find was a 2.09-carat diamond, roughly the size of a corn kernel, with a dark yellowish-brown color and metallic luster. Assistant Park Superintendent Waymon Cox said the shield-shaped diamond is a broken crystal, a common trait among diamonds formed by volcanic activity deep underground.
Ward named the find the “Ward Diamond” to mark the family experience. He says he hasn’t decided whether he’ll keep or sell it.
The Ward Diamond was one of five diamonds found at the park in December. In 2025, park officials say 540 diamonds were registered by visitors.
Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only public diamond-bearing site in the world where visitors can search for diamonds and keep what they find.
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