It took a vacationing father and daughter just one hour to find a 2.03-carat diamond sparkling in the dirt at Arkansas' Crater of Diamonds State Park on Monday.
Dan Frederick, who lives in Renton, Wash, and his daughter, Lauren, who lives in Los Angeles, decided to journey to the state park in Murfreesboro after they scoured the Internet for "places to find gems," according to a news release.
They started searching the north end of the park around 8 a.m., and Frederick said he spotted the gem's metallic sheen about 3 feet away from him less than an hour later, the release said.
Weather conditions might have contributed to the Fredericks' find. Diamonds are heavy for their size, the release said, and when rain washes dirt away, they become exposed and easier to spot.
The gem, nicknamed "The Lucky Diamond," is pearly white in color with a distinct triangular shape, park interpreter Betty Coors said.
"This is an example of a diamond that all park visitors dream of taking home," Coors said.
Lauren Frederick said the find "was the cherry on top of a fun and special trip."
"Finding the diamond will be one of my favorite memories, especially since my dad and I found it together," she said.
