The Journey of the Esperanza Diamond

Esperanza Diamond, Diamond Pendant, Americas Largest Diamond

The Esperanza diamond is the most valuable diamond ever discovered in the USA, found by Brooke Oskarson at The Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Brooke enlisted the help of a number of American Gem Society members to collaborate and turn her find into something even more remarkable, ensuring the unique provenance of such a rare American diamond.

Unearthing Esperanza at The Crater of Diamonds State Park, Arkansas

The Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas is the only public place in the world where, for a fee, you can dig for diamonds and keep what you find. The Esperanza diamond was found there in June 2015 by Brooke Oskarson, of Colorado. At 8.52 carats in its rough form, Esperanza is the fifth largest diamond ever found at the Park. Oskarson named the diamond Esperanza after her niece, and also the Spanish word for hope.

Read more about the discovery of Esperanza:

Fox News - Colorado woman finds 8.52 carat diamond in Arkansas state park

USA Today - Colorado woman finds 8.52 carat diamond at Arkansas park

People Magazine - Colorado Woman Discovers 8.52-Carat Diamond in Arkansas State Park

CNN - Park visitor unearths 8.52-carat diamond in Arkansas

JCK Online - Woman Finds 8.52 Carat Diamond at Arkansas Park

Daily News - Colorado woman unearths 8.52 carat diamond at Arkansas park

Discovery News - Woman Unearths 8.52 Carat Diamond at Arkansas Park

A live cutting event held in Little Rock, Arkansas

Stanley Jewelers Gemologist is located in Little Rock, Arkansas, two hours away from the Crater of Diamonds State Park. When Laura Stanley heard about Esperanza, she knew The American Gem Society (AGS), of which Stanley Jewelers is a member, could help. Oskarson had already taken the Esperanza diamond to Neil Beaty, gemologist and AGS member, who then referred her on to Stanley. So began the involvement of more AGS members in a bid to ensure the unique provenance of such a rare American diamond.

AGS member and master diamond cutter Mike Botha of Embee Diamonds was given the task of cutting Esperanza, at a live cutting event at Stanley Jewelers. Botha created a new type of cut - the triolette - for Esperanza, which he says was intended as “a unique design for a unique diamond that shows off the color and transparency from every direction while preserving as much weight as possible”. Botha spent 180 hours cutting and finishing the diamond into a 4.605 carat diamond with 147 facets.

Read more about the cutting of Esperanza:

CBC News - Prince Albert’s Mike Botha to cut unique gemstone in Arkansas

The Jeweler Blog - Master Cutter Transforms 8.52-Carat ‘Esperanza’ Diamond Into a 4.65-Carat ‘Triolette’ That Could Fetch $300K

JCK Online - Hundreds of People Watched This Diamond Get Cut

Global News - Canada-based master diamond cutter crafts ‘Esperanza’ gemstone

International Gem Society - Master Diamond Cutter Mike Botha Takes On Esperanza

Jewelry News Network - The ‘Esperanza’ Diamond Story

Sending Esperanza to the lab for grading

The cut Esperanza diamond was then sent to the American Gem Society Laboratory to be officially graded. The results? A Type IIa, internally flawless diamond of D colour — basically the purest diamond you can get, and the reason why Esperanza is the most valuable diamond ever discovered in the USA.

Designing a pendant for Esperanza

The Esperanza stakeholders asked Inspired Jewellery (also an AGS member), to design a piece of fine jewellery as the setting for the Esperanza diamond.

Ian Douglas, Creative Director of Inspired, set about designing a pendant for Esperanza. Without being able to see the diamond first hand, all Douglas had to guide him was a 3D model. From sketch, to CAD renders, and finally a 3D printed wax model, his design was ready.

“Our ethos is that the diamond should always be integral to the design, not an afterthought. In the case of Esperanza, it couldn’t be any other way. When I design jewellery, I imagine a diamond, floating, unconstrained, revealing its beauty in its entirety. I then design works of art to connect that diamond to the wearer”.

Douglas’ design floats the Esperanza diamond above the setting, as if it is suspended mid-air. The diamond is only secured at each pointed end. Flowing from these ends are fluid shapes and lines of platinum which form the base of the pendant, echoing the shape of Esperanza. They are designed to look like tapering droplets of water. Smaller Canadian diamonds are set into the platinum.

The pendant was then crafted by Byard. F. Brogan, a jewellery manufacturer in Philadelphia.

Read more about the Esperanza pendant design:

The Dominion Post & Stuff.co.nz - Wellington jeweller designs pendant for one of world’s most flawless diamonds

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise - New Zealand Jeweller designs pendant for one of word’s most flawless diamonds

TVNZ One News - United States most valuable diamond has Kiwi connection

Jewellery Business - Esperanza set in a custom pendant

Esperanza goes on tour

Six months after it was found, Esperanza had now been set into a custom-designed pendant and was ready to go on a tour to selected AGS member jewellery retailers across the USA. The pendant caused quite a buzz! Television news reporters, celebrities, a presidential candidate, and hundreds of members of the public were able to see and try on the Esperanza pendant. The tour went all over America, stopping at the following locations:

Stanley Jewelers Gemologist, North Little Rock, AR

Black Starr & Frost, Newport Beach, CA

Black Starr & Frost , Phoenix, AZ

Molina Fine Jewelers, Phoenix, AZ

Whiteflash, Houston, TX

Underwood’s Jewelers, Jacksonville, FL

A diamond pendant worth $1 million up for auction

A diamond originally thought to be worth about $500,000 USD, the value of the Esperanza pendant was now estimated at $1 million USD. While on tour, bids for Esperanza were being accepted through a silent bidding process. It was hoped that Esperanza would stay on American soil, however interest was coming from all over the world. Esperanza was also listed on Wikipedia under Famous Diamonds In History, and featured as a famous diamond on Named Diamonds.

Currency

Sending Esperanza to the lab for grading

A diamond pendant worth $1 million up for auction

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