Public Invited To Watch Esperanza Diamond Cutting, Live Stream Available

Beginning Wednesday, September 9-12, the public is invited to watch internationally acclaimed master diamond cutter Mike Botha cut the now famous 8.52-carat “Esperanza” diamond.

The stone was found earlier this year in June at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park at Murfreesboro, where visitors can search a 37.5 acre plowed field and keep what they find. Park visitor Bobbie Oskarson of Colorado found the stone while vacationing in The Natural State this summer. She named it “Esperanza” for her niece.

Through a partnership between Stanley Jewelers Gemologist of North Little Rock and Embee Diamonds of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, the public can watch the four-day process for cutting a stone of this magnitude.

According to Laura Stanley, vice president of Stanley Jewelers Gemologist, “Embee Diamonds has announced that Mike will transform what nature formed into a 147-facet triolette shape of his own design. Resembling a teardrop, this custom cut will be a composite of emerald and trapezoid giving the gem much brilliance. We are hoping it will be five carats.”

Stanley noted that once the diamond has been cut and polished, it will go to the AGS Laboratories for a final grading report. Then it will be mounted in a custom-designed pendant created by award-winning U.S. designer Erica Courtney of Los Angeles. The gem will be offered for sale this fall.

The “Esperanza” is the fifth largest diamond found by a park visitor since the state park was established at Arkansas’ diamond site in 1972. Previous bigger finds:

• White 16.37-carat Amarillo Starlight found in 1975 by W.W. Johnson of Amarillo, Texas
• White 8.82-carat Star of Shreveport discovered in 1981 by Carroll Blankenship of Shreveport, Louisiana
• White 8.66-carat Illusion Diamond unearthed in 2011 by Beth Gilbertson of Salida, Colorado
• Brown 8.61-carat Lamle Diamond found in 1978 by Betty Lamle of Hitchcock, Oklahoma

The largest diamond ever discovered in the U.S. was unearthed at Arkansas’ diamond site in 1924 during an early mining operation prior to its becoming an Arkansas state park in 1972. Named the Uncle Sam, this white diamond with a pink cast weighed 40.23 carats. In 1956, also prior to its becoming a state park, the 15.33-carat Star of Arkansas, a white diamond was found by Winifred Parker when the site was operated by Howard Millar as a privately-operated tourist attraction.

To follow the journey of this diamond via Facebook, search for the “Historic Esperanza Diamond Cutting” event page or go to this link. You can also watch the process via live-stream through this web site.

Stanley Jewelers Gemologists is located at 3422 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in North Little Rock. Hours for viewing the diamond’s cutting will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.