Is Arkansas as glamorous as Paris? For one man, the answer appears to be yes.
Julien Navas of Paris, France, got lucky earlier this month when he unearthed a 7.46-carat diamond at the Arkansas Crater of Diamonds State Park.
”[The park] It is a magical place where dreams of finding diamonds come true. It was a really great adventure,” the Paris resident said, according to a news release from Arkansas State Parks.
Lucky Arkansas man finds 3.29 carat brown diamond in state park
Navas was traveling all over America.
After stopping to watch a rocket launch in Cape Canaveral, Florida, he headed to New Orleans.
Julian Navas discovered the 7.46-carat diamond on January 11th at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. (Arkansas State Park)
While in the Big Easy, Navas learned about Crater of Diamonds State Park and was intrigued.
“He had previously mined gold and looked for ammonite fossils, so this park piqued his interest,” Arkansas State Parks officials said in a press release.
“So he knew he had to visit the park while in the United States.”
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On January 11, Navas bought a diamond hunting kit at the park and began his quest to find gemstones.
Arkansas park officials say the gem is “about the size of a candy gumdrop.” (Arkansas State Park)
“We arrived at the park around 9 o'clock and started digging,” Navas said. “It was arduous work, so until the afternoon we were mainly looking for anything noticeable on the ground.”
Hours later, he took his find to the park's Diamond Discovery Center and learned he was carrying a brown diamond weighing 7.46 carats.
“I'm so happy! All I can think about is telling my fiancé what I found,” Navas told park officials.
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The reason for the discovery was that the park received heavy rain in the days preceding Navas' visit.
Navas said he plans to cut the gemstone into two diamonds and give them to his daughter and future wife. (Arkansas State Park)
“We are plowing the search area regularly to loosen the diamond-bearing soil and encourage natural erosion,” Assistant Park Superintendent Waymon Cox said in a press release.
“When it rains on a field, it washes away the soil and exposes heavy rocks, minerals and diamonds near the surface.”
Navas told park officials that he named the jewelry after his fiancée, Karine. He plans to cut the gem into two diamonds and give one to his fiancée and one to his daughter.
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“Navas' diamond is a deep chocolate brown in color and round like marble, about the size of a candy gumdrop,” said a press release from Arkansas State Parks.
FOX News Digital has reached out to Navas for comment.
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