Fayetteville Man Scores 4.49-Carat Canary Yellow Diamond at Arkansas Park

At first glance, the shiny yellow stone that emerged from Steven McCool's 11th — and last — bucket of the day at Crater of Diamonds State Park seemed to be a well-worn piece of amber-colored glass. But then it quickly dawned on the Fayetteville, AR, native that the jelly-bean-size curiosity was something very special.

“As my eyes were panning to it, I was thinking it could be an amber piece of glass like an old Coke bottle,” said McCool. “Once I focused on it, though, I knew it was a diamond. I was like ‘No way! No way!’”

The self-proclaimed “newbie” at diamond hunting put his treasure in a safe place and continued wet sifting the rest of the dirt he collected in the Canary Hill area of the park. It was nearly closing time, the water was ice cold and his gloves were completely soaked through.

A few minutes later at the park's Diamond Discovery Center, the 34-year-old didn't need any help validating his find.

Said McCool, “I went up there and was like ‘Where do I register my diamond?’”

It turns out that McCool's assessment was right on the mark.

“Mr. McCool’s find is a 4.49-carat sparkling, canary yellow diamond that is about the size of a jelly bean and seems to have great clarity," said Crater of Diamonds State Park Assistant Superintendent Meghan Moore. "It is a stunning diamond.”

This was McCool's fifth trip to the only public diamond mine where novice prospectors get to keep what they find. He had been visiting the Murfreesboro area, which is about 200 miles from his home, and extended his stay by one day because there had been a lot of rainfall recently, which made the conditions ideal for finding a diamond.

Moore said that it is very unusual for a visitor to find a large diamond while wet sifting.

“It is extraordinarily rare to catch a diamond in the top screen of a screen set," said Moore. “The mesh size of the top screen is larger and typically used to catch and remove bigger pieces of gravel – not diamonds. The average diamond size found wet sifting is a quarter of a carat. Typically, larger diamonds are found by surface searching.”

McCool named his diamond the "BamMam Diamond,” which is a combination of the initials of his 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter.

“What’s more precious than a precious gem? My children,” said McCool. “So, I named it after my children and the name will stay with the diamond forever.”

McCool told park officials he hasn't decided whether he will keep it or sell it.

“I’m torn. I’m somewhat sentimental. It’s [the] first diamond I found. I am the first person to unearth this, the first person to touch it. It’s hard to wrap my head around it. I am blown away by the clarity, the beauty, how rare it is. I’m definitely blessed, not lucky. It was the Lord’s work,” he said.

The search area of Crater of Diamonds State Park is actually a plowed field atop the eroded surface of an extinct, diamond-bearing volcanic pipe. Visitors have found more than 33,000 diamonds since the Crater of Diamonds opened as an Arkansas State Park in 1972.

Admission is currently limited to 1,500 tickets per day due to COVID-19 restrictions. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.

November's Fiery Birthstone Takes Center Stage in 'Jolie Citrine Necklace'

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth’s crust, and in its pure state it is colorless. But when trace amounts of iron (about 40 parts per million) mix into quartz's chemical makeup, extraordinary things happen. The colorless silicon dioxide emerges as citrine in a gorgeous array of fall colors, from the warm hues of golden champagne to the deep orange-browns of Madeira wine.

Citrine, which gets its name from “citron,” the French word for “lemon,” is one of the two official birthstones for the month of November (the other is topaz).

One of the finest examples of gem-quality citrine is the 177.11-carat pear-shaped drop that dangles from the Jolie Citrine Necklace, a stylish piece donated by actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie to the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection in 2015.

The necklace is beautifully styled with 64 graduated citrine gems, each bezel set in 18-karat yellow gold. The large pear-shaped citrine drop is also bezel set, giving the necklace a sharp, clean look.

A collaboration between the actress and American jewelry designer Robert Procop, the Jolie Citrine Necklace is from the Style of Jolie jewelry collection. Jolie created the collection to promote education and establish schools in conflict-affected countries. Proceeds from the sales of jewelry in the Style of Jolie collection are donated to the Education Partnership for Children in Conflict, which builds schools for children around the world, the first few of which were established in Afghanistan.

“We are thrilled to receive this important piece for the Smithsonian,” Jeffrey Post, curator of the National Gem Collection, said in 2015. “It is the first piece of citrine jewelry in the collection. The fact that it was personally designed by Angelina Jolie and Robert Procop makes it all the more significant.”

The Jolie Citrine Necklace is on permanent display at the Janet Annenberg Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals, which is located in the National Museum of Natural History. Sadly, the Smithsonian museums in Washington, DC, have been temporarily closed to support the effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Citrine is a near-cousin to other popular quartz-family members, including amethyst, rose quartz and tiger’s eye.

Most citrine comes from Brazil, but other important sources include Spain, Bolivia, France, Russia, Madagascar and the U.S. (Colorado, North Carolina and California). Citrine wasn’t always an official birthstone for November. The National Association of Jewelers (now Jewelers of America) added it in 1952 as an alternative to topaz.

Credits: Images by Robert Procop/Smithsonian.

Rio Tinto's 'Specials' Tender Showcases 74.48-Carat 'Diavik Helios' Diamond

The "Diavik Helios," a 74.48-carat fancy yellow diamond named after the mythical Greek God of the Sun, headlines Rio Tinto's forthcoming "Specials" Tender — a selection of the largest and finest rough diamonds from the company's mines in Canada and Australia.

The 2020 Specials Tender is especially significant because it is the last one that will include diamonds from Rio Tinto's once-prolific Argyle Mine in the east Kimberley region of Australia. Opened in 1983, the mine that had famously produced 95% of the world's pink diamonds will cease operations this week, according to the Daily Mail Australia.

A fine-quality rough diamond is considered a Special if it weighs 10.8 carats or more.

The Diavik Helios was sourced at Rio Tinto's Diavik diamond mine in the remote Northwest Territories of Canada. The mine primarily produces high-quality white diamonds, but every once in a while the miner is surprised by a fancy yellow.

“Since the Diavik mine began production in 2003, it has produced on average only five large yellow diamonds each year, in effect less than 0.001% of Diavik’s annual production," said Patrick Coppens, general manager, sales and marketing for Rio Tinto’s diamonds business. The Diavik Helios is an exceptional diamond in terms of its color saturation and clarity, and will be in strong demand from colored diamond specialists around the world.”

Diamond specialists from around the world will have an opportunity to preview more than 28,000 carats of rough Argyle diamonds — both colored and colorless — with physical presentations in Antwerp and Tel Aviv, as well as online viewing to accommodate for COVID-19 travel restrictions. Bids close on November 9.

One of the featured gems sourced at Australia's Argyle mine is the 26-carat colorless rough diamond seen here.

"Since it began production in 1983, the Argyle mine has produced more than 865 million carats of rough diamonds," said Andrew Wilson, general manager of the Argyle mine. "With the mine closing… the Argyle rough diamonds presented at this tender are a final rare and collectible offering from one of the world’s greatest diamond mines.”

Rio Tinto reported that its ultra-rare and highly coveted pink diamonds have accounted for less than 0.01% of Argyle's total output during the 37-year lifespan of the mine.

Credits: Images courtesy of Rio Tinto.

Ultra-Rare Julius Caesar 'Assassination Coin' Sells for Record-Setting $4.2 Million

An ultra-rare ”Ides of March” gold coin commemorating the assassination of Roman dictator Julius Caesar in 44 BC broke an auction record Thursday when it fetched $4.2 million at London-based Roma Numismatics Limited. The selling price, which includes a buyer’s premium, was more than six times the pre-auction estimate of $650,000.

The impressive performance of the nickel-sized coin came as no surprise to Mark Salzberg, Chairman of Sarasota, FL-based Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, the company whose experts in the U.S. and U.K. confirmed its authenticity.

“I’m not surprised it set a world record as the most valuable ancient coin ever sold,” said Salzberg. “It’s a masterpiece of artistry and rarity, still in mint condition after 2,000 years, and only the third known example made in gold. Many of us believed it would sell for millions, and it did.”

The name of the winning bidder was not revealed by Roma Numismatics Limited. According to the auction house, this previously unrecorded coin was closely held in a private European collection for many years.

“It was made in 42 BC, two years after the famous assassination, and is one of the most important and valuable coins of the ancient world,” explained Salzberg.

The front of the coin features a portrait of Marcus Junius Brutus, one of Caesar’s assassins, and the other side dramatically depicts two daggers and the marking “EID MAR.” The initials represent the Latin abbreviation for the Ides of March, which corresponds to March 15 on the calendar and is the date Caesar was assassinated.

Roma Numismatics explained that the coin represents a "naked and shameless celebration of the murder of Julius Caesar two years earlier, in 44 BC. This brutal and bloody assassination had been prompted by the well-founded belief among the Senate that Caesar intended to make himself king.”

While nearly 100 Ides of March silver coins are known to still exist, this is only the third example known to be struck in gold. Of the other two, one is in the British Museum on loan from a private collector and the other is in the Deutsche Bundesbank collection.

“There were rumors of a third example, and NGC authenticators were excited when this coin was submitted at our London office and sent for evaluation at our headquarters in Sarasota,” said Salzberg. “The coin is only about the size of modern United States five-cent and United Kingdom five-pence denomination coins, but it’s an historic treasure worth far more than its weight in gold,”

While the ”Ides of March” gold coin set a new auction record for an ancient coin, the world record for any coin ever sold at auction remains with the 1794 United States “Flowing Hair Dollar,” the first federally issued coin. That coin — which was also graded by NGC — fetched just over $10 million at an auction in 2013.

Credits: Images courtesy of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.

Music Friday: Adele Turns Sorrow Into Treasured Gold in Her Mega-Hit, ‘Rolling in the Deep’

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, British sensation Adele “turns her sorrow into treasured gold” in one of the most popular tunes of all time, the 2010 international mega-hit, “Rolling in the Deep.” The official music video has been viewed more than 1.74 billion times.

In this powerful song about a scorned woman seeking to turn the tables on a lover who has done her wrong, Adele promises revenge. In the end, she knows her anguish will pale in comparison to the torment he’s about to suffer. She takes great pleasure in plunging him into the depths of despair, and this is where our precious metal reference comes into focus.

She sings, “Turn my sorrow into treasured gold / You’ll pay me back in kind and reap just what you’ve sown.”

Not surprisingly, the song was inspired by the real-life breakup of Adele and her then-boyfriend. It’s been reported that Adele co-wrote the song with Paul Epworth in a single afternoon.

“Rolling in the Deep,” which was the lead single from Adele’s breakthrough album 21, quickly became an international sensation. It reached #1 in 12 countries, including the U.S. and Canada. As of 2019, "Rolling in the Deep" has sold 20.6 million copies, making it the best-selling digital single of all-time.

The song won three Grammy Awards in 2012 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Short Form Music Video. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #8 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century."

Born in London in 1988, Adele Laurie Blue Adkins began singing at the age of four and eventually attended the prestigious — and free — BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology.

Four months after graduation, a friend posted a few of Adele's demo songs on Myspace, which led to a meeting with an executive from XL Recordings. She signed a record deal with the company in 2006 at the age of 18.

During her 14-year career, Adele has sold 120 million singles and secured her reputation as one of the most successful recording artists of all time.

Trivia: The mind-boggling viewer count for "Rolling in the Deep" (1.74 billion) fails to crack the list of the Top 30 most-viewed YouTube music videos of all time. The #1 spot is held by "Despacito" with 7.03 billion views. "Baby Shark Dance" is close behind at 7.00 billion views.

We invite you to watch the official music video of Adele's “Rolling in the Deep.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along...

“Rolling in the Deep”
Written by Adele Laurie Blue Adkins and Paul Richard Epworth. Performed by Adele.

There’s a fire starting in my heart,
Reaching a fever pitch and it’s bringing me out the dark.
Finally, I can see you crystal clear,
Go ahead and sell me out and I’ll lay your ship bare,
See how I’ll leave with every piece of you,
Don’t underestimate the things that I will do.

There’s a fire starting in my heart,
Reaching a fever pitch and it’s bringing me out the dark.
The scars of your love remind me of us,
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all.
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless,
I can’t help feeling,

We could have had it all,
(Your gonna wish you, never had met me)
Rolling in the deep,
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside your hand,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Baby, I have no story to be told,
But I’ve heard one on you and I’m gonna make your head burn,
Think of me in the depths of your despair,
Making a home down there as mine sure won’t be shared,

The scars of your love remind me of us,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
I can’t help feeling,
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside your hand,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Could have had it all,
Rolling in the deep,
You had my heart inside of your hands,
But you played it with a beating.

Throw your soul through every open door,
Count your blessings to find what you look for.
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold,
You’ll pay me back in kind and reap just what you’ve sown.

(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
We could have had it all,
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all.
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me),
It all, it all, it all.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Could have had it all,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hands,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me

But you played it,
You played it,
You played it,
You played it to the beat.

Credit: Photo by Kristopher Harris from Charlotte, NC, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Blake Shelton Pops the Question to Gwen Stefani With Huge Diamond Ring

Back in 2016, Gwen Stefani musically declared her love for boyfriend and country star Blake Shelton by comparing him to a sapphire in her sweetly smitten confessional, “Rare.”

She sang, “You’re a sapphire, you’re a rolling stone / You’re a sparkle in a deep black hole / You’re like moon shine, when the curtains close / You’re my answer, one that no one knows.”

Now four years later, Shelton has returned the sentiment in a big way by popping the question with a head-turning diamond ring. Jewelry-industry experts placed the diamond weight at somewhere between 6 and 10 carats, and the ring's value in the range of $500,000 to $800,000. The white metal is likely platinum, and the stone shape seems to be either round or oval.

On Tuesday, Stefani's 10.6 million Instagram followers were the first to learn about her engagement via a photo showing her and Shelton sharing a kiss. By zooming in, we can see that the diamond is nearly the width of her finger.

Punctuated by two emojis — a diamond ring and praying hands — her caption simply read, "@blakeshelton yes please!" The post already has earned more than 1.3 million likes.

On Shelton's Instagram page, which has a following of four million fans, the 44-year-old posted the exact same photo and added this sweet message, "Hey @gwenstefani thanks for saving my 2020… And the rest of my life.. I love you. I heard a YES!"

Hopefully, the social-media-savvy couple will be following up their announcement with clearer, closeup shots of Stefani's new bridal jewelry.

Stefani, 51, and Shelton, 44, began dating in 2015 while they were judges on NBC’s The Voice. Throughout the next five years, the rumor mill buzzed with news of a pending engagement.

On Tuesday, the couple's followers finally got their wish. According to US Weekly, Shelton asked Stefani's dad for his blessing before popping the question to his daughter. An insider told the magazine that "it meant so much to Gwen that Blake was so traditional about it."

The Voice coaches have yet to announce a wedding date.

Credit: Image via Instagram/gwenstefani.

Indian Jeweler Captures Guinness Record With Flower Ring Featuring 7,801 Diamonds

By the slimmest of margins, the 7,801-diamond “Divine” ring recently captured a Guinness World Record for the most diamonds set in a single ring, overtaking the 7,777-diamond “Lotus Temple Ring,” which held the honor for 14 months.

Officially called "The Divine - 7801 Brahma Vajra Kamalam," the ring conceived by India-based jeweler Kotti Srikanth was inspired by the rare Brahma Kamalam flower, which is native to the Himalayas.

"In India we have a tradition of respecting our Gods with garlands of flowers, and individual flowers are used as an offering," noted Srikanth. "The flowers signify the essence of purity."

As seen with the previous record holder, the secret to getting that many diamonds onto a single ring is the layering of diamond-encrusted petals. Srikanth's award winner is composed of six layers of petals, the first five of which have eight petals each, and the last with six petals.

Srikanth, who is owner of Hallmark Jewellers in Hyderabad, began the design process in September 2018. What started as a pencil drawing evolved into CAD rendering by the early part of 2019. The computer-aided design helped confirm the exact number of diamonds that would be needed to complete the piece. It also ensured that the final result would surpass the previous record holder. In May 2019, Srikanth and his team started the tedious process of procuring diamonds for the final piece.

"We have had a great learning experience here and it will encourage us to create new jewelry masterpieces in the future," Srikanth said. "Jewelry is my passion. I simply love creating new concepts and converting them into wearable jewelry."

Valued at $4.9 million, the previous record holder was designed by Mumbai-based Lakshikaa Jewels and inspired by the famous Lotus Temple in Delhi. A team of 12 crafters and one jeweler/designer worked 18 months to complete the project.

Credits: Divine Ring and Lotus Temple Ring images courtesy of Guinness World Records.

FDNY to the Rescue: Bridal Jewelry Pulled From Utility Grate in Manhattan

The men and women of the New York City Fire Department are known for their harrowing rescues, world-class heroics and bravery. This time, instead of saving New Yorkers from a burning building, the firefighters were tasked with pulling a pair of precious rings from the darkness of a dirty utility grate.

Sue Durham had stowed her bridal jewelry in her handbag as she headed to the subway. But when she reached into the bag for her MetroCard, the engagement ring and wedding band got jostled from the compartment and went tumbling into the 9th Avenue grate in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.

A panicked Durham immediately called Channel 7 Eyewitness News, who summoned the fire department. The TV station has a long-standing reputation for helping New Yorkers in need.

After surveying the situation, a team of seven firefighters concocted a “fishing” device using a ball of sticky tape dangling from a rope to “catch” the two rings. A small crowd that had gathered at the site clapped when the rings were recovered and returned to Durham.

"I said, 'Let me call Channel 7,'” Durham explained. “And thank God, I got my rings back. I got my rings back." 

In this space, we have previously reported on similar incidents regarding lost jewelry in NYC – such as the tourist couple whose romantic engagement went awry when, during the proposal, the man dropped the engagement ring down a subway grate in Times Square. Why was he proposing on a subway grate? Sometimes love makes you do strange things. There was a happy ending – the couple reunited on the Ellen show with the policeman who recovered their ring.

Back in January of 2019, after a spate these incidents, the NYPD went as far as to send out this tongue-in-cheek public service announcement via its Twitter page: “PSA: Attention all newly engaged! Please avoid sewer grates at all cost! Thank you.”

With her two precious rings safely back on her fingers, Durham cried tears of joy.

"You guys are going to get the biggest gift basket I can get," she promised.

Credits: Screen captures via abc7ny.com.

Music Friday: Pink Shows Off Her ‘Gold Diamond Rings’ in 2001’s ‘Get the Party Started’

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Pink shows off her style in the 2001 international blockbuster, “Get the Party Started.” In the first verse of her good-time, signature anthem, Pink gives a nod to her fashionable jewelry.

She sings, “I got lots of style, check my gold diamond rings / I can go for miles if you know what I mean / I'm comin' up so you better get this party started.”

Released as the first single from Pink's wildly popular second album called Missundaztood, “Get the Party Started” charted in 24 countries, including an ascent to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #14 on the Canadian chart. The album sold more than 13 million copies and is her most successful to date. In 2019, digital media company About.com (currently dotdash.com) placed "Get the Party Started" #1 on its list of "The Top 100 Best Party Songs of All Time."

Although “Get the Party Started” is considered Pink’s signature song, songwriter Linda Perry revealed in 2019 that she had originally offered the song to Madonna, who turned it down.

Perry also described how the song quickly came together while she was trying out her new Pro Tools recording equipment, which included numerous virtual instruments, sound effects and mixing capabilities.

"'Get the Party Started' was just me figuring out what all this stuff does," Perry told Rolling Stone magazine. "I came up with that beat, laid it down, found all these weird chords and sounds and put in the horns. Then I went back to my guitar for the wah-wahs. I was just having fun."

"I literally came up with the song in 30 minutes," she told Mix magazine in 2019.

Alecia Beth Moore (better known as Pink) was born in Doylestown, PA, in 1979. Originally a member of the girl group Choice, Pink launched her solo career in 2000 with the single, “There You Go.” The rest is history, as she has gone on to become one of the most successful and influential artists of her generation.

"When Alecia Moore debuted in 2000, pop was dominated by long-locked blonds like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson,” wrote Glamour Magazine. “Pink changed the game."

Pink has earned three Grammy Awards, seven MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards and one Emmy Award. She has sold more than 90 million records worldwide.

We invite you to put on your dancing shoes and rock out with Pink as she sings “Get the Party Started.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along. And, yes, this is the family-friendly version of the song…

"Get The Party Started"
Written by Linda Perry. Performed by Pink.

I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started

Get this party started on a Saturday night
Everybody's waiting for me to arrive
Sendin' out the message to all of my friends
We'll be looking flashy in my Mercedes Benz
I got lots of style, check my gold diamond rings
I can go for miles if you know what I mean
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started

Pumping up the volume, breaking down to the beat
Cruisin' through the west side
We'll be checkin' the scene
Boulevard is freakin' as I'm comin' up fast
I'll be burnin' rubber, you'll be kissin' my ends
Pull up to the bumper, get out of the car
License plate says Stunner #1 Superstar

I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
Get this party started

Making my connection as I enter the room
Everybody's chilling as I set up the groove
Pumpin' up the volume with this brand new beat
Everybody's dancing and they're dancing for me
I'm your operator, you can call anytime
I'll be your connection to the party line

I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
Get this party started
Get this party started right now
Get this party started
Get this party started
Get this party started right now

Credits: Image by Andemaya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Can Diamond Filtration Improve the Taste of the World's Finest Vodka?

Back in 2007, actor Dan Aykroyd and artist John Alexander developed a unique vodka that was triple filtered through "Herkimer Diamonds." The proprietary process for making Crystal Head vodka used layers of these stones to extract the impurities that conventional filters could not — delivering a clean, ultra-smooth vodka that was intended to be enjoyed chilled and straight up.

(In an interesting side note, Herkimer Diamonds are not diamonds at all. They're actually double-terminated quartz crystals found in Upstate New York.)

Over the years, premium vodka makers, such as Three Sixty Vodka, Diamond Glacier 33 and Carbonadi, have upped the filtration game to include actual diamonds in the process.

In a 1,500-word essay published a few days ago at The Daily Beast, writer Wayne Curtis took on the question of whether diamond filtration could actually change the taste of premium vodka or if the concept was just a clever marketing gimmick.

His conclusion was a resounding "Maybe."

The experts at Liquor.com explained that the process of making vodka has many variables, including the ingredients used to make the mash, the purity of the water, the type of still used to make the alcohol and the container in which the end-product is collected. Vodka that is intended to be sipped straight often requires a certain amount of filtration. Some vodkas are filtered again and again, while others are not filtered at all.

Filters can be made from charcoal, metal, micron paper, lava rocks, coconut carbon or any combination thereof.

According to Curtis, the most luxurious vodkas in the world have one thing in common — diamond filtration.

Three Sixty Vodka, for example, is distilled four times, with suspended particles removed from the distillate using diamond dust.

Diamond Glacier 33 combines premium ingredients, such as glacier water, gluten-free corn mash and a diamond filtration process that passes the vodka over the gemstones eight times.

Carbonadi Vodka is made from organic Italian wheat, Alpine water and a filtration process that passes the vodka five times through activated charcoal. The material is then micro-oxygenated and filtered through carbonados, which are porous black diamonds.

Curtis posed the question, "So can diamonds capture some of those impurities and prevent them from going into the bottle?"

Stephen Haggerty, a distinguished research professor of geophysics at Florida International University, told Curtis that the answer is both "Yes" and "No."

“Here’s the thing,” he told Curtis. “If the filtration is carried out prior to distillation, then all of these non-essential alcohol components — all the oily components — would stick to the diamonds.”

The professor also clarified that, for various scientific reasons, diamond filtration wouldn’t be as effective after distillation.

Ricky Miller III, the co-founder and creative director of Carbonadi Vodka, told Curtis that the carbonados in his filtration system pick up and absorb impurities that aren’t caught in a conventional process.

Curtis reported that Miller is working on a portable diamond filtration device that he will be bringing to bars and trade shows. This will give him an opportunity to win over skeptics with before-and-after tastings.

Credits: Crystal Head Vodka bottle by Globefill Inc., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Crystal Head Vodka filtration photo by Dustintitus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Three Sixty Vodka photo by Willibald11, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Diamond Glacier Vodka screen capture via https://33belowspirits.com/. Carbonadi Vodka screen capture via https://houseofcarbonadi.privateclubs.co/.