Who says a summer vacation has to be spent at a beach when it can be finding diamonds in Arkansas instead?
Josh Lanik, a 36-year-old teacher from Nebraska, recently visited Crater of Diamonds State Park on a family vacation and found a 2.12-carat brown diamond.
Lanik learned about the state park after a co-worker who once lived in Arkansas told him about it.
"We took the kids to look for amethyst on Canary Hill and I was walking through an area where it looked like a lot of water had washed when I saw it," Lanik said.
He was searching near the southwest edge of the park, which has a 37.5 acre diamond search area.
After being analyzed, Lanik was informed that his find was the largest diamond of the year so far.
"Lanik's gem is about the size of a jellybean and has a dark brown color, similar to brandy," explained Waymon Cox, a park interpreter at Crater of Diamonds State Park. "It has a beautiful natural pear shape and smooth, curved facets that give the gem a metallic shine."
Lanik decided to name the diamond the 'Lanik Family Diamond' and intends to keep it for now.