The Jones Diamond, also known as the Punch Jones Diamond, The Grover Jones Diamond, or The Horseshoe Diamond, was a 34.48 carat (6.896 g)
alluvial
Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. All ...
diamond
Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...
found in
Peterstown,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
by members of the Jones family. It remains the largest alluvial diamond ever discovered in
North America.
Diamond Characteristics
The bluish-white diamond weighed 34.48 carats (6.896 g), measured 5/8 of an inch (15.8 mm) across and possessed 12 diamond-shaped faces.
History of the diamond
The diamond was discovered by William P. “Punch” Jones and his father, Grover C. Jones, Sr. while pitching horseshoes in April 1928. Believed to be simply a piece of shiny quartz common to the area, the stone was kept in a wooden cigar box inside a tool shed for fourteen years throughout the Great Depression. In 1942, Punch brought the stone to Roy J. Holden, a geology professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) -- more commonly known as
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
-- in nearby
Blacksburg,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. Holden, shocked at Punch’s discovery, authenticated the diamond and the diamond was sent to the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
where it remained for many years for display and safekeeping. In February 1964, the Jones family brought the diamond back and placed it in a
safe deposit box
A safe deposit box, also known as a safety deposit box, is an individually secured container, usually held within a larger safe or bank vault. Safe deposit boxes are generally located in banks, post offices or other institutions. Safe deposit ...
in the First Valley National Bank in
Rich Creek,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
.
In 1984, the Joneses auctioned the diamond through
Sotheby's
Sotheby's () is a British-founded American multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, an ...
auction house in New York to an agent representing a lawyer in an undisclosed east Asian country.
West Virginia State Historical Marker
The text of the historical marker located in Peterstown, West Virginia reads the following, although some of the information is outdated as Mr. and Mrs. Jones are no longer living or in possession of the diamond (see above):
{{Quotation, An alluvial diamond weighing 34.48 carats (6.896 g), largest to date found in North America was discovered here in April 1928, by William P. "Punch" Jones and his father Grover C. Jones, Sr., while pitching horseshoes in the home yard of Mrs. and Mrs. Grover C. Jones. "Punch" was later killed in combat during World War II. Mr. and Mrs. Grover C. Jones still retain ownership of the diamond.}
See also
*
List of diamonds
Diamonds become famous typically for some combination of their size, color and quality. Diamonds occur naturally in many different colors, so the largest diamond of a particular color may not be large in absolute terms, but it may still be consid ...
Further reading
* Shipley, Robert M. (1944) ''Gemological Digest: Punch Jones Diamond'', pp. 169 (PDF page 13)
Gemological Institute of America
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is a nonprofit institute based in Carlsbad, California. It is dedicated to research and education in the field of gemology and the jewelry arts. Founded in 1931, GIA's mission is to protect buyers and se ...
, USA, Vol. 4, No. 11 (Fall 1944)
Sources
"Virginia Diamonds," ''Virginia Division of Mineral Resources''*Sweet, P.C., 1996, ''Diamonds in Virginia: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Virginia Minerals'', v. 42, n. 4, p. 33-40.
*Charles B. Motley, ''Gleanings of Monroe County West Virginia History'' (Radford, Va: Commonwealth Press, Inc., 1973) 122-124.
''West Virginia Highway Markers Database''"Diamonds," ''Virginia Division of Mineral Resources''
External links
Individual diamonds
Diamonds originating in the United States
Monroe County, West Virginia
1928 in West Virginia