New York woman unearths 2.30-carat diamond for her engagement ring

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Micherre Fox, a 31-year-old from Manhattan, fulfilled a two-year dream of finding her own engagement ring diamond when she discovered a 2.30-carat white gem at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park. (Credit: Crater of Diamonds State Park)

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MURFREESBORO, Ark. - A 31-year-old woman from New York City found a unique way to put together her engagement ring after finding a diamond at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park.

According to a news release, 31-year-old Micherre Fox, of Manhattan, recently found a 2.30-carat white diamond. 

The backstory:

Park rangers said Fox decided two years ago that she wanted to find her own diamond for her engagement ring. 

RELATED: Diamond discovery nearly mistaken for candy wrapper in Arkansas state park

She recently completed graduate school and took a month-long break to find a diamond. 

Picture of the 2.30-carat diamond. (Credit: Crater of Diamonds State Park)

"I was willing to go anywhere in the world to make that happen," she told rangers. "I researched, and it turned out that the only place in the world to do it was right in our backyard, in Arkansas!" 

Last month, she came to the Crater of Diamonds State Park to find her diamond. On the last day of her visit.

Fox was walking along the West Drain of the park’s 37.5-acre diamond search area when she noticed something shining at her feet. 

Man finds 9.07-carat diamond in state park

Kevin Kinard, a 33-year-old from Arkansas, found the second-largest diamond ever found in Crater of Diamonds State Park's 48 year history.

At first, she thought it might be an iridescent, dew-covered spiderweb, but she realized it was a stone. Rangers later confirmed it was a diamond.

"I got on my knees and cried, then started laughing," she said. 

RELATED: Visitor discovers 2.30-carat diamond at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds Park, 2nd-largest find of 2024

Fox’s find, roughly the size of a human canine tooth, has a smooth, rounded shape. The gem ranks as the third-largest diamond discovered in the park in 2025.

What they're saying:

"Ms. Fox’s story highlights the fact that, even when putting forth your best effort, being in the right place at the right time plays a part in finding diamonds," Crater of Diamonds State Park Assistant Superintendent Waymon Cox said. "After weeks of hard work, Ms. Fox found her diamond sitting right on top of the ground."

"After all the research, there's luck and there's hard work," Fox added. "When you are literally picking up the dirt in your hands, no amount of research can do that for you; no amount of education can take you all the way. It was daunting!" Fox credited park staff and other guests with helping her find her way and making her visit a memorable one.

What's next:

Fox named the gem the Fox-Ballou Diamond, combining her and her partner’s surnames, and plans to have it set into her engagement ring.

Dig deeper:

The Crater of Diamond State Park allows the public to search for diamonds, and has a "finders-keepers" policy if a lucky visitor happens upon a gem.

On the state park's website, it says that visitors have 37.5 acres to scavenge for diamonds on the eroded surface of an ancient, diamond-bearing volcanic crater.