“THEY are exquisite! It is unbelievable! You mean you found them yourself?” More compliments followed as the happy gem hunter shook her head to show off her natural ruby earrings to her admiring friends.

The stones were the fortunate result of several hours’ work at a roadside ruby mine in North Carolina.

Few people think of diamonds as being found in the United States. Some might mention finds in Arkansas. However, who would think of diamonds as coming from Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina? West Virginia’s famous pale-green diamond, the Jones diamond, was loaned to the Smithsonian Institution for several years and is reportedly worth $25,000.