Originally posted February 13, 2017
Southeast Kansas and, in particular, Crawford County have a strong history in coal mining and the question, “Are diamonds made from coal?” often arises when discussing the topic.
But according to Chad Comeau, owner of Comeau Jewelry, in Pittsburg, KS there is a common misconception that diamonds are made from coal when, in fact, they are not.
The myth that diamonds are made from coal may have emerged from an assumption that since they are formed under the Earth’s surface out of carbon, that they are the same as coal. Which is not the case.
Diamonds are a metastable allotrope of carbon. They form anywhere from 90-110 miles below the Earth’s surface where there is enough heat and pressure for them to develop. Chad pointed out that, “diamonds are not rare, but gem-quality diamonds are.”
In fact, gem quality diamonds are so rare that:
- only one in every million stones are gem quality 1-carat
- one in every five million stones are gem quality 2-carat
- one in every 15 million stones are gem quality 3-carat
Come to find out, you cannot mine gem-quality diamonds in SEK. Bummer, right? The diamond mine closest to Southeast Kansas is in Arkansas. “If you’re living on a strip pit and you dig down into it, you’re not going to find anything,” Chad joked.
Although there are not gem quality diamonds in the coal mines of this area, there are still plenty of diamonds in Crawford County and we know where to find them!
Comeau Jewelry has been in business for 16 years and Chad attributes that business to two things: hard work and customer loyalty. He compared jewelers to hair stylists saying “you get comfortable with the individual doing your hair because they are consistent and you trust that they are going to do a good job. It’s the same with your jeweler. There is loyalty and a great deal of service that this product is going to need in the future.”
Building that lifetime relationship with his customers is important to Comeau Jewelry and something Chad takes joy in doing everyday.
Comeau Jewelry in Pittsburg is open Tuesday – Friday 9:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday 9:30 am – 4:00 pm.
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