Cape May Diamonds - Cape May State Park - Cape May, New Jersey
Posted by: 
gparkes
N 38° 55.928 W 074° 57.567
18S E 503514 N 4309246
Within the state park's museum, a display of Cape May Diamonds can be found.
Waymark Code: WMAMFM
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 01/29/2011
Views: 8
A display at the State Park's museum has information on the treasure that can be found on these New Jersey beaches:
Cape May Diamonds
Cape May Diamonds are quartz chrystals that originate in the Delaware Water Gap, a mountainous region where New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware meet. The crystals erode out of the mountains and wash into the Delaware River. As the crystals are carried 200 miles to Cape May, the rough edges are warn and the clear surface becomes scratched, transforming the crystal into an opaque little pebble, literally a "diamond in the rough." The largest concentration of "diamonds" and other beautiful pebbles is at Sunset Beach in front of the famous "Concrete Ship."
Cape May Diamonds have been collected and treasured since the time of the Lenni-Lenape Indians. The "rough diamond" can be put ina rock tumbler for three weeks to restore the crystal clear surface. The plished gem can then be cut and faceted to have the appearance of a real diamond.
Cape May Diamonds are normally clear semi-precious stones. However they may be amber, rosey, smokey or milky.
When looking for Cape May Diamonds, you may also find agates, fossil coral, fossile shark's teet and even Indian arrowheads.