Lake County, California Diamonds

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Pictures from Jessica Rincon

Lake County diamonds are not actually real diamonds, but are considered semi-precious stones which are made up of silicon dioxide. They are actually part of the quartz family of crystals that are mostly clear, with different colors like yellow, pink and lavender, with lavender being the most prized. Lake County diamonds can only be found near Mount Konocti in Lake County, California and are formed by volcanic processes and are found nowhere else in the world.

Lake County diamonds are able to cut glass like a diamond, and have been used both commercially and industrially and are used more often in jewelry. Prospecting for large Lake County diamonds can be worthwhile when cut, polished and set into gold or silver, and make beautiful jewelry. Lake County diamonds are a 7.5 – 8 on the Moh’s hardness scale, and regular diamonds which are made of carbon are a 10 on the same scale.

The 4,305 foot Mount Konocti is actually a dormant volcano, but was once a very violent volcano. Lake County diamonds formed in very specific, high temperatures, in lava flows which are thought to have reached about 1,112 degrees fahrenheit. During this time of very high temperatures these quartz specimens formed luxurious, lustrous and beautiful crystals. The distinctive way in which these Lake County jewels formed make them unique and one of a kind only found here in Lake County, California.

The lavas of long ago weathered, forming gravels and soils, leaving the Lake County diamonds behind, and these elegant crystals are so tempting to collect because of their distinctive light-transmitting property. As a type of quartz, Lake County diamonds have a very high vibration and like the properties of quartz, offers such as protection, energy and power and many other metaphysical energies.

The Lake County Museum says:  “Lake County diamonds were  called ‘Moon Tears’ because they are supposed to be the tears the Moon shed when she fell in love with a young Pomo Chieftain, and her brother, the Sun made her go back into the sky. Lake County Diamonds were placed on burial mounds by some tribes to protect the spirits of the newly departed from evil spirits or demons, who love the darkness and when they saw the ‘moon tears’  would think the moon was shining and go away.”