At first glance, they look like diamonds.
But looks can be deceiving, and the “diamonds” of Cape May are not diamonds at all.
They’re quartz.
Cape May Diamonds are a natural phenomenon that washes up on the shores of Sunset Beach near Cape May Point. They’ve become a tourist attraction in and of themselves, with people coming from far and wide to come the shore for their translucent pebbles. The Sunset Beach Gift Shop sells them in ornate golden rings, necklaces and bracelets. The most expensive ring, professionally cut, will set you back $359. A bag of smaller uncut Diamonds will only cost you $1.99.
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Legend has it that the Cape May Diamonds were originally found by the Kechemeche, a Lenape tribe found in the Cape May area. The Kechemeche believed the gems contained a supernatural power and could bring about fortune, success and well being. They were used by the tribe in trades, as well as given as gifts, according to the Cape May Herald.
The Diamonds, at their quartz core, are amongst the most common minerals on the Earth’s surface. That doesn’t mean they’re super easy to find though, easily blending in with the other pebbles that cover the sand.
“They’re not super common -- even there [at Sunset Beach] you have to search them out,” said Ted Daeschler, the associate curator of vertebrate zoology at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, and a professor at Drexel University. “There’s a lot of pebbly-sized material there on the right beach. There are obviously millions of them there, but there are many millions more pebbles.”
What makes the Diamonds unique is just how well preserved they are.
“Quartz in its absolutely pure pristine state is transparent,” said Peter Heaney, a professor of geosciences at Penn State University. As the quartz crystals grow they develop what we might think of as flaws, such as bubbles and inclusions of other minerals. All of those damage the transparency.
But the Cape May Diamonds have avoided these defects.
“To me, that suggests they formed as veins inside of rocks,” Heaney hypothesizes. “Quartz can crystallize out of hot fluids. Often times the quartz that crystallizes from these hot fluids has lower concentrations of defects and appears clear to us.”
The risk for flaws increases as the quartz begins its several hundred mile journey down the Delaware River. Most of the quartz that comes that way gets damaged, acquiring frosted surfaces and cracks. Or it is broken up into the tiny pieces of sand that make up most of the beaches on the Jersey Shore.
“The reason they’re special is that most quartz turns into sand,” Daeschler said. “The fact that those pebbles have not gotten broken down any further -- and are the size where we can see them and appreciate them and see how clear they are is pretty unique.”
But Cape May Diamonds aren’t the only “diamonds” out there. Clear quartz has been found in State College (where they go by the name Lemont Diamonds) and in Herkimer County, New York (where they’re known as Herkimer Diamonds). The Herkimer Diamonds are the best known and closest resemble an actual diamond, having multiple natural facets. Cape May Diamonds, however, are smooth in nature, a result of being carried in the Delaware River.
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However, no matter how clear the quartz is, it can never replace an actual diamond.
The Cape May Diamonds are a 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, while true diamonds are a perfect 10. Over time, those with Cape May Diamond jewelry will see it slowly lose its facets and part of its sparkle. Diamonds, however, will maintain their shape and shine for much longer.
So don’t expect to see Cape May Diamonds replacing the real thing anytime soon.
“Quartz is a lovely gem, but diamond is really far superior,” Heaney said.
Julia Hatmaker may be reached at jhatmaker@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @JuliaHatmaker. Start your day in the know by signing up for our newsletter, “Good Morning, Pennsylvania.”
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