The lost diamond

The Siberian diamond, which was lost twenty years ago under mysterious circumstances, has been found! Not after a police raid, or spectacular find on the black market, but simply among a collection of old fossils. How the diamond ended up there is a mystery. On Friday 10 July the object will officially be handed over to the University Museum, where it will be the center of the new small pop-up exhibition ‘The lost Diamond’.

A rare geological treasure

A rough diamond, and one that is still one with its Siberian mother rock, is a very rare geological object. The stone was originally part of the famous mineral collection of collector Evert Hekman, and after his death was left to the former Natuurmuseum Groningen (Natural History Museum).

Around 2008 the diamond disappeared without a trace. In spite of police research and media attention the stone remained untraceable for twenty years. Until recently: while sorting out a collection of fossils at the Hunebedcentrum in Borger, the diamond was unexpectedly recovered!

Importance of museum collections

The return of the diamond marks the end of a bizarre wandering through different museums and warehouses in the North of the Netherlands. At the same time the find underlines the great importance of meticulous management and registration of scientific collections.

The University Museum Groningen seizes this unique event for a temporary exhibition. In this exhibition visitors will be introduced to the rich history of the Groningen geological collections and will also be face to face with the 'lost diamond'.