Hunting for Cape May Diamonds on Higbee Beach

Have you ever heard of Cape May diamonds? I admit, I had never heard of them until a few years ago while I was visiting Cape May in New Jersey, more specifically...Sunset Beach. Now that we know about them, we're always looking for them when we visit the area.

One of our favorite places to hunt for those famous Cape May Diamonds is on Higbee Beach, which sits right beside Sunset Beach. Both beaches are excellent places to find them, but we personally find more of them on Higbee Beach, as compared to Sunset Beach.

According to the information we received, the Kechemeche Indians were the first to find the beautiful translucent stones which are really pure quartz crystals that glisten like diamonds when polished. The stones were held in high regard by the Indians who attached special powers to them, influencing the success, well-being and good fortune of the possessor.

The rolling tides tumble the quartz crystals into smooth stones with a translucent finish. Sometimes you can find some that you can see right through them and other's need a bit more time in the tumbling waters. Quartz is the most common mineral and can be found all around the world.

According to my research...the source for the Cape May Diamond starts 200 miles up the Delaware River. Thousands of years of rolling water erode away pockets of the quartz crystals and carry them downstream through the river and to the Atlantic Ocean. The stones then wash up onshore for people to find and to collect.

Cape May Diamonds are found in various different sizes and weights. When they're polished or cut and faceted, they can then be turned into beautiful pieces of jewelry. To the naked eye, they often resemble a real diamond, depending on how they're set into the jewelry piece. You can find them mounted in sterling silver, gold, platinum and in fashion-jewelry type of metals.

Not interested in finding your own Cape May Diamonds? Don't worry, you can purchase them (unfinished) or in finished pieces of jewelry at the gift shop right on Sunset Beach in Cape May, New Jersey. I personally own 2 jewelry pieces made with them and just love them!

As an added note...Higbee Beach is a free beach, meaning no beach-tags are required. There is a large parking lot right in front of the beach and you can park there for free. Some areas on the beach are a little rocky, so you may want to wear flip-flops or water shoes when accessing the beach. Other areas have smooth sand, so you can go barefoot.

If you're looking for a beautiful FREE beach to sit on and relax while visiting Cape May, we highly recommend that you visit Higbee Beach and/or Sunset Beach to avoid the beach fees and crowds. You can sit on the beach to relax, sunbathe, wade in the water or take a stroll up and down the beach. Both are beautiful places to visit!

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