Posted: 10:26, August 6, 2022 | Updated: 10:26, August 6, 2022
A Queensland man has revealed how he spotted a $100,000 sparkling diamond nestled among a coral reef while snorkeling off a cruise ship.
Budaberg man Stewart said he was diving 10 years ago when he made the astonishing find miles from civilization at sea.
Outspoken Stuart offered to deliver the stunning jewel to anyone on his cruise ship if they had lost it and could describe it accurately.
But with no one to claim it, he kept it for himself – and has kept the glittering rock under lock and key ever since.
A Bundaberg man found a $100,000 diamond while snorkeling while on a cruise 10 years ago, but revealed how he would give it away if he found its rightful owner (stock image)
Stewart told Triple M Rush Hour Queensland presenters Annabelle Brett and Elliot Lovejoy that the lucky find dawned on him as he snorkeled on a reef.
“I was diving down, snorkeling around the reef and it caught my eye and I dove down a little bit and grabbed it,” he said.
“The size of my fingernail was a two and a half carat diamond.”
Stewart said he could not keep the find a secret from the rest of the ship and took charge of the find when he returned to the ship.
“I told them I found a stone precious stone, I said nothing more.
“But (I told them) if anyone lost it on this cruise they can come into my cabin and if they can describe what it is – it’s theirs.
“I said nothing more,”
With 10 days left on the cruise, Stewart insisted he would be happy to hand over the diamond to its owner.
The huge diamond, the size of a man’s fingernail, was valued at $100,000 after Stewart took it to experts (stock image)
Lady luck was traveling with Stuart on the cruise as she won $11,500 her first time playing bingo (stock image)
“If it was theirs, it was theirs,” he said.
In the end, Stewart kept the rare stone.
“No one came and asked for it, so I kept it and have had it ever since,” he said.
“It was worth $100,000.”
He said he had resisted the temptation to sell it and revealed it never leaves his home, locked in a safe.
It turned out to be just the beginning of a lucky streak for Stuart on the cruise.
He told the show: “I played bingo for the first time in my life on that cruise and won $11,500.”
