Date announced for legendary Cheltenham diamond hunt — with 22 hidden gems to find

The legendary Beards Diamond Rush is back! After a break of five years, the famous diamond hunt returns for its most dazzling event ever, with no less than 22 sparklers hidden around Cheltenham for lucky treasure hunters to uncover.

This year marks both the 10th anniversary of the very first Diamond Rush and Beards 220th birthday, so the jewellers has upped the diamond haul to 22 — and included 10 additional prizes, too.

Set to take place on Sunday 15 September 2024 at 10am in Cheltenham, each diamond — and the 10 yet to be revealed bonus prizes — will be carefully placed in various spots around town; and successful gem hunters will find a velvet pouch with a voucher inside, which can be taken into Beards to exchange for their sparkler.

New for this year, participants will be able to purchase online clues on the day for £5 each, which will be sent via email. They'll also be able to see the live status of each location and which diamonds have been found.

As always, money raised from participating in the Diamond Rush goes to charity, with Beards supporting Maggie's, a charity providing vital cancer support and information across the UK; and the Gloucester Rugby 4ED Foundation, which provides essential assistance for individuals battling motor neurone disease.

The last Beards Diamond Rush saw Cheltenham and the surrounding areas buzzing with treasure hunters and, over the years, there have been multiple proposals made by those lucky enough to bag a gem.

For anyone who wants to take part in this year's bumper hunt for 22 diamonds and 10 additional prizes, treasure maps are available to buy now for £10 each. After purchase, you'll be sent a QR code which you'll need to show to collect your map on the day, which will direct participants to a general vicinity to begin the hunt.

It's recommended to get to Beards on the Promenade early on the day to collect treasure maps as there will be queues!

For more information, or to purchase a map, visit Beards Jeweller's website. 

Good luck diamond hunters!