When an amethyst ring dating back 1,500 years was unearthed in Yavne, Israel, near the site of the largest winery of the Byzantine period (330-1453 AD), archaeologists with the Israel Antiquities Authority were quick to point out the obvious connection. You see, in ancient times it was believed that amethyst jewelry could protect its wearer […]
Weighing in at 277.9 carats, this yellow-orange citrine from the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection is a head-turning, sun-kissed example of November's alternative birthstone. Sourced in Brazil, the round modified brilliant-cut citrine seen here is currently displayed in the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals at the National Museum of Natural History in […]
An unstable, deep-Earth mineral that shouldn't be able to exist on the surface has been found inside a diamond. “It’s the strength of the diamond that keeps the inclusions at high pressure,” Oliver Tschauner, a geochemist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told Live Science. Before the discovery, davemaoite existed theoretically. Under extreme pressure […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you outstanding songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, the multitalented Andra Day performs "Gold," a bluesy ballad framed as a heartfelt apology to a former lover. Day admits she betrayed him even though he treated her “like a precious gift.” She suffers […]
Gemfields just unveiled the largest emerald ever discovered at its Kagem mine in Zambia. Named “Chipembele,” which means "rhino" in the local indigenous dialect of Bemba, the 7,525-carat hexagonal crystal displays a rich, golden green hue and "gemmy" nature suitable for cutting and polishing. The crystal was unearthed in July by geologist Manas Banerjee and […]
A stunning member of the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection for the past three years, the impossibly rare "Whitney Flame Topaz" is one of the world's most extraordinary examples of November's official birthstone. The vibrant red gem weighs 48.86 carats and exhibits an exaggerated pear-shape that resembles a flame. At the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of […]
Sapphire-and-diamond jewelry linked to the Imperial Romanov family and smuggled to Great Britain at the onset of the 1917 Russian Revolution will be offered for sale at Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels and Nobel Jewels auction in Geneva on November 10. The sapphire-and-diamond brooch and matching ear clips were originally owned by Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, the […]
An elderly British woman who brought her "costume" jewelry to a local auctioneer to be evaluated was stunned to learn that a huge "faux" stone in the collection was actually a 34-carat diamond valued at more than $2 million. The woman — described as a lovely, elderly lady in her 70s who wished to remain […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, country music star Luke Combs has diamond rings on his mind as he confronts the cruel fact that everything he loves will ultimately break his heart. Included on his long list of things […]
Beauty mogul Kylie Jenner revealed to her 279 million Instagram followers on Tuesday the matching “Toi et Moi” diamond rings gifted to her and three-year-old daughter, Stormi, by rapper boyfriend Travis Scott. "Daddy got us matching rings," the 24-year-old wrote. The pic shows the mommy-daughter duo touching hands while wearing their new rings, which feature […]