In the world of gemstones, hard and tough are two very different things. While diamond may be the hardest material known to man, when rating a gemstone's resistance to breaking or chipping, a special variety of jade rises to the top of the "toughest minerals" list. For millennia, nephrite jade has been revered not only […]
Beaming with star power, the obelisk-shaped, fantasy-cut “Dom Pedro” aquamarine is one of the top attractions at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. Standing nearly 14 inches tall and weighing 10,363 carats, Dom Pedro is the largest faceted aquamarine in the world and, arguably, the most beautiful example of March’s official birthstone. […]
Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost recently recounted how he spent a day dumpster diving in an effort to rescue a $400,000 diamond engagement ring that was accidentally thrown in the trash by his movie star wife, Scarlett Johansson. Jost revealed his malodorous encounter with the not-so-glamorous side of The Big Apple while hosting […]
Lucara CEO William Lamb hinted in a recent interview with South Africa's Financial Mail that the second-largest diamond ever discovered — the 2,488-carat Motswedi — may remain "in the rough." Since the massive stone was unearthed at the famous Karowe Mine in Botswana in August of 2024, there has been speculation as to who the […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Paul McCartney and The Beatles tell the story of Desmond Jones and his memorable trip to a jewelry store in the 1968 singalong, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da." In this song written by McCartney and […]
On Tuesday, April 1, the Winston Red Diamond and 40 other fancy-color diamonds will make their debuts at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. Tipping the scale at 2.33 carats, the Winston Red Diamond ranks among the largest diamonds ever bestowed with the coveted “Fancy Red” color grade by the Gemological […]
A Brooklyn-based art collective famous for its irreverent product drops instantly sold out of its limited-edition candy rings featuring a 75-point lab-grown diamond hidden inside. Reminiscent of the much-beloved Ring Pop, the $350 Rock Candy ring from MSCHF (pronounced "mischief") came in three nostalgic flavors: strawberry, green apple and blue raspberry cotton candy. And deep […]
US jewelry consumers are choosing larger, higher-priced diamond center stones for their engagement and fashion rings, according to a newly released report produced by the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) and Tenoris, a company specializing in trend analysis. According to "Natural Diamond Trends, A 2024 Overview," this past year saw a significant increase in demand for […]
In honor of February's official birthstone, we introduce you to the massive "Grape Jelly" amethyst geode, one of the most popular attractions at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas. By turning a silver handwheel, visitors young and old get to “crack open” the geode to reveal the vivid purple crystalline structure inside. […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you wonderful songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Elton John tries to mend the pieces of his broken heart in 2001’s “Dark Diamond.” In the song composed by John with lyrics by long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin, the term “dark diamond” is […]