Framed by an oversized graphic of New York City's iconic Chrysler Building, auctioneer Rahul Kadakia slammed his hammer down to close out the bidding on the top lot at Christie's Magnificent Jewels event on Tuesday. It was 1:25 in the afternoon, and the 54.03-carat "Chrysler Diamond" — Lot 136 — had just fetched $5.07 million, […]
Classified as “exceptional” for both its color and clarity, a 39.34-carat blue diamond recently recovered at the celebrated Cullinan mine in South Africa is likely to yield upwards of $1 million per carat when it is sold by Petra Diamonds via special tender on July 12. What happens to the rough stone after it is […]
Borrowing an idea from college football's Miami Hurricanes, the San Diego Padres recently unveiled the "Swagg Chain," a 10-inch tall, two-inch thick pendant emblazoned with 8,000 yellow and brown semi-precious stones. A player gets to wear the pendant if he hits a home run or is chosen as the Player of the Game. The piece […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today we feature the incomparable Wilson sisters — also known as Heart — performing “There’s the Girl,” a song about a "diamond" of a guy who keeps returning to a toxic relationship. The first […]
We were there when the largest rough diamond ever mined in North America — the “552” — made its final public appearance at Phillips auction house in New York City in February of 2019. Next Tuesday, the 204-carat Fancy Intense Yellow diamond cut from that 552-carat rough will be auctioned at Christie's New York. It […]
Back in April 1840, the ship Sultanee arrived in New York Harbor loaded with exotic gifts for President Martin Van Buren. The valuable offerings included two magnificent Arabian horses, a case of rose oil, five demijohns of rose water, four Cashmere shawls, ivory, wild animal skins, Arabian dates, a bale of Persian rugs, a gold-mounted […]
“The Sienna Star,” a 73.11-carat fancy vivid yellow diamond, is being promoted as the top lot at Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale in New York City on June 9. Characterized by the Gemological Institute of America as “a standout item in the extraordinary world of gemstones,” the cut-cornered square, step-cut diamond boasts a VS2 clarity rating […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you chart-topping songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we have Kenny Chesney singing the #1 country music single of 2002, “The Good Stuff.” In the song, a young man learns some critical life lessons from a middle-aged barkeep who recently lost […]
Since the 8th grade, Christian Liden of Poulsbo, WA, has dreamed of creating a special ring for his future wife with gemstones and gold he mined himself. With his recent discovery of a 2.2-carat yellow diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, AR, Liden is about to turn that dream into a reality. […]
Rio Tinto just unveiled the “heroes” of its 2021 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender, the final collection of rare pink, red and blue gems from the now-shuttered Argyle mine in the remote east Kimberley region of Western Australia. During its 37 years of production, the mine famously produced between 90% and 95% of the world’s pink […]