The Letšeng mine in the tiny southern African kingdom of Lesotho has produced another colossal gem-quality diamond. The 442-carat, Type IIa stone could be worth as much as $18 million. The still-unnamed rough gem is the fifth-largest gem-quality diamond ever unearthed at Letšeng, a mine that is recognized as the highest dollar-per-carat kimberlite mine in […]
Hustling to meet a billionaire's December 31 deadline, Israeli luxury brand Yvel has assembled a team of 25 jewelers and diamond setters to fabricate a COVID-19 protective mask decorated with 3,608 black and white diamonds. The team will be working in shifts to complete the bespoke mask, which is valued at $1.5 million and is […]
Officials at Aussie mining company IBDH (India Bore Diamond Holdings) were surprised to learn that many of its signature "Ellendale" fancy yellow diamonds are displaying an extremely rare purple fluorescence when placed under ultraviolet light. This is extremely unusual because violet or purple fluorescence is normally associated with blue diamonds. The anomaly came to light […]
After finding a diamond engagement ring and wedding band on the sidewalk in Philadelphia's Center City, Ian Buchannon was able to locate the rightful owner in a matter of minutes — thanks to the power of social media. Buchannon happened upon the rings at Spruce and 16th after fumbling his pen. He bent over to […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today we feature 1989’s “End of the Line” by the Traveling Wilburys, a supergroup composed of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. The hopeful, upbeat song about how everything […]
Cut from a 240-carat rough stone found in 1951 at the Premier Mine in Transvaal, South Africa, the "Victoria-Transvaal Diamond" is one of the most prized possessions in the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection. Today’s virtual tour of the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals takes you right to the case where the […]
Russian mining giant Alrosa recently unearthed a massive 236-carat fancy intense yellow-brown diamond at its Ebelyakh mine in Yakutia. It's the largest natural color rough diamond ever found in Russia. The beautiful specimen, which seems to display a surreal inner glow, measures 47mm x 24mm x 22mm (slightly wider than a golf ball). Its "fancy […]
Conor McGregor, one of the most feared mixed martial artists in UFC history, revealed his sensitive side Saturday when he and his longtime girlfriend, Dee Devlin, announced their engagement on McGregor's Instagram page. In a photo captioned, "What a birthday, my future wife," McGregor and Devlin are seen smiling ear-to-ear as the bride-to-be rests her […]
A young Long Island man got the best birthday gift he could have ever asked for when a thumbprint locket containing his brother's ashes was returned to him by a Good Samaritan with a metal detector. Fiction writer and avid metal detectorist Danny McAleese discovered the precious keepsake at Smith Point County Park beach in […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, country star Jake Owen celebrates a sensational Southern summer in his 2013 release, "Days of Gold." Owen reminisces about the days of yesteryear when he could hang out with good friends, drive his […]