Today's virtual tour of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection delivers an up-close and personal look at the colorful "Stars and Cat's Eyes" exhibit, starring the "Rosser Reeves Ruby," "Star of Asia Sapphire" and the "Maharani Cat's Eye." Occupying a wall case on the second floor of the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and […]
The world's leading diamond miners have hit the reset button on the "Diamond Producers Association," relaunching the global trade organization as the "Natural Diamond Council" (NDC), while at the same time replacing their "Real is Rare, Real is a Diamond" branding with the simpler phrase, "Only Natural Diamonds" (OND). NDC's new consumer-friendly website, naturaldiamonds.com, will […]
It took more than 10 years, but Forrest Fenn's treasure chest containing a $1 million cache of gold nuggets, gold coins, rubies, diamonds, sapphires and historical jewelry has been found. The eccentric multi-millionaire had sparked a mini gold rush in the Rocky Mountains north of Santa Fe when he published clues to the location of […]
"Buyers Guide," the third installment in Gemfields' short-film series, introduces the "6Cs" of buying a ruby or emerald. Gemfields takes the commonly known "4Cs" of buying a diamond — color, clarity, cut and carat weight — and adds "character" and "certification." The character of a gemstone is defined by its unique inclusions – the tiny […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today's featured song, "Golden Ring," chronicles Eric Clapton's complicated love triangle with model Pattie Boyd and The Beatles' George Harrison. When asked by VH1 in 1999 to name his favorite song from his own […]
Simple-to-use DNA testing kits, such as 23andMe and AncestryDNA, have been providing millions of families with eye-opening snapshots of where their ancestors came from. Now, the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF) is employing similar DNA fingerprinting technology to determine the origin of natural and cultured pearls. By combining DNA fingerprinting with age-dating technology already provided by […]
On Friday, Lady Gaga dished the tasty 2019 Oscars backstory of how the $30 million, 128.54-carat "Tiffany Diamond" that she wore during the awards ceremony remained on her neck during a Madonna-hosted afterparty — and a late-night excursion to Taco Bell. During her virtual appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Gaga described the celebration after […]
Today we celebrate June’s official birthstone by shining our spotlight on the world's largest natural pearl. Tipping the scales at 600 carats (about a quarter pound) and standing 3 inches tall, the "Pearl of Asia" boasts a storied history that dates back more than 400 years. Jewelry experts believe the baroque-shaped pearl was discovered in […]
A marquise-cut, 12.11-carat, fancy intense blue diamond will be headlining Christie's first live auction since the COVID-19 outbreak. The internally flawless diamond is expected to fetch between $8.3 million and $12.2 million at Christie's Hong Kong on July 10, with previews running from July 4-7. Flanked by two side stones and set on a diamond […]
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, pop star Katy Perry encourages young women to aspire to greatness in her 2010 ballad, "Pearl." On her YouTube channel, Perry explained that "Pearl" is a song she wrote for anyone who's been […]