A former investment banker-turned-scientist is trying to revive Hong Kong's once-thriving pearl farming industry by merging traditional methods with RFID tracking technology. For more than 1,000 years, natural pearl farming had been a vital part of Hong Kong's culture. Colonists called Hong Kong the "Pearl of the Orient." Eventually, overfishing in the waters off southern China made it impossible for …

Harnessing the power of a half-mile-long particle accelerator, scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory were finally able to peer inside the "Ram's Horn," a super-rare and natural formation of wire gold. What they found was truly unexpected. Unearthed more than 130 years ago at the Ground Hog Mine in Red Cliff, Colo., the Ram's Horn is mysteriously shaped like a …

Here's a super-fun product for gemstone lovers looking to stay cool this summer. The "Koji Ring Popsicle Mold" allows you to create frosty faceted confections from your favorite fruit juice, yogurt, smoothie, pudding or even chocolate. Imagine how much a youngster would enjoy a Koji Ring glistening with a super-sized purple "amethyst" made from grape juice or a vivid "yellow …

Carolina Panthers’ Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen was in Nashville last week to deliver a keynote speech at a healthcare conference. As the 6′ 5″, 255 lb. former first round draft pick was walking back to his hotel, he happened upon something that he would call the “best thing I’ve ever witnessed.” What Olsen was describing was an in-progress …

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, pop star Meghan Trainor knows she’s a gem in the female empowerment anthem, “I’m a Lady.” Co-written by Trainor and Martin René to promote the 2017 film Smurfs: The Lost Village, the song drives home the message that …

The number of travelers reporting lost or stolen jewelry has doubled over the past four years, according to a national survey conducted by Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group. The survey revealed that 20% of respondents suffered a jewelry loss while on vacation. That's up from 10% just four years ago. Jewelers Mutual reports the most risky place for travelers to wear …

A tiny gold coin depicting the Roman ruler Allectus crushed pre-sale estimates as fierce bidding at the headquarters of London auctioneer Dix Noonan Webb (DNW) catapulted the price to $695,000. DNW had predicted the coin would fetch between $90,000 and $127,000. The news came as a sweet surprise to the 30-year-old amateur metal detectorist, who discovered the 1,700-year-old coin in …

A fascinating phenomenon in the world of precious gemstones is the way alexandrite changes color under various light sources. The "Whitney Alexandrite," which is on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's largest and finest examples of the color-change mineral from the chrysoberyl family. Alexandrite is also one of the three …

Spotlighting more than 500 years of opulence on the Indian subcontinent, Christie's auction in New York this Wednesday is aptly titled "Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence." The sale will celebrate the illustrious culture of Indian jeweled art from the Mughal period and the age of the Maharajas through the present day. "This is living history in your hand," noted Rahul Kadakia, …

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you popular songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, country star Lee Ann Womack sings about a marriage gone wrong in her 2001 hit, “Does My Ring Burn Your Finger?” Womack plays the part of a loving wife whose husband has betrayed her, leaving his wedding band …