Music Friday: YouTube Sensation Vidya Vox Is All About Diamonds and Gold

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Youtube sensation Vidya Vox merges Indian classical music with Western pop, hip-hop and electronica in her 2017 release, “Diamonds.” This high-energy track opens with the description of a bedazzled Indian dancer. Vox sings, “Diamonds and gold / Mehndi …

Former Reporter Uses Sleuthing Skills to Solve the Mystery of the ‘Airbag Diamond’

Eileen Korey, a former reporter, used her sleuthing skills to solve the mystery of a diamond engagement ring that unexpectedly appeared in the tray of her Subaru after a technician replaced the car's airbag. "I literally got in the car and there was this tiny little diamond ring sitting on the tray by the cupholders," the Lake Oswego, Ore., resident …

Swiss Lab Employs Cutting-Edge Science to Affirm Age, Provenance of Historic Pearl

A Swiss gem lab used radiocarbon age-dating to affirm the 16th century origins of a 30.24-carat natural saltwater pearl once owned by a Spanish princess. It was the first time such a procedure had been conducted on a natural pearl. The Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF) used the cutting-edge science to date the historic "Ana Maria Pearl," which was worn by …

De Beers, Namibia to Partner on New $468 Million Diamond-Recovery Vessel

Debmarine announced it will be investing $468 million on the world's first-ever custom-built diamond recovery vessel. When it joins the Debmarine fleet in 2022, the new ship will have the capacity to extract 500,000 carats annually from the coastal waters off Namibia — boosting the country's annual diamond output by 35%. Debmarine is a 50/50 joint venture between the Republic …

Music Friday: ‘If Pressure Makes Diamonds, Our Love Is a Diamond by Now’

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, country star Don Williams sings about how marital stress can be a good thing in his 1983 tune, “Pressure Makes Diamonds.” In the song, Williams admits that he and his wife have endured plenty of hard times over …

Petra Sells 425-Carat ‘Legacy of the Cullinan Diamond Mine’ for $15 Million

The massive 425-carat gem-quality diamond discovered in March at the Cullinan mine in South Africa has a new name and new owners. Petra Diamonds announced that it sold the D-color rough stone to Dubai-based Stargems Group and Belgium-based Choron for just under $15 million. Before it was sold, Petra named the gem "Legacy of the Cullinan Diamond Mine" to honor …

Socialite’s Emerald Necklace, 36-Carat Diamond Share Spotlight at Sotheby’s Geneva

An art deco-style emerald necklace from the collection of American socialite Helene Beaumont and a 36.57-carat near-flawless diamond shared the spotlight at Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale in Geneva yesterday. These top two items sold for $3.6 million and $5 million, respectively, accounting for more than 20% of the auction's total sales of $41.8 million. In all, 448 …

Hilary Duff Shows Off Her New Cushion-Cut Diamond Engagement Ring on Instagram

Actress Hilary Duff earned 1.9 million likes after revealing her stunning cushion-cut diamond engagement ring on Instagram this past Thursday. The 31-year-old star of the TV Land series Younger had just accepted a marriage proposal from singer-songwriter Matthew Koma and decided to broadcast the big news with a pair of sweet snaps for her 12 million followers. Punctuating an Instagram …

Golden Spike Symbolized Completion of Transcontinental Railroad 150 Years Ago

This past Friday marked the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, an epic project that spanned six years and 1,800 miles, with the Central Pacific Railroad working from west to east and the Union Pacific Railroad from east to west. When the two railroad lines met at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869, the engineering marvel …

Music Friday: Insecure Charley Pride Asks His Wife, ‘Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger?’

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, music legend Charley Pride portrays a troubled and insecure husband in his amusing 1967 country hit, “Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger?” Pride’s character tells his wife that he feels so proud when she wears her engagement ring …