Gold, platinum and diamonds literally rained from the sky over the frigid city of Yakutsk in eastern Siberia last Thursday. The wild display of flying treasure — worth 21 billion rubles or $368 million — was attributed to the failed cargo hatch of a Cold War-era transport plane called the Antonov An-12. The aircraft was carrying gold bars, platinum bars …

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you new songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, former American Idol Scotty McCreery delivers a first-hand account of his mountaintop marriage proposal to future bride Gabi Dugal in his brand new single, “This Is It.” In the song, the 24-year-old McCreery tells the story of a …

Quick action and perfect timing are credited with saving $100,000 worth of diamond jewelry from a ghastly demise at the Hall County landfill, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. This past Friday, a Georgia woman (who wishes to remain anonymous) mistakenly threw away two diamond rings and a tennis bracelet. Even though she felt sick to her stomach when she …

The colossal 910-carat diamond recovered from the Letšeng mine in January was sold on Monday for $40 million. Dubbed the “Lesotho Legend” to honor its country of origin, the Type IIa, D-color rough specimen is the fifth-largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered. The Lesotho Legend also has the distinction of being the largest gem-quality diamond ever unearthed at Letšeng, a mine …

Hidden Valley is honoring the upcoming nuptials between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — and National Ranch Day — with a bejeweled bottle of salad dressing valued at $35,000. White diamonds punctuate the crown-shaped cap, while green and blue sapphires adorn the bottle’s neck. Thin ribbons of blue sapphires hug the contours of the bottle on four sides, while a …

Here’s a quiz: What do Vivien Leigh’s necklace from Gone with the Wind, Elizabeth Taylor’s serpent bracelet in Cleopatra and the earrings worn by Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes all have in common? They were all created by Eugene Joseff’s design studio under the brand name Joseff of Hollywood. These and other memorable pieces from Joseff’s workshop are the subject of tonight’s episode …

Back in the heyday of drive-ins and sock hops, a 23-year-old Elvis Presley was dominating the music scene with an unprecedented string of 10 consecutive #1 hits. It was exactly 60 years ago when the handsome crooner from Tupelo, Miss., tried for number 11 with his sure winner, “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck.” Welcome to Music Friday when we …

British superstar Ed Sheeran is proudly wearing an engagement ring and doesn’t understand why the concept is considered so avant-garde. “I never saw why men didn’t wear engagement rings,” he told a reporter for Lorraine, a British lifestyle and entertainment TV show. “It’s the same commitment either way. Cherry [Seaborn] made it for me herself out of silver clay. I …

In 1954, Maria Martha Hacker Rocha, a statuesque beauty from Brazil, was the odds-on favorite to win the Miss Universe pageant. Admirers from all over the world were captivated by her beauty, class and amazing blue eyes. Although she eventually earned runner-up status to American Miriam Stevenson, the 18-year-old from the Brazilian state of Bahia would be forever linked to …

Hollywood’s most talented and glamorous stars celebrated their achievements wearing platinum jewelry at the 90th Academy Awards in the City of Angels on Sunday night. According to insiders, jewelry houses called in designs from around the globe and arranged high-security hand-offs to the stylists who dressed the red carpet-ready A-listers. Platinum chic is often the choice for celebrities, and this …