The love story of former Marine Daniel Frye and girlfriend Lauren Williams has all the trappings of a Hollywood blockbuster. Frye, who had served two tours in Afghanistan, credited Williams with saving his life as he struggled to recover from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “When I got out of the Marine Corps, I went through some dark years,” Frye …

A backstage worker at the 50th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville in November found a pretty pear-shaped stone sitting on top of a band cart and dropped it in his pocket, reasoning that it was merely a worthless prop. The “prop” turned out to be a 13.73-carat colored diamond that had come loose from a ring worn by Beyoncé after her show-stopping …

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you chart-topping songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, a chance after-hours encounter between a bar owner and a patron results in a marriage proposal in Brad Paisley’s country hit “We Danced.” In the song written by Paisley and Charles Dubois, the narrator is a bar owner …

An extraordinary 887-carat rough emerald dubbed “La Gloria” is set to headline Guernsey’s auction of the Marcial de Gomar Collection on April 12 in New York City. “La Gloria,” which is said to be the largest Muzo rough emerald in North America, carries a preliminary estimate of $4 to $5 million and is part of a 2,000-carat collection that is expected to yield a …

For the second time in two months, workers at the Town of Babylon Recycling Center on Long Island have defied all odds by turning up treasured diamond rings among tons of stinky garbage. West Babylon resident Vicky Salzone had accidentally tossed three diamond bands into a trash bag while sorting through old Christmas decorations. By the next morning, she and …

A lower-Manhattan restaurant called Industry Kitchen has created a $2,000 gilded pizza that would feel right at home in one of our fine jewelry showcases. Completely covered in strips of 24-karat gold leaf and sprinkled with 24-karat gold flakes, “The fancy’za” is marketed to the tony Wall Street crowd who can afford to purchase what may be the most expensive …

On the tiny island of Guam, a cold-hearted soccer referee booked a player for celebrating his sensational bicycle kick goal with an on-field marriage proposal. On January 7, NAPA Rovers’ striker Ashton Surber was having his best day ever. In the 35th minute of the Premier Division match against the first place Shipyard team, the player buried a bicycle kick …

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg compares his love to the hardest material known to man in the introspective “Diamonds to Dust.” In the song, Fogelberg decodes how even the strongest relationships can break down over time — and uses a precious …

January’s official birthstone, the wonderfully versatile garnet, comes in a wide array of natural colors, including red, pink, purple, yellow, violet, green, black, brown and orange. Orange spessartine garnets are particularly stunning, as illustrated in this butterfly brooch that seems to be taking flight. Masterfully created by Buzz Gray and Bernadine Johnston, the brooch is part of a much larger …

Sure, they’re the ultimate symbol of love, but diamonds also have become the darling of the scientific community. We’re starting to wonder: Is there anything a diamond can’t do? Back in November, we reported how imperfect diamonds could hold the key to the future of long-term, high-density data storage. Then, in December, we reviewed how a diamond battery made from …