The Hope Diamond has been seen by more than 200 million visitors during the gemstone's 60-plus years at the Smithsonian, placing it just behind Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa at the Louvre as the most visited museum object in the world. This past Friday, a family member and I arrived at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, …
You’ll Find This Amazing Piece of Gem History at the National Postal Museum
While the Hope Diamond is the most popular exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History, tucked away at the National Postal Museum just a mile away is the post-stamped plain brown mailing wrapper that represents an aspect of the gem's history that's been largely untold and that few people have ever seen. New York-based luxury jeweler Harry Winston owned …
CA Couple Learns Tough Lesson About Finger Shrinkage in Snowy Park City, UT
A California couple who traveled to picturesque Park City, UT, for a snowy post-engagement photoshoot learned a tough lesson about how fingers can shrink in the cold weather. The couple’s photographer started off the shoot by encouraging Kim Saw, 33, to use snow as a prop in a series of fun shots where she is throwing it in the air …
Mastercard Holiday Report Singles Out ‘Jewelry’ as Top-Performing Gift Category
In its preliminary holiday season report, Mastercard SpendingPulse singled out “jewelry” as the top-performing gift-giving category. Overall retail sales during the period from November 1 through December 24 saw a 3.8% increase compared to 2023, with the last five days of the holiday season accounting for 10% of all holiday spending. The actual 3.8% growth blew by Mastercard’s early-season forecast …
Music Friday: Carly Rae Jepsen Will Wear Your Guitar String as a Wedding Ring
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepsen plays the role of a jilted girlfriend who just won't let go in her 2012 release, "Wedding Ring/Guitar String." In the song, Jepsen tells her ex that if he agrees to come …
Hailey Bieber Honors Baby Jack With ‘Toi et Moi’ Ring Featuring Their Birthstones
Hailey Bieber turned to her Instagram Stories on Saturday to show off another heartfelt tribute to her four-month-old son, Jack Blues Bieber — a special "toi et moi" ring featuring their two birthstones. The proud mom added helpful labels to the gems seen nestled in the photo: On the "Jack" side of the ring is an emerald-cut peridot, the birthstone …
Beluga Whale’s Human-Like Reaction to Marriage Proposal Has Internet Buzzing
A teenage beluga whale's very human-like reaction to a marriage proposal taking place just outside her tank at the Georgia Aquarium has the internet buzzing. The TikTok video capturing last Wednesday's special moment has earned 6.9 million views, 2.7 million likes and 5,500 comments. Qinu, a 16-year-old female beluga, at first seemed spellbound by the young couple posing for pics, …
Music Friday: Carpenter and Twain Want One Little Thing, a Ring, in ‘Santa Baby’
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you festive songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we celebrate the holiday season with a contemporary take on Eartha Kitt’s 1953 classic, "Santa Baby," performed by pop phenomenon Sabrina Carpenter and best-selling country artist Shania Twain. A song that echoes the sentiments of 1949’s “Diamonds Are …
Lucara Reveals Names of Two Epic Diamonds Recovered in August & September
The second- and seventh-largest rough diamonds ever recovered finally have official names, according to Lucara Diamond Corp., which sponsored a two-week Legacy National Diamond Naming Competition and received more than 39,000 entries from the citizens of Botswana. The winning name for the epic 2,488-carat diamond unearthed at its famous Karowe Mine in August 2024 is "Motswedi," which in Setswana, the …
Book Explores True Narrative Behind the History of Diamond Engagement Rings
In her new book titled The History of Diamond Engagement Rings: A True Romance, author and historian Marion Fasel explores the true narrative behind the origin of one of the most universally accepted symbols of love and marriage. Within the 128 illustrated pages, Fasel exposes several misconceptions, such as the notion that diamond engagement rings only became popular after the …