In a promotion reminiscent of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, McDonald’s Japan is giving away an 18-karat gold chicken McNugget worth about $1,650. The contest is designed to generate a viral buzz for two new dipping sauces, “Creamy Cheddar Cheese” and “Fruits Curry.” But, unlike the famous Golden Tickets, which were randomly hidden in five Wonka Bars, the McDonald’s promotion requires …

The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and Jewelers of America (JA) have named spinel as the second official birthstone for August. It will share the limelight with the yellow-green gemstone peridot. JA will promote the new birthstone in July via a public relations and marketing campaign. “At certain moments in history, when there is a strong call from gem enthusiasts …

A diamond-embellished Hermès Birkin became the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction when it fetched $300,108 at Christie’s Hong Kong on Monday. Described by Christie’s as the “rarest, most sought-after, most valuable” of its kind, the matte white Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Birkin features an 18-karat white gold lock, latch and buckles emblazoned with diamonds weighing a total of 9.84 carats. The …

Self-proclaimed master gamer Shane Birkinbine took his relationship with girlfriend Pam Edwards to the next level by building a marriage proposal into a custom level of their favorite video game using “Super Mario Maker.” In a video that’s been viewed on YouTube nearly one million times, we observe Edwards being coached by her boyfriend through a custom course he designed …

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, up-and-coming music star Jon Pardi sings about falling in love and growing old together in the easy-listening country hit, “Head Over Boots.” He sings, “The way you sparkle like a diamond ring / Maybe one day we can …

The 24.18-carat “Cullinan Dream,” the largest fancy intense blue diamond ever to be offered at auction, could fetch upwards of $29 million at Christie’s New York on June 9. Barely a week ago, the 14.62-carat “Oppenheimer Blue” set a new world record for any jewel sold at auction when it yielded $57.5 million at Christie’s Geneva. Even though the Cullinan …

For thousands of years, wedding rings have been worn on the ring finger of the left hand, but do you know the origin of this worldwide tradition? Some give credit to the ancient Romans and Greeks, who believed that the vein in the fourth finger of the left hand (the vena amoris or vein of love) ran directly to the heart. Although …

Staffers of The Auschwitz Museum in southern Poland made a stunning discovery last week when an enameled mug’s carefully constructed false bottom shook loose, revealing a small stash of gold jewelry. It’s been more than 70 years since the liberation of the notorious Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in southern Poland, and staffers at the museum dedicated to the memory of those …

When Jimmy Fallon mentions your marriage proposal during his opening monologue on The Tonight Show, you know you’ve done something momentous. Last weekend, New York City television producer A.J. Hall enlisted the help of his girlfriend’s boss and the Sony Jumbotron in Times Square to deliver an epic proposal to Nicole Pagano. Pagano, who is a communications associate for The Daily …

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, 17-year-old Emily Ann Roberts — who wowed us on Season 9 of The Voice — sings about a class ring in the Patsy Cline classic, “She’s Got You.” Originally a #1 country hit for Cline in 1962 and …