An 18-karat white and rose gold turtle pavé set with 112 exceptionally rare Argyle Pink Diamonds, 52 natural white diamonds and two emeralds seems to crawl across the face of The Perth Mint’s latest 3D “Jewelled” solid gold coin. Priced at $171,220 (AUD $269,000), The Jewelled Turtle of 2024 represents the seventh in a series of highly collectible coins that …
Birthstone Feature: Zoisite’s Famous Blue-Violet Variety Was Discovered in 1967
While zoisite has been known to gemologists since 1805, its most famous blue-violet variety was discovered in 1967 along the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania by a Maasai tribesman named Jumanne Ngoma. Ngoma revealed his find to a prospector named Manuel d’Souza, who had the sapphire-like specimens analyzed by the Gemological Institute of America. The results revealed the intense, …
Pantone Chooses Comforting ‘Mocha Mousse’ as 2025’s Color of the Year
On Thursday, The Pantone Color Institute selected a warm brown hue to be its 2025 Color of the Year. The institute said "Mocha Mousse" nurtures with its suggestion of the delectable quality of cacao, chocolate and coffee, appealing to our desire for comfort. The fashion community was surprised by the subdued selection, which is less a color and more a …
Ruby Slippers Sell for $32.5MM, Smashing Auction Record for Movie Memorabilia
One of four surviving pairs of Ruby Slippers worn by Judy Garland in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz just sold at Heritage Auctions for $32.5 million, establishing a new record for the most valuable movie memorabilia ever sold at auction and decimating the previous record holder — the billowing white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe over a subway grate in …
Music Friday: Chris Isaak Offers Sagely Dating Advice in 2002’s ‘Notice the Ring’
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, rockabilly revivalist Chris Isaak offers sagely dating advice in his 2002 release, “Notice the Ring.” Isaak’s character is having a great time getting to know a woman he just met at a club. The chemistry is right and …
‘Wicked’ Stays True to Its 1900 Roots as Ruby Slippers Flip Back to Silver
The eagerly anticipated, star-studded Wicked just had the biggest box office launch of all time for a Broadway adaptation, bringing in $163 million globally during the weekend of November 22. While Wicked is often described as a prequel to 1939's The Wizard of Oz, conspicuously missing from this year's blockbuster release are Dorothy's iconic ruby slippers. Instead, costume designer Paul …
Kyawthuite Is So Rare That Only One Specimen Exists in the Whole World
About 50 million years ago, continental drift sent the Indian subcontinent crashing into the Asian continent causing the rise of the Himalayan mountain range. The colossal collision also created a geological environment of heat and pressure perfect for the formation of precious stones, such as rubies, sapphires, jade, spinel, and the rarest of all gemstones, kyawthuite. Kyawthuite is so rare …
US Postal Inspection Service Alert: Beware of ‘Diamond’ Ring ‘Brushing’ Scam
Consumers all over the country are receiving unsolicited "diamond" rings in a fancy red box as part of a "brushing" scam aimed at stealing their personal information and creating fake positive reviews using their names. The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the federal law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service, warned consumers to beware of seemingly harmless …
‘Space Gal’ Emily Calandrelli Takes Dad’s Ring to Space to Honor His Sacrifices
Emily Calandrelli, better known as "Space Gal" to her millions of Netflix and YouTube fans, recently fulfilled her lifelong dream of rocketing into space. During the emotional, 11-minute round trip aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard vehicle, Calandrelli and five other passengers traveled at 2,200 mph to achieve weightlessness 62 miles above the Earth. In the lead-up to the launch, the …
First Penned in 1947, ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ Returns in Holiday 2024 Campaign
Back in 1947, De Beers introduced the world to “A Diamond Is Forever,” a slogan penned by N.W. Ayer copywriter Frances Gerety when she was 31 years old. That four-word tagline has inspired literature, music, a James Bond flick, and earned in 1999 the title of the best advertising slogan of the 20th century by Advertising Age magazine. On Friday, …