Today, the Great American Eclipse will be visible to nearly everybody in North America, but those of us lucky enough to be viewing from a narrow path that runs from Salem, Ore., to Charleston, S.C., will experience a total solar eclipse and a bonus phenomenon called the “Diamond Ring Effect.” During a total solar eclipse, the moon aligns itself precisely …

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great, new songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, singer-songwriter Marc Scibilia celebrates the season of sun, surf and wanderlust in a catchy tune that inspires us to “sparkle just like diamonds.” TV watchers will recognize “On the Way” from the newest Jeep commercial. The 30-second …

So, what’s the deal with bridal jewelry and root vegetables? For the third time in a little more than five years, the internet is abuzz with a miraculous story of a long-lost ring that has turned up in a vegetable patch — with the carrot growing right through the center of the band. In Alberta, Canada, 84-year-old Mary Grams lost …

Five years ago, chronic procrastinator Maneesh Sethi hired a woman via Craigslist to slap him in the face any time he strayed off task. The $8-per-hour investment in “Kara The Slapper” quickly paid big dividends, as Sethi quadrupled his productivity AND spawned the concept of Pavlok, a bracelet that can deliver a behavior-altering jolt with the tap of a button. …

A Fort McMurray man was reunited with his beloved wedding ring — just in time for his 10th anniversary — after it was spotted by an eagle-eyed sorter at the municipal recycling center. Darren Sammann can’t imagine how his wedding ring made its way to the landfill managed by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in Alberta. What he does …

A retired law-enforcement officer who was dragged nearly 20 feet and run over while attempting an arrest 13 months ago is now the happiest guy in Lexington, Ky., after his girlfriend said “Yes” to an unusual traffic-stop marriage proposal. Shepherdsville Police Officer Rocco Besednjak, who was forced to retired due to the seriousness of his injuries, recruited the University of …

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you hot, new tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Chris Lucas and Preston Brust of LoCash have fun with the concept of “a diamond is forever” in their latest hit, “Ring on Every Finger.” In the song, the country pop duo sets the scene for an …

A full season of suspenseful rose ceremonies culminated Monday night in “Bachelorette” Rachel Lindsay accepting a marriage proposal from Bryan Abasolo, along with a stunning 3-carat pear-shaped diamond engagement ring estimated to be worth more than $100,000. Delicate and elegant, the platinum ring features an impressive center stone surrounded by a halo of smaller round diamonds. Diamond accents also go …

On Monday, August 21, skygazers from Salem, Ore., to Charleston, S.C., will see a rare total solar eclipse and — for just a brief moment — a fantastical celestial display that looks remarkably like a diamond ring. The “Diamond Ring Effect,” which was first explained by Francis Baily in 1836, occurs when the moon completely masks out the sun during …

It was exactly 50 years ago when a prospector named Manuel d’Souza got his first look at a cluster of intense blue crystals that had been discovered by a Maasai tribesman in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. At first glance, the crystals appeared to be sapphires. But a hardness test quickly ruled that out. According to one published …