More than 270,000 expertly crafted beads recovered from a tomb in southern Spain provide valuable insights into the social status of women on the Iberian Peninsula 5,000 years ago. Researchers believe the white shell beads were strung onto linen and made into ceremonial dresses and skirts, which were further ornamented with rare ivory and amber pendants shaped like acorns and …
New Survey: These Are the Top-Rated US Cities for Romantic Proposals
If you've already secured the ring and you're researching a spectacular place to pop the question this Valentine's weekend, check out the list of US cities best suited for creating memories that will last a lifetime. Cloudwards' data-driven analysis of the country's 100-largest cities yielded a definitive "Top 10" based on the factors that matter most for a perfect proposal: …
On Mars, NASA’s Perseverance Rover Collects Stone Unlike Anything Ever Seen
About 140 million miles away on the surface of Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover recently collected a four-billion-year-old specimen "unlike anything ever seen." Scientists hope the frosty-looking pebble will provide critical clues about the Red Planet, including past water activity and its potential habitability. NASA scientists noted that the 1.1-inch (2.9-centimeter) rock sample is believed to be from Mars' Noachian-age, a …
Music Friday: Rising Star Waylon Wyatt Is Pining for His ‘Arkansas Diamond’
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you exciting, new tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, rising star Waylon Wyatt takes on the role of a lovesick teen in his 2024 ballad, "Arkansas Diamond." A native of Hackett, AR (pop. 850), and still in high school, Wyatt compares the object of his affection …
Let’s Look Back at the Super Bowl Rings Amassed by the Chiefs and Eagles
With Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs vying for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat against Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, we have a perfect opportunity to review the glitzy rings that are on all the players' minds. The Chiefs know a little something about Super Bowl championship rings, having won …
Dua Lipa Seems to Confirm Engagement Rumors With Recent Ring Post
Three-time Grammy winner and style icon Dua Lipa treated her 87 million Instagram followers to a closeup view of what seems to be a boho-chic engagement ring from beau Callum Turner. The couple has yet to confirm or deny a holiday-season betrothal, but Lipa stirred the pot when she posted an in-car selfie showing the sizable diamond ring on that …
Kim Rix Relaunches Gemstone Tours With Focus on Ethics and Sustainability
Gemstone Detective Kim Rix, the London-based author of eight travel guides for gem enthusiasts, is relaunching her Gemstone Tours with a renewed focus on ethics and sustainability. On tap for 2025 are gem-focused adventures in Sri Lanka (Feb. 17-26), Vietnam (May 18-24), Tanzania (July 2-19) and Sierra Leone (Nov. 17-21). Rix, who earned her Graduate Gemologist credentials in 2016 from …
Propose With Onion Ring to Earn Chance to Win $10K to Buy Real Diamond Ring
Red Robin restaurant enthusiasts who pop the question during Valentine's weekend using one of the chain's signature onion rings can enter a contest to win $10,000 in gift cards to purchase an actual diamond engagement ring at the jewelry store of their choice. The winning couple will also get free Towering Onion Rings for the duration of their engagement (up …
Music Friday: Bob Dylan Is Back in the Limelight and So Is ‘Diamond Ring’
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. With legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan back in the limelight thanks to the Oscar buzz generated by A Complete Unknown, the biopic about his life, we present "Diamond Ring," a song he wrote in 1967 but never recorded. “Diamond Ring” …
Jewelry Gift-Giving on Valentine’s Day Projected to Set Sales Record at $6.5B
For the ninth year in a row, Valentine's Day gift-givers will be spending more on jewelry gifts than any other category, according to a survey just released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The record-breaking $6.5 billion earmarked for jewelry is up a tick from last year's tally of $6.4 billion. Valentine gift spending across …