The Royal Mint has just produced the largest coin in its 1,100-year history to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's historic 70-year reign. About the size of a small pizza, the one-of-a-kind Platinum Jubilee coin is made of .999 gold and weighs an astonishing 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds). The coin carries a denomination of £15,000, but the value of the precious metal …
Music Friday: Justin Bieber Sings, ‘If You Got a Diamond for All of Your Passion’
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, a reflective Justin Bieber sings about seizing the moment and pursuing one's dreams in his uplifting treatise, “All In It.” Co-written by Bieber, Jason Boyd, Mark Jackson, Mason Levy and Josh Gudwin, the 2015 tune reminds us that …
Tiny Kingdom, Big Results: Lesotho Produces Another 200+ Carat Diamond
Of the largest 50 rough diamonds ever discovered, seven have come from Lesotho, a tiny, landlocked kingdom at the southern tip of Africa. Despite its diminutive size (Maryland is larger), Lesotho produces a remarkable number of large, Type II, top-quality stones. (Type II diamonds are extremely rare, colorless and chemically pure with no traces of nitrogen impurities.) The kingdom's diamond …
‘Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace’ Commemorates Largest Diamond Ever Mined
In 1910, Thomas Cullinan, then chairman of the Premier Mine in South Africa, gifted an elaborate necklace to his wife Lady Annie Francis Cullinan to commemorate the discovery of the largest gem-quality diamond ever mined. About five years earlier, on January 26, 1905, Captain Frederick Wells was conducting a standard inspection of the Premier Mine when a glint off the …
Glue Used by Ancient Maya Dentists to Affix Gems to Teeth Delivers Bonus Benefit
The ancient Maya are famous for erecting majestic palaces, sky-high pyramids and astronomical observatories, but did you know that they also loved to decorate their teeth with colorful gems and enjoyed excellent oral hygiene due to the all-natural glue dentists used to adhere the bling to their pearly whites? The Maya civilization that spanned southeast Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and …
Princess Diana’s Wedding Tiara to Headline Special Exhibition at Sotheby’s London
One of the most memorable tiaras of all time — the one worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, on her wedding day in 1981 — will highlight a Sotheby’s London exhibition of more than 50 beautiful and storied headpieces spanning the ages. This is the UK’s largest exhibition of tiaras in 20 years and is timed to coincide with Queen …
Music Friday: Taylor Swift’s Juliet Gets Her Prince (and a Ring) in ‘Love Story’
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Taylor Swift's Juliet gets her prince (and a ring) in the mega-hit, “Love Story.” Back in 2008, an 18-year-old Swift released a semi-autobiographical song about Juliet, a teenager whose love interest is despised by her family and friends. …
Man Proposes With Still-Warm Ring After Firefighters Salvage It From Scorched Car
Crews from the Williamson County Fire Rescue couldn't save a burning vehicle on Interstate 840 in Tennessee last week, but they were able to salvage a charred ring box hidden under a seat that contained a very special piece of jewelry. The fact that the diamond engagement ring was the only item to survive the blaze seemed like "a sign" …
Kourtney Kardashian Confesses That She Flattened Her New Engagement Ring
On the most recent episode of The Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian confessed to mom Kris Jenner that she accidentally flattened her $1 million engagement ring while tidying up her closet. In the one-minute exchange, Jenner asks to see the oval-cut diamond engagement ring that Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker gave her daughter in October during a surprise proposal at the beachfront Rosewood …
Marc Anthony Pops the Question With 10-Carat Emerald-Cut Diamond Ring
It's official. Marc Anthony popped the question to Miss Universe finalist Nadia Ferreira with a 10-carat diamond ring during her 23rd birthday celebration at Disney World in Orlando. The Paraguayan model revealed the ring in an Instagram Story on Thursday. In the photo, Anthony is caressing his fianceé's hand and the three-stone ring can be seen peeking out between his …