Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Unveils Jewelry and Gem Exhibit

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County just unveiled a new exhibit called “Brilliance: The Art and Science of Rare Jewels.” Appearing in the museum's Gem Vault for a limited engagement are more than 100 spectacular objects — necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and unmounted gems — drawn primarily from the works of master jewelry designer Robert Procop. The museum …

Music Friday: Christina Aguilera Gets a Diamond Ring in ‘Merry Christmas, Baby’

Welcome to a special holiday edition of Music Friday, when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Christina Aguilera belts out her rendition of the 1947 classic, “Merry Christmas, Baby,” a song about how a very special piece of jewelry has made this the best Christmas ever. In first lines …

Vancouver-Based Artist Cliff Kearns Explores the ‘Immortal Diamond’

Vancouver-based artist Cliff Kearns is passionate about diamonds. In his latest series of paintings called "Immortal Diamond," the artist is inspired to interpret, bend and push the gem’s characteristics. Shifting geometric shapes and brilliantly changing facets seem to explode off the canvas in his colorful, spirited explorations of nature's most precious stone. These mixed-media artworks begin as digital creations which …

Underrated and Often-Misunderstood Zircon Is December’s Alternate Birthstone

Underrated and often misunderstood, zircon is the colorful alternative birthstone for December. Available in a wide range of brilliant hues — from red, orange, yellow, green to blue and brown — zircon is the oldest mineral on Earth. Back in 2014, a tiny zircon crystal that scientists believed was 4.4 billion years old was helping to unlock the mysteries of …

Three Coins With Face Value of $1.15 Nets $13.35MM Payday for Las Vegas Collector

A group of coins known as the "Big Three" of numismatics — an early 20th century nickel, a 19th century dime and a vintage silver dollar — recently netted a spectacular $13.35 million payday for Las Vegas collector Bruce Morelan. The grouping included the finest example of the five known 1913 Liberty Head nickels, a high-grade example of one of the …

Engagement Ring Survey: Millennials Outspend Younger Gen Z Counterparts by 63%

Millennials (ages 25-34) outspend Gen Zers (ages 18-24) by 63% when it comes to buying an engagement ring. The average price paid for a ring by Millennials is $6,700, compared to $4,100 spent by their younger counterparts, according to a newly released survey by The Knot. Across all age groups, the average spend is $6,000 — up slightly from the …

Music Friday: Camila Cabello Dreams of Platinum and Gold in Her 2021 Hit, ‘Don’t Go Yet’

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you joyous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Cuban-American singing sensation Camila Cabello kicks up her heels in the 2021 international dance hit, "Don't Go Yet." Viewed on Youtube more than 47 million times, the video of this instant classic tells a story of a young …

41,500-Year-Old Tusk Pendant May Be Eurasia’s Oldest Human-Decorated Jewelry

A 41,500-year-old oval-shaped pendant crafted from a mammoth tusk represents the oldest human-decorated jewelry ever found in Eurasia, according to an international team of researchers. Discovered in the Stajnia Cave in southern Poland, the jewelry has a sophisticated design that includes 50 puncture marks in a looping curve, along with two drilled holes. The holes indicate that the item was …

December’s Newest Birthstone Was Heralded as the ‘Gem of the 20th Century’

Back in 2002, tanzanite joined turquoise and zircon as an official birthstone for the month of December. The occasion was momentous because, up until that point, the list hadn't been amended since 1912. The gem you see here is an extraordinary example of tanzanite from the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. …

Actress Lindsay Lohan Shows Off New Engagement Ring in a Series of Instagram Pics

Actress Lindsay Lohan’s Thanksgiving weekend ended on a spectacular note, as the Mean Girls star turned to Instagram on Sunday to announce her engagement to fund manager Bader Shammas. Lohan’s 9.8 million Instagram followers were treated to an unpretentious, four-pic gallery showing her and her new fiancé enjoying their special moment. The new engagement ring can be seen in all …