Anschar Diamonds Blog

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, second-hand bridal jewelry on display at a pawn shop in Chicago is the focus of “Golden Ring,” a chart-topping duet by country legends George Jones and Tammy Wynette.



In the song, we follow a golden band through a cycle of young love, marriage and eventual heartbreak. Jones and Wynette were married for six years, but divorced in 1975. They continued to perform after the breakup and scored a #1 hit in 1976 with a song that seemed to mirror the story of their tumultuous relationship.

The beginning of the song introduces the listener to a glittering ring that symbolizes all the promise of a young love. The second verse sees the couple exchanging vows and making a home for themselves. In the last verse, however, we learn that the relationship has gone sour and the ring has returned to the window display at the store where it was originally purchased.

The chorus punctuates the prevailing theme: “By itself it’s just a cold metallic thing / Only love can make a golden wedding ring.”

Written by Bobby Braddock and Rafe Van Hoy, “Golden Ring” was the title track to the Jones/Wynette duet album released in 1976 and the second of three #1 hits sung by the duo. The first was “We’re Gonna Hold On” (1973) and the last was “Near You” (1977).

Even though her marriage to Jones didn’t end well, in her autobiography, Wynette wrote, “The most fun, the most wonderful part of my career was working with George.”

Born in a log cabin in the small town of Saratoga, TX, Jones got his first guitar at the age of nine. By 1955, at the age of 24, Jones had already served in the Marines, was married twice and recorded his first hit song, “Why Baby Why.” In 1969, he married Wynette.

Over a career that spanned seven decades, Jones is credited with charting 168 country songs. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. Jones passed away in 2013 at the age of 81.

Wynette, who was born in Tremont, MS, in 1942, is considered to be one of the most influential singers in country music history. She scored 20 #1 hits on the U.S. country singles charts (16 solo, three with Jones, and one with David Houston). She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and was ranked #2 in Country Music Television’s “40 Greatest Women of Country Music.”

Plagued by medical problems, which required 15 major operations, Wynette passed away in 1998 at the age of 55.

Please check out the performance of “Golden Ring” by Wynette and Jones. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Golden Ring”
Written by Bobby Braddock and Rafe Van Hoy. Performed by Tammy Wynette and George Jones.

In a pawn shop in Chicago
On a sunny summer day
A couple gazes at the wedding rings
There on display

She smiles n’ nods her head
As he says, “Honey that’s for you,
It’s not much, but it’s the best
That I can do.”

Golden rings (golden ring) with one tiny little stone
Waiting there (waiting there) for someone to take you home
By itself (by itself) it’s just a cold metallic thing
Only love can make a golden wedding ring

In a little wedding chapel later on that afternoon
An old upright piano plays that old familiar tune
Tears roll down her cheeks
And happy thoughts run through her head
As he whispers low, “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Golden ring (golden ring) with one tiny little stone
Shining ring (shining ring) now at last it’s found a home
By itself (by itself) it’s just a cold metallic thing
Only love can make a golden wedding ring

Ooo-ooo
In a small two room apartment
As they fought their final round
He says, “You won’t admit it,
But I know you’re leavin’ town.”

She says, “One thing’s for certain,
I don’t love you any more.”
And throws down the ring
As she walks out the door

Golden ring (golden ring) with one tiny little stone
Cast aside (cast aside) like the love that’s dead and gone
By itself (by itself) it’s just a cold metallic thing
Only love can make a golden wedding ring

In a pawn shop in Chicago
On a sunny summer day
A couple gazes at the wedding rings
There on display,
Golden ring



Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com / TammyWynettemusic.

More than 600 million carats of diamonds over a lifespan of 60 years. That's the production estimate for Angola's new Luele mining project — one of the world's largest based on anticipated performance.



Sitting atop a kimberlite pipe in Angola's northeastern Lunda Sul Province, the Luele diamond deposit was discovered back in 2013, but officially began operations last week.

"This is the only major new diamond mine in the world that will commence production this decade," independent diamond analyst Paul Zimnisky told Reuters.

Angola has a reputation of supplying some of the world's finest diamonds. Among the most notable are the 170-carat "Lulo Rose," the largest pink diamond discovered anywhere in the world over the past 300 years, and the 404.20-carat white diamond named “4 de Fevereiro.” Both were mined by Lucapa Diamond Company at its Lulo alluvial diamond mine in Angola.

The Luele mine — formerly known as Luaxe — is billed as one of the largest discoveries in the diamond industry in more than half a century. During its pilot phase, Angola's state-controlled diamond miner, Catoca, extracted five million carats from the 600-meter-deep deposit. The site should reach full capacity by 2025.

The Luele mine is just 20 km from the already-successful Catoca mine, the world’s fourth largest, with an annual production capacity of 10 million carats.

According to published reports, the Luele mine is expected to double Angola's production, making it the world’s third-largest diamond producer, behind only the Russian Federation and Botswana. Catoca has a 50.5% stake in the Luele mining project.

Credit: Image of Catoca mine by Gsmart-ao, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Said to be rarer than diamond by a factor of 1,000 times, tanzanite is mined in only one location on earth — a 2 km by 4 km swath along the Merelani Hills of Tanzania at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. The mine's remaining lifespan is less than 30 years.



Tanzanite’s color is an intoxicating mix of blue and purple, unlike any other gemstone. The Gemological Institute of America describes exceptional tanzanites as having an intense violetish-blue color with red flashes of pleochroic color coming from within the stone.

Pleochroism is an optical phenomenon in which a gemstone appears to have different colors when observed at different angles.

The “Petersen Tanzanite Brooch,” shown above, is part of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection in Washington, DC. The piece was designed by Harry Winston in 1991 and donated to the museum by Donald E. and Jo A. Petersen in 2002.

The triangular-cut matched tanzanites weigh approximately 30 carats and are adorned by 24 carats of marquise, pear and baguette-cut diamonds in a floral motif. The tanzanite “flowers” may be detached and worn as earrings.

In 2002, a jewelry-industry trade organization — the American Gem Trade Association — designated tanzanite 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.

A Maasai tribesman named Jumanne Ngoma is credited with discovering a cache of blue-violet gems that, at first glance, appeared to be sapphires. Gemologists would later confirm that Ngoma’s find was a totally unique variation of zoisite.

Samples of the mineral caught the attention of Tiffany & Co., which launched a campaign to market the gems as “tanzanite” to honor its country of origin and the only place on earth where tanzanite can be found. (The name “blue zoisite” was panned by the Tiffany marketing team because it sounded too much like “blue suicide.”)

Credit: Photo by Penland and digitally enhanced by SquareMoose / Smithsonian.

Ladies, it's never too early to start planning for a Leap Day role-reversal marriage proposal. Yes, if you've been waiting far too long for your significant other to pop the question, Thursday, February 29, 2024, is your day.



The concept of women proposing to men on Leap Day is rooted in 5th century Ireland, where St. Brigid of Kildare forged a deal with St. Patrick to permit women to propose to men on a single day once every four years. In Ireland, Leap Day is also called Bachelor’s Day.

This scenario was the basis for the 2010 romantic comedy, Leap Year. Amy Adams plays the part of Anna, who is frustrated when another anniversary passes without a marriage proposal from her boyfriend. When she learns about the Irish tradition that allows women to pop the question on Leap Day, she rushes to Dublin to track down the boyfriend at a convention just in time to deliver a marriage proposal on February 29.

Although the tradition started in Ireland, it has slowly migrated throughout that region and around the world. Irish monks introduced the concept to Scotland, which passed a law in 1288 that allowed women to propose on Leap Day. If the man refused the proposal, he would have to pay a fine, ranging from a kiss, to a silk dress or a pair of gloves. In upper-class circles, the fine for a proposal denial was 12 pairs of gloves. Presumably, the gloves would hide the shame of not wearing an engagement ring.

In England, the day February 29 held no legal status, so people believed that traditional customs held no status on that day either. Hence, women were free to reverse the unfair custom that permitted only men to propose marriage.

Surveys have shown that both men and women are increasing open to the idea of role reversal when it comes to popping the question.

In 2015, a survey of 500 men by Glamour found that 70% of men would be “psyched” if their female partner popped the question.

Pinterest revealed in December 2018 that searches on its site for the phrase “women proposing to men” had skyrocketed 336% compared to 2017.

As reported by Yahoo Life, the UK-based website "Guides for Brides" found that 27% of women responding to a recent survey would like to, or have already, proposed to their male partner.

Their reasons for initiating the proposal included the following:
-- 39% Not believing the notion that only men can pop the question
-- 17% Finding it empowering
-- 14% Being "fed up" of waiting for a proposal from their other half

The same survey noted that 73% of the male partners said they would accept the proposal, while 15% said they would refuse.

The reasons for turning down a proposal included the following:
-- 28% Wanting to stick to tradition
-- 26% Believing it’s the man’s responsibility to propose
-- 14% Not being ready to get married

Credit: Image by BigStockPhoto.com.

For the third time in two years, Dennis Senibaldi and his team at the Windham Transfer Station in New Hampshire successfully located an engagement ring amidst 20 tons of very disgusting and smelly trash.



Exactly a year ago, we recounted how the general services director used surveillance video to narrow down the location of a garbage bag containing a bridal set that had been accidentally thrown away.

A local resident mistakenly discarded the rings that his wife had cleaned and wrapped in a white napkin to dry. In the Windham community, trash bags can be delivered directly to the local transfer station.

Senibaldi knew their surveillance video would provide vital clues as to exactly when and where the man dropped off his garbage. After viewing the video, Senibaldi, his crew and the owner spent 30 minutes sorting through a trailer and found the ring in a grey-handled white trash bag.

Fast-forward to the week of Thanksgiving, when another distraught resident contacted the Windham Transfer Station with a similar story.

“She gave me some particulars: at what time her husband threw the trash out, what was in the trash bag, what kind of car he was driving,” Senibaldi told Boston's WHDH-TV.

Once again, Senibaldi reviewed the video to pinpoint where the bag may have ended up.

“We were able to track when he was here, exactly what time he threw the trash out and where the trash in the trailer was located,” he said.



The trash in question “was literally the first scoop into the trailer,” according to Senibaldi. That meant the bag was at the bottom, 12 feet deep.

After two hours of digging through the trailer of trash, Senibaldi and his crew found the solitaire diamond engagement ring. It somehow escaped its bag and ended up on the floor of the trailer covered in red paint.

“I grabbed the ring, brought it up, cleaned it up for her, called her up,” Sendibaldi told WMUR-TV.

“Talking to her on Wednesday, she was completely heartbroken," he told WHDH-TV. "Friday, when she came in, she was happy as can be, gave me a big hug and was very thankful."

Senibaldi noted that the story could have easily had a tragic ending. If she had called 15 minutes later, the trailer would have already been at the incinerator.

“We are public servants and I think this really... brings the meaning of public service,” Senibaldi told WHDH-TV. “That’s why I work here.”

Credits: Screen captures via 7News, whdh.com.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you popular songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Kelly Clarkson reveals her vulnerable side and wonders out loud if her boyfriend can embrace her flaws in the 2012 hit, “Dark Side.”



In this soaring synth-pop ballad, songwriters Alexander Geringas and Michael Busbee touch on the diamond’s origin story to illustrate Clarkson’s true potential.

Specifically, they reference how carbon has the ability, over time, to transform into a precious diamond. Clarkson argues that even though she’s not “picture perfect” and has an ominous “dark side,” she is still a gem at her core.

The 2002 American Idol winner sings, “Like a diamond / From black dust / It’s hard to know what can become if you give up / So don’t give up on me.”

Clarkson told New York radio station Z100 that she liked “Dark Side” because “it’s a sweet-sounding song, but with a dark lyric, and I like that.”

In reviewing "Dark Side," Kat George of VH1 said, “This is what we love best about Kelly... acknowledging the pitfalls of her personality, Kelly invites us all to be imperfect without letting us (or herself) be any less perfectly lovable.”

“Dark Side” was released as the third single from Clarkson’s Grammy-award winning album, Stronger. The song topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart and peaked at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100. Overall, it charted in 13 countries.

A year after the release of “Dark Side,” Clarkson made jewelry-industry news when she was stymied in her bid to claim the 200-year-old turquoise ring once owned by famed British novelist Jane Austen. Clarkson had won the ring in 2012 at a Sotheby’s auction in London.

Clarkson’s winning bid of $235,000 was more than five times the auction house’s high estimate. But instead of allowing Clarkson to take the ring back to the US, British authorities unexpectedly declared the ring a “national treasure” and blocked its export. If a British patron could match Clarkson’s winning bid, the singer would have to forfeit the ring so it could stay in the UK.

Jane Austen’s House Museum launched an aggressive fundraising appeal through its website and Facebook page. Donations from around the world flooded into the “Bring the Ring Home” campaign, generating an infusion of $253,000 — more than enough to match Clarkson’s bid.

Born in Ft. Worth, TX, in 1982, Kelly Brianne Clarkson rose to fame in 2002 after winning the inaugural season of American Idol. Since then, Clarkson has sold more than 25 million albums and 45 million singles worldwide. She also has the distinction of becoming the first artist in history to top each of Billboard's pop, adult contemporary, adult pop, country and dance charts.

Clarkson's daytime talk show on NBC, The Kelly Clarkson Show, has been airing since September of 2019. During the past four years, the show has earned 13 Daytime Emmy Awards. Clarkson was named "Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host" in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Please check out the official video of Clarkson's “Dark Side.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Dark Side”
Written by Alexander Geringas and Michael Busbee. Performed by Kelly Clarkson.

There’s a place that I know
It’s not pretty there and few have ever gone
If I show it to you now
Will it make you run away

Or will you stay
Even if it hurts
Even if I try to push you out
Will you return?
And remind me who I really am
Please remind me who I really am

Everybody’s got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody’s a picture perfect
But we’re worth it
You know that we’re worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?

Like a diamond
From black dust
It’s hard to know what can become if you give up
So don’t give up on me
Please remind me who I really am

Everybody’s got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody’s a picture perfect
But we’re worth it
You know that we’re worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?

Don’t run away
Don’t run away
Just tell me that you will stay
Promise me you will stay
Don’t run away
Don’t run away
Just promise me you will stay
Promise me you will stay

Will you love me?
Ohh, everybody’s got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody’s a picture perfect
But we’re worth it
You know that we’re worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?

Don’t run away
Don’t run away
Promise you'll stay



Credit: Photo by vagueonthehow from Tadcaster, York, England, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

On Thursday, The Pantone Color Institute selected a velvety gentle peach tone to be its 2024 Color of the Year. The institute said Peach Fuzz's warm and welcoming embrace conveys a message of compassion and empathy.



The subtle orange-pink Peach Fuzz (PANTONE 18-1750) stands in stark contrast to 2023's Viva Magenta, which was described last year as a “new animated red that revels in pure joy.”

Conscious of a world in turmoil, Pantone decided this year to seek a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness, connection and a more peaceful future.

"We chose a color radiant with warmth and modern elegance," noted Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute. "[It's] a shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless."

Typically, Pantone’s yearly selection influences product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.

Consumers embracing Peach Fuzz-inspired fashion items might consider accessorizing with fine jewelry featuring orange-pink gemstones, such as padparadscha sapphire and morganite.

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Having been called “a true Rembrandt among gemstones,” padparadscha is the rarest and most valuable variety of sapphire. Padparadscha belongs to the corundum family of gemstones, which includes rubies and sapphires. The presence of trace elements determines the color of each gemstone.

While blue sapphires are naturally colored with iron and rubies with chromium, padparadschas are colored by the presence of both. The delicate interplay of pink and orange hues makes this gem one of nature’s greatest achievements. The gem’s name is derived from “padma raga,” which literally means “the color of the lotus flower” in Sanskrit.



Morganite is a member of the beryl family of gemstones, which includes emerald and aquamarine. Once known simply as pink beryl, the gemstone got its current name in 1911 when the famous New York gemologist G. F. Kunz recommended that the pretty pinkish-orange stone be named for banker and mineral collector John Pierpont Morgan. The New York Academy of Sciences agreed and this unique variety of beryl was officially designated as “morganite.”

The Pantone Color Institute originally created the Pantone Color of the Year educational program in 1999 to engage the design community and color enthusiasts around the world in a conversation around color.



Here are the Pantone Colors of the Year dating back to 2010…

PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta (2023)
PANTONE 17-3938 Veri Peri (2022)
PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray (2021)
PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating (2021)
PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue (2020)
PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral (2019)
PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet (2018)
PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery (2017)
PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz (2016)
PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity (2016)
PANTONE 18-1438 Marsala (2015)
PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid (2014)
PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald (2013)
PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango (2012)
PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle (2011)
PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise (2010)

Credits: Color swatch images courtesy of Pantone courtesy. Padparadscha image by Chip Clark / Smithsonian and digitally enhanced by SquareMoose. Morganite image by Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This past Friday, a Malaysian businesswoman staying at the world-famous Ritz Paris reported to local authorities that her $800,000 ring went missing from the nightstand of her $2,000/night room. Her complaint led to an immediate investigation and fever-pitched headlines across the internet about another big-ticket heist.



By Sunday morning, the management at the Ritz had put the kibosh on any notions that something nefarious had transpired at the establishment. The ring was found — in a vacuum cleaner bag.

“Thanks to the careful search work of security agents, the ring was found this morning,” the Ritz Paris said in a statement. "Our client is happy with this news. We would like to thank the Ritz Paris employees who were involved in this research and who work every day with integrity and professionalism."



According to a translated account in Le Parisien, the businesswoman had checked into the tony hotel at the Place Vendôme on Thursday. The next morning, she left the hotel early to do some window shopping, but when she returned to the room at 11:30 am, the ring she had left on the small table near her bed was nowhere to be found.

She notified the Paris-Centre police station of the incident, inferring that it might have been stolen by a Ritz employee. According to Le Parisien, the investigation was entrusted by the Paris prosecutor's office.

"All leads are still being explored," a police source told Le Parisien. "Everything is possible."

On Saturday, the Malaysian businesswoman packed her bags and continued to the next leg of her trip — London.

Meanwhile, Ritz Paris management assembled its resources to solve the mystery. Its team conducted a meticulous search of the hotel and, by Sunday morning, security guards had found the ring amid the dust of a vacuum cleaner bag.

Le Parisien noted that Paris police will secure the ring until it can be transferred to the Malaysian businesswoman. The hotel offered her three free nights as compensation for her distress, but Le Parisien is reporting that she does not intend to take advantage of this “commercial gesture.”

In 2016, robbers held Kim Kardashian at gunpoint while she stayed at the Hôtel Partiulier. They took $10 million dollars' worth of jewelry, including the 20-carat engagement ring given to her by Kanye West. The ring was said to be worth $4 million.

Then in 2018, a member of the Saudi royal family was reportedly robbed at The Ritz Paris, where she claimed more than $900,000 in jewelry was taken, according to an account in the New York Post.

Credits: Chambermaid photo by Bigstockphoto.com. The Ritz Paris photo by Arthur Weidmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The idea that women deserve to splurge on themselves as a sign of self-empowerment and independence has been encouraged and promoted by the jewelry industry for many years.



Back in 2019, for example, the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) introduced the “For Me, From Me” ad campaign, which was inspired by the ever-growing segment of the market represented by women who buy diamonds for themselves. The DPA claimed at the time that one-third of the $43 billion diamond jewelry market was associated with female self purchases.

A new study by Jewelers Mutual Group adds more depth to the subject by revealing that the most popular occasions for self-purchasing are holidays and birthdays. The results illuminate the importance of nurturing self-celebration and prioritizing well-being and happiness during the holiday gift-giving season when self-care can be forgotten, according to the Neenah, WI-based insurer.

“Jewelry is so much more than metal and stone; it’s a symbol of independence and self-expression,” said Krystle Craycraft, senior vice president of marketing and digital at Jewelers Mutual. “As we continue our work to elevate the love of jewelry, these findings reinforce the significance of empowering individuals to treat themselves to beautiful and meaningful jewelry, regardless of the occasion.”

The Jewelers Mutual survey also revealed that female self-purchasers are significantly more likely to purchase necklaces and earrings, while males are more likely to purchase watches.

Respondents also acknowledged jewelry as an heirloom. Exactly 96% of self-purchasers either plan to or are considering passing down their fine jewelry.

Just about everybody knows the having one's fine jewelry regularly inspected is critical, especially if the items contain precious gemstones. But good intentions and good habits don't always match up. Jewelers Mutual learned that 39% of self-purchasers claimed they never have their fine jewelry inspected.

When asked about the frequency of their self purchases, a surprising 50% of respondents said they buy jewelry for themselves only once a year.

Credit: Image courtesy of Jewelers Mutual.

Singer/actress Selena Gomez recently doubled down on the concept of going "Instagram official" by not only confirming her relationship with producer Benny Blanco via the popular social media platform, but also revealing a diamond-accented "B" ring on that finger of her left hand. Let's say the couple is also "initial ring official."



Gomez posted a pic of the "B" bypass ring in an Instagram Story on December 7, along with a second photo of her cuddling with the new love of her life.

Later that same day, a fan account called @selenagomezbr2.0 shared a picture of Gomez and Blanco together. Commenting on the post, Gomez wrote, “He is my absolute everything in my heart.”

Gomez, 31, and Blanco, 35, had been secretly dating for six months after having worked on a number of music projects together. According to usmagazine.com, Blanco and Gomez met in 2015 when they collaborated on her songs “Same Old Love” and “Kill Em With Kindness.” They also teamed up on “Single Soon,” which Gomez released in August.

A source told Entertainment Tonight that Gomez and Blanco have been casually seeing each other for a while, "and more recently."

"Things have been going really well between them, and Selena is happy," said the source. "She thinks Benny is very funny and, of course, extremely talented. Selena is in a great place in her life and feels content and relaxed. She is enjoying where things are going.”

Gomez had been coy about her relationship status until recently. In August, she told an interviewer with SiriusXM Hits 1 LA that she was enjoying being single. And in September, she posted a TikTok video during which “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” played in the background and she stated, “Guess who has a boyfriend? Not me… y’all be safe out there.”

In an Instagram comment, one superfan pointed out that this isn't the first time Gomez has celebrated a new relationship with an initial ring. Apparently, she wore a "J" ring in 2012 at the start of her on-again, off-again multi-year romance with pop star Justin Bieber.

Credits: Photo of Selena Gomez by The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. "B" ring photo via Instagram / Selena Gomez.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you uplifting songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Ashanti reveals to St. Nick the blingy accessories at the top of her holiday wish list in the 2003 ditty, “Hey Santa.”



After asking Santa in the first verse for “something sweet,” such as chocolate Kisses or candy canes, Ashanti takes it up a notch in the second verse, as her request for “something new” includes a diamond bracelet or diamond ring.

(In a nod to the 1953 classic, “Santa Baby,” Ashanti echos Eartha Kitt’s call for a baby blue convertible.)

She sings, “Hey Santa, can you bring me something new / (Something new, something, something new)? / Like a diamond bracelet or a diamond ring / How about a shiny new, baby blue, convertible? / Hey Santa, can you bring me everything?”

Written by Ashanti and Irving Lorenzo, “Hey Santa” was released as the third track from Ashanti’s Christmas. The album, which included an equal mix of original songs and covers of holiday classics, peaked at #43 on the Billboard‘s Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Ashanti performed “Hey Santa” during the 2003 tree-lighting festivities at New York City’s Rockefeller Center.

Born Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas in 1980, the singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actress is named after the 17th century Ashanti Empire, in what is now modern-day Ghana. In that kingdom, women held positions of power and influence, and Ashanti’s mother believed the name might help inspire her daughter to achieve greatness.

Ashanti joined a gospel choir at the age of six and scored her first recording contract at the age of 14. The Glen Cove, NY, native won a Grammy Award in 2003 and went on to become the first female artist to occupy the top two positions on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously with “Always on Time” and “What’s Luv?” She has also nabbed eight Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards and a Grammy.

Please check out the audio track of Ashanti singing “Hey Santa.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Hey Santa”
Written by Ashanti Douglas and Irving Lorenzo. Performed by Ashanti.

Hey Santa, can you bring me something good
(Something good, something good)?
Hey Santa, can you bring me something sweet
(Something sweet, something, something sweet)?
Like chocolate kisses or candy canes.
Gumdrops or butterscotch, fruity flavor, chewy rings.

Hey Santa, can you bring me something nice
(Something nice, something nice)?
Hey Santa, can you bring me something new
(Something new, something, something new)?
Like a diamond bracelet or a diamond ring.
How about a shiny new, baby blue, convertible?
Hey Santa, can you bring me everything?

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh?

Hey Santa, can I sing this song to you
(Sing to you, sing to you)?
Hey Santa, can you make my wish come true
(Make it true, make it, make it true)?
Can you fill my stocking with lots of treats?
Boxes with red and green, underneath the Christmas tree?
Hey Santa, can you bring me everything?



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / Ashanti Vault.

Back in December of 2014, an anonymous woman honored her late husband’s joy of Christmastime gift giving by dropping her engagement ring and wedding band into a Salvation Army Red Kettle outside of Boston’s North Station. Accompanying the three-stone engagement ring and plain gold wedding band was a type-written note.



“I’ve dropped my wedding ring in your Red Kettle knowing that the money from its sale will buy toys for needy children,” she wrote. “In all seasons, my husband was a giver. I especially remember his joy in giving at Christmastime, especially to those in need. To honor his memory, I donate this ring.”

That uplifting story, which earned national headlines, has been spawning copycat acts of generosity ever since.

This past Thursday, at The Salvation Army in Waltham, about 12 miles west of Boston, Lt. Nicole Fullop was inspecting the contents of a Red Kettle at the local Market Basket grocery store when she encountered a curious plastic bag. Inside the bag, wrapped in a dollar bill, was a wedding band and engagement ring, along with a type-written note.



“This ring is being given in love for a second time,” wrote the anonymous donor. “Like the first time, I hope that this ring will bring joy and make a difference.”

According to The Salvation Army, the rings are valued at an estimated $1,500. Once sold, the proceeds will be put directly toward helping families and others in need in the Waltham area this holiday season.

“We are honored and humbled that someone would care enough to give something this precious to The Salvation Army to help others,” said Lt. Fullop. “Donors dropping valuable jewelry and coins with notes into kettles has been happening for years and is often a reminder of how the kettle is a sign of hope.”

In an interview with WBZ News in Boston, Fullop delivered a message to the anonymous donor: "We thank you and we love you. Merry Christmas."

This year, The Salvation Army hopes to raise $2.5 million in Massachusetts through its iconic red kettle campaign. In 2022, the national campaign generated more than $102 million.

Every year, The Salvation Army serves more than 24 million people across America. They provide more than 55 million meals for the hungry, more than 10 million nights of shelter for the homeless, and countless Christmas gifts for children who may otherwise go without.

The Salvation Army Red Kettle Program can track its origins to 1891, when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee struggled with the reality that so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. His only hurdle was a tall one — funding the project.

According to The Salvation Army’s official website, McFee’s red kettle idea was inspired by his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England. There, he remembered an iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor.

The next day, McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” He soon had the money to see that the needy people of the area were properly fed at Christmas.

Credits: Images courtesy of The Salvation Army.

Besides being the hardest substance known to man and the most coveted of all precious stones, diamonds have also flexed their muscles in numerous areas outside the jewelry industry, from saw blades to scientific instruments.



Now we're learning that nanodiamonds may become a new therapeutic agent in the fight against cancer.

A team of researchers from South Asian University in New Delhi, India, successfully used nanodiamonds to treat tumor metastasis in mice. They found that the nanodiamonds blocked the ability of melanoma cells to migrate, while untreated tumor cells were able to pass through the membrane.

Mice administered melanoma tumor cells and then treated with carboxylic nanodiamonds showed little or no metastasis of tumors, while untreated mice saw their tumors grow and move to new areas of the body.

The findings, which were published in the journal PNAS, could signal a breakthrough in cancer treatments because almost 90% of the mortality in cancer is due to tumor metastasis (when secondary malignant growths spread to other organs from the primary site of cancer).

Based on the evidence, the authors led by Professor Rajiv Saxena, hypothesized that the tiny carbon nanodiamonds may inhibit the breaking away of cancer cells from the primary tumor mass, as well as block subsequent steps of metastasis, such as physical movement of cells and their ability to enter blood vessels.

The nanodiamonds in the study measured 2 to 8 nanometers wide, which is hard to imagine because 1 nanometer equals one-billionth of a meter. A human hair, by comparison, is between 80,000 and 100,000 nanometers thick. The National Nanotechnology Initiative points out on its website that 1 nanometer is about as long as your fingernail grows in one second.

Over time, scientists have harnessed the power of diamond's unique properties to advance so many industries. Diamonds are used to produce solar energy, computer chips, semiconductors, data storage, water purification equipment, medical devices, scientific instruments, anti-counterfeiting technology, industrial cutting tools, and much more.

Credit: Image by Bigstockphoto.com.

The historic 108.39-carat pink diamond recovered in March at the renowned Kao mine in the Kingdom of Lesotho is now in Antwerp, where it will be skillfully cut and polished into a series of finished diamonds by the Choron Group.



"Over the coming weeks and months, we will be taking you on a manufacturing journey from our base in Antwerp as we bring this once-in-a-lifetime diamond to life," Choron wrote on its Linkedin page. Founded in 1985, Choron is a leading diamond-industry player with a division that specializes in the manufacturing of exceptional rough diamonds.

Earlier this month, Choron agreed to purchase the Type IIa pink gem from Kao mine operator Storm Mountain Diamonds (SMD) for an undisclosed sum. Type IIa diamonds are chemically pure with no traces of nitrogen or boron impurities.



"It is a privilege for Choron to unlock the secrets within this remarkable pink diamond and we look forward to revealing the story of this historic diamond," said company CEO Anshul Gandhi. "Our artisans will meticulously transform this rough diamond into an array of polished diamonds that will be remembered for generations to come."



It's likely that the 108.39-carat fancy intense pink diamond will be divided into a large hero stone and a series of satellite stones. The anticipated sizes and shapes on the polished stones have yet to be revealed.

Gandhi told Rapaport News that SMD will retain a minority share in the stone, while Choron will manufacture and market it.

Storm Mountain Diamonds, which is jointly owned by Namakwa Diamonds Limited and the Government of Lesotho, noted that its March 2023 find is one of the largest pink diamonds ever to be discovered globally. In fact, the gem is more than twice the carat weight of the Kao mine’s previous record holder: the 47.81-carat “Pink Eternity,” which was discovered in 2022. Other notable pink diamonds from the mine include the “Pink Palesa” (21.68 carat, 2021) and the Rose of Kao (29.59 carats, 2018).

“SMD continues to consistently deliver extraordinary diamonds, and this diamond further cements the Kao mine as the primary producer of pink diamonds globally," noted Robert Cowley, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SMD. "We are thrilled to enter into this agreement with Choron and we look forward to the next chapter of this diamond’s story.”

Pink diamonds are in high demand and short supply since the November 2020 closure of Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine, which had been the world’s primary source of high-quality pink diamonds.

Credits: Images courtesy of Storm Mountain Diamonds.

An Arkansas man said he was "tickled to death" upon hearing the news that the clear "piece of glass" that he casually pocketed during a trip to Crater of Diamonds State Park earlier this year was actually a 4.87-carat diamond.



Jerry Evans of Lepanto, AR, and his girlfriend had made the 280-mile drive to the park in Murfreesboro this past spring to enjoy a day at the only diamond site in the world that’s open to the general public. After only 10 minutes of searching, Evans plucked a pyramid-shaped stone the size of a jellybean from the top of a plowed ridge.



"I thought it might be a piece of glass, it was so clear. I really didn't know," Evans told park officials. "We were picking up everything thinking it was a diamond."

Hardly convinced that he had discovered anything of value, Evans decided to forego the opportunity to have the stone identified by park officials and returned home later that day with it tucked in his pocket.

As time passed, Evans had second thoughts about the odd-shaped stone and sent it off to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) for a conclusive answer. The GIA responded with the news that the stone was, indeed, a near-colorless diamond.



"When they called and told me it was real, I was tickled to death," Evans told park officials.

Encouraged by his son, Evans contacted Crater of Diamonds State Park with the exciting news, and soon returned to Murfreesboro to have the stone officially registered.

“Mr. Evans’ diamond is spectacular to see," Assistant Park Superintendent Waymon Cox told media outlets. "It’s a complete crystal with a brilliant white color reminiscent of many other large, white diamonds I’ve seen from here in the past.”

As is tradition at Crater of Diamonds State Park, those who find newsworthy gemstones get to name their discoveries. Appropriately, Evans named the 4.87-carat gem the "Evans Diamond."

The Evans Diamond is the largest recovered at the park since Kevin Kinard of Maumelle, AR, discovered a 9.07-carat brown diamond on Labor Day 2020.

Nearly 800 diamonds have been registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park in 2023, totaling more than 125 carats. Over the 51-year history of the park, visitors have unearthed more than 36,000 diamonds.

Prospectors of all ages get to scour the 37½-acre search field, which is actually the exposed eroded surface of an ancient diamond-bearing kimberlite pipe.

Credits: Images courtesy of Crater of Diamonds State Park.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you spectacular songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. In the 1983 holiday release, “2000 Miles,” rock legend Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders paints a picture of a diamond-embellished winter scene while lamenting the fact that she’s far away from the one she loves at Christmastime.



She sings, “In these frozen and silent nights / Sometimes in a dream… you appear / Outside under the purple sky / Diamonds in the snow… sparkle / Our hearts were singing / It felt like Christmastime."

While many people see “2000 Miles” as a sweet Christmas song about a young woman yearning to be closer to her lover during the holidays, the tune is actually Hynde’s tribute to guitarist and founding band member James Honeyman-Scott, who died of a cocaine overdose in 1982 at the age of 25.

“2000 Miles” was released as a single in December of 1983 and appeared as the 10th track of The Pretenders’ Learning to Crawl album. The single was popular in the UK, where it peaked at #15 on the UK Singles Chart. Learning to Crawl earned the #5 spot on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.

While discussing the song in a 1990 interview with Select magazine, Hynde praised the excellent guitar work of former band member Robbie McIntosh while roasting herself as a vocalist and lyricist, stating, "… McIntosh plays beautifully on '2000 Miles'. Anything to avoid listening to my voice and my stupid words."

In 2014, while finishing up her album Stockholm, Hynde collaborated with Swede Bjorn Yttling on an updated version of “2000 Miles." It was released as a Christmas single in the UK that December.

She told Classic Rock Magazine, “I think it captures the mood of the season perfectly as it gets cold in Sweden, reindeer wander the streets freely and the snow was coming down! Happy Christmas!”

Coldplay (2003), The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (2010), Natalie Imbruglia (2010), Mark Kozelek (2014), Kylie Minogue (2015), Train (2015) and Tom Chaplic (2017) have all covered “2000 Miles” for their holiday albums.

Born in Akron, OH, in 1951, Hynde formed The Pretenders in Hereford, England, in 1978. The band has sold more than 130 million albums worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. They have been touring on and off for the past 45 years.

Please check out the live performance video of Hynde and The Pretenders performing “2000 Miles” in 1995. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“2000 Miles”
Written by Christine Hynde. Performed by The Pretenders.

He’s gone 2000 miles
It’s very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

The children will sing
He’ll be back at Christmastime

In these frozen and silent nights
Sometimes in a dream… you appear
Outside under the purple sky
Diamonds in the snow… sparkle

Our hearts were singing
It felt like Christmastime

2000 miles
Is very far through the snow
I’ll think of you
Wherever you go

He’s gone 2000 miles
It’s very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

I can hear people singing
It must be Christmastime

I can hear people singing
It must be Christmastime



Credit: Image by Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), holiday travelers who have lost their jewelry at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and 11 other major air hubs across the US have a much better chance of getting it back.



During an average year at DFW, for example, more than 18,000 items are reported lost by travelers. But, thanks to newly installed artificial intelligence software, about 90% of the items are successfully returned to their owners.

Shimaa Fadul, who runs daily operations at the DFW lost and found, told CBS News that her team of specialists have collected 587 rings and 414 watches, including seven Rolexes, so far in 2023.



As she opened a secured cabinet to show CBS News reporter Omar Villafranca the magnitude of the collection, all he could say was "Wow" as he viewed the labeled plastic containers brimming with watches, bracelets, necklaces, rings and miscellaneous jewelry, as well as keys, sunglasses and cell phones.

When the airport's team finds an item, it is immediately photographed and entered into a database. The team does its best to described the item in great detail. When travelers inquire about items, they, too, will provide descriptive information and photos, if available.



Lost and Found software, which is operated by Hallmark Aviation Services, uses AI and image recognition to automatically match found items with inquiries. Once the match is confirmed, the items can be quickly returned to their rightful owners.

Fadul noted that distinguishing marks, such as stickers or serial numbers, help the process along. In the case of jewelry, we're assuming that detailed gem configurations, hallmarks and inscriptions will be equally valuable in making a match.

She explained how her team came to the rescue of a woman who recently misplaced her wedding dress at DFW. Fadul's team found the dress and, with the help of AI, matched it to the bride-to-be and overnighted it to her barely 24 hours before she was set to walk down the aisle.

Check out the CBS News report here…

Credits: Screen captures via cbsnews.com.

Singer-songwriter-actress Demi Lovato and her new fiancé Jordan “Jutes” Lutes have been sharing social media pics of their holiday-season engagement, and Lovato's stunning new pear-shaped diamond engagement ring has become a news story in itself.



While some "experts" have estimated the carat weight of the diamond at 4.5 to 5 carats, with a value of $150,000 to $200,000, others believe it's as large as 8 or 9 carats with a price tag of up to $760,000.

Nevertheless, what we do know for sure is that the natural diamond ring is set with five prongs in a cathedral solitaire setting on an unadorned yellow gold band. This design draws all of the attention to the large center stone.

The 32-year-old Lutes, who is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter, popped the question privately in Los Angeles a week ago Saturday and reportedly celebrated the engagement with members of both families the next day at Craig's, one of their favorite West Hollywood eateries.

“I’m still speechless," the "Confident" singer, 31, captioned a series of engagement pics on Instagram. "…last night was the best night of my life and I can’t believe I get to marry the love of my life @jutesmusic.”

The next day, Lovato shared an intimate closeup of her hand caressing the shoulder of her napping boyfriend while the impressive ring glistens in the foreground. Her caption read, "4 candles for forever," a reference to the four Sundays of Advent and the symbols of hope, peace, joy and love.



On Christmas Day, Lutes shared multiple photos of his first American Christmas, which included an adorable pic of the couple in matching hooded pajamas.

Commenting on the post, Lovato joked, "I’m still not over your uno championship reign. I’ll let you have it because it’s Christmas. Jkjk I loooooooove you and this was the best Christmas ever… getting to spend it with you has been a dream come true. Now can we pleeeease watch some love island together?"

Pagesix.com reported that the ring design was the result of a collaboration between the couple and Teresa Panico of the Material Good boutique, located in the Soho district of New York City. Lovato and Lutes reportedly "fell in love" with the pear-shaped diamond and the design came to life two weeks later.

In addition to collaborating on the ring design, Lovato and Lutes also co-wrote the former Disney star's song, "Substance," back in January of 2022. That was when they met, and they subsequently worked professionally and became good friends before taking the relationship to the next level in August of 2022.

“He was just so focused on the music,” Lovato said during a LadyGang podcast. “So we were friends for a while and then told each other how we felt.”

Credits: Ring photo via Instagram / ddlovato. Couple photo via Instagram / jutesmusic.

Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger proposed to model Abby Champion over the extended holiday weekend with a unique "toi et moi" ring, featuring two bezel-set diamonds of different shapes.



The ring is front and center in the first photo of the couple's joint Instagram carousel of December 26, titled "FOREVER AND EVER." When zoomed in, we can see what appears to be round- and pear-shaped diamonds side by side on a yellow gold band. Jewelers call the setting a "tube bezel," which allows the diamond to be admired from the top-down, but not from the sides.



The romantic "toi et moi" ring represents two souls becoming one. (The French phrase “toi et moi” means “you and me” in English.)

The concept is attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, who, in 1796, was an up-and-coming, 26-year-old officer and still eight years removed from the French throne when he presented a "toi et moi" ring to his beloved Josephine on the occasion of their marriage. The bypass-style ring featured two pear-shaped gemstones, one diamond and one sapphire, set in opposite directions.



Dressed for cool weather, the 30-year-old Schwarzenegger popped the question to Champion, 26, against the backdrop of an oversized heart-shaped wreath decorated with red roses. The carousel of Instagram pics show the couple embracing on a sandy beach strewn with rose petals.

Schwarzenegger, who has starred in HBO’s true crime mini-series,The Staircase, and Prime Video’s Gen V, is the son of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and journalist Maria Shriver. Champion is one of the world's top runway and print models.

The younger Schwarzenegger and Champion made their relationship Instagram official in February of 2016, according to People magazine.

On the occasion of Champion's 24th birthday in February of 2021, Schwarzenegger turned to Instagram to wax nostalgic about their first date.

“I knew we would hit it off from the moment we had our first date & you ordered off the kids menu!!” he wrote.

The attractive couple has collaborated on a handful of modeling gigs, including a Fall 2019 campaign for Calvin Klein Jeans and a fashion shoot for Vogue in November of 2022.

Credits: Images via Instagram / patrickschwarzenegger.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fantastic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, Edwin McCain employs a key "emerald" reference in his timeless hit, "I’ll Be" — a tune that was selected by one-million-plus Dr. Phil viewers in 2005 as the best wedding song ever written.



The romantic gemstone metaphor is in the very first verse of the memorable 1998 tune: “The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful / Stop me and steal my breath / And emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky / Never revealing their depth.”

Emeralds, in this case, embody the characteristics of his girlfriend: precious, beautiful, majestic, mysterious and sublime.

While most listeners would bet the farm that McCain intended “I’ll Be” to be a heartwarming love song, the 53-year-old singer-songwriter revealed that it was actually written as a prayer in a moment of personal and professional desperation. He was going through a rough breakup with his girlfriend while struggling with the unwieldy demands of his record label.

“It was kind of a Hail Mary prayer for me, personally,” he told songfacts.com. “The idea was that maybe if I write my future, it’ll come true.” He told the music website that, despite the misinterpretation of “I’ll Be,” he is very pleased that his song has become a favorite wedding song and he’s always proud to play it in concert.

“I’m not associated with the ’90s,” he said. “I’m associated with weddings. So it never ends. It’s timeless.”

McCain also revealed his inspiration for the song's repeating phrase, "cryin’ shoulder," and its final line, "The greatest fan of your life."

He explained to hudsonandemily.com, “There was a girl I dated who was on her way to being an actress and it was one of those things where it was never going to last, but I remember I used to always tell her I’d be her greatest fan."

He continued, "That and I overheard a drunk guy at a bar fumble over his words about being a 'shoulder to cry on' or 'crying shoulder' and I remember writing it down on a bar napkin because that phrase sort of hit me the right way, and I went home and wrote it all down, and there you go.”

“I’ll Be,” which was released as the first single from McCain’s second album, Misguided Roses, rose to #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and stands as McCain’s biggest hit.

Born in Charleston, SC, McCain toured with Hootie and the Blowfish in the early 1990s and eventually signed with his tourmates' label, Atlantic Records. McCain has released 11 albums and continues to perform live, with dates already scheduled through September 2024.

Check out the official video of McCain singing “I’ll Be.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“I’ll Be”
Written and performed by Edwin McCain.

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
And emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky
Never revealing their depth

And tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I’ll be captivated, I’ll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

And I’ll be your cryin’ shoulder
I’ll be love suicide
And I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life

And rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
And you’re my survival, you’re my living proof
My love is alive, and not dead

And tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I’ll be captivated, I’ll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

And I’ll be your cryin’ shoulder
I’ll be love suicide
And I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life.

And I dropped out, I burned up, I fought my way back from the dead
I tuned in, I turned on, remembered the thing that you said

And I’ll be your cryin’ shoulder
I’ll be love suicide
And I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life

And I’ll be your cryin’ shoulder
I’ll be love suicide
And I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life
The greatest fan of your life.



Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com.