Anschar Diamonds Blog

Two incredible lab-grown diamonds — the 75.33-carat "Celebration of India" and the all-diamond 30.69-carat "Infinity Ring" — drew a four-day stream of fascinated onlookers at the recent JCK Show in Las Vegas.



Grown by Mumbai-based Ethereal Green Diamond, the "Celebration of India" is billed as the largest faceted lab-grown diamond to date. According to a company spokesperson, the finished square emerald-cut gem was crafted from a 190-carat rough stone. It took about 270 days to grow the rough diamond and about 30 days to cut and polish it.

Show attendees and members of the press were offered the chance to handle the record-breaking stone, which is estimated to be worth $5,000 per carat, or about $375,000.

International Gemological Institute (IGI) graded the stone as Type IIa with excellent polish and symmetry. Type IIa diamonds are chemically pure and are often colorless or near-colorless.



Sharing a display case with the "Celebration of India" diamond was the "Infinity Ring," a fascinating all-diamond eternity ring crafted from a single crystal with no metal support.

"This unique ring was carved out from a 98.88-carats rough," according to Ethereal Green director Hirav Virani. "The Infinity Ring took about 146 days to grow and 90 days to take on its 'freeform modified shape'."

"The Infinity Ring" remained in its case throughout the jewelry show due to its delicate nature. One of the company's representatives shared that the process of cutting the finger hole through the crystal can easily cause to the whole piece to fracture. The company overcame two failed attempts at its state-of-the-art facility in Surat, India, before achieving success, he said.

The all-diamond ring, which was also graded as a Type IIa stone with excellent polish and symmetry, has a value of $500,000.

"These achievements are striking examples of Ethereal Green's dedication to innovation and ingenuity in consistently breaking their own records," stated Tehmasp Printer, CEO of IGI. "We congratulate their team in developing these extraordinary creations which showcase limitless possibilities with advanced tech in the lab-grown diamond sector."



A full-wall booth display illustrated the company's most recent milestones.

Credits: Diamond and ring images courtesy of Ethereal Green Diamond. Booth display photo by The Jeweler Blog.

Model and skincare entrepreneur Hailey Bieber is rockin' a new diamond engagement ring from her pop star husband, Justin. The couple has had a lot to celebrate recently, and the amped-up 18-carat ring commemorates both the renewal of their wedding vows after five years of marriage and the announcement that they are expecting their first child later this year.



Under the caption, "little cherry blossoms on my nails little cherry blossom in my belly," Hailey Bieber, 27, shared a 10-slide carousel on Instagram, which offered a glimpse of the new ring — subtlety and barely in frame — on the final slide.

The photo shows her sipping a beverage while the new dazzler nestles against her diamond wedding band on the ring finger of her left hand.

Interestingly, her previous diamond engagement ring — said to weigh between 6 and 10 carats — has found a new home on the pinky of her right hand.

Jewelry-industry pundits placed the value of the original engagement ring at $500,000 and the upgraded version in the range of $1 million to $1.5 million. Both diamonds are ovals set in yellow gold.

Vogue.com reported that the new ring was designed by celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz. The original ring was designed by Solow & Co.

Hailey and Justin Bieber, 30, commemorated their five-year anniversary by renewing their vows in Hawaii on May 9. Hailey's due date has not been formally announced, but fans believe the baby will arrive this fall.

Credit: Image via Instagram / haileybieber.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you uplifting songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, singer-songwriter Marc Scibilia celebrates the upcoming season of sun, surf and wanderlust in a catchy singalong that inspires us to “sparkle just like diamonds.”



“On the Way” got a big boost when Jeep used the song to promote its "Summer of Jeep" in August of 2017. The 30-second commercial accumulated 2,300 national airings and was viewed on YouTube nearly two million times.

Scibilia sings, "Journey where this path may lead / And live as big as giants / Summer sun and feeling free / Sparkle just like diamonds."

The 37-year-old repeats the hook, “Let your summer guide you, on the way, on the way,” while encouraging the listener to be fearless when discovering new roads.

Scibilia explained in a "Backstage With Jeep" YouTube video that the song is about embracing life's journey — no matter where it takes you.

"We have these ideas in our head about what life is going to be like. This is where I'm going to go, this is how I'm going to get there," he said. "You know, you really don't get to the destination… in a straight path. There's twists, turns, bends, whatever. That song is really about living in the moment."

The destination may not look like what you originally imagined, he explained, but the journey is going to be amazing.

Born in Buffalo, NY, to a musical family, Scibilia moved to Nashville to become a songwriter just a month after graduating from high school. According to his official bio, the young Scibilia got the idea to head south from a sarcastic guidance counselor who was frustrated with Scibilia’s reluctance to pursue a “conventional” career path.

“What are you going to do? Go to Nashville and write songs?” she taunted.

And that's exactly what he did.

Scibilia flourished in Nashville and took in all that it had to offer. He experimented with every genre of music, writing songs for other artists and touring as the opening act for James Bay and the Zac Brown Band, among others. In 2010, Scibilia landed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV.

Scibilia gained some valuable exposure when "How Bad We Need Each Other" from his 2012 self-titled EP was featured on the hit television series Bones.

The artist got an even bigger break when his cover of the Woody Guthrie song “This Land Is Your Land,” appeared in Jeep’s “Beautiful Lands” Super Bowl commercial — the most Shazam-ed commercial of Super Bowl 2015.

Two years later, Scibilia’s “On the Way” was once again catapulted by the popularity of a Jeep commercial.

Scibilia has tour dates scheduled for New York City, Chicago and Nashville during October and November.

Please check out the audio track of Scibilia performing "One the Way." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

“On the Way”
Written and performed by Marc Scibilia.

Journey where this path may lead
And live as big as giants
Summer sun and feeling free
Sparkle just like diamonds

Golden hearts never afraid
Discover roads brightly shining
Wanderlust runs through our veins
Be fearless, tall as lions

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Trust your bones where they take you
Adventure awaits
Here we go it’s all brand new
You won’t hesitate

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Let your summer guide you
On the way, on the way

Let your summer guide you



Credit: Image capture via YouTube / Marc Scibilia.

Strategically located halfway between China and the Mediterranean along the first Silk Road, the ancient Kangju state prospered as a trading center in what is now southern Kazakhstan for nearly 1,000 years between the 5th century BCE and the 4th century CE.



Kangju is back in the news, as a team of researchers from Ozbekali Zhanibekov University, along with local government archaeologists, recently unearthed beautifully crafted gold jewelry and valuable household items at a burial site in the rural Karaaspan district of Kazakhstan. The finds illuminate the wealth and cosmopolitan nature of the Kangju society.

The researchers discovered three tombs, two which had been looted in ancient times. But the third tomb and its treasures had remained intact.

Believed to date from the first century BCE, the matching gold earrings are fabricated from a colorful alloy known as "polychromatic" gold. The earrings are inlaid with turquoise and rubies in a crescent shape that pays homage to the moon. The lower portion of the earrings is decorated with a grape motif that reflects sunlight in multiple directions.



Also found in the tomb was an ornate bronze mirror believed to have been made in China during the Han dynasty, which ruled from 206 BCE until 220 CE. The circular mirror displays a unique eight-arch design that is distinctively Chinese in origin.

The researchers believe the precious earrings and highly prized mirror almost certainly indicate the tomb belonged to a citizen of great wealth and nobility.

According to archaeologist Aleksandr Podushkin, who led the study, the Kangju state was populated by a federation of diverse peoples, including nomadic groups of Sarmatians (from the Urals, Caucasus and the Black Sea), Xiongnu (from northern China) and Saki (originally from Iran, and then from Central Asia and Siberia).



The researchers described Kangju as a multi-cultural melting pot that would have been an important stop on the first Silk Road, the 4,000-mile caravan track that linked the Han capital of Xi’an with Rome.

A statement from the press service of the governor of Turkestan region noted that Rome, Byzantium, Kushan and the Chinese Empire had equal diplomatic relations with the Kangyu state, which flourished as a trading hub on the Great Silk Road.

Podushkin noted that the recently recovered artifacts will now go on display in the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the city of Astana.

Credits: Images courtesy of Turkistan regional administration of Republic of Kazakhstan. Map by Google Maps.

The top prize winner at the 2010 International Pearl Design Competition and now a resident of the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, the "South Sea Glow Necklace" provides beautiful examples of June's birthstone.



The piece, which features three golden South Sea cultured pearls and two white Akoya cultured pearls (ranging in size from 4.5mm to 11.5mm), was hand fabricated by designer Adam Neeley utilizing special gold alloy that transitions gradually from pure 24-karat yellow gold at the bottom into a cool white gold at the top. The gold to white precious-metal transition aligns neatly with the designer's choice of pearl hues.

The South Sea Glow Necklace won the President's Trophy (the top honor) at the Cultured Pearl Association of America's annual contest in 2010 and was subsequently donated by the designer to the Smithsonian National Gem Collection in 2012.

One of June’s three official gemstones, the pearl is unique among all of the gems because it is the only one formed entirely within a living creature.

Natural pearls occur when an irritant enters the oyster’s shell. To protect itself from the foreign body, the mollusk secretes layers of nacre, which, over time, become a lustrous pearl. To make a cultured pearl, a shell bead is surgically implanted into the mollusk to induce nacre production.

South Sea pearls and Akoya pearls are similar in that both varieties are cultivated in salt water.

Akoya pearls come mostly from Japan and range in size from 2 mm to 10.5 mm. They are usually white or cream in color and round in shape.

South Sea pearls originate in Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines, and can range in size from 9 mm to 20 mm. They can be white, cream or golden in color.

According to the American Gem Society, Tahitian pearls are interestingly not exclusively from Tahiti – they’re grown throughout several of the islands of French Polynesia, including Tahiti.

The greenish-black varieties of Tahitian pearls (known as peacock green) are the most coveted, but colors can include varying shades of gray, blue, green and purple. Tahitian pearls range in size from 8 mm to 16 mm.

The other birthstones for the month of June are moonstone and alexandrite.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Adam Neeley.

Jet-lagged and utterly exhausted after multiple days of overseas touring with two young children, Dannah McMichael, a travel blogger and wife of retired NFL tight end Randy McMichael, prepared for bed in a Thai hotel room.



Before stepping into the shower, McMichael slid off her wedding ring and grabbed a handful of vitamins.

"Without looking, I threw everything in my mouth and washed it down with water," McMichael wrote in an Instagram post that has earned more than 115,000 Likes. "When I started choking on the pills and noticed my ring was missing, I knew something was wrong."

At first, the McMichaels tried to find the ring by tearing through their room and luggage. When that failed, it became ever more apparent that Dannah had swallowed the ring with the pills.

It took the couple two days to locate a clinic that had the proper imaging equipment, but when they did, the resulting X-ray showed the intertwined band as clear as day.

On Instagram, Dannah shared a nine-second video captioned, "YUP THATS MY WEDDING RING."

The McMichaels hoped the ring would pass naturally, which it did two days later.

Dannah posted a followup video showing the cleaned-up ring sitting at the bottom of a hotel water glass. On Instagram, she used a split-screen effect, with the original X-ray video on the top and the second video of the recovered ring at the bottom. The caption read, "Got my ring back. Wait I never lost it. It was always with me."

In a response to one of the numerous Instagram comments, she wrote, "UPDATE: I gained new followers from this reel, so I just want to let you all know: I’m not swallowing anything else. Don't expect any more x-ray content!" She punctuated the post with laughing emojis.

Dannah later explained to Newsweek how her family had traveled from Atlanta to Los Angeles to the Philippines and then Thailand.

"I didn't have the opportunity to catch up on my sleep since I was traveling with an 11-year-old and a 2-year-old, and I was beyond jet-lagged," McMichael told the publication.

After a long day of sightseeing in Thailand, she finally got a chance to chill out, but that's when all the drama started.

At the clinic, the mood turned comical.

"At first, everyone was concerned about my health and how I was going to get the ring out," McMichael told Newsweek. "However, after a while, they all joined in on the laugh with me. One person said the best thing: 'Who would've thought your ring would have a crazier trip than you?'"

Credits: Screen captures via Instagram / double_d1022.

Exactly 100 years ago, pearl diving provided the lifeblood of the Farasan Islands' economy and society. Each year in early May, ship captains and skilled divers would leave their families to embark on a dangerous four-month quest to find natural pearls off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.



To reach the oyster beds, divers would use weights on their feet to descend more than 12 meters (39 feet). A lifeline would connect them to their surface support who helped them ascend. In return for hauling the divers back up, these assistants would receive a share (known as “dangeel”) of the collected oysters. Pearl divers were able to hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes.



The divers' work day would start just after sunrise, with mollusk gathering continuing until noon. That was followed by a rest period. During the afternoons, divers would take on the laborious task of prying open oysters (the “fulq” process) in search of elusive natural pearls.



According to the Saudi Press Agency, diving tasks were divided into five-day cycles. The first four days' haul belonged to the diver, while the fifth day's bounty went to the ship owner.

Seven copper sieves, each with progressively smaller holes, were used to sort the pearls by size. The most elusive prize was the “Al-Dana” pearl, characterized by its large size, bright luster and absence of flaws. This type of pearl was so coveted that it spawned its own form of folk music. The melancholic genre, born from the depths of the sea, served as an outlet for the sailors' longing for home and loved ones.



Natural pearls are exceedingly rare because they are created by mollusks randomly, without human intervention. When a grain of sand or similar irritant gets between the mollusk’s shell and its mantle tissue, the process begins. To protect itself, the mollusk instinctually secretes multiple layers of nacre, an iridescent material that eventually becomes a pearl.

Cultured pearls, by contrast, are created with human intervention — when a bead is embedded inside the body of the mollusk to stimulate nacre secretion.

The Farasan pearl-diving industry thrived a century ago, as evidenced by the construction of the Najdi Mosque and stunning homes financed by successful pearl traders of the 1920s. Some of these are tourist destinations today.

At the end of April and early-May each year, the Farasan Islands’ Hareed Festival pays tribute to the local fishing and pearl diving heritage. While still an important part of the Farasan story, natural pearl harvesting has since faded as an economic factor with the advent of cultured and simulated pearls.

Credits: Images courtesy of Saudi Press Agency.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, an unlucky-in-love Maia Sharp asks the rhetorical question, “How much gold can you find if you never go mining?” in her 2015 release “Underneath.” 



Sharp uses the gold mining analogy to illustrate her passive approach to romance. She admits that she has no one but herself to blame for her loneliness, but she’s hopeful it will all work out in the end.

She sings, “How much gold can you find if you never go mining / They say the wine gets better if you let it breathe / Oh, the deeper the digging, the sweeter the finding / I want to know what’s underneath / Oh, I want to know what’s underneath.”

“Underneath” appears as the third track on Sharp’s sixth studio album The Dash Between The Dates, which was released in 2015. Providing the harmonies on the track is singer-songwriter Gabe Dixon.

In describing the album, Sharp noted, “I was trying to look at things with a wider-angle lens and bring more breadth to the songs without sacrificing the intimacy.”

Interestingly, the artist admitted that she worked on the album during a period of extreme writer’s block. Critics countered that it was her best work to date.

Born in California’s Central Valley in 1971 to a singer-songwriter dad and a college professor mom, Sharp wrote her first song at the age of five. By the time she was a teenager, she had already shown proficiency with a number of instruments, including keyboards, guitar, oboe and saxophone.

She studied music theory at California State University and honed her songwriting skills. As a 22-year-old, Sharp began performing her own music in Los Angeles clubs.

A few years later, she was discovered by music executive Miles Copeland, who managed The Police. Sharp has written and produced songs for some of the music industry’s top artists, including Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Kim Richey, Amanda Marshall, Paul Carrack, Edwin McCain, The Chicks, Trisha Yearwood and Kathy Mattea.

In 2023, she released her ninth solo album, titled Reckless Thoughts, a work that reflects her move from Los Angeles to Nashville.

“I never thought I would leave California,” she said. “Once I did, I had a feeling it would be easier to build a community in Nashville, but I had no idea how much easier it would be. It’s really tapped into something I didn’t know I needed so badly.”

In its review of Reckless Thoughts, American Songwriter noted, "Sharp has a way of conveying evocative emotions in ways that reflect shared sentiment that nearly everyone can relate to."

Please check out the audio track of Sharp performing “Underneath.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Underneath”
Written by Maia Sharp. Performed by Maia Sharp with Gabe Dixon.

No one but myself to blame
If I ain’t got a love to call my own
Maybe it takes some chippin’ away
Before you get down to the cornerstone

How much gold can you find if you never go mining?
They say the wine gets better if you let it breathe
Oh, the deeper the digging, the sweeter the finding
I want to know what’s underneath
Oh, I want to know what’s underneath

When the new ran out, I ran out
I took off one time, took off the shine
I never could shake my shadow of doubt
And the only heart I ever really broke was mine

How much gold can you find if you never go mining?
They say the wine gets better if you let it breathe
Oh, the deeper the digging, the sweeter the finding
I want to know what’s underneath
Oh, I want to know what’s underneath

Underneath these
Underneath what’s shown
Past the shallow waters
To uncharted undiscovered unknown

How much gold can you find if you never go mining?
The wine gets better if you let it breathe
Oh, the deeper the digging, the sweeter the finding
And I want to know what’s underneath
Oh, I want to know what’s underneath

I want to know what’s underneath



Credits: Screen capture via YouTube.com / Maia Sharp.

In a private ceremony on Thursday, the Kansas City Chiefs' players, coaches, ownership and staff received their hand-crafted Super Bowl LVIII rings, each gleaming with 529 diamonds and 38 rubies totaling approximately 14.80 carats.



The ring celebrates the team's back-to-back championships and its fourth Super Bowl appearance in the past five seasons. With the team's thrilling 25-22 overtime victory against the San Francisco 49ers on February 11, the Chiefs became the first team to "repeat" in 19 years.



Like last year's ring that had a hidden element (a twist-off top that doubled as a pendant), this year's design by Jostens features a hidden hinge mechanism that allows the ring top to swing open. Inside the ring top is a hand-written diagram of the last play called by coach Andy Reid — the "Tom & Jerry" — which resulted in Patrick Mahomes throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman with 3 seconds left in overtime.

The Super Bowl LVIII rings seem to carry a double-dose of gemstone symbolism.

For instance, the ring top features the Chiefs' interlocking arrowhead logo crafted from 16 custom-cut rubies, symbolic of the 16 division titles in franchise history.

The arrowhead is framed in 10-karat yellow gold and set with 50 diamonds. These 50 diamonds are a nod to the Chiefs' dominance at Arrowhead Stadium where they outscored opponents by 50 points during the regular season.

The logo sits atop four Lombardi Trophies. Each trophy is set with a single marquise diamond representing the Chiefs' four Super Bowl titles. The bases of the trophies are comprised of 19 baguette diamonds, marking the first team in 19 years to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles.

An additional 58 diamonds are set in the ring top as a tribute to Super Bowl LVIII.

Accenting both the top and bottom edges of the ring top are 11 custom-cut rubies, representing the Chiefs' 11 regular season wins in 2023.

Adorning the left and right sides of the ring top in yellow gold and diamonds is the title, WORLD CHAMPIONS. WORLD is set with 39 diamonds, marking the 39 total touchdowns scored by the Chiefs in the 2023 season. The word CHAMPIONS features 70 diamonds, symbolizing the 70 points the Chiefs scored in the three playoff games leading up to Super Bowl LVIII.

Exactly 22 diamonds are set along the left and right side of the ring top, symbolic of the 22 points scored in the second half and overtime of Super Bowl LVIII that led to the Chiefs win over the 49ers.

Each corner of the ring top edge includes seven diamonds for a total of 28. These are symbolic of the Chiefs' staunch defense that held every opponent under 28 points throughout the 2023 season.

While the hinged mechanism shows the "Tom & Jerry" play on the left, the right side features a red-and-silver miniature football field set with Lombardi Trophies in the center. Each recipient's ring shows one to four trophies depending on the person's time with the Chiefs organization.

The field is encased by a thin piece of glass. Floating behind the glass are 17 gold confetti leaves in the shape of Lombardi trophies. These are reminiscent of the on-field celebration and also commemorate the 17 points scored in the AFC Championship Game to secure the team's fourth Lamar Hunt Trophy in five seasons.

Above the football field is a Super Bowl LVIII logo designed to emulate the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign — a nod to the host city. Underneath the field, is a custom area that shows the championship year-dates the recipient has been part of the organization.



The left side of the ring features the player’s name created in contrasting yellow gold. Celebrating their individual contribution to the team’s success, players' jersey numbers are rendered in white gold and set with diamonds.

The franchise’s championship year-dates are featured on a banner on each side of the jersey number. GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is rendered in detail and includes the 142.2 decibel rating and LOUD on each scoreboard. Completing the left side is CHIEFS KINGDOM.

The right side of the ring displays the words BACK-TO-BACK crafted in yellow gold. Below is the official Super Bowl LVIII logo in white gold set with 19 round diamonds and one marquise diamond. The 19 diamonds commemorate the team's 11th consecutive winning season in addition to its eighth consecutive AFC West title. The logo is flanked on the sides by the team abbreviations KC and SF. The right side is completed with the word OVERTIME above the final score of Super Bowl LVIII, 25-22.

The interior of the ring shows the Chiefs' logo above its 2023 team motto, UNITED, which is created from red ceramic. As a tribute to one of the most intense playoff runs in NFL history, the city abbreviations, scores and seed of the teams the Chiefs defeated in the postseason are featured.



Football fanatics were quick to point out that this section seems to have a typo. The Miami Dolphins carried the sixth seed going into the playoffs against the Chiefs. The ring shows them as the seventh seed. Oops.

Below the scores is the player's unique signature.

Credits: Images courtesy of Jostens.

Based on true events, No Stone Unturned: The Hunt for African Gems offers a rare glimpse into the world of colored gemstones, as told by author Richa Goyal Sikri.



Commissioned by mining giant Gemfields, the book is laced with humor and cultural insights that demystify the fast-paced, colorful world of African gem mining and lets the reader in on its secrets.

According to the author, her four-year labor of love is a collection of 24 short adventure stories and is based on real-life experiences of actual people from the colored gem and mining community.

"The first story begins in 1968, and its nonstop, uncensored action will take you on a roller coaster ride through the length and breadth of Africa and beyond," Sikri wrote in an Instagram post.

As the operator and 75% owner of both the Kagem emerald mine in Zambia (believed to be the world’s single largest producing emerald mine) and the Montepuez ruby mine in Mozambique (one of the most significant recently discovered ruby deposits in the world), Gemfields believes that those who mine gemstones should do so with transparency, legitimacy and integrity.

And a big part of that effort is to celebrate the stories that make the gemstone industry truly unique.

In October of 2021, Gemfields released the third installment in a series of coffee-table books dedicated to the “big three” gemstones. Titled Sapphire: A Celebration of Color, the lavishly illustrated, 328-page book by Joanna Hardy took the reader on a journey from early trade along the Silk Route to the jewelry collections of the great royal houses of Europe and the finest contemporary designers. Hardy also authored Emerald: Twenty-One Centuries of Jeweled Opulence (2014) and Ruby: The King of Gems (2017).

In No Stone Unturned, Sikri seeks to transport her readers into a vibrant world, where they’ll learn, laugh, fall in love and, like the author, never want to leave.

"Richa has diligently captured countless hours of stories and injected her energetic writing style to create a first-of-a-kind work that inspires and intrigues readers,” Gemfields' CEO Sean Gilbertson told diamondworld.net.

Published by Austin Macauley, the book is now available on various online retail platforms, such as Amazon, Kinokuniya, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, Browns Books, Bookshop.org and Austin Macauley.

Credit: Image courtesy of Gemfields.

Billed as the most significant round brilliant internally flawless fancy intense pink diamond to be offered at auction since 2012, the 10.20-carat "Eden Rose” lived up to its pre-sale fanfare last week when it was sold to an anonymous buyer for $13.3 million at Christie's New York. The winning bid surpassed the auction house's pre-sale high estimate by $1.3 million.



In the lead-up to the sale, Christie's had noted that the round brilliant-cut diamond stood out due to the purity of its pink hue and complete absence of any secondary color. The gem also boasted a Type IIa classification, the highest for chemical purity and optical transparency.

Christie's International Head of Jewelry Rahul Kadakia noted in a press release that The Eden Rose "surpassed all expectations" and that collectors paid "strong prices for rare colored gemstones and natural pearls in particular.” It was the first time The Eden Rose was ever offered for sale at auction.

The pink diamond was presented at auction set in a white and rose gold ring, accented with eight pear brilliant-cut diamonds ranging in size from 0.73 to 3.11 carats and two marquise brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 1.02 and 2.24 carats.

Overall, the sale achieved a total of $44.4 million, with 90% of the 144 lots sold. The auction featured a dazzling array of colored diamonds, colored gemstones and natural pearls, as well as a stunning assemblage of jewelry from the world's most important design houses.

The auction saw strong global participation, with 51% of the bids representing the Americas, 24% Europe and 26% from Asia Pacific and Middle East.



Other top performers included a pendant necklace highlighted by an 84.05-carat fancy intense yellow cushion modified brilliant-cut diamond. The platinum and yellow gold necklace carried a pre-sale high estimate of $2 million and eventually sold for $2.17 million. The piece included round, pear and marquise brilliant-cut accent diamonds ranging in size from 0.70 carats to 1.02 carats.



The third-highest-ticket item at the New York sale was a multi-colored diamond ring, featuring a fancy vivid blue heart modified brilliant-cut diamond of 2.28 carats, bordered by smaller round yellow and white diamonds, set in platinum. The blue diamond has a VVS1 clarity and is potentially flawless. The ring sold for $2.11 million, right in the middle of its pre-sale estimated price range of $1.6 million to $2.6 million.

Credits: Images courtesy of Christie's.

In the time it takes to make a hard-boiled egg, South Korean researchers are creating synthetic micro-diamonds from a brew of graphene, silicon, gallium, iron and nickel.



For decades, scientists have grown synthetic diamonds by replicating in a lab the high temperatures and intense pressure that transform carbon into diamond deep within the Earth's mantle. The natural process is believed to take place over a billion years at a temperature of 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit (1,500 degrees Celsius) and 50,000 atmospheres of pressure.

A breakthrough technique, developed by physical chemist Rodney Ruoff and his team at the Institute for Basic Science in South Korea, turns that diamond-growing strategy on its head.

With the new lab process, diamond formation starts within 10 to 15 minutes. The process takes place in a small chamber at normal atmospheric pressure and requires no "starter" gem.

“For over a decade, I’ve been thinking of new ways to grow diamonds, believing it could be done in unexpected ways compared to conventional thinking," Ruoff told livescience.com. "In about a year or two, the world might have a clearer picture of the potential commercial impact.”

So far, the diamonds produced by Ruoff and his team are thousands of times smaller than an engagement diamond. Still, these tiny diamonds could be used for industrial purposes and further breakthroughs could eventually impact the jewelry industry.

Ruoff and his team passed super-hot carbon-rich methane gas through the special chamber, where it met up with a crucible containing a mixture of gallium, nickel, iron and a touch of silicon.

The scientists explained that gallium is a metal that catalyzes the formation of graphene from methane. Graphene, like diamond, is made of pure carbon atoms. Graphene's chemical structure is flat and straight in a hexagonal lattice, while a diamond's structure is in the 3D shape of a tetrahedron.

In less than 15 minutes, a film of micro-diamonds started forming on the crucible’s base. The researchers believe a temperature drop within the chamber concentrates carbon, causing it to crystallize into diamonds.

“This pioneering breakthrough was the result of human ingenuity, unremitting efforts, and the concerted cooperation of many collaborators,” Ruoff said in a statement.

The breakthrough process was detailed in the scientific journal Nature.

Credit: Image by Igor Stratichuk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, Mark Knopfler unearths a “beautiful find” in his 2006 release, “I Dug Up a Diamond.”



When taken literally, the song written by Knopfler is about a diamond miner who makes a life-changing discovery. Metaphorically, “I Dug Up a Diamond” is about a man who’s been on a seemingly fruitless search for the love of his life — and then finally finds her.

He sings, “I dug up a diamond / Rare and fine / I dug up a diamond / In a deep dark mine / If only I could cling to / My beautiful find / I dug up a diamond / In a deep dark mine / My gem is special / Beyond all worth / As strong as any metal / Or stone in the earth.”

Providing the smooth harmonies for “I Dug Up a Diamond” is country legend Emmylou Harris. The pair had been friends since the late 1980s and decided to collaborate on an album, which they titled All the Roadrunning. Their work earned critical acclaim as the album peaked at #17 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

The 74-year-old Knopfler, who is best known as the frontman for Dire Straits, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and grew up in Northumberland, England. Both are coal mining regions, so it is likely he drew his “I Dug Up a Diamond” lyrical inspiration from first-hand experiences.

A four-time Grammy Award winner, Knopfler is ranked 27th on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Knopfler and Dire Straits have sold more than 120 million records.

Born in Birmingham, AL, the 77-year-old Harris is a 14-time Grammy winner and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. She’s collaborated with some of the music industry’s biggest names, including Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson and Neil Young. She will be touring this summer with dates planned in Denver and Steamboat Springs, CO; St. John's, Canada; Charlestown, RI; Durham, NC; and Hiawassee, GA.

Please check out the video of Knopfler and Harris performing “I Dug Up A Diamond.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“I Dug Up A Diamond”
Written by Mark Knopfler. Performed by Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris.

I dug up a diamond
Rare and fine
I dug up a diamond
In a deep dark mine
If only I could cling to
My beautiful find
I dug up a diamond
In a deep dark mine

My gem is special
Beyond all worth
As strong as any metal
Or stone in the earth
Sharp as any razor
Or blade you can buy
Bright as any laser
Or any star in the sky

Maybe once in a lifetime
You’ll hold one in your hand
Once in a lifetime
In this land
Where the journey ends
In a worthless claim
Time and again
In the mining game

I dug up a diamond
Rare and fine
I dug up a diamond
In a deep dark mine
Down in the darkness
In the dirt and the grime
I dug up a diamond
In a deep dark mine



Credit: Photo by Ckuhl, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

One June 11, celebrity news website TMZ shook up the internet with a video of reality star Courtney Stodden clearing out an unwanted possession in a very unusual way.



“Just doing a little last-minute spring cleaning before summer,” Stodden says as she pulls a 5-carat diamond engagement ring out of a clear plastic jewelry box in her bathroom. “I guess diamonds aren't always a girl's best friend after all."

Stodden focuses on the ring, sighs loudly, and drops the ring into the toilet. As she flushes it down, she waves goodbye, "Toodaloo. Onto the next chapter."

What we learned late last week was that the 29-year-old Stodden was making emotional room for the new engagement ring she received on June 11 from Emmy-award winning producer Jared Safier.

Safier, 41, popped the question at Beverly Hills' five-star Beverly Wilshire Hotel, which happened to be the exact location of their first kiss one year earlier.



People magazine reported that the ring features a 5-carat, radiant-cut center stone of VVS clarity surrounded by a double halo of accent diamonds.

According to TMZ, Stodden spotted the ring in the lobby of the same hotel in February after an Academy Awards party and Safier was quick to take a mental note.

The ring that ended up in California's waste stream was from 44-year-old director Chris Sheng. The couple had been engaged since May 2021, but called off the relationship in February of 2023.

Stodden told TMZ that the flushing episode was inspired by the pivotal scene in 1997's Titanic, where Old Rose, played by the late Gloria Stuart, drops the blue diamond "Heart of The Ocean" necklace into the sea.

"Like the little old lady who dropped it into the ocean in the end, I needed to rid myself of any remnants from the past that no longer had any hold on me," she said. "Rose’s character taught me something special — what a woman does with her diamonds is her prerogative."

Stodden was famously married to character actor Doug Hutchison from 2011 to 2020. At the time of their nuptials, Stodden was 16 and Hutchison was 51.

Today, Stodden is a media personality, model and singer. She appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and is preparing for a role in a project to be directed by her new fiancé.

Stodden told people.com that she adores Safier's creative mind.

Credits: Images via Instagram / jaredsafier.

Just minutes after Lilly King qualified for the 200-meter breaststroke during the US Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis on Thursday, longtime boyfriend, James Wells, surprised her backstage with a heartfelt marriage proposal and a diamond engagement ring. And best of all, the moment was captured live during NBC's coverage of the event.



"Getting to watch you over the last four years, both in and out of the pool, and just to see you grow has been so awesome," Wells told King, who was still in her swimsuit and dripping wet.

"I don't regret for a minute dropping my job and moving halfway across the country for us to move in together," he continued. "It has been awesome, and I am very excited to see where this is going. So, dear, I was wondering, Lilly Camille King, will you marry me?"

The three-time Olympian answered, "Yes, yes, yes."



The couple kissed and embraced. Wells slipped the ring on King's finger and she commented that it fit perfectly. Then, she excitedly flashed it at the NBC cameras.



Earlier in the week, the 27-year-old King won the 100-meter breaststroke, so she will be representing the US at the Paris Olympic Games in two events. This accomplishment makes King the first US swimmer to compete in both the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke at three consecutive Olympic Games.

On Friday morning, the couple was invited to elaborate on their love story in a segment called "Hoda's Morning Boost" on NBC's TODAY show.



Wells told the TODAY show panel that he had originally intended to propose in England after the Paris Games, but changed his mind because of the Indianapolis venue for the Olympic Team Trials.

"Just seeing Lilly with all of her friends here… in this stadium in our home state, I was like, 'I think this would be a really special moment that she can share with everyone,'" he said. "So I called up a few of my friends that are working here and they got me behind the scenes and kind of set all of this stuff up and it was really awesome."

Both King and Wells swam for Indiana University in nearby Bloomington.

King said that she anticipated a marriage proposal some time after the Paris Games.

"Last night I was not expecting it at all," she said. "I was honestly just so confused why he was on deck. After that, I was like, ‘Why are you wearing your nice clothes, like what’s going on?’ Then I realized, 'Oh I know what’s going on.'"

The couple told the TODAY show panel that they intended to celebrate King's fabulous week by simply going home and hanging out with their pets.

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube / NBC Sports, nbcnews.com.

Back in January, researchers at Sun Yat-sen University in Zhuhai, China, theorized that Mercury, the tiniest planet in the solar system and the one that orbits closest to the Sun, could be littered with an untold wealth of diamonds.



They argued that the pockmarked surface of Mercury is evidence of the planet being pummeled by asteroids over billions of years. Since Mercury's surface is covered in carbon-rich graphite, the impact pressure from those events would have produced enough energy to transform the surface carbon into “shock diamonds.”

Now, a new study published by researchers at China’s Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research in Shanghai floats the idea that there's a thick layer of diamonds hidden hundreds of kilometers below Mercury's surface.

Yes, Mercury may be flush with diamonds — inside and out.

NASA’s Messenger was the first spacecraft to orbit the planet back in 2011. It took nearly seven years for the probe to complete its 224-million-mile trip, and one of the important takeaways from the mission was that Mercury’s dark grey surface contained a lot of graphite.

The Shanghai researchers recognized that where there's a lot of graphite, there's a lot of carbon. And where there's a lot of carbon, there could be — under the right pressure and heat — a lot of diamonds.

It was previously believed that Mercury's relatively weak gravitational field and modest pressure within its ancient magma ocean would have been insufficient to generate diamonds.

But, according to iflscience.com, the Chinese researchers generated new models of Mercury’s gravity field that called this into question.

The new data encouraged the team led by Yongjiang Xu to expose samples of the elements that were likely present during Mercury's formation to 7 gigapascals of pressure at almost 2,000°C (3,600°F).

They concluded that there were at least two scenarios where diamonds could have been formed on Mercury.

The first theory is that diamonds formed within a magma ocean, but this would have been possible only if great quantities of sulfur were present at the time.

The second, more likely, theory is that diamonds were squeezed out of the core as the magma ocean crystallized.

The study was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.

If diamonds do exist in massive quantities on Mercury, it's unlikely that the economics of mining them would ever make for a viable business plan. What's more, its inhospitable daytime temperatures can reach 800°F, higher than the temperature inside a commercial pizza oven.

The BepiColombo mission launched in October 2018 will descend into Mercury's orbit in 2025. A joint effort of the European and Japanese space agencies, BepiColombo is equipped with high-resolution cameras that could provide conclusive evidence of diamonds on that planet’s surface.

Credit: Image courtesy of NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution Of Washington.

In her iconic role as Dorothy Gale in 1939's The Wizard of Oz, teen actress Judy Garland famously clicked the heels of her Ruby Slippers three times while repeating, "There's no place like home."



Now, the Judy Garland Museum and Minnesota lawmakers are making an aggressive play to bring the Technicolor treasures back home to Grand Rapids by winning them at auction in December. The Minnesota legislature has already allocated $100,000 in Legacy funds, but the state will need much more, say $3.5 million, to be competitive.

The wild story behind this pair of Ruby Slippers — one of only four known to exist — could be the subject of its own feature film.

Fans of the Ruby Slippers may remember they were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in August of 2005 during a brazen after-hours smash-and-grab robbery. Collector Michael Shaw had loaned them to the museum for what was supposed to be a 10-week exhibition.

Someone had slipped into the museum after hours, shattered the plexiglass case holding the slippers and stole them, leaving behind only a single red sequin.

In July 2018, the FBI and Grand Rapids Police Department finally recovered the pair during a sting operation.

In May 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Terry Martin for stealing “an object of cultural heritage.” He told the court he’d stolen the shoes because he thought they were adorned with genuine rubies. He sadly learned the shoes were were covered in thousands of red sequins and a few bugle beads.

Unable to sell the Ruby Slippers on the black market, Martin said he ditched them with the person who had recruited him for the job. Martin’s accomplice was charged with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering.

In March of this year, Shaw was finally reunited with his beloved Ruby Slippers in a private ceremony at the scene of the crime, which is actually the site of Garland’s restored birthplace home.

During the event, Shaw turned over the slippers to Heritage Auctions, which will spotlight them during an international tour — in Beverly Hills, New York, London and Tokyo — and then auction them on December 7.

Heritage Auctions' executive vice president Joe Maddalena told Minnesota Public Radio, "They could sell for $1 million. They could sell for $10 million. They’re priceless.”

The FBI put their value at $3.5 million.

“You cannot overstate the importance of Dorothy’s ruby slippers," Maddalena commented earlier this year. "They are the most important prop in Hollywood history.”

The Minnesota legislature put aside $100,000 for the purchase, hoping that the seed money would encourage benefactors to step up to the plate. Fundraising took place at the annual Judy Garland Festival, which ran from June 20-23. A new exhibit and guided tour focused on the ruby slipper theft.

“It would be a Hollywood happy ending to this ruby slippers saga,” Janie Heitz, executive director of the Judy Garland Museum, told The New York Times. “This would be a good final home for them, which is what Dorothy was searching for in The Wizard of Oz, so it’s a full-circle story for the slippers.”

Minnesota governor Tim Walz shared on social media that if the shoes could be won at auction, local officials would "make sure they remain safe at home in Grand Rapids – on display for all to enjoy – under 24/7, Ocean’s Eleven-proof security.”

Credit: Photo courtesy of Heritage Auctions / HA.com.

Welcome to Music Friday when we often bring you inspirational songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Christian hip-hop recording artist TobyMac collaborates with American Idol star Hollyn on “Lights Shine Bright,” an uplifting tune about making "this third rock glow" by magnifying God’s light with the brilliance and intensity that only a perfectly cut diamond could achieve.



He sings, “I wanna magnify Your light / I wanna reflect the sun / Cut like precious diamonds / With the colors by the millions.”

Written by David Garcia, Truett McKeehan and Solomon Olds, “Lights Shine Bright” appeared as the fourth track on TobyMac’s 2015 release, This Is Not a Test. The album topped out at #4 on the Billboard 200 and scored a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album in 2016.

TobyMac explained on his website that the songs on the album provide an essential reminder that “we only have one shot at life.”

“What hits me now more than ever is that you really don’t get a practice run at life,” he noted. “This is it. In my friendships, raising my children, loving my wife, loving people, performing with my band and stepping on stage at arenas, I want to make every moment count.”

“Lights Shine Bright” features the vocal stylings of Hollyn, who is best known for her successful run on American Idol during Season 12. A native of Waverly, OH, the 27-year-old, whose birth name is Holly Marie Miller, released an album in November of 2023 called Christmas Morning Magic.

Born Kevin Michael McKeehan in Fairfax, VA, in 1964, TobyMac has sold more than 16 million records and has earned seven Grammy Awards out of 18 nominations. He first came onto the Christian music scene in 1987 as a member of the vocal trio DC Talk. In 2000, the group announced a hiatus and TobyMac embarked on what has been a successful solo career during which he released nine studio albums and five remixed albums.

He is currently touring with appearances set for Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Tennessee, Washington and North Carolina.

Please check out the official video of “Lights Shine Bright.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Lights Shine Bright”
Written by David Garcia, McKeehan, Truett McKeehan and Solomon Olds. Performed by TobyMac, featuring Hollyn.

Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people to illuminate the soul
Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people, makin’ music for the people

I wanna magnify Your light
I wanna reflect the sun
Cut like precious diamonds
With the colors by the millions
This is the only world we know
And for now this rental’s our home
If we gonna be a reflection
Gotta make this third rock glow
(Just so you know…)

Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people to illuminate the soul
Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people, makin’ music for the people

Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people to illuminate the soul
Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people
Jesus music for the people

Everywhere we go
Lights shine bright, lights shine bright
Everywhere we go
Lights shine bright, lights shine bright

Lights in the city might be more than pretty, pretty
That freaky shine might be more than meets the eye
Anytime you see that sparkle in the dark you might look deeper, deeper
It might be more than simply theatre

Yo, that smile might be joy that’s connected to the spirit
The spirit might be contagious if you dare, you dare come near it
I remember, can’t forget, peace that you can’t second guess
Sparkle as the light reflects we writin’ pay it forward checks

Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people to illuminate the soul
Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people, makin’ music for the people

Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people to illuminate the soul
Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people
Jesus music for the people

Everywhere we go
Lights shine bright, lights shine bright
Everywhere we go
Lights shine bright, lights shine bright

The lights in the city shine bright
The lights in the city shine bright
So let your heart light shine tonight

Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people to illuminate the soul
Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people, makin’ music for the people

Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people to illuminate the soul
Lights shine bright everywhere we go
Music for the people
Jesus music for the people

Everywhere we go
Lights shine bright, lights shine bright
Everywhere we go
Lights shine bright, lights shine bright…



Credit: Photo by Luke Jones, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.