Anschar Diamonds Blog

A gorgeous example of October's birthstone — a cushion-shaped 5.44-carat Paraiba tourmaline set in a platinum ring — stole the show last week at Bonhams' auction in New York City when it fetched $533,900, which is nearly nine times the pre-sale high estimate of $60,000.



A companion pair of oval-shaped Paraiba tourmaline earclips with a total weight of 5.1 carats achieved $140,200, outpacing its pre-sale high estimate by more than $100,000.



Paraiba is the most prized tourmaline variety. The vivid teal, turquoise and neon blue stones caused a sensation when they were first discovered by prospector Heitor Dimas Barbosa in Brazil’s tropical, coastal state of Paraiba back in 1989.

They were so popular that the limited supply beneath “Paraiba Hill” — an area measuring 400 x 200 x 65 meters — became tapped out within five years.

In 2001, new Paraiba-like tourmalines were unearthed far across the Atlantic Ocean in Africa. Curiously, the African gems boasted the same color and chemistry as the South American-sourced originals.

Some gem experts believe that the uncanny connection can be attributed to continental drift, the theory that the Earth’s continents have moved over geologic time and that South America and Africa were once connected. Paraiba, on the far eastern tip of Brazil, would have been adjacent to the west coast of Nigeria.

Paraiba tourmalines are distinctly different from other varieties of tourmaline because they owe their intense blue color to trace impurities of copper. Others get their color from the presence of iron, manganese, chromium and vanadium. Gem dealers generally refer to copper-infused tourmaline as “Paraiba,” regardless of the origin.

Tourmaline comes in a wide variety of fiery, vibrant hues, such as red, green, yellow, orange, brown, pink and purple. October’s birthstone is even available in bi-color and tri-color versions. The name “tourmaline” is derived from the Singhalese words “tura mali,” which mean “stone with mixed colors.”

Tourmalines range from 7 to 7.5 on the Moh’s scale of hardness, which makes them durable enough to be used in any type of jewelry. Both tourmaline and opal are considered the official birthstones for the month of October.

Credits: Images courtesy of Bonhams.

Today show co-host Jenna Bush Hager revealed the reason why she wasn't wearing her sapphire and diamond engagement ring during last Wednesday's segment called "Social Dilemmas." Hager has been married to Henry Chase Hager for 16 years and they share three children. Was something amiss?



As Hager and co-host Hoda Kotb attempted to provide engagement ring advice to a viewer who was anxious because she expected her boyfriend to propose with his mom's "hideous" heirloom ring, Hager first addressed the elephant in the room — her unadorned ring finger.

"I'm not wearing my ring, but don't worry," she said. "You saw Henry raising me up. We're still happy together, but I broke my finger."

Then Hager went on to describe her own experience with a family heirloom and how Henry "redid a ring" that she believe once belonged to his grandmother.

Then the co-hosts took a crack at solving the dilemma faced by a member of the studio audience: "It's a tradition in [Lance's] family to pass down an heirloom engagement ring whenever the men are going to propose," the person wrote. "His mother's ring is hideous. If he proposes to me using the ring, do I fake like I like it or tell him to get me a different ring?"

Hager took the stance that when it comes to an engagement ring, the bride-to-be needs to be very clear about her likes and dislikes.

"You've got to figure this out way before he proposes to you," she advised. "You don't say, Hey Lance, I don't like the ring. You say, 'This is what I'm kinda into.'"

Then she turned to the studio audience and stated, "You don't think people have those conversations before they get engaged?"

Kotb argued the opposite point of view.

"You just made a commitment for your life," she said. "It shouldn't be about the ring. If something has been in the family for years and years, it means the world to them. She knows the ring has been passed down from generation to generation… so this heirloom [is a] beautiful representation of his family."

Hager shot back, "You leave the heirloom at home and you say, 'I hope we're really going to get married, Lance. I love you so much. And Lance, just to let you know, I love this gold band, just like this. Oh, and look at Susan's ring.'"

"You don't think people drop hints like that when they're getting engaged?" she continued. "They sure do."

"It means a lot to him," Kotb argued. "It's an engagement ring. It means a lot. It means a lot. Take the ring. Say, 'Thank you.' Take the ring, say, 'I love you.'"

Then, pointing at her ring finger, she added, "You're more important than this. There are physical things and there are emotional things."

"What if [the ring] is important to her?" questioned Hager.

With no clear answer, the hosts moved on to the next topic. Please check out the segment at this link. The engagement ring banter runs until the 3:20 mark.

Kotb announced last week that she will be leaving the Today show in 2025 in order to spend more time with her family. She joined the show in 2007 and has been a co-anchor since 2018.

Hager's engagement ring was also the subject of a Today show segment back in April of this year. The co-host had recounted how she nearly lost ALL of her fine jewelry — including her engagement ring — at JFK Airport in New York City.

The 42-year-old daughter of former President George W. Bush recalled how she lost track of a bag of jewelry as she was “racing to a shoot” while on assignment for the Today show.

In a stroke of good fortune, a fellow traveler had spotted the unattended bag and did the right thing.

“Some lovely man who I’ve never met returned it to security,” she said.

Even though the story had a happy ending, Hager never shared it with her husband. He learned about the incident at the same time as the show’s five million viewers.

“I couldn’t even tell Henry because if I lost our engagement ring, it’s priceless,” she said. “So, I harbored a secret from Henry, too, which was hard.”

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / TODAY with Hoda & Jenna.

With gold hovering near an all-time high at $2,680 per ounce, let's take a look at the US states where you're most likely to find this coveted precious metal.



Gold is present in 32 of the 50 states and there are a combined 32,722 gold locations scattered throughout the top-10 gold-bearing states, according to SD Bullion's analysis of US Geological Survey (USGS) data. California claimed the top spot with 10,373 locations, or 66.59 per 1,000 square miles. Alaska came in second with 5,264 locations and Nevada ranked third with 3,393.

These stats tell only part of the story because when it comes to gold output, Nevada is the undisputed king.

According to the USGS, domestic gold mine production in 2023 was estimated to be 170 tons with an approximate value of $10 billion. Of that tonnage, Nevada accounted for a whopping 73% of total production, followed by Alaska at about 13%.

The USGS reported that the bulk of gold production in the US was derived from 40 lode mines in 11 states, at several large placer mines in Alaska, and at numerous smaller placer mines (mostly in Alaska and in the Western States). The top 27 operations yielded about 97% of the mined gold produced in the US.

(Lode mining is also known as hard rock mining. Placer mining is the process of extracting valuable minerals from sand, gravel, or other sediments using water.)

About 6% of domestic gold is typically recovered as a byproduct of copper mining. SD Bullion noted that the 18 states with no appreciable gold assets were Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Delaware and Florida.

“The findings reveal promising areas in the United States where the likelihood of finding gold is notably higher," commented Chase Turner, CEO of SD Bullion. "These regions, known for their favorable geological conditions and historical mining success, stand out as prime locations for gold exploration. The data offers valuable insights into the distribution of gold deposits, highlighting key areas for amateur prospectors and professionals.”

Top States by Gold Locations

California 10,373
Alaska 5,264
Nevada 3,393
Oregon 3,015
Idaho 2,350

Top States by Gold Locations Per 1,000 Square Miles

California 66.59
Washington 34.17
Oregon 31.41
Nevada 30.91
Idaho 28.44

Click this link for SD Bullion's full report.

Credits: Image by Chip Clark / Smithsonian.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you heartfelt songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, former American Idol Scotty McCreery delivers a first-hand account of his mountaintop marriage proposal to longtime sweetheart Gabi Dugal in his 2018 release, “This Is It.”



In the song, McCreery tells the story of a young couple’s life changing moment “at the top of the world.”

He sings, “Girl I know that you’ve been waiting and talking to your friends / Wondering if and wondering where and wondering when / Well I’ve been waiting too, holding on to this ring / For the right words to say, for the right time and place, for me to get on one knee.”

McCreery revealed in an AXS Patio Sessions interview that he and his co-writers collaborated on the song in September of 2017, only two weeks before he had planned to pop the question on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina.

“I told my co-writers the story and we just kinda wrote the song around that,” he said. “It’s very visual and paints the picture of how the engagement went down.”

Writing the song before the proposal was a tad risky for the North Carolinian. Although he had all the “wheres and whens and hows” mapped out perfectly, there was still a possibility that something could go awry.

“If things hadn’t gone to plan and we hadn’t gotten to the mountain, I probably would have had to scrap the song,” said McCreery. “But luckily it all worked out.”

Scotty McCreery told Billboard that he had the ring hidden in the closet for four or five months.

"I was waiting for the right time, but I was scared she might open the closet and do some clothes hunting," he explained. "I had it in a shoebox, in a shoebox, in another shoebox, so she would've had to been really looking for it."

Friends since kindergarten, McCreery and Dugal, a pediatric nurse, had been dating since their senior year in high school. They tied the knot on May 16, 2018, and McCreery sang "This Is It" at the wedding reception.

“This Is It” is the sixth track from McCreery’s fourth studio album, Seasons Change. The song was certified "platinum" with combined streams and sales of one million units. The song rose to #3 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and #2 on the Billboard Canada Country chart.

A native of Garner, NC, Scott Cooke McCreery has the distinction of being the youngest male ever to win an American Idol competition. He was only 17 when he prevailed during the Season 10 finale in May of 2011.

Please check out the official video of McCreery’s “This Is It,” which includes actual footage from his wedding service, reception and related events. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“This Is It”
Written by Scotty McCreery, Frank Rogers and Aaron Eshuis. Performed by Scotty McCreery.

Way up in the mountains, four thousand feet high
There’s a trail through the trees to a cliff where Carolina meets the sky
Oh, and there’s a view I just can’t describe
No, I’m not there yet, just a few more steps, baby wait
Okay, you can open your eyes

This is it, this is now, this is what I’ve been talking about
Looking out, can’t you see forever?
Take my hand, just take it in
This is a moment we won’t forget
On top of the world, here, together
If there ever was a time for a perfect kiss, this is it

Girl I know that you’ve been waiting and talking to your friends
Wondering if and wondering where and wondering when
Well I’ve been waiting too, holding on to this ring
For the right words to say, for the right time and place, for me to get on one knee

This is it, this is now, this is what I’ve been talking about
Looking out, can’t you see forever?
Take my hand, just take it in
This is a moment we won’t forget
On top of the world here together
If there ever was a time for a perfect kiss, well this is it
This is it

Now you’re walking down the aisle
And I can’t help but smile

This is it, this is now, it’s what I’ve been talking about
Looking out, I can see forever
So take my hand, just take it in
This is a moment we won’t forget
On top of the world, here, together
Surrounded by our family and our friends
If there ever was a time for a perfect kiss
This is it



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / Scotty McCreery Official.

Rio Tinto revealed on Wednesday the stars of its 2024 Beyond Rare Tender, a curated collection of pink, red, violet, yellow and white polished diamonds from its storied — but now shuttered — Argyle Mine in Western Australia and its Diavik Mine in the Barren Lands of Northern Canada.



Dubbed "Colour Awakened," this second installment of Rio Tinto's annual Art Series features 48 lots, comprising 76 polished diamonds, weighing 39.44 carats in total. Among the highlights are the following:

— Seven "Old Masters." This group includes round, brilliant-cut pink and red diamonds, ranging in size from 0.60 carats to 2.63 carats;
— 31 exquisite single lots of pink and violet diamonds, as well as one fancy purplish-red diamond;
— 9 artfully matched sets. Two standout stones from this group include a 2.47-carat fancy intense yellow diamond and a 4.04-carat D-color white diamond.



The "Old Masters" were all unearthed at the Argyle Mine more than a decade ago, and, in one case, as far back as 1987. Each of these rare pink and red diamonds were selected from private vaults and handpicked for inclusion in this year’s tender, according to a Rio Tinto press release.

The standout fancy intense yellow diamond and D-color diamond were both sourced at the Diavik Diamond Mine, which is oddly located beneath a frozen lake.

Last year's Art Series was called "Born of This World" and included 46 lots comprising 87 diamonds. The total weight of those offerings tallied 29.96 carats.

The now-depleted Argyle mine was shuttered in November of 2020. During its 37 years in operation, the mine famously produced between 90% and 95% of the world’s pink and red diamonds.

Unlike yellow or blue diamonds that owe their color to the presence of nitrogen or boron in their chemical makeup, pink and red diamonds owe their color to the warping of the gem’s crystal lattice under intense pressure. The distortions in the diamond’s crystal lattice structure affect the way the gem absorbs green light, thus reflecting a pink or red hue.

“No other mining company in the world has custody of such a kaleidoscope of colored diamonds," said Rio Tinto Chief Executive Sinead Kaufman during Wednesday's invitation-only launch event in London. "Four years on from the closure of the Argyle mine, our Beyond Rare Tender platform is a testimony to the enduring prestige of the Argyle Pink Diamonds brand, the quality of production from our Diavik mine, and the ongoing demand for highly collectible natural diamonds.”

The lots will be displayed in London, Australia, Singapore and Belgium, with bids closing on November 18, 2024.

Credits: Images courtesy of Argyle Diamonds Pty.

For the sun-worshipping ancient Mycenaeans, precious amber — the golden-colored translucent gemstone formed from fossilized tree resin — represented far more than a colorful fashion statement. It symbolized power, high social status and religious devotion to Helios, the sun god.



In a new study, Professor Janusz Czebreszuk, the Director of the Polish Archaeological Institute in Athens, describes how amber was an indicator of elite status during the heyday of Mycenaean society, which prospered from 1750 to 1050 BC, an era considered the final stage of the Bronze Age in ancient Greece.

As Czebreszuk and his team studied the gravesites of elite Mycenaeans, the one thing each had in common was the presence of amber adornments. Found in the graves of both men and women were amber gems strung into necklaces, fashioned into breastplates and worn as hair embellishments.

The researchers believe the amber artifacts originated from the Baltic region, specifically near the Bay of Gdańsk, which is on the north coast of Poland. Even today, this region is a vital source of amber.

Due to the long distances between the Baltic Sea and Ancient Greece, it became clear to Czebreszuk and his team that Bronze Age elites had access to an extensive trading network that spanned Europe.

“Amber arrived in Hellas (modern-day Greece) with the religious meanings it held in the north,” Czebreszuk told Polish news agency PAP. “In Central Europe, Neolithic artifacts like disc-shaped items with radiating patterns clearly referenced the sun, and amber symbolized the sun’s power.”

In Greek mythology, amber is said to come from the tears of the Heliades, the daughters of Helios.

As the story is told, Phaëton, the handsome mortal son of Helios, asked his dad if he could drive the sun chariot for a day. But during a reckless day of driving, Phaëton scorched the earth, creating its deserts. Zeus, the king of the gods, struck the young man down with a thunderbolt, leaving his sisters heartbroken. The Heliades grieved for four months and then the gods turned them into poplar trees and their tears into amber.

For the ancient Mycenaeans, owning amber was like holding a piece of the sun.

“Whoever had amber, whoever had an amber necklace, in a sense possessed a piece of the sun," Czebreszuk added. "Those who had it, and these were the elites, used amber to legitimize their claims to a superior position in society.”

Six years ago, researchers at the University of Granada, Spain, used a sophisticated technique known as infrared spectroscopy to analyze amber jewelry and other amber ornaments found at archaeological sites on the Iberian Peninsula.

While most of the samples were determined to be of local origin, other samples were linked to amber that originated from Sicily and the Baltic regions. The team reported that the Sicilian amber arrived on the Iberian Peninsula at least 4,000 BC while Baltic-sourced material was dated from 1,000 BC.

The Spanish researchers concluded that amber was circulated through vast exchange networks across the Mediterranean, with the likely path of Baltic and Sicilian amber routed through North Africa.

Today, 90% of the world’s amber comes from Kaliningrad, a Russian territory tucked between Poland and Lithuania on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Due to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Kaliningrad Oblast became an exclave, geographically separated from the rest of Russia.

Credit: Amber image by Oxfordian Kissuth, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At 8 a.m. on Friday, September 27, an amateur prospector arrived at Crater of Diamonds State Park eager to find a precious gemstone at the only diamond site in the world that is open to the general public.



For $15, the visitor rented a "Basic Diamond Hunting Kit," which included an army shovel, screen set, and 3.5-gallon bucket. This searching method is called wet sifting, and involves washing dirt from diamond-bearing gravel through two screens.

The screen set features a large, quarter-inch mesh above a fine, 16th-inch mesh. The two screens work together to separate gravel by size, enabling the user to process a lot of dirt at one time.

After a few unsuccessful hours of wet sifting, the visitor decided to take a different, less strenuous tack.

“If I find a diamond today," the visitor told park officials, "it will probably be right here on the surface.”

And the conditions for surface searching happened to be ideal on September 27.

Not only was it a beautiful sunny day, allowing the sunlight to reflect off a diamond just right, but the search area had recently been plowed and had received rainfall just two days before.

“We periodically plow the search area to loosen the diamond-bearing soil and promote natural erosion," Assistant Park Superintendent Waymon Cox said. "As rain falls on the field, it washes away the dirt and uncovers heavy rocks, minerals and diamonds near the surface.”



While scouring the ground just west of the covered North Wash pavilion, the guest spotted something sparkling on the surface.

“From far away it shined so clearly,” the visitor said. “I thought it might be a piece of trash or a bug. It was so much shinier than anything else out there.”

After a quick inspection, the prospector realized it was not a bug or a piece of trash, but a glimmering stone. The guest had it checked by park staff at the Diamond Discovery Center before leaving for lunch.

Park Interpreter Sarah Reap was stationed at the rock and mineral identification counter when the finder placed it calmly on her desk.

“Even after a few years of working here, I am still surprised when a finder pulls a large diamond out of a pocket so nonchalantly,” Reap said.

Reap confirmed the specimen to be a silvery-white diamond weighing 2.30 carats. The roundish stone has a pitted surface and is the about the size of a pencil eraser.

This is the third diamond over two carats registered this year and the second-largest diamond registered in 2024.

On an average day, one or two diamonds are discovered in the park’s 37.5-acre diamond search area, which is actually the eroded surface of an extinct, diamond-bearing volcanic pipe. Since it opened as a state park in 1972, Crater of Diamonds has welcomed more than 4.6 million visitors, who have unearthed more than 35,000 diamonds.

As of this writing, 548 diamonds — weighing more than 82 carats — have been registered by park guests in 2024.

The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States was unearthed in 1924 during an early mining operation on the land that later became Crater of Diamonds State Park.

Named Uncle Sam, this white diamond with a pink cast weighed 40.23 carats. It was later cut into a 12.42-carat emerald shape. Uncle Sam is now part of the Smithsonian’s mineral and gem collection and can be seen at the National Museum of Natural History.

Nearly 99% of the diamonds discovered at the park fall into one of three color categories: white (clear), brown or yellow. According the Crater of Diamonds’ official stats, exactly 62% of diamonds found to date were white, 20% were brown and about 17% were yellow. Slightly more than 1% were classified as “other.”

Diamonds unearthed at the park average 1/6th of a carat, but about 21 each year will weigh in at 1 carat or more.

Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.

In Francis Ford Coppola's newly released sci-fi thriller, Megalopolis, Aubrey Plaza portrays a scheming enchantress named "Wow Platinum." Since the 85-year-old master filmmaker and storyteller is renowned for his meticulous attention to detail and symbolism, his decision to call Plaza's character Wow Platinum left a lot of fans scratching their heads.



But just after Megalopolis was released on September 27, Coppola set the record straight during a Q&A he hosted via the official Megalopolis X (formerly Twitter) account.

"Hi Mr. Coppola, What was the idea behind naming a character “Wow Platinum”???," wrote X user @mrhenrywaffle.

Coppola responded, "I met a southern young lady who told me her great grandmother was so beautiful that her name evolved as 'WOW.' I asked if she had a picture of her. A while later I heard back from her and she attached a photo of a painting and when I looked at it I said, 'Wow!'"

By combining "Wow" with "Platinum," Coppola was not only describing a woman of extraordinary beauty, but also one who embodies many of the precious metal's characteristics. She's awe-inspiring, timeless, strong, rare and desired — a character destined to leave an enduring legacy.

"Wow Platinum was a name meant to spark a feeling of wonder and admiration, reflecting the character's ability to captivate those around her," wrote Alexis Zaccaria on screenrant.com. "Plaza's Wow Platinum is designed to embody that sense of awe, leaving a powerful impression on the audience, much like the Southern great-grandmother whose beauty inspired the writer/director to carry her story forward in his own way."

The film follows the ambitions of architect Cesar Catilina (portrayed by Adam Driver), who wants to rebuild a dystopian city into a utopian New Rome after a disaster. The glamorous and scheming Wow Platinum is Catilina's former lover, who masterminds a power grab by marrying Cesar's rich uncle, bank CEO Hamilton Crassus III (played by Jon Voight).

In describing her powerful character, Plaza told The New York Times, "Even in the car on the way to that set, I would transform into Wow. I would go, 'OK, I'm terrified right now, I'm having a nervous breakdown as myself, but Wow's not. She can handle anything.' And I would switch like a lightbulb: 'It's Wow time.'"

Coppola, who is best know for directing The Godfather (1972) and Apocalypse Now (1979), is a 14-time Academy Award nominee and a five-time Oscar winner.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you popular songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Taylor Swift wants to wear her new boyfriend’s initial on a chain around her neck in the introspective 2017 hit, “Call It What You Want.”



Written in late 2016 by Swift and collaborator Jack Antonoff, this deeply personal tune recounts how falling in love again helped her recover from a very dark time when her “castle crumbled overnight.”

She sings, “I want to wear his initial / On a chain round my neck, chain round my neck / Not because he owns me / But ’cause he really knows me.”

Her new boyfriend at the time was British actor and model Joe Alwyn, and Swift had been spotted wearing a script initial “J” engraved on a silver charm pendant.

Following her split from Tom Hiddleston and an emotionally draining public feud with Kanye West, Swift stepped out of the spotlight to make new music and hit the reset button. What resulted was the 15-track Reputation, an album that topped the charts in 14 countries and sold more than 2 million copies in its first week.

“Call It What You Want” is the penultimate song on an album that takes the listener on an emotional journey from rebellion and anger to true love. The single topped out at #27 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #24 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 chart. The single was named the 20th best song of 2017 by Rolling Stone.

Swift fans will notice similarities between the lyrics of “Call It What You Want” and her 2008 hit, “Love Story.” In both songs, the heroine wants to run away with her boyfriend…

In “Love Story,” she sings, “Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone / I’ll be waiting, all that’s left to do is run / You’ll be the prince and I’ll be the princess / It’s a love story, baby just say yes.”

In “Call It What You Want,” she sings, “I recall late November, holdin’ my breath / Slowly I said, ‘You don’t need to save me / But would you run away with me?’ / Yes.”

Swift and Alwyn broke up in April of 2023 after dating for six years.

More recently, Swift, 34, has been wearing a diamond and gold "TNT" friendship bracelet that she received from her newest boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs' tight end Travis Kelce. Kelce had matching bracelets made for him and his girlfriend just before Christmas 2023. "TNT" stands for "Travis 'n' Taylor."

Swift often complements the bracelet with a diamond-embellished "87" pendant necklace, which is a nod to her 35-year-old beau's jersey number.

Born in Wyomissing, PA, Swift was not an average schoolgirl. By the time she was 11, Swift was already performing regularly at karaoke contests, festivals and fairs near her home in Berks County. When she was 14, her parents moved the family to Nashville, where Swift would be better positioned to pursue a career in country music. At the age of 17, Swift was topping the country charts.

Swift is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 114 million albums and 162 million single downloads. She has won 14 Grammy Awards, one Emmy, 39 Billboard Music Awards and 12 Country Music Association Awards.

Please check out the official lyric video of “Call It What You Want.” You can also follow along, below…

“Call It What You Want”
Written by Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff. Performed by Taylor Swift.

My castle crumbled overnight
I brought a knife to a gunfight
They took the crown, but it’s alright
All the liars are calling me one
Nobody’s heard from me for months
I’m doing better than I ever was, ’cause

My baby’s fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I’m the one he’s walking to

So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby’s fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I’m brand new

So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to

All my flowers grew back as thorns
Windows boarded up after the storm
He built a fire just to keep me warm

All the drama queens taking swings
All the jokers dressing up as kings
They fade to nothing when I look at him

And I know I make the same mistakes every time
Bridges burn, I never learn, at least I did one thing right
I did one thing right
I’m laughing with my lover, making forts under covers
Trust him like a brother, yeah, you know I did one thing right
Starry eyes sparkin’ up my darkest night

My baby’s fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I’m the one he’s walking to

So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby’s fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I’m brand new
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to

I want to wear his initial
On a chain round my neck, chain round my neck
Not because he owns me
But ’cause he really knows me
Which is more than they can say, I
I recall late November, holdin’ my breath
Slowly I said, “You don’t need to save me
But would you run away with me?”
Yes (would you run away?)

My baby’s fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I’m the one he’s walking to
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby’s fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I’m brand new
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to

Call it what you want, yeah
Call it what you want
Call it what you want
Call it what you want
To



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

Hurricane Milton tore across central Florida last week, flooding roadways, damaging property, spawning tornadoes and forcing mandatory evacuations from coast to coast.



Laura and Basil Yorio left their Palm Coast home just before the hurricane made landfall as a Category 3 storm last Wednesday, and didn't know what to expect when they were allowed to return the next day to assess the damage.

As Laura and her dog entered the backyard, the homeowner noticed something glinting in the grass.

“I looked down and saw a silver ring and thought it was like a key ring,” she told Fox 35 Orlando. "And it was just sitting there. It was a little bit embedded in the dirt."



On closer inspection, she realized this was no key ring. It was her husband's gold wedding band — a ring that went missing nearly a decade ago.

Basil remembered losing the beloved keepsake during a backyard construction project nine years ago.

"It just disappeared," he said.

Laura explained that the whereabouts of the wedding band continued to be a mystery despite being right underfoot.

"We've been here [in the backyard] a thousand times over the last nine years," she said. "I have a landscaper who has come by once a week, every week for nine years, and nothing."

But all that changed after Milton dumped nearly six inches of rain on already-saturated ground in this city of 100,000, which lies on Florida's east coast, about halfway between Jacksonville and Orlando.

It's well known that metal detectorists and sea-bound treasure hunters love to pursue their passions right after a major weather event. Heavy rain, battering winds and violent waves can erode soil and sand, revealing items that have been lost for decades, or even centuries.

Milton's relentless downpour effectively washed away enough soil to expose Basil's wedding band.

"We are very mindful that a lot people are going through like terrible, terrible things, and I feel almost a little guilty feeling happy about all this, but it was something good," Laura said. "After a rough couple of days, it was a really happy ending."

Credits: Screen captures via FOX 35 Orlando.

A 5.02-carat internally flawless fancy deep blue diamond is set to headline Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale at The Henderson in Hong Kong later this month. The marquise brilliant-cut stone is flanked by trilliant-cut white diamonds in a platinum setting and carries a pre-sale estimate of $7 million to $10.3 million.



Christie's writes, "Infused with trace amounts of boron that give rise to its captivating, deep blue hue, this diamond embodies nature’s most mesmerizing wonders."

According to the Museum of Natural History, “less than one boron atom per million carbon atoms is sufficient to produce the blue coloration.”

Blue diamonds consistently fetch the highest prices at auction.

In April 2022, the 15.10-carat “De Beers Blue” nearly set a world record for the priciest vivid blue diamond ever sold at auction. The hammer price of $57.47 million ($3.8 million per carat) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong was just short of the $57.54 million ($3.9 million per carat) achieved by the 14.62-carat “Oppenheimer Blue” at Christie’s Geneva in 2016.

Back in 2015, “The Blue Moon of Josephine,” a 12.03-carat internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond, sold for $48.5 million ($4 million per carat) at Sotheby’s Geneva.

Scientists believe that blue diamonds form about 400 miles below the surface, four times deeper than about 99 percent of all other diamonds.

Other notable lots at Christie's Hong Kong auction include the following:



-- "Oriental Sunrise." The property of a private collector, this lot includes a pair of earrings featuring matching fancy vivid orange-yellow diamonds accented by shield and tapered baguette-cut white diamonds in a platinum setting. The fancy-colored diamonds, which weigh 12.20 carats and 11.96 carats respectively, are described as having an oval mixed cut. The larger diamond has a clarity grade of VVS2, while the smaller one is rated VS1. The earrings carry a pre-sale estimate of $6.4 million to $10.3 million.



-- Magnificent Ruby and Diamond Necklace. Twenty-six oval-shaped rubies ranging in weight from 1.27 carats to 5.38 carats glimmer in this head-turning platinum and gold neckpiece. The rubies are complemented by pear- and marquise-shaped diamonds in a floral motif. The diamonds range from 1.00 carat to 1.21 carats in weight and D to F in color. Christie's is estimating that this piece will sell in the range of $5.2 million to $7.7 million.



-- Spectacular Emerald and Diamond Bangle. An octagonal step-cut emerald weighing 38.51 carats is accented by marquise and round diamonds in this bangle designed by Etcetera. The emerald is of Colombian origin and displays no indication of clarity enhancement. The total weight of the diamonds is 7.37 carats. This piece carries a pre-sale estimate of $2.3 million to $3.6 million.



-- Superb Ruby and Diamond Ring. Designed by Boghossian, this ring spotlights a cushion-shaped ruby weighing 6.24 carats. Sourced in Burma (now Myanmar), the ruby boasts a "pigeon blood red" color and a pre-sale estimate of $2.1 million to $3.2 million.

In total, Christie's will be offering 124 lots at The Henderson in Hong Kong on October 29.

Credits: Images courtesy of Christie's.

A suite of bridal jewelry played a pivotal role in Friday's episode of Tia Mowry: My Next Act on We TV.



Mowry, who became a household name as a teenager starring on the ABC/WB sitcom Sister Sister, is now a 46-year-old actress struggling with the challenges of managing her career while co-parenting two young children.

In Season 1, Episode 2, the actress discusses her divorce from Cory Hardrict after 14 years of marriage and how her close friends have helped her through the emotional healing process.

"I have the best friends," Mowry said. "They threw me an incredible healing party. It did what it was supposed to do."

One friend suggested that she throw her wedding dress into the fire, but that just didn't feel right for her.

"But I did think of something else," she said. "What came up for me was my wedding band."



What she was actually describing was her diamond engagement ring, a multi-row diamond wedding band and plain gold band.

"I haven't worn [the jewelry] for almost two years now, and it just doesn't feel right to sell it," Mowry said. "But what I am wanting to do is change my wedding band into something for my kids. Pass it down, you know, to my kids, because they have been my biggest gift."



Mowry seemed to be holding back tears as she mulled her decision, staring at the three rings stacked on her index finger.

"It was very pretty," she said.

"[Do] you want another day to think about it?" asked her producer.

"No, because if it's made into something else, then it's put to use," she said. "It's sad, you know what I mean? Because this is a symbol of a marriage, and it's no longer. I would rather the kids have something."

The actress said that it was hard for her not to think about Corey when she decided to repurpose her rings.

"It was 2006, December 25th," she recalled. "I was proposed to. I was at my mother's house around Christmas dinner, and a song by Jagged Edge started playing. Corey got down on one knee in front of my whole entire family and asked to marry me. I was so surprised."

Mowry added, "but I am learning that at the end of the day, I need to make this decision for me. And I think because it's going to the kids, he'll be okay."



Mowry explained to a Los Angeles jeweler that she wanted the wedding jewelry turned into something special for her 12-year-old son, Cree, and her five-year-old daughter, Cairo.

The jeweler recommended a dog tag necklace for the boy and a bracelet for the girl, adding that he could make a "connection" between the pieces.

"I just think it's so beautiful to transform something that was given out of love and to give it to your children," Mowry said. "It just makes me feel like my marriage wasn't a waste."

The jeweler quickly rendered a diamond-studded dog tag necklace on his computer.

"So, what do you feel about this design with some diamonds," asked the jeweler.

"I love this," Mowry said. "Oh, my gosh. That's fire."

"That's good?" asked the jeweler.

"That fire," she repeated with a laugh. "That's what the kids are saying now."

Tia Mowry and her twin sister, Tamera, co-starred on Sister Sister, a sitcom about twins that were separated at birth, but then reunited as teenagers. The show made its debut in 1994 and ran for six season.

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube / Salim Gameplay.

Last week, Zachary Ashworth was all set to pop the question to girlfriend Katherine Carver at Mississippi's 28th annual "Cruisin' the Coast" event, which is billed as "America's Largest Block Party."



Each year, tens of thousands of car enthusiasts from 40 states, plus Canada, Germany and Puerto Rico, converge on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for a week to showcase their rides and to cruise the picturesque 30-mile stretch of beach-side highway, with special events taking place across 12 cities in South Mississippi.

The day was perfect, the venue was perfect, but when Ashworth reached into his pocket to pull out the three-stone diamond engagement ring, he knew something was very wrong.

“I went to feel for the ring in my pocket and I realized the ring was missing,” the Pensacola, FL, native told Biloxi TV station, WLOX. "I literally just dropped my drink on the ground, and she looks at me and goes, ‘Are you okay?’"

Ashworth wasn't OK. The last time he had successfully felt the ring in his pocket, the couple was enjoying a Trucks and Tacos event in Long Beach.

The couple retraced their steps, but finding a ring amidst the thousands of people and hundreds of cruisers was a daunting task. They gave up the search and decided to post a plea on the Cruisin' the Coast Facebook page.

He wrote, "If anyone here was at Coastal Daiquiris (bar & grill) today in Long Beach Thursday the 10 between 3-4 pm and found a 14k 3-stone diamond ring with a sizer on it, I would love to have it back. It was my engagement ring I was going to give my girlfriend today."



Meanwhile, Cruisin' the Coast attendee Sonya Becnel was dealing with challenges of her own after she noticed something shiny peeking out from under a truck tire.

“I looked down… and I saw a ring," she told WLOX. "Just sitting there right on top of the grass, gold."

“I said, ‘Look I got a problem,’” Becnel recounted. “I found a ring and I have no idea what to do with it. How will I find the person out of 10,000 people? How will I find this person?”

Becnel and her friend, Annette Cortez, decided to check out the Cruisin' the Coast Facebook page.

“Later on that night we were scrolling through Facebook… and saw Zachary’s post," Cortez said. "I was like, ‘Oh my god! We have your ring.’”



The Good Samaritans wrote to Ashworth on Facebook and arranged to meet up with the relieved couple at an Ocean Springs event the next day.

Ashworth got the ring back and thanked the Good Samaritans with a reward. A video posted to the WLOX website documented the emotional, hug-filled reunion.

“It was awesome," Becnel told the station. "We were excited. He was so excited. That was our main goal, to get this guy his ring back.”

Credits: Screen captures via WLOX.com.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we turn the calendar back to 2017, when a fresh-faced 16-year-old named Billie Eilish has just released her debut single, “Ocean Eyes.”



In the song, the artist portrays a young woman suffering through a devastating breakup. She still loves her ex-boyfriend and is longing for his brilliant “diamond mind” and his dreamy “ocean eyes.”

She sings, “I’ve been walking through / A world gone blind / Can’t stop thinking of your diamond mind / Careful creature made friends with time / He left her lonely with a diamond mind / And those ocean eyes.”

The official music video of the song has been viewed on YouTube an astounding 514 million times.

Co-written by her brother, Finneas Baird O’Connell, “Ocean Eyes” was originally recorded for a dance class in 2015, when Eilish was only 14 years old. The intention was to have her dance teacher choreograph a routine to the music.

“We put it on SoundCloud with a free download link next to it so my dance teacher could access it,” Eilish told Teen Vogue. “We had no intentions for it, really. But basically overnight a ton of people started hearing it and sharing it.”

The song soon went viral with 35 million streams on Spotify alone.

“Ocean Eyes” was featured as the lead single from Eilish’s debut EP, Don’t Smile at Me, which was released in August of 2017. One month later, she made her national TV debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden, and Apple Music named Eilish the UPNEXT artist of the month in October 2017.

A little more than two years later, at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, Eilish would become only the second artist to sweep all the General Field categories in the same year. She won Best New Artist, Best New Album, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album.

Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell was born in Los Angeles in 2001 to a family of actors and musicians. She began writing songs at age 11, following the footsteps of her older brother, who was already performing original songs with his band.

Please check out Eilish’s official music video of “Ocean Eyes.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Ocean Eyes”
Written by Arron Carl Davey and Finneas Baird O’Connell. Performed by Billie Eilish.

I’ve been watching you
For some time
Can’t stop staring at those ocean eyes
Burning cities and napalm skies
Fifteen flares inside those ocean eyes
Your ocean eyes

No fair
You really know how to make me cry
When you gimme those ocean eyes
I’m scared
I’ve never fallen from quite this high
Falling into your ocean eyes
Those ocean eyes

I’ve been walking through
A world gone blind
Can’t stop thinking of your diamond mind
Careful creature made friends with time
He left her lonely with a diamond mind
And those ocean eyes

No fair
You really know how to make me cry
When you gimme those ocean eyes
I’m scared
I’ve never fallen from quite this high
Falling into your ocean eyes
Those ocean eyes

No fair
You really know how to make me cry
When you gimme those ocean eyes
I’m scared
I’ve never fallen from quite this high
Falling into your ocean eyes
Those ocean eyes



Credit: Photo by Justin Higuchi from Los Angeles, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Last week, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas took the wraps off its newest exhibit titled “Topaz: A Spectrum in Stone.” The presentation, which will run through October 2025, features more than 100 exquisite topaz specimens from every corner of the world, including the 332-carat "Imperial Flame."



“This exhibit — my first at the Perot Museum — highlights the beauty and significance of topaz, especially Texas topaz, alongside other locations from around the world,” said Caroline Im, Director of Gems and Minerals since September of 2023. “Visitors will be captivated by the stunning range of colors, shapes and sizes of this rare mineral, including the [Texas] state gem with its distinctive ‘Lone Star Cut,’ the only gemstone cut specific to any US state.”



Im and museum CEO Linda Silver previewed "Topaz: A Spectrum in Stone" for the press and museum patrons during a Tuesday luncheon at the Lyda Hill Gems and Minerals Hall, which is one of the Perot Museum’s most popular attractions.



The one-of-a-kind collection displays the spectacular scope of crystal structures and colored stones within the topaz family, including the following:

-- The Imperial Flame topaz: A magnificent 332-carat carving from Ouro Preto, Brazil. Carefully shaped and faceted over four weeks by the artisans of Kreis Jewellery in Germany, the rare red-orange gem is recognized as the largest and finest stone of its caliber in the world.

-- A stupendous 9,630-carat marquise-cut gem from Brazil.

-- The largest known “Lone Star Cut” of a Texas topaz: a 234-carat gem featuring a five-point star carved into the pavilion, or bottom, of the stone. The carved star reflects throughout the gem.

-- A 15-pound blue topaz from Brazil.

-- An etched topaz showing intricate surface patterns resulting from the topaz being partially dissolved in hydrothermal fluids.



“Topaz: A Spectrum in Stone” includes New England minerals from both Im’s alma mater, Harvard University, and a treasure from the University of Texas, topping 900 carats. There’s also a selection of topaz crystals from Volyn, a renowned region in Ukraine, famous for its large caverns of massive topaz. The exhibit also includes specimens from Pakistan, Argentina, Namibia, Brazil, Russia and many other countries.

Like many of the gems and minerals at the Perot Museum, these specimens are on loan from generous and renowned private collectors, who were willing to share their awe-inspiring specimens with the public.

According to dmagazine.com, the museum's loan partners for this exhibit include Diane and Keith Brownlee, Carabas Collection, Mark Oran Carter, Aleksander Chournousenko, Diane Eames, Judith and James Gibbs, Harvard University, Lyda Hill, Kreis Jewellery, Larson Collection, Rob Lavinsky, Somewhere in the Rainbow, Gail and James Spann, and The University of Texas.

Located in the heart of Dallas, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational and research organization dedicated to inspiring minds through nature and science. Visitors will find everything from dinosaurs to diamonds, packed into five levels of hands-on discovery and adventure. The museum welcomes more than one million visitors per year, 150,000 of which are schoolchildren.

Credits: Imperial Flame photo courtesy of Kreis Jewellery. Topaz luncheon and Caroline Im photos courtesy of Perot Museum. Texas topaz courtesy of UT Austin.

The Florida Panthers celebrated their first-ever Stanley Cup title with a 14-karat yellow gold ring set with 554 diamonds, 17 rubies, 37 yellow sapphires and nine blue sapphires, for a total weight of 15.6 carats.



Players, coaching staff and ownership received their deeply symbolic rings during a private ceremony at the newly-renovated War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

With the team's back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Finals, and its memorable game-seven victory at home against the Edmonton Oilers, the 2024 Panthers bolstered the claim that Florida is truly the “State of Hockey.” And the Jostens-designed championship rings include a number of elements that honor Florida and Broward County.

“The incredible achievement of this team was the inspiration for the Viola family when crafting the franchise’s first Championship ring,” said Panthers President & CEO Matt Caldwell. “This ring represents the culture, hard work and leadership of this winning team, our home in Broward County, the vibrant South Florida lifestyle and shows the immense pride we all hold in our hearts for this historic team.”

Unlike most championship rings that are either round or oval, the shape of the Panthers' ring top mimics the iconic shield design of the Panthers logo and proudly features the Panthers mark intricately set with brilliant white diamonds, as well as dazzling blue and yellow sapphires. The team’s new title of “STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS” is rendered in diamonds at the top and bottom of the ring. Exactly 187 diamonds cascade from the ring top down the edges, creating a border around the side panels.



The left side of the ring features the recipient’s name in raised block letters. Below the recipient’s name is a tab which contains either PANTHERS or the person's title within the organization. The tab is a nod to the Panther’s tradition of “earning your tabs,” just as each player who comes out of training camp earns the FLORIDA tabs found on the sleeve of his home jersey.

Under the tab, is the shape of the state of Florida fully executed in diamonds and a single ruby. The location of the ruby honors the Florida Panthers' home in Broward County, while the diamonds represent the significant growth of the sport of hockey within the state of Florida. Completing the left side of the ring is the player's jersey number set in white diamonds.



The right side of the ring features “FLORIDA” in block letters across the top. Below the state name is the coveted Stanley Cup, flanked by the year 2024, all set with diamonds to pay tribute to the team’s first-ever title. The right side is completed with a beach and palm tree background, in homage to the unique South Florida Stanley Cup Parade and beach-front celebrations that took place in the wake of the team’s historic win.

The interior of the ring features an array of uniquely symbolic icons. One is a depiction of the official WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and NHL Stanley Cup Championship Belt. The graphic honors the Florida Panthers for being the first NHL team to have its name added to this championship belt.

Below the belt are the results from the Panthers' playoff run. The results are readable but are shown with a strike-through, a design borrowed from one of the rally towels that energized the home fans during the playoff games at Amerant Bank Arena. And below the scores is the date of the Stanley Cup-winning Game 7: 6-24-24.

In addition, the word "Freedom" on the interior of the band is a nod to what coach Paul Maurice kept saying to his team during their Stanley Cup run. He told them to "play with freedom," meaning he wanted them to stay within themselves and "play loose."

Finally, to the left of all those items on the interior of the band is a representation of a rat, which pays homage to one of the longest standing fan-led Panthers traditions celebrating each Panther win.

"The rat trick" has its origins before the first game of the 1995-96 season, when player Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the locker room using his hockey stick. Mellanby went on to score two goals during the home opener using that stick. At the next home game, a fan threw a plastic rat onto the ice after a goal, and from then on it became a tradition to throw plastic rats on the ice after a home win.

Credits: Images courtesy of Jostens.

Scientists at ETH Zurich believe that seeding the atmosphere each year with five million tons of diamond dust could reflect enough of the sun's energy to cool the planet by 1.6ºC (2.9ºF) over 45 years, thereby countering the devastating effects of climate change.



This type of large-scale manipulation of the earth’s climate is called “geoengineering.”

Certainly this strategy comes with a hefty price tag. The scientists at ETH Zurich's Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science estimated the investment at about $2.6 trillion per year (or $200 trillion over the remainder of this century).

The idea of pumping the atmosphere with lab-grown diamond dust sounds a bit fanciful, but it's rooted in observable, measurable data.

When Mount Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991, about 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide was blasted into the sky, effectively redirecting some of the sun’s energy and lowering the average temperatures over the next two years by a half degree.

Scientists could have proposed mimicking the action of a volcano by seeding the sky with sulphates, but that strategy has its dangers. Sulfates lead to the production of sulphuric acid, which depletes the ozone layer, negatively affects plant growth and diminishes the effectiveness of solar panels.

Back in 2015, Harvard scientists were the first to propose a massive-scale geoengineering project using diamond dust. They argued that carbon-based diamond dust or alumina (aluminum oxide) would be far more effective and less damaging than sulphates.

In a modeling study published this month in Geophysical Research Letters, the ETH Zurich scientists reported that diamond dust was the best choice for staving off the worst consequences of global warming.

The researchers used a supercomputer to model the effects of seven compounds — including sulfur dioxide, diamond, aluminum, calcite, silicon carbide, anatase and rutile — across 45 years. The results showed that the chemically inert diamond particles were best at reflecting radiation while also staying aloft and avoiding clumping.

The ETH Zurich said that the diamond particles could be injected into the stratosphere using high-altitude aircraft.

Douglas MacMartin, an engineer at Cornell University, who specializes in climate science, told science.org that at $500,000 per ton, synthetic diamond dust is 2,400 times more expensive than sulfur, which he advocates as more viable, cost-effective alternative.

Another issue is whether the international lab-grown diamond manufacturers would be able to ramp up to handle production.

The scientific community understands that the diamond-dust cooling strategy is not without its own risks. First off, it’s never been tested, and second, once the diamonds are up in the sky, the results — positive or negative — would be difficult to reverse.

Credits: Graphic by Scientific Visualization Studio/Goddard Space Flight Center.

The Boston Celtics raised Banner 18 to the rafters of TD Garden and received their exquisite championship rings on Tuesday prior to their opening night 132-109 drubbing of the visiting New York Knicks. The vaunted franchise now claims more championships than any other NBA team, and this year's ring — with a lot of bling and hidden surprises — is a fitting tribute to that accomplishment.



“We collaborated closely with the Celtics ownership on the ring design," said Jason Arasheben, CEO Jason of Beverly Hills. "The Celtics had 17 championships before last season, which means they’ve had 17 championship rings before us. We all wanted to make sure the 18th was the best and most memorable."

As with all of Arasheben's championship rings, this one contained unique details.



Two hidden elements are only viewable when the ring top is removed. The inside of the top of the ring is inlaid with a piece of the TD Garden's famed parquet floor, along with the date and score of the team’s championship clinching game. On the other side is a miniature championship banner, encircled by the jersey numbers of each player.

Also, for the first time in history, an NFC (Near-Field Communication) chip has been installed into each ring. When the recipient's phone taps the parquet on the inside of the ring, a video link is enabled that shows how the jewelry was made.

The championship ring also has its share of symbolic elements.

The 18 emerald-cut diamonds on the outer bezel represent the 18 franchise championships, and the 84 points of diamonds on the side bezel represent the Celtics' playoff winning percentage during their championship season.



Also on the face of the ring, the word WORLD is rendered in 30 points of diamonds, representing the total seasons played by the Celtics at TD Garden. The word “CHAMPIONS” is set with 80 white diamonds to honor the team’s 80 combined wins during the regular season and playoffs.

The 16 emerald-cut diamonds on the inner bezel represent the total playoff wins for 2024.

Circling the top of the ring is the year of each championship season in raised yellow gold against a black enamel background.

A texture mimicking the parquet floor pattern is etched into both sides of the ring.



The "player" side of the ring features the player’s name in black enamel on a gold plaque with round diamonds flanking the side of each player’s name. The two diamonds represent the total championships under current ownership. Under the name is the player's number rendered in diamonds. Below the number is the team's 2024 mantra, "Whatever It Takes."

The "team" side of the ring includes the championship year, the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy rendered in gold and diamonds, and the combined record for the 2024 Boston Celtics' season (80-21).

The inside shank contains the 2024 playoff series records along with the three-letter initials of the Celtics' opponents.

After Tuesday's game against the Knicks, Celtics' shooting guard Jaylen Brown told ESPN how the ring symbolizes the team's long road to the championship.

"I mean that ring is just an object, but it's everything — the emotions, the heartbreak, the embarrassment, the work, the drive, the dedication," he said. "That's what that ring represents, you know what I mean?"

Credits: Images via Instagram / Boston Celtics and Jason of Beverly Hills.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you memorable songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, the heartthrob boy band NSYNC compares a very special woman to precious stones in 1999’s “(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You.”



Led by Justin Timberlake, they croon, “In all of creation, all things great and small / You are the one that surpasses them all / More precious than any diamond or pearl / They broke the mold when you came in this world.”

While teen girls worldwide pinned NSYNC posters to their walls and dreamed that Timberlake, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone and Lance Bass were singing about them, the song's official video uncovers a surprising fact: The song is a tribute to mom.

Shot mostly in black and white, the video explores the powerful bond between a mother and son, from birth to old age.

Released as the third single from their self-titled album, “(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You” ascended to #8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #9 on the Canada Top Singles list. The song, which was written by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, marked the first time NSYNC broke into the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. The album was also a commercial success, as it remained in the Top 10 for 30 weeks.

NSYNC was founded in Orlando, FL, in 1995 as an alternative to the wildly popular Backstreet Boys. The group’s all-caps name, sometimes depicted with a star before the first “N,” seems to have two origin stories. Some have claimed that it is derived from a comment uttered by Timberlake’s mom, who was impressed by how the boys’ voices were “in sync.”

A second theory is that NSYNC represents the last letter of the original band members' first names: JustiN, ChriS, JoeY, JasoN, and JC. (Jason Galasso was replaced by Lance Bass later in 1995. Galasso reportedly dropped out of the group because he didn't like its direction and didn't want to be a teen idol. He later became a mortgage broker).

The star preceding the name was recommended by Israeli illusionist Uri Geller, who believed the symbol would bring them good fortune. At a cafe in London, Geller sat with the band members as he drew a star next to the word “NSYNC” on a napkin.

“I told them, if they place that star on their first CD, they’re going to shoot up to #1,” Geller told the Huffington Post in 2015.

Geller’s prediction was nearly spot-on. The album peaked at #2 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

The group went on to sell 70 million albums and became one of the top-selling boy bands of all time. The group announced a “temporary hiatus” in 2002, and the official breakup was in 2004, according Bass's 2007 memoir.

Please check out the official video of NSYNC performing “(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You.” It’s been viewed on YouTube more than 34 million times. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

"(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You"
Written by Carl Allen Sturken and Evan A. Rogers. Performed by NSYNC.

Can this be true?
Tell me, can this be real?
How can I put into words what I feel?
My life was complete
I thought I was whole
Why do I feel like I’m losing control?

I never thought that love could feel like this
And you’ve changed my world with just one kiss
How can it be that right here with me
There’s an angel?
It’s a miracle

Your love is like a river
Peaceful and deep
Your soul is like a secret
That I never could keep
When I look into your eyes
I know that it’s true
God must have spent
A little more time
On you
(A little more time, yes he did baby)

In all of creation, all things great and small
You are the one that surpasses them all
More precious than any diamond or pearl
They broke the mold when you came in this world

And I’m trying hard to figure out
Just how I ever did without
The warmth of your smile
The heart of a child
That’s deep inside
Leaves me purified

Your love is like a river
Peaceful and deep
Your soul is like a secret
That I never could keep
When I look into your eyes
I know that it’s true
God must have spent
A little more time
On you

Never thought that love could feel like this
And you’ve changed my world with just one kiss
How can it be that right here with me
There’s an angel?
It’s a miracle

Your love is like a river
Peaceful and deep
Your soul is like a secret
That I never could keep
When I look into your eyes
I know that it’s true
God must have spent
A little more time
On you

God must have spent
A little more time, on you
(on you, on you, you, you, oh yeah)
A little more time
On you



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / Salg 1000.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is living the dream. Less than six weeks after signing the most lucrative contract in NFL history — a $240 million, four-year extension — the 31-year-old star popped the question to Sarah Jane Ramos with a 10-carat diamond ring.



Oh, and there's more to mark Prescott's memorable 2024. The blissful couple welcomed Margaret Jane (MJ) Rose Prescott into the world on February 29.

The signal caller announced the engagement news on his Instagram page, writing to his 2.2 million followers, "Mine Forever!!!! The Best Friend, Partner, Teammate, Mother, and Now Fiancé I could Ask or Pray for! Thank you God for this Blessing and Family! I Love you @sarahjane 4EVER!"



The post included candid shots of the QB proposing to Ramos on a golf course and others pics of what seem to be scenes from an engagement party, where the adorable MJ made a guest appearance in her daddy's arms.



The ring was designed by Prescott in collaboration with celebrity jeweler Jason Arasheben of Jason of Beverly Hills.



On his business's Instagram page, Arasheben noted that the 10-carat emerald-cut diamond is set between tapered baguettes on an 18-karat yellow gold band. Jewelry-industry pundits put the ring's value at $1 million.

"In my business, there are high-maintenance clients and then there's Dak," Arasheben told si.com. "Dak was so easy to work with and was very intentional with every detail of this ring."

Arasheben added that Prescott was involved in every aspect of the design process and really wanted this to be a ring she would love.

"He wanted something classic, but with a little flare and that's exactly what we did," he said.

Credits: Prescott proposal and party photo via Instagram / _4dak and sarahjane. Screen captures of ring via Instagram / jasonofbeverlyhills.

A sensational 37-carat emerald brooch commissioned by Prince Aga Khan for his wife, Nina Dyer, in 1960, and then sold at Christie's Geneva in 1969 for $75,000, is returning to the venerable auction house on November 12 carrying a pre-sale estimate of $6 million to $8 million.



The unusually transparent and evenly colored emerald is bordered by 20 marquise-shaped diamonds boasting a total weight of 12.04 carats. Christies wrote that the brooch/pendant designed by Cartier Paris epitomized the elegance and sophistication of its era.

Accounting solely for inflation, an item that sold for $75,000 in 1969 would be worth $642,000 today. If the Aga Khan fetches somewhere in the mid-range of its pre-sale estimate, say $7 million, the true value of the piece would have accrued by a magnitude of more than 10.

The Aga Khan assumed the role of the spiritual leader of the Shia Imami Ismailia Muslims in 1957, at age 20, after succeeding his grandfather. It was that same year that he married Dyer, a strikingly beautiful socialite and model, who was six years his senior.

Dyer's first marriage was to billionaire Baron Hans Heinrich von Thyssen, heir to the Thyssen steel and armaments empire. Their three-year marriage ended in 1956.

According to Christie's, like many of the beautiful jewels commissioned by the Aga Khan for Dyer, she wore this exceptional piece at numerous prominent events.

In 1969, the Aga Khan emerald brooch was purchased by Van Cleef & Arpels at Christie's inaugural Magnificent Jewels sale at Le Richemond Hotel in Geneva. Later, it was sold to luxury jeweler Harry Winston.

“The emerald brooch is not just a piece of jewelry. It carries with it the stories and charm of a bygone era,” commented Max Fawcett, Christie’s Head of Jewelry Europe. “We are thrilled to present it once again, not only because of its history, but also due to the increased interest in colored stones the market has witnessed in recent years."

He noted that the 37-carat Colombian emerald shows no indications of clarity modification and is accompanied by an SSEF report stating the exceptional quality and rarity of the stone.

"We might see an emerald of this quality come up for sale once every five or six years," said François Curiel, Christie’s chairman EMEA. "It’s an exciting opportunity for jewelry collectors to acquire one of the rarest treasures on Earth."

The first time Curiel laid eyes on the Aga Khan emerald brooch, he was a 21 year old and fresh out of gemological school. It was 55 years ago when he accompanied his father to both the dealer preview and the inaugural Magnificent Jewels evening auction.

The Aga Khan and Dyer divorced in 1962 and, suffering from depression, she died from an overdose of sleeping pills in 1965 at age 35.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Christie's.

After 26 years of non-stop, 24/7 production, the Ekati Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories recently surpassed the 100-million-carat milestone. That's equivalent to 22 tons of diamonds.



Ekati is Canada's first diamond mine and consistently ranks as one of the top-10 producers worldwide. Not only does the mine maintain a track record of generating four to five million carats per year, it also continues to yield top-quality rough diamonds, including extremely rare fancy yellows.

Back in March of 2023, Australia-based Burgundy Diamond Mines paid $136 million to acquire Arctic Canadian Diamond Company Ltd. and its prized Ekati property. Burgundy had been very familiar with the Canadian mining operation because it often purchased Ekati rough diamonds for its cutting and polishing operation in Perth, Australia.



Burgundy’s acquisition of Ekati guaranteed a steady flow of premium material from a tier-one asset in a tier-one country, according to Kim Truter, CEO of Burgundy Diamond Mines. It also solidified the company’s strategy of becoming truly vertically integrated across the diamond value chain.

“As we reflect on this historic achievement, Ekati continues the legacy as one of the premier diamond assets in the world,” said Truter. “We are proud of the team we have in place and of everything we have achieved so far. Ekati still has 140 million carats remaining in Indicated Mineral Resources, one of the largest unmined diamond endowments in the world."



Since opening in 1998, the Ekati mine has been an important economic contributor to Canada’s Northwest Territories through job creation and community investment.

According to miningnewsnorth.com, Ekati has generated more than 74 million man-hours of employment in the Northwest Territories, with approximately 35 million of those hours coming from 16,000-plus positions held by Indigenous workers.

As the mining operation advances into its second quarter-century, Burgundy will focus its resources on various projects within the Ekati property, including the Misery underground extension, Sable Underground, Point Lake open pit, Fox high-value stockpiles, Fox underground and other undeveloped resources.

Located approximately 300 km northwest of Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories and just 200 km south of the Arctic Circle, the remote mining operation is accessible seasonally via ice roads.

Credits: Images courtesy of Burgundy Diamond Mines.

About two million Muslims visit Mecca during the hajj pilgrimage each year to seek forgiveness, grow closer to God and cleanse their souls of sins. And if they're lucky they might even get to touch or kiss the historic and sacred "Black Stone of Mecca."



During a recent episode of The UnXplained, host William Shatner told Discovery channel viewers about the fascinating history of the stone and how it could have otherworldly origins.



According to the Muslim faith, the stone is said to have fallen from heaven. Where it touched down marked the exact location where the the first mosque, the Kaaba, was built by the biblical Abraham and his son, Ishmael.



In modern-day Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Kaaba is a cube-like, 43-foot-tall black granite structure at the center of the Grand Mosque courtyard. And mounted into the eastern corner of the Kaaba, behind a silver frame, is the Black Stone of Mecca. The exposed face of the stone measures 20 cm (7.9 in) by 16 cm (6.3 in).

The curious stone is actually an amalgamation of eight or more smaller stones that have been cemented together. Gem experts who have viewed the stone believe it could consist of basalt, agate or obsidian rock. It might also be a meteorite, which could explain its heavenly origin story.

The difficulty in putting the speculation to rest is the fact that this stone may never be released for gemological analysis because of its religious significance.

Shatner told his viewers that in the year 605 AD, the stone was set into the Kaaba's wall by the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

After his conquest of Mecca in 630 AD, Muhammad is said to have ridden around the Kaaba seven times on his camel, touching the Black Stone with his stick each time around in a gesture of reverence and humility.

In current days, the Muslim faithful honor Muhammad by walking around the Kaaba seven times. Some of the pilgrims who can maneuver to the inner-most circular path will be fortunate enough to touch the stone or even kiss it.

So, you may be wondering why the stone seems to be fractured, pieced together and then cemented into place.

Ancient-origins.net explained that the Black Stone was damage during the Umayyad siege of Mecca in 683 AD. It was reportedly struck and smashed to pieces by a stone fired from a catapult.

In his book, Travels in Arabia, Swiss adventurer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt got close enough to the Black Stone during a trip to Mecca in 1814 to provide this first-hand report: "It is an irregular oval, about seven inches (18 cm) in diameter, with an undulated surface, composed of about a dozen smaller stones of different sizes and shapes, well joined together with a small quantity of cement, and perfectly well smoothed. It looks as if the whole had been broken into as many pieces by a violent blow, and then united again."

Over time, the stone reportedly has become smoother and darker due to the enormous number of pilgrims who have touched and kissed the stone.

Credit: Screen capture of photo of Black Stone of Kaaba via YouTube / History. Wide view of Kaaba Al-Musharrafah by LaachirDeeper, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo of Kaaba by Aiman titi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.