Anschar Diamonds Blog

More than a century ago, a passion for pink held by a powerful Chinese empress helped transform a remote corner of Southern California into one of the world’s most important sources of tourmaline. The unlikely connection between Empress Dowager Cixi, Tiffany & Co. and San Diego County’s gemstone mines makes October’s birthstone even more fascinating.



Cixi, who ruled China during the final decades of the Qing dynasty, was famously enamored with pink and pink tourmaline. Her enthusiasm created enormous demand at the Chinese Imperial Court, sending miners in San Diego County scrambling to uncover more of the rosy gem.



Between 1902 and 1910, approximately 120 tons of gem-quality pink tourmaline from San Diego County were shipped to China, according to the San Diego Natural History Museum. The Himalaya Mine in the Mesa Grande district was among the major producers, while other famous local deposits included the Tourmaline Queen, Tourmaline King, Stewart and Pala Chief mines.

Tiffany & Co. played an important role in connecting the California mines with the imperial court. Tiffany gemologist J.L. Tannenbaum commissioned Southern California miners to fulfill orders for the Chinese market. Once the tourmaline arrived in China, craftsmen carved the material into snuff bottles, decorative objects and jewelry.

Cixi died in 1908, and the Qing dynasty fell in 1912. With the loss of the imperial market, San Diego County’s tourmaline boom quickly faded. Yet the region continued to produce spectacular material, including a remarkable pocket at the Pala Stewart Mine in 1969 that yielded about a ton of hot-pink tourmaline.

The story is an extraordinary chapter in the history of a gemstone that seems almost designed to capture attention. Tourmaline has been an official October birthstone since 1952, when the National Association of Jewelers (now Jewelers of America) updated a list that hadn't changed since it was originated in 1912. Opal is October’s other official birthstone.

The name tourmaline comes from the Sinhalese words tura mali, meaning “stone with mixed colors.” Few gems live up to that description more dramatically. Tourmaline occurs in shades ranging from pink, red, peach and orange to green, blue, yellow, brown, purple and black. It can also display multiple colors within a single crystal, producing spectacular bi-color and tri-color gems.

Those colors are largely determined by trace elements incorporated into the tourmaline’s chemical structure. Lithium-rich varieties can produce blue, green, red, yellow and pink hues, while iron-rich tourmaline tends to be black or bluish-black. Different combinations of elements and crystal chemistry create the remarkable palette that makes the gem so distinctive.

Tourmaline is also durable enough for everyday jewelry, measuring 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Today, important deposits are found in Brazil, Afghanistan, Madagascar, East Africa and elsewhere, while San Diego County remains celebrated for its historic gem-bearing pegmatites.

Credits: Tourmaline image by Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image of Empress Dowager Cixi (cropped) by John Yu Shuinling, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we celebrate songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. As Bill Withers introduced “The Same Love That Made Me Laugh” during his March 1974 appearance on The Midnight Special, he offered a deceptively simple explanation for the song: “It’s a funny thing how people who mean an awful lot to you can make you feel just bad sometimes.” Then he launched into one of soul music’s most memorable examinations of love’s contradictions.



The jewelry connection arrives in the very first line. Withers compares love to “a chunk of gold” that is “hard to gain, and hard to hold.” It’s a fitting metaphor for something precious that demands effort to acquire but can be surprisingly difficult to keep. The song quickly makes clear that the same love capable of producing laughter can also produce tears.

Withers deepens the metaphor with a rose. Love may be soft to touch and beautiful to behold, but “love has thorns,” and those thorns can hurt. The imagery captures the vulnerability that comes with giving yourself completely to another person. By the song’s emotional climax, Withers admits that he has given everything he has to give, leaving him defenseless when the relationship begins to unravel.

Then comes one of the song’s most striking images: a boulder perched at the top of a mountain. Once someone starts the rock rolling downhill, Withers observes, “you can’t make it stop.” The heavy, irreversible momentum becomes a metaphor for emotional choices.

“The Same Love That Made Me Laugh” appeared on Withers’s 1974 album +’Justments, with the title pronounced “add-justments.” Released as a single, it reached #50 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #10 on the Billboard R&B chart. It also became a Top 40 hit in Canada. Diana Ross later recorded the song for her 1977 album Baby It’s Me.

Withers brought an unusually grounded perspective to his music. Born in 1938 in Slab Fork, WV, the youngest of six children, he grew up in a coal-mining town and struggled with a stutter. At 17, he joined the US Navy, serving for nine years and using speech therapy and singing to overcome his stutter.

After moving to Los Angeles, Withers worked at an aircraft plant while pursuing music, saving money to finance his own demo recordings. Even after “Ain’t No Sunshine” became a million-selling hit, he initially kept his day job, wary of the unpredictability of the music business. His eventual catalog included “Lean on Me,” “Lovely Day” and “Just the Two of Us,” among other enduring classics.

Withers won three Grammy Awards, including Best Rhythm & Blues Song for “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. He retired from performing and recording in the mid-1980s, leaving behind a remarkably influential body of work.

Withers died in Los Angeles on March 30, 2020, at age 81 from heart complications.

Please check out Withers's live performance of "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh" on The Midnight Special. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"The Same Love That Made Me Laugh"
Written and performed by Bill Withers.

Your love is like a a chunk of gold
Hard to gain and hard to hold

Like a rose that's soft to touch
Love has gone and it hurts so much

Well and why...
Must the same love that made me laugh
Make me cry?

Well now you think of love as sittin' on a mountain
Think of it as being a great big rock
Won't you think before you started to roll it down
Because once you start it, you can't make it stop

I've given all I have to give
And if you don't want me
I don't want to live

Well and why...
Must the same love that made me laugh,
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why do you wanna make me mess up my pillow?
Got me cryin' like a weeping willow

Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / The Midnight Special.

A metal detector signal led to a remarkable discovery in a field near Wesseling, Germany: 934 Roman silver coins weighing 6.8 pounds (3.1 kilograms) and spanning nearly 300 years of Roman history. Unearthed by licensed amateur metal detectorist Oliver Riedl, the hoard is the largest collection of coins from the reign of Emperor Hadrian ever found in Germany and the fifth largest known worldwide from his era.



Riedl was searching the field when his detector began signaling. He dug up one silver coin, then another and another. After recovering 15 coins, however, the signals showed no sign of stopping.

“It was clear to me that there was something bigger buried here,” Riedl said.

He immediately contacted the authorities, allowing archaeologists from the Nideggen branch of the Rhineland Regional Association’s Office for Archaeological Heritage Management to take over the excavation. What followed far exceeded expectations. Rather than simply removing the coins one by one, archaeologists carefully lifted the surrounding block of soil and transported it to the restoration workshop at the LVR State Museum in Bonn.



There, specialists X-rayed the block before painstakingly separating it layer by layer. Their careful approach revealed fragments of the ceramic container that had originally held the treasure, along with remnants of straw used to line it. Centuries of agricultural activity had eventually broken apart the pot and scattered the coins through the surrounding soil, but the archaeological team was able to locate and recover all 934 denarii.

The oldest coin was minted in 148 BCE, during the Roman Republic. The youngest dates to 124 or 125 CE, during the reign of Hadrian, who ruled from 117 to 138 CE. Most of the coins date from the reigns of the Flavian emperors between 69 and 96 CE, including numerous coins bearing the profiles of emperors such as Domitian.

That extraordinary age range offers more than a glimpse at Roman history. It demonstrates that silver coins could remain useful as currency for generations. When the hoard was buried during the second quarter of the second century CE, the oldest coin was already more than 270 years old — yet apparently still considered valuable and valid for payment.

And it represented a considerable fortune. A typical Roman legionary earned about 300 denarii annually, with roughly half withheld for provisions and equipment. To accumulate 934 denarii, a soldier would have needed to save essentially all of his available income for about six years.

Why someone buried such a fortune and never returned for it remains unknown. Perhaps the owner was protecting savings in an era without modern banks, or perhaps circumstances prevented the treasure from ever being reclaimed.

The hoard was presented to the public in Bonn on September 22, coinciding with the annual meeting of the West and South German Association for Archaeology, which brought approximately 300 archaeologists from across Germany together in the city. Visitors can now see the remarkable silver collection at the LVR State Museum in Bonn — nearly 1,900 years after someone carefully hid it in the ground.

Credits: Images courtesy of ©Marcel Zanjani/LVR-State Service for Archaeological Heritage in the Rhineland.

Namibia may be famous for producing the world's highest-quality diamonds, but it is not a country where giant gems routinely emerge from the earth. That makes a newly unveiled 176.29-carat natural diamond an especially remarkable find — and a glittering reminder that Namibia’s diamond story is built more on excellence than sheer size.



Named “Owishi,” the diamond was recovered by Namdeb at its Southern Coastal Mine in Oranjemund on May 10, 2026. The stone was officially unveiled September 30 by Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who described it as the largest diamond of its kind recovered at the operation in two decades.

The name adds a distinctly Namibian touch. “Owishi” is an Oshiwambo word for a rare form of honey found underground and notoriously difficult to locate — an apt description for a diamond that reflects such an unexpected discovery.

While neighboring Botswana is increasingly associated with spectacular 1,000-carat-plus discoveries, Namibia has carved out a different niche. It ranks eighth globally in diamond production volume and fifth in total production value, but its rough diamonds command the highest average value per carat of any producing country. In 2024, that figure was about $417 per carat, reflecting the exceptional gem quality of Namibian production.

That distinction helps explain why Owishi is so significant. A 176-carat diamond would be noteworthy anywhere, but in Namibia its size is especially unusual. Its ultimate value, however, won't be determined by carat weight alone. Industry estimates for the rough stone range from about $5 million to more than $25 million, depending on its clarity, color and the amount and quality of polished diamond it can yield. Namdeb has not announced whether the stone will be sold by auction, tender or another method.

For Namibia, Owishi represents more than a spectacular piece of rough. President Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized the broader economic importance of the diamond industry, calling mining the country's “number one critical enabler” and noting that mineral wealth can generate revenue for education, healthcare, housing and infrastructure.

“May this discovery renew our commitment to ensuring that the wealth beneath our soil becomes a source of shared prosperity for all Namibians,” she said.

The President also urged Namibia to capture more value from its diamonds through domestic cutting, polishing and jewelry manufacturing.

Namdeb Diamond Corporation is part of Namdeb Holdings, a 50/50 partnership between the Government of the Republic of Namibia and De Beers Group. Its land-based operations are centered near Oranjemund and Namibia’s southwestern coast, where diamonds occur in deposits shaped by the region’s extraordinary geological and marine history.

Credit: Photo of Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah with the Owishi diamond via Facebook.com/Namibian Presidency.

Few gemstones can rival the visual drama of a fine black opal. Against a naturally dark background, flashes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet can appear to glow from within the stone, creating a miniature rainbow that seems to move as the gem catches the light. For October babies, black opal represents one of the most spectacular expressions of the month’s official birthstone.



The finest examples of black opal come from Lightning Ridge, a remote outback mining region in New South Wales, Australia, where the gem has been mined since 1903. Black opals are distinguished by their dark gray to black body color, which provides a dramatic backdrop for their play-of-color. That contrast makes the colors appear particularly vivid, helping make top-quality Lightning Ridge black opals among the world’s most coveted opals.

Black opals are also exceptionally difficult to find. The dark-body material represents only a small fraction of the opal recovered at Lightning Ridge, and the stones with the most desirable combinations of intense color, strong red flashes and attractive patterns are rarer still.

Mining itself is challenging: the fields are remote and the opal-bearing layers can be buried beneath difficult outback terrain, requiring miners to sink shafts and work underground with specialized equipment. Decades of mining have also made the richest deposits increasingly difficult to reach. For independent miners, the considerable cost, physical demands and uncertainty of the work can make every promising pocket a high-stakes discovery.

The 26.9-carat black opal, shown above, was sourced at Lightning Ridge and gifted to the Smithsonian in 1970 by Mrs. Oliver B. James. Today, the cabochon-cut gem is a permanent part of the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Its face displays an extraordinary spectrum of red, violet, blue, green and orange.

Scientists believe that between 100 million and 97 million years ago, an enormous inland sea covering much of Australia began to retreat. As the landscape dried, silica-rich material carried by water seeped into cracks and cavities in the underlying rock. Over immense stretches of time, the silica formed the hydrated silica mineral we know as opal.

Precious opal gets its spectacular play-of-color from microscopic silica spheres arranged in an orderly structure. When white light encounters those layers, it is diffracted into its component colors. The size and spacing of the spheres influence which colors appear, with the larger structures needed to produce the highly coveted red hue generally being rarer than those producing blue and green.

Much of the material recovered from opal fields is called “potch,” an opal without play-of-color. It contains the same basic silica composition as precious opal, but its microscopic spheres lack the orderly arrangement needed to create the rainbow effect.

Black opal is only one member of the opal family. White opal has a light body color, while boulder opal forms with a layer of ironstone attached to the opal. Crystal opal is transparent or translucent enough to allow its play-of-color to be seen through the body, and fire opal, best known from Mexico, typically displays a yellow, orange or red body color.

Australia remains the world's leading source of fine opal, with major fields beyond Lightning Ridge. Opal is also mined in Mexico, Ethiopia, Brazil, Honduras, the Czech Republic and parts of the United States, including Nevada and Idaho.

An opal contains 3% to 21% water within its silica structure, and its appearance and value depend on factors including body tone, brightness, color, pattern and consistency from different viewing angles.

Credit: Photo by Chip Clark/Smithsonian.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we celebrate songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Journey's "Daydream" takes us somewhere far beyond the ordinary world, where diamonds once were stone, pearls and gold fill our dreams, and crystal ships sail under a silver moon.



The song first appeared in 1979 on Evolution, Journey’s fifth studio album and a pivotal release in the band’s rise toward arena-rock superstardom. Tucked away as the album’s final track, the dreamy deep cut was never released as a single, but Evolution itself became Journey’s biggest commercial success to that point. It reached #20 on the Billboard 200 and eventually earned a triple-platinum certification.

The song’s jewelry connection arrives immediately with the recurring line, “Yes, those bright diamonds once were stone.” In the context of a daydream, the transformation is almost magical: something ordinary and rough becomes something precious, brilliant and highly coveted. The lyric can be heard as a meditation on how humble beginnings, given enough time and transformation, can evolve into something radiant.

That idea fits naturally into the song’s surreal landscape. Pearls and gold appear as idealized treasures, representing beauty, abundance and the kind of wealth that exists in imagination rather than a jewelry box. The dreamer isn't simply admiring expensive objects; these precious materials become symbols of a world in which anything seems possible.

Journey surrounds those gems with equally fantastical images. “Crystal ships” and “silver streams” create a landscape that feels weightless and hypnotic, while angels’ wings suggest escape from the limits of everyday life. The song's closing message, “Live the dreams you search, but can't find,” reinforces the invitation to leave the tangible world behind and enter a realm where stone becomes diamond and streams become silver.

“Daydream” is a mostly forgotten gem from a band that had undergone considerable transformation of its own. Journey formed in San Francisco in 1973, initially as a progressive jazz-fusion project assembled by former Santana manager Herbie Herbert. Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie, both Santana veterans, were part of the original lineup. After early albums emphasized instrumental and progressive rock, the band added singer Steve Perry in 1977, helping launch the sound that would make Journey a global rock powerhouse.

Evolution arrived with the band's new commercial momentum. “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” became Journey’s first Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 16. The group went on to sell more than 100 million records worldwide, building a catalog filled with enduring hits such as “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It,” “Open Arms” and “Faithfully.”

More than five decades after its formation, Journey continues to perform. Guitarist Neal Schon, the sole remaining member of the original 1973 lineup still performing with the band, remains onstage for The Final Frontier Tour, billed as Journey’s farewell tour, with dates extending through late 2026 and into 2027.

And “Daydream” remains a particularly sparkling reminder of Journey’s early, more exploratory sound. Please check out the audio track of Steve Perry and Journey performing today's featured song. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Daydream"
Written by Gregg Rolie, Stephen Ray Perry, Neal Joseph Schon and Ross L. Valory. Performed by Journey.

Shining in the silver moon
Crystal ships are sailing to the sea.

Fly, fly by my window
Flyin' so free, yeah
Yes, they fly, fly by my window.

Yes, those bright diamonds once were stone
Rollin' down a silver stream.
Yes, those bright diamonds once were stone.

Sail on a silver wings of fire
Sailing dreams beyond the silver moon.

In silver clouds that fly so high
Live the dreams you search but can't find.

Yes, they fly, fly by my window
Flyin' so free, yeah
Yes, they fly, fly by my window.

Yes, those bright diamonds once were stone
Rollin' down a silver stream.
Yes, those bright diamonds once were stone.

Ohhhhhh.

Ohhhhhh.



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / The Midnight Special.

In 1926, a 10-year-old Arkansas girl helping her father hoe weeds in a cotton field spotted something unusual gleaming in the dirt. She picked up what she called a “pretty pebble” and kept it as a curiosity. Little did Alice Taylor know that her pocket-sized treasure was a 27.21-carat rough diamond — believed to be the second-largest diamond ever discovered in Arkansas. Now, a century after its discovery, the celebrated stone has returned to its home state for a special exhibition at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.



For roughly 20 years after it was found, the diamond remained an unrecognized family keepsake. After Alice grew up and married, becoming Mrs. Pelie Howell, she stored the stone in a small leather pouch in her dresser drawer. Its adventures included an accidental disappearance beneath the family’s porch, where one of her children had dropped it through a knothole. The shiny pebble was recovered about a year later when another child crawled underneath the porch looking for hidden chicken eggs.

The family eventually began to wonder whether the stone might be more than an ordinary rock. One day, Howell accidentally dragged it across her iron stove and discovered that it scratched the metal without suffering any apparent damage. Suspecting it could be a diamond, she and her husband took it to jewelers in nearby Searcy. Their hopes were met with laughter and skepticism.

The objection seemed logical: Arkansas’s famous diamond-bearing volcanic formation is near Murfreesboro, far from Searcy. The two towns are approximately 163 miles apart. How could a diamond have ended up in a cotton field so far from the state’s recognized diamond source?

The mystery has never been definitively solved. One theory suggests that Native Americans may have discovered the stone near Murfreesboro centuries earlier and traded it north. Whatever its journey, the diamond had spent two decades in the Howell family’s possession before its true identity was established.

In May 1946, the stone was sent to specialists, who confirmed that it was a genuine 27.21-carat diamond. Tiffany & Co. purchased it from Howell for a reported $8,500 — a remarkable windfall for a modest family. The money reportedly enabled her to buy a new home and pay off the mortgage on her parents’ farm, the very property where she had found the diamond as a child.

Tiffany chose not to cut or polish the stone. Instead, the company preserved it in its original rough form, maintaining the appearance of the remarkable crystal that had emerged from the Arkansas soil. It subsequently became part of the Tiffany Archives in New York.

Now, the Arkansas Diamond is taking center stage in “Nature Adorned: The Artistry of Tiffany & Co. and the American Imagination,” on view at Crystal Bridges from October 9, 2026, through March 29, 2027. The exhibition also includes two other notable diamonds discovered in Arkansas, alongside exceptional Tiffany jewelry and works from the museum’s collection.



Jewelry highlights include naturalistic orchid brooches created by George Paulding Farnham in the late 19th century, as well as Jean Schlumberger’s elaborate "Hedges and Flowers" necklace and iconic "Bird on a Rock" creations.



The "Hedges and Flowers" necklace (1978-1987) features intense pinkish-red tourmalines, turquoise and brilliant round diamonds set in gold and platinum.



The Bird on a Rock brooch (1965) captures a majestic, hand-sculpted platinum bird accented with 18-karat yellow gold perched atop a vibrant blue-violet tanzanite. The bird is pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds and features a bezel-set pink sapphire for its eye.

Credits: Images courtesy of Tiffany & Co. Archives.

A dazzling 24-carat pink diamond with a remarkable 70-year family history is preparing for its first-ever auction appearance. Known as "The Bulgari Pink," the emerald-cut gem will headline Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva on November 10, with an estimate of $12 million to $18 million. Its story spans India’s legendary diamond fields, the glamour of postwar Rome, and generations of private ownership by a distinguished European noble family.



According to family lore, the rough diamond was acquired in India during the 1950s by the current owner’s great-grandfather. Its precise origin has not been confirmed, but Christie’s notes that its exceptional qualities evoke historic diamonds from India’s fabled Golconda mines, which supplied some of the world’s most celebrated gems. The stone was subsequently entrusted to Bulgari in Rome, where it was transformed into the elegant ring we see today.

The diamond’s Fancy Intense Pink color grade is a major part of its appeal. Pink diamonds owe their distinctive hue to distortions in their crystal structure that affect how light travels through the stone. The Bulgari Pink’s rectangular step cut, commonly known as an emerald cut, gives it a sophisticated architectural appearance, with broad, mirror-like facets that showcase its color and clarity.

It is also classified as a Type IIa diamond, a chemically pure category representing less than 2% of gem-quality diamonds. Its 24-carat size, pink color and refined cut make it an extraordinary combination. Fancy Intense Pink sits just below Fancy Vivid Pink, the highest color-saturation grade in this classification, adding another intriguing dimension to the gem’s auction prospects.

Bulgari’s role in the diamond’s transformation connects it to one of jewelry’s most glamorous eras. During the 1950s, Rome emerged as an international center of postwar sophistication, earning the nickname “Hollywood on the Tiber” as major film productions attracted movie stars to Cinecittà Studios. Bulgari’s boutique on Via Condotti became a social and cultural meeting place for celebrated couples, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer.

The Bulgari Pink remained in the same family’s private hands for more than seven decades, never previously appearing at public auction. Christie’s will offer the ring during its November 10 sale at Geneva’s Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, with the jewel scheduled for public viewing November 5–10.

Other Fancy Intense Pink diamonds have commanded impressive prices. In June 2024, the 10.20-carat, internally flawless Eden Rose sold at Christie’s for $13.29 million. In November 2023, the 15.48-carat Pink Supreme achieved $10.81 million at Christie’s Hong Kong.

Fancy Vivid Pink diamonds have reached even more astonishing heights. The 59.60-carat CTF Pink Star sold for approximately $71.2 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2017, setting a world auction record for a gemstone. In 2022, the 11.15-carat Williamson Pink Star brought in $57.7 million, setting a record price per carat for a gemstone.

Credit: Image courtesy of Christie's.

For nearly 600 years, a small ceramic jug buried near Moscow held a secret fortune in silver. When archaeologists unearthed it in the historic Russian city of Kolomna, they found more than 2,600 medieval coins, including more than 350 previously unknown varieties that are expanding researchers’ understanding of the region’s money supply in the 1420s.



Archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences uncovered the jug in a shallow natural pit in Kolomna’s medieval settlement, near the city’s Kremlin. The vessel itself is an intriguing artifact, described by researchers as a small, elegant ceramic jug decorated with engobe, a colored clay coating applied to its surface.

Inside were more than 2,600 silver dengi, the principal coin denomination circulating in the region at the time. Each coin was worth half a kopek. The word dengi, the plural of denga, eventually became the modern Russian word for money.

The coins date primarily to the reigns of two Moscow grand princes: Vasily I Dmitrievich, who ruled from 1389 to 1425, and his son Vasily II Vasilyevich, known as "the Blind," who ruled from 1425 to 1462. The latest coins were minted during the second half of the 1420s, helping researchers establish when the treasure was probably buried.



What makes the discovery especially exciting is its remarkable variety. More than 350 previously unknown types of Kolomna coins have already been identified. Many were minted locally during the final years of Vasily I’s reign and feature an unusual image of a bird in flight. Such coins are exceptionally rare in hoards discovered elsewhere, and some specimens are so rare that they are absent from the collections of Russia’s largest museums.



Tiny differences in coin designs can reveal which dies — the engraved tools used to strike coins — produced them. By examining these variations and connections between dies, specialists hope to reconstruct the sequence of coin production in Kolomna over at least 15 years. The hoard may also help identify the final issues of the city’s distinctive bird-design coins.

For archaeologists, the coins are more than a buried fortune. Preserved together in their original grouping, they provide an unusually detailed picture of the money changing hands in medieval Kolomna — and a remarkable opportunity to recover a lost chapter of Russia’s economic history.

The collection’s composition offers a glimpse into Kolomna’s economic importance. A major center of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the city was second only to Moscow itself in significance within the principality. The predominance of grand-princely coins reflects the region’s distinctive monetary system.

So, who owned the treasure? Its considerable size suggests a wealthy individual, perhaps a high-ranking official serving the grand prince, a local administrator or a successful merchant. Yet the owner apparently never returned to retrieve it.

Researchers believe the jug was buried in the late 1420s, a period when epidemics swept through the cities of medieval Rus’. They suggest its owner may have died during an outbreak between 1425 and 1427, leaving the fortune hidden underground. This remains a theory, however. No evidence has identified the owner or established exactly what happened.

Credits: Photos courtesy of The Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

For families across the American heartland, a giant pile of corn kernels can be the perfect place for little ones to dig, scoop, tumble and play while Mom snaps adorable fall photos. But amid the pumpkin patches, hayrides, apple cider donuts — and corn pits — there’s a surprising hazard that can turn a carefree autumn outing into a jewelry owner’s nightmare.



Here's the problem: When thousands of kernels rub against one another, they release a fine, powdery residue of corn starch. As children and adults plunge their hands into the corn, that dust coats their fingers and reduces the natural friction that helps keep rings in place. An engagement ring that normally fits securely can suddenly become slippery enough to slide off without its owner even noticing.

Add the constant motion of digging, scooping and reaching through a deep bed of kernels, and a precious ring can disappear in a blink. Cooler autumn temperatures may make the problem worse if fingers shrink slightly in the chill, leaving a ring with an even looser fit.

The danger isn’t theoretical. In October 2023, Gull Meadow Farms in Kalamazoo County, MI, reported that a visitor had found an engagement ring in its 1,500-square-foot Corn Crib. The farm appealed to the public for help locating the owner, carefully withholding a photo so the rightful owner would have to identify the ring.

Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Jess Tran’s diamond wedding ring vanished during a family visit to Waldoch Farm. She didn’t realize it was missing until she and her husband were preparing to leave with their three young sons. The ring had disappeared into what must have seemed like an endless sea of corn.

Tran rented a metal detector and returned to the farm before it opened. After searching, she recovered her ring — along with another person’s earring and some stray coins. Her relief was enormous. As she told the Star Tribune, “My heart just started pounding.” She said she began screaming and crying, feeling as if she were being proposed to all over again.

At Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze, also in Minnesota, jewelry losses were so frequent that the operators kept metal detectors on hand. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, keys and cellphones all found their way into the kernels.

Finding a lost ring in a corn pit is no easy task. Kernels shift and settle, concealing jewelry beneath layers of nearly identical pieces. Even if a farm has a metal detector, recovery can mean a painstaking search — and there’s no guarantee the ring will be found.

Fortunately, the simplest solution is also the most effective: remove engagement rings, wedding bands and other loose jewelry before entering a corn pit. Store them securely at home or in a safe place before the family outing begins. Check for warning signs at the entrance, too.

Corn pits are meant to create happy fall memories, not heartbreaking jewelry mysteries. With a little preparation, parents can focus on the giggles, the photo opportunities and the pumpkin-spiced treats — without worrying that a family heirloom might vanish beneath the kernels.

Credit: Image by The Jeweler Blog using aichatapp.ai.

In Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Arrows,” David Crosby reflects on hardship and transformation through these memorable lyrics: “I have a thing about arrows / And diamonds and coal / Pressure turning carbon to jewels.” These opening lines offer a powerful reminder that life’s most challenging experiences can become the raw material for personal transformation. Just as pressure can turn carbon into a diamond, adversity can force a person to confront painful truths, discover inner strength and emerge with a renewed sense of purpose.



Welcome to Music Friday, when we highlight songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics.

For Crosby, the metaphor carried a deeply personal resonance. The song’s imagery of arrows turned inward suggests that growth begins not by blaming others, but by examining one’s own choices and weaknesses. Its uplifting message — “You can turn it around” — offers hope that even after hitting bottom, a person can find a path to the top.

Co-written by Crosby and acoustic guitarist Michael Hedges, “Arrows” appeared as the ninth track on Crosby, Stills & Nash’s sixth studio album, Live It Up, released in June of 1990. Although the song was never issued as a commercial single, the album reached No. 57 on the Billboard 200.
The timing of the song is significant. By the mid-1980s, Crosby’s long struggle with cocaine and heroin addiction had devastated his health and career. In 1986, he began serving a prison sentence in Texas for drug and weapons offenses. Without access to drugs or musical instruments, he endured a painful withdrawal and was released on parole later that year.

Crosby would later describe prison as an experience that helped save his life. His path to recovery was neither simple nor painless, but it marked the beginning of a remarkable comeback. By the time Live It Up arrived, he was sober and had begun rebuilding his personal life, including marrying Jan Dance in 1987.

Against that backdrop, the song’s diamond imagery becomes more than a poetic flourish. The coal represents a person’s darkest moments; the pressure represents the difficult work of facing them. And the jewel represents the possibility of becoming stronger and wiser without pretending the past never happened. The arrows turned inward are not weapons of self-destruction, but instruments of honest self-examination.

Crosby’s journey gave this message particular weight. A founding member of the Byrds before joining Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, he helped shape the harmonies and sound of a generation. Crosby, Stills & Nash became one of the defining supergroups of the late 1960s and 1970s, earning a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1970. With Neil Young joining them at various points, the expanded lineup became Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Across their different configurations, the musicians sold tens of millions of records and left an enduring mark on rock music. The trio was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Crosby died in January 2023 at age 81, but Stills and Nash remain living links to the group’s extraordinary legacy.

Please check out the audio track of Crosby, Stills & Nash performing "Arrows." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Arrows"
Written by David Crosby and Michael Hedges. Performed by Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Arrows turned inward are good for the soul
I have a thing about arrows
And diamonds and coal
Pressure turning carbon to jewels

Slowly they aim at my iron mark
Flaming healing arrows
They beat at my heart
Angels turning metal to tools

I don't care what you think has got you down
You can turn it around
I don't care what you think, turn it around
Turn it around, turn it around

Times that I knew I could never get through
That's when I grew up the most
And alone sounds so sad
But alone I found the best friend I had

I don't care what you think has got you down
You can turn it around
I don't care what you think, turn it around
Turn it around, turn it around

Arrows turned inward are good for the soul
Piercing through every callus
They always get through
My target is a heart no one fools

Turn it around, turn it around
Turn it around, turn it around



Credit: Photo by Eddi Laumanns aka RX-Guru, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

For the first time, holiday retail sales in the United States are expected to top $1 trillion, with consumers continuing to prioritize gifts and celebrations despite inflation, rising gasoline prices and an uneven economic outlook. The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts that November and December sales will reach $1.013 trillion, a 4.2% increase over 2025.



The projection marks an acceleration from last year, when holiday sales increased 3.1% to $972 billion. If the forecast holds, this year would deliver the strongest holiday sales growth since 2021, when sales surged 12.6%.

“This year’s forecast reflects our confidence that consumers will prioritize the holiday season even as they remain mindful of their budgets,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

Speaking during an October 15 media call, Shay emphasized that Americans have consistently made holiday spending on loved ones a priority.

“They’ve repeatedly shown that the holidays and spending on loved ones are priorities,” he said.

Still, the record-breaking forecast comes with an important caveat: Not all households are experiencing the economy in the same way. NRF leaders described a K-shaped spending pattern, in which higher-income consumers continue to drive a disproportionate share of retail growth, while households with tighter budgets remain more cautious.

NRF Chief Economist and Executive Director of Research Mark Mathews said rising financial wealth is supporting spending among affluent households, while higher gas and food prices are putting greater pressure on moderate- and lower-income consumers. In some retail sectors, Mathews noted during the call, the top 10% of spenders account for as much as 70% of sales.

The forecast offers reason for optimism, particularly among shoppers with room in their budgets for meaningful gifts. Consumers are expected to remain deliberate and value-conscious, making attractive designs, compelling price points and thoughtful gift options important throughout the season.

US retailers are preparing for the demand by planning to hire between 325,000 and 375,000 seasonal workers, roughly in line with last year’s estimated 356,000 hires.

NRF also expects artificial intelligence to play a larger role in holiday shopping, as consumers increasingly use AI tools to research products and compare options.

The NRF defines the holiday season as November 1 through December 31 and excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants from its retail-sales calculation. Holiday sales have accounted for approximately 19% of annual retail sales over the past five years.

Credit: Image by The Jeweler Blog using aichatapp.ai.

Kylie Jenner made a dazzling Victoria’s Secret runway debut on October 18 in Los Angeles, wearing a jewel-encrusted $50 million Fantasy Bra that sets a new record for the lingerie brand’s most valuable creation. Designed in collaboration with luxury jeweler Jacob & Co., the extraordinary piece features 4,410 natural diamonds totaling 1,373 carats, anchored by a spectacular 75.54-carat Fancy Vivid yellow diamond valued at $22 million.



The record-setting price tag is more than triple that of the previous champion, Gisele Bündchen’s $15 million Red Hot Fantasy Bra, unveiled in 2000. Jenner’s appearance also marked the first time the Fantasy Bra had returned to the Victoria’s Secret runway since 2018.

Graded VS2 by the Gemological Institute of America, the natural Fancy Vivid yellow diamond dangles below two round brilliant white diamonds totaling 11.85 carats. The surrounding diamonds showcase seven different cuts, including radiant, pear, round brilliant, heart, oval, marquise and designer Jacob Arabo’s proprietary Angel-Cut.



The design also incorporates 91 large natural white diamonds, ranging from 5.01 to 18.59 carats, selected in E-F color and VVS2-VS1 clarity grades. Smaller diamonds fill the spaces between the larger stones, creating a brilliant, continuous display of light.

The Angel-Cut carries a personal meaning for Arabo and his wife, Angela. Its 37 facets symbolize the couple’s 37 years of marriage, adding a romantic touch to the spectacular craftsmanship.

Yet the most remarkable feature may be what the Fantasy Bra lacks: fabric. Instead, the piece is built from 18-karat white and yellow gold, with 3,218 individually designed components engineered to articulate with the body. The structure was developed through pencil sketches, a full-scale chipboard model and detailed computer-aided design, then cast using the traditional lost-wax method. Each element was assembled and set by hand.

A team of 15 artisans devoted more than 1,000 hours to the project, carefully balancing the weight of the precious materials with the flexibility required for a runway performance. The finished creation weighs just under four pounds, yet its articulated diamond fringe swings with movement, allowing the piece to catch the light as its wearer walks.

“I wanted to create the most expensive Fantasy Bra ever made, but value alone was never enough,” Arabo said in a statement released by Victoria’s Secret. “For me, it had to be about the diamonds, the light, and the movement.”

The Fantasy Bra tradition began in 1996, when Claudia Schiffer modeled the first creation. Over the years, the designs have transformed lingerie into extraordinary showcases for rare gemstones and jewelry artistry.

Credits: Photos courtesy of Jacob & Co.

A year after introducing its ambitious “Desert Diamonds” initiative, De Beers is bringing the natural diamond concept back into the holiday spotlight with a fresh celebration of warm, earthy colors and timeless jewelry designs. The 2026 campaign reimagines classic diamond pieces in shades of champagne, yellow, ochre, whiskey and brown, inviting a new generation of consumers to embrace natural diamonds as expressions of love, individuality and personal style.



The holiday campaign features familiar favorites, including diamond tennis bracelets, stud earrings, eternity bands and halo solitaire pendants. The designs offer a contemporary twist on traditional diamond jewelry, encouraging consumers to choose pieces that reflect their personalities rather than follow a single definition of diamond beauty. This year's campaign launched with a celebration of Desert diamond tennis bracelets at the US Open, where prominent athletes including Venus Williams, Taylor Townsend and Naomi Osaka appeared wearing the warm-toned gems.



The holiday push arrives nearly one year after De Beers dramatically introduced Desert Diamonds as its first new natural diamond “beacon” in more than a decade. The original launch reached a spectacular crescendo on October 27, 2025, when De Beers declared “Diamond Day” during a rare sports equinox, with the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL all holding games on the same day.



The company bought advertising time across major sports broadcasts in an ambitious “roadblock” designed to make its message virtually impossible to miss. The wider campaign extended across television, digital media, social platforms, outdoor advertising and high-profile New York installations, including a 3D Times Square billboard and a Rockefeller Center subway station takeover.

De Beers describes a beacon as more than a conventional advertising campaign: it is a demand-creation engine intended to inspire interest across the natural diamond category. Early results suggest the strategy made a meaningful impression. Brand-lift studies showed purchase intent for Desert Diamonds more than doubled, rising from 9.4% to 20.8%.

The campaign generated more than 1 billion impressions across channels during the final quarter of 2025 and drove more than 2.7 million store visits across more than 1,600 locations. Searches for colored diamonds rose 19% during the quarter, while participating independent retailers reported a 16% increase in the value of colored diamond sales.

Broader market figures also offered encouragement. According to Tenoris, sales of natural diamond jewelry priced above $1,500 increased 3.4% in units and 9.7% in revenue.

In early 2026, De Beers extended the concept into bridal jewelry, bringing the earthy palette to engagement rings and wedding designs. More than 200 new bridal designs were previewed, giving couples alternatives to traditional colorless diamonds and a way to express their own stories through champagne, honey, blush and cognac hues.

Credits: Video screen captures courtesy of De Beers Group.

What do you give a team that has waited 53 years to reclaim the NBA championship? How about a ring that brings its legendary home court to life? The New York Knicks received their championship jewelry Tuesday night before their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. Crafted in white gold, the spectacular rings feature a groundbreaking mechanical innovation that transforms each piece into a miniature tribute to the World's Most Famous Arena.



Created by luxury jeweler Jason of Beverly Hills in collaboration with Knicks leadership, the custom rings glisten with 22 carats of diamonds. There are approximately 800 gemstones in all, including round brilliant and emerald-cut white diamonds alongside colorful team-color sapphires. The New York Knicks logo is rendered in orange sapphires on the top with a white diamond border. In the background behind the logo, blue sapphires set in a radial pattern mimic the inside of Madison Square Garden when you look up at the stadium from your seats.

But the ring's most remarkable feature isn't its gemstone count or diamond total weight. It's the engineering.



A state-of-the-art mechanism allows a miniature recreation of Madison Square Garden's iconic exterior to rise from the core of the ring with a simple turn. The innovation transforms the ring from a traditional championship keepsake into an interactive miniature tribute to the arena known affectionately as the World's Most Famous Arena.



The surprises continue when the ring is opened. Its body twists apart to reveal a detailed miniature recreation of the Garden's lower bowl, while the underside of the removable ring top recreates the arena's distinctive ceiling architecture. Together, these features capture the place where generations of Knicks fans have celebrated, suffered and dreamed of another title.

Jason Arasheben, founder and CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills, said the goal was to "create something truly revolutionary, worthy of an iconic franchise and a city as passionate about basketball as New York."

Bringing Madison Square Garden to life through the ring's moving mechanisms was central to that vision.

The ring also tells the story of the championship season through an abundance of carefully chosen symbols. Jersey numbers representing the entire championship roster wrap around the ring top — representing the team's unity — while each player's ring is personalized with his last name above a diamond-encrusted jersey number.

On the championship side, the year 2026, playoff series results and the Larry O'Brien Trophy commemorate the team's remarkable postseason journey. A 0.16-carat round diamond set into the trophy honors the Knicks' dramatic 16-point comeback against the San Antonio Spurs in the championship-clinching game.

Sixteen emerald-cut diamonds line the inner bezel, one for each postseason victory, while 69 points of round white diamonds spell out “WORLD CHAMPIONS” on the face of the ring, recognizing the team's combined regular-season and playoff wins.



Hidden engravings add an intimate touch. “Knicks in Five” celebrates the team's five-game Finals triumph over San Antonio, while “10 WEEKS” recalls the players' mantra of sacrifice, discipline and total focus on winning it all.

For a franchise whose previous championship came more than half a century ago, the ceremony carried a special emotional resonance. Eighty-one-year-old Knicks legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Walt Frazier was on hand to deliver the rings, connecting the champions of today with the celebrated teams of the past.

Credits: Images courtesy of Jason of Beverly Hills.

A golden wedding band can be much more than a beautiful piece of jewelry. In Randy Travis’s 1985 country classic “On the Other Hand,” it becomes a powerful reminder of love, loyalty and the promises we make — especially when temptation threatens to lead us astray.



Welcome to Music Friday when we highlight songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, "On the Other Hand" tells the story of a married man who finds himself attracted to another woman. He acknowledges the excitement of a possible romantic encounter but ultimately recognizes that his wedding ring represents something far more valuable than a fleeting thrill.

The song’s central imagery comes into focus with the memorable lines: “But on the other hand, there's a golden band / To remind me of someone who would not understand.”

The wordplay is simple but brilliant. One hand represents the temptation to pursue another romance; the other carries the physical symbol of his marriage. That golden band serves as a tangible connection to his wife and the life they have built together. It is also a reminder that his decisions affect someone who trusts him.

Later, the narrator resolves his internal conflict: “On one hand I could stay and be your lovin' man / But the reason I must go is on the other hand.”

Rather than pretending temptation doesn't exist, the song acknowledges its pull while celebrating the strength to walk away. The ring becomes a moral anchor, transforming a familiar piece of jewelry into an emblem of conscience, fidelity and personal integrity.

Interestingly, the song needed a second chance to become a hit. Warner Bros. Records first released “On the Other Hand” in 1985 as Travis's debut single for the label. It stalled at #67 on Billboard's country chart. After his follow-up single, “1982,” gained traction, the label re-released the song in 1986. This time, “On the Other Hand” climbed to #1, becoming Travis's first chart-topping hit. It also earned the Country Music Association's Song of the Year honor in 1986.

The song helped launch a remarkable career. Born Randy Traywick in North Carolina, Travis moved to Nashville with his manager, Lib Hatcher, and worked as a cook and dishwasher at the Nashville Palace, where he also performed. After years of rejection, he caught the attention of Warner Bros. executive Martha Sharp, who signed him in 1985.

His 1986 debut album, Storms of Life, helped lead country music's return to traditional sounds. Travis went on to win seven Grammy Awards, earn induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016 and sell more than 25 million records worldwide. His enduring hits include “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “Three Wooden Crosses.”

A devastating stroke in 2013 left Travis with aphasia and partial paralysis, profoundly affecting his ability to perform. Yet his connection with fans endures. On his current More Life Tour, Travis greets audiences and celebrates his musical legacy, while country singer James Dupré performs the lead vocals on his classic hits.

Please check out the video of Travis's live performance of "On the Other Hand." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"On the Other Hand"
Written by Don Schlitz and Paul Overstreet. Performed by Randy Travis.

On one hand I count the reasons, I could stay with you
And hold you close to me, all night long.
So many lover's games, I'd love to play with you
On that hand there's no reason why it's wrong

But on the other hand, there's a golden band
To remind me of someone who would not understand.
On one hand I could stay and be your lovin' man
But the reason I must go is on the other hand

In your arms I feel the passion, I thought had died
When I looked into your eyes, I found myself.
And when I first kissed your lips, I felt so alive
I've got to hand it to you girl, you're something else

But on the other hand, there's a golden band
To remind me of someone who would not understand.
On one hand I could stay and be your lovin' man
But the reason I must go is on the other hand
Yeah, the reason I must go is on the other hand



Credit: Photo by Andy1981, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Finding a diamond mine may soon become a little easier — thanks to a surprising clue hidden inside an ordinary mineral. Researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered that tiny amounts of water trapped within olivine crystals can help geologists predict whether underground volcanic formations are likely to contain valuable diamonds. The revelation could save diamond explorers millions of dollars by helping them identify promising deposits before committing to costly drilling and testing.



The discovery, published October 22 in the journal Nature Communications, focuses on the relationship between olivine, water and the extraordinary journey diamonds take from deep inside the Earth to the surface.

To understand why this matters, it helps to know a little about kimberlites. These unusual volcanic rocks originate deep within the Earth, where natural conditions allow diamonds to form. When kimberlite magma surges toward the surface, it can carry diamonds along for the ride, delivering them into deposits that may eventually become mines.

The catch is speed. Diamonds can be damaged or dissolve if the rising magma takes too long to reach the surface. A fast ascent gives them a better chance of surviving the journey intact. Unfortunately, determining whether a particular kimberlite rose quickly enough — and preserved enough diamonds to make mining worthwhile — has traditionally required expensive exploration work.

That's where olivine comes in. One of the most abundant minerals in kimberlite, olivine can retain tiny traces of water within its crystal structure. Researchers found that olivine containing more than 40 parts per million of water is associated with kimberlites that have higher diamond grades. The water acts like a geological speedometer: crystals that retain more water provide evidence that the magma rose rapidly, helping protect its precious cargo. Slower-moving magma allows hydrogen to escape from the crystals and may give diamonds more time to deteriorate.

The practical advantage is substantial. Instead of immediately extracting hundreds or thousands of tons of rock to estimate a deposit's diamond potential, exploration teams can analyze small samples of olivine using a technique called infrared spectroscopy. The relatively inexpensive test measures the mineral's water-related signature, giving geologists another tool for deciding which discoveries deserve further investment.

Although thousands of kimberlite formations have been discovered worldwide, only a small fraction contain enough recoverable diamonds to justify the enormous expense of developing a mine. Estimates commonly put the economically viable share at less than 1%. A reliable early warning that a deposit is unlikely to be productive could therefore prevent millions of dollars from being spent pursuing an unpromising target.

The researchers emphasize that the water content of olivine is a complementary indicator, not a guarantee of a profitable diamond deposit. Nevertheless, the finding adds a valuable new clue to the exploration process.

Credit: Image by Parent Géry, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

For Marvel fans, the Infinity Gauntlet represents almost limitless power. For jewelry lovers, it is an extraordinary showcase of precious gemstones. Now, the one-of-a-kind, gem-encrusted replica inspired by the weapon wielded by Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading to auction for the first time, offering collectors a chance to own a spectacular fusion of fine jewelry and pop culture history.



The nearly 20-inch-tall creation will headline Julien’s Auctions’ Pop Culture Legends evening sale on December 8 at Rosewood Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Unveiled at Marvel’s booth at San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, the gauntlet was valued at $25 million. Julien’s has not published a current auction estimate; prospective bidders must request it privately and receive pre-approval before bidding.



The six gemstones, representing the Infinity Stones that control Time, Space, Reality, Mind, Power and Soul in the Marvel universe, weigh more than 170 carats combined. Each has been certified and authenticated by American Gemological Laboratories, with additional Gemological Institute of America documentation for the diamond.

The colorful collection includes an emerald-cut Colombian emerald representing the Time Stone. Unearthed more than a century ago, the untreated emerald weighs just under 23 carats and had remained in the East Continental Gems collection for more than 30 years before being selected for the project.

The Space Stone is represented by a cushion-cut sapphire weighing more than 30 carats, sourced from Madagascar. A natural oval-shaped ruby from Mozambique, weighing more than 15 carats, represents the Reality Stone. The Power Stone is a natural oval-shaped amethyst weighing more than 35 carats, while a cushion-cut spessartite garnet of more than 35 carats embodies the Soul Stone. Completing the spectacular six is a high-clarity, intensely colored, rectangular brilliant-cut yellow diamond weighing nearly 35 carats, representing the Mind Stone.

The idea for the project began in 2019, when Adam Mirzoeff, CEO of New York-based East Continental Gems, spotted a toy Infinity Gauntlet on a senior Marvel executive’s desk and jokingly suggested creating a real one. Inspired by watching Avengers: Endgame with his children, Mirzoeff became fascinated by the gemstones’ central role in the story and wondered whether Marvel had ever assembled an actual collection of corresponding precious stones. It had not.

Marvel and East Continental Gems subsequently collaborated to bring the concept to life. Marvel provided access to the layered design files behind the gauntlet seen on screen, enabling the jeweler to reproduce the original prop’s form while replacing its fictional stones with genuine gemstones selected for their color, size and character.

For East Continental Gems, a family business operating from the same New York office since 1972, the commission was an exceptional opportunity to combine gemstone expertise with cinematic storytelling. When the gauntlet made its debut in 2022, its novelty and $25 million valuation attracted worldwide attention.

Now, four years later, the remarkable creation is being offered for sale for the first time. The winning bidder will receive the original fitted presentation case, full gemological certification and a signed certificate of authenticity from Jim Starlin, the creator of the original Marvel Comics Infinity Gauntlet storyline.

Credits: Images courtesy of Julien's Auctions.

More than 300 extraordinary jewels worn, commissioned and cherished by British monarchs will take center stage in a landmark exhibition at Buckingham Palace, offering an unprecedented look at five centuries of royal style, ceremony and personal history.



“Royal Jewellery: From Coronations to Keepsakes” will run from June 25, 2027, through March 19, 2028, at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, in London. The Royal Collection Trust announced the exhibition as the first ever to explore 500 years of British royal jewelry, from the 16th century to the present day. Approximately two-thirds of the pieces will be exhibited publicly for the first time, alongside paintings, designs and historical documents from the Royal Collection and Royal Archives.

The exhibition will trace jewelry’s role in shaping the monarchy’s public image while revealing more intimate stories of love, family, grief and remembrance. Its treasures range from creations by royal goldsmiths to designs associated with celebrated houses including Garrard, Cartier, Boucheron and Fabergé.

Among the most recognizable pieces is George IV’s Diamond Diadem, created for his lavish 1821 coronation. Made by royal jewelers Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, the striking headpiece features 1,333 diamonds set in silver and gold, including a four-carat pale-yellow diamond. Its design incorporates roses, thistles and shamrocks representing England, Scotland and Ireland. Queen Elizabeth II later made the diadem internationally famous by wearing it on her way to her 1953 coronation and in portraits reproduced on coins, banknotes and stamps.



Another historic highlight is Queen Victoria’s Small Diamond Crown, commissioned from Garrard in 1870. Set with 1,187 diamonds in an openwork silver frame, it was designed to sit comfortably above the widow’s cap Victoria wore following the death of Prince Albert. The crown became so closely associated with the queen that it was placed on her coffin when she lay in state.



Victoria’s emotional connection to jewelry is also represented by her sapphire wedding brooch, a diamond-accented sapphire gift from Albert on the eve of their wedding in 1840. The piece reflects the Victorian tradition of using jewelry to commemorate defining moments in a relationship.



The exhibition will also feature a necklace from Queen Charlotte’s garnet jewels, a late-18th-century collection newly connected to the wife of George III through recent research.

A Fabergé aquamarine and diamond pendant, dated 1909, represents the artistry of the celebrated Russian jewelry house. The Royal Collection Trust identifies it as a gift from Queen Mary to her granddaughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II.



Also on view for the first time will be the spectacular Greville emerald and diamond necklace, part of the bequest made by society figure Dame Margaret Greville to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

As co-curators Caroline de Guitaut and Kathryn Jones explain, each jewel carries a human story of “love and loss, power and politics, family and faith.” The exhibition promises visitors an unusually personal perspective on the people behind the monarchy’s most enduring symbols.

The official Crown Jewels, which remain on display at the Tower of London, are not included in this exhibition.

Credits: Images courtesy of © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust.

An exceptional pink diamond weighing 8.41 carats will take the spotlight at Christie’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels Autumn Auction on November 24, where rare colored gemstones and iconic jewelry designs will mark the 40th anniversary of Christie’s Asia.



Known as “The Pink Petal,” the pear-shaped diamond is graded Fancy Vivid purple-pink, the highest level of color intensity in the Gemological Institute of America’s grading system for colored diamonds. It also boasts VS1 clarity, indicating very slight inclusions, and is described as potentially Type IIa, a chemically pure category prized among diamond collectors.

The gem carries a pre-sale estimate of HK$65 million to HK$95 million, or approximately US$8.3 million to US$12 million.

Its potential price reflects the extraordinary scarcity of vivid pink diamonds, particularly in substantial sizes. Christie’s notes that fewer than 10% of pink diamonds weigh more than one-fifth of a carat, while only about 4% possess the deep, saturated color needed to qualify as Fancy Vivid. Type IIa diamonds account for less than 2% of gem-quality diamonds.

Pink diamonds are especially fascinating because their color arises differently from that of many other colored diamonds. Yellow diamonds, for example, typically owe their hue to nitrogen impurities. Pink diamonds develop their color through distortions in the diamond’s crystal lattice caused by intense geological pressure as they form deep within the Earth. The resulting changes in how the stone absorbs light create its pink appearance.

Their scarcity has become even more pronounced since the closure of Australia’s Argyle mine in 2020, which had supplied the vast majority of the world’s pink diamonds.

Three other exceptional jewels will help anchor the November sale.



An Art Deco Cartier brooch features a 10.10-carat Burmese ruby graded “pigeon’s blood,” a coveted designation for a ruby’s intense, pure red color. The ruby is unheated, meaning it has not undergone heat treatment to alter its appearance. Estimated at HK$40 million to HK$60 million (approximately US$5.2 million to US$7.7 million), the brooch combines a celebrated design period with a highly desirable gemstone.



Another stunner is a 21.05-carat Kashmir sapphire-and-diamond ring mounted by Cartier. The unheated sapphire’s rich, velvety “royal blue” color and impressive size make it a standout among the auction’s colored gemstones. Its estimate is HK$30 million to HK$50 million (approximately US$3.9 million to US$6.4 million).



Completing the trio is a dramatic 100.16-carat Burmese sapphire-and-diamond pendant showcasing an unheated sapphire also described as “royal blue.” Its estimate is HK$20 million to HK$30 million, or roughly US$2.3 million to US$3.6 million.

The four jewels are among more than 120 lots in a sale spanning natural pearls, jadeite, emeralds and signed creations by leading jewelry houses. Before returning to Hong Kong, selected highlights will travel to Bangkok, October 29–30; Geneva, November 6–10; and Shanghai, November 9–13. The Hong Kong preview is scheduled for November 18–24 at Christie’s Asia Pacific headquarters, ahead of the November 24 auction.

Credits: Images courtesy of Christie's.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you wonderful tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. In The Temptations’ soulful 2010 song “Let Me Catch Your Diamonds,” the precious gemstone becomes a powerful symbol of devotion and redemption. The song is an especially fitting choice for Music Friday as founding member Otis Williams celebrates his 85th birthday today, October 30.



Featured on the group’s album Still Here, the mid-tempo love song follows a man desperate to rekindle a relationship he damaged. He acknowledges the hurt he caused and wants to make amends, restore their passion and prove that he can be the partner she deserves.

The song’s recurring plea captures that determination: “Let me catch your diamonds / I’ll be there for you baby / I’ll be there for you baby, this time around.”

Here, diamonds are more than symbols of romance or luxury. They represent the tears his former partner has shed because of his mistakes. By asking to “catch” those diamonds, he promises to be present when she hurts, offering comfort instead of adding to her sadness. The image also suggests a deeper commitment: he wants to protect what remains of their shared history and create a future in which painful memories give way to happier ones.

That layered symbolism makes the song’s title particularly effective. Diamonds are enduring, just as memories can be, but the protagonist understands that lasting love requires more than beautiful promises. His appeal for another chance is an acknowledgment that devotion must be demonstrated through changed behavior.

“Let Me Catch Your Diamonds” was co-written by Williams and musician, producer and songwriter Johnny Britt. Britt also contributed trumpet and flugelhorn to the track, while Williams handled the vocal arrangement. The song appears as the fourth track on Still Here.

Williams’ birthday offers a moment to celebrate a remarkable musical legacy. Born in Texarkana, TX, in 1941, he helped form The Temptations in Detroit in 1960, bringing together members of two local vocal groups. The quintet soon signed with Motown Records and rose to international fame with such enduring hits as “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Get Ready,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.”

The group broke new ground at Motown, becoming the label’s first act to win a Grammy. The Temptations' song "Cloud Nine" was voted the Best Rhythm & Blues Performance of 1969. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and later received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

More than 65 years after their formation, The Temptations are still touring, with Williams remaining the last surviving original member and guiding the group’s continuing performances. Their longevity gives “Let Me Catch Your Diamonds” an added resonance: like a treasured jewel, a great song can carry its meaning across generations.

Please check out the audio track of The Temptations performing "Let Me Catch Your Diamonds." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Let Me Catch Your Diamonds"
Written by Johnny Britt and Otis Williams.

Diamonds. Diamonds.

For so long I wanted to call
Just to say "I'm sorry"
I can't forget how we first met
Such a wonderful story

I shoulda' known then
I hada' make amends for everything I did that was wrong
Tickle my nerve, I must confess just how much I miss you

What did you do?
Waiting alone here by the phone to hear you

What did you say?
All that I do is think of you, I miss you

Gotta let her know.
Girl, it's alright you gotta know, I need you

I'm here to stay
I need to have you near me
I need you in every way

Darling, I'm sorry for all the wrong that I have done

Let me catch your diamonds
Oh baby I'll be good to you
I'll be there for you baby

Let me catch your diamonds
I'll be there for you baby
I'll be there for you baby, this time around

Never again like that way I used to see you cryin'
A man of my word, I'll honor you until the day I die
Let's go away, far away, restore our joy and passion
Me and you, the love we knew, what a physical attraction

What did you do?
I gave her my hand, I promised to be faithful
What did she say?
That I was a man, for that I am so grateful

What'd you let her know?
I don't need nobody. It's all about you
I'm here to stay
I'm so happy that I am back with you

Let me catch your diamonds
I'll be good to you. I'll be good to you, baby
Let me catch your diamonds
This time around

Don't try to hold back the tears
Yes, I did, baby
Try to hold back the tears
I'll be good this time

I'll be good, better than ever, baby
I'll be good to you, baby
Yes I will

Let me catch your diamonds
Let me catch your diamonds
All of me, all of you, let me show you my love

Let me catch your diamonds
Better believe it, baby
All of me, all of you, let me show you my love

Let me catch your diamonds
Let me catch your diamonds, yeah
Let me catch your diamonds

Let me catch your diamonds



Credits: Image by Foto: Stefan Brending, Lizenz: Creative Commons by-sa-3.0 de, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons.