tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-150940432024-03-18T04:55:21.259-06:00Susan Eisen's BlogA blog published by Susan Eisen that has columns on all the latest jewelry fashions, news, and store information.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-58372453317170861182024-03-18T04:54:00.003-06:002024-03-18T04:54:31.603-06:00Nasa: 'Necklace Nebula' Formed When One Aging Star Engulfed Another<p>Fifteen-thousand light years away in the northern constellation of Sagitta (the Arrow), a pair of aging Sun-like stars orbited each other so closely that the larger of the two eventually completely engulfed the other.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/necklacenebulaforface3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32927" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/necklacenebulaforface3.jpg?w=600" /></a></p>
<p>Nasa scientists believe that the smaller star continued orbiting inside its dominant companion, increasing the giant’s rotation rate. The bloated companion star spun so fast that a large part of its gaseous envelope expanded into space.</p>
<p>Due to centrifugal force, most of the gas escaped along the star’s equator, producing bright diamond-like flashes that are actually clumps of dense gas that span 12 trillion miles.</p>
<p>The Hubble telescope captured a beautiful pic of what Nasa has nicknamed the "Necklace Nebula." The space agency shared the photo last week on its Hubble telescope Instagram page, <em><strong><a data-id="https://www.instagram.com/nasahubble/" data-type="link" href="https://www.instagram.com/nasahubble/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a></strong></em>. As of Sunday night, the post titled "Happy #JewelDay!" has earned more than 84,000 Likes.</p>
<p>Nasa explained that the dominant star and its companion are only a few million miles apart, and appear in the photo as a single bright dot at the center of the formation. Radiating from the center, one can see the glow of oxygen (green), hydrogen (blue) and nitrogen (red).</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Image courtesy of ESA/Hubble & NASA, K. Noll.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-74474242809908653632024-03-15T05:20:00.004-06:002024-03-15T05:20:29.378-06:00Music Friday: Thomas Dolby Sings, 'You Were a Shining Pearl in a Broken Shell'<p>Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you wonderful tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, the brainy British performer who blinded us with science in 1982, admits to being “Cruel” in a deeply personal song about an emotionally lopsided romance. Thomas Dolby, with a sweet assist from Eddi Reader, uses jewelry imagery to tell the story of a thoughtless boyfriend who refuses to change his ways.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/dolby3.1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32913" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/dolby3.1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>He sings, “You were a shining pearl / In a broken shell / Under moonlight / And I was cruel.”</p>
<p>Dolby and Reader trade verses throughout the song, but join voices in a line about chasing false hope.</p>
<p>Together they sing, “But when my tears are washed away / You’ll still be blind / Skin-diving / For jewels.”</p>
<p>“Cruel” was released in 1992 as the second track from Dolby’s fourth studio album <em>Astronauts & Heretics</em>. Although the song failed to meet the commercial success of his biggest hit, “She Blinded Me With Science,” Dolby told PopMatters.com in 2008 that “Cruel” was one of three songs that best defined him as an artist.</p>
<p>When asked by PopMatters.com what he wanted to be remembered for, he answered, “My more obscure songs like ‘Screen Kiss,’ ‘I Love You Goodbye’ and ‘Cruel.’ I think it’s inevitable when you have hits as big as I had with 'She Blinded Me With Science' and 'Hyperactive,' that still get played on the radio 20 years later, people will tend to assume those songs define your music. But in my case, the music I really care most about is my quieter, more personal side.”</p>
<p>Thomas Morgan Robertson was born in London in 1958. The son of a distinguished professor of classical Greek art and archaeology, Dolby sang in a choir at age 11 and learned to sight-read music shortly thereafter. The artist’s stage name is a nod to Dolby noise-reduction cassettes. His schoolmates razzed him about the Dolby cassette player that he carried everywhere.</p>
<p>Dolby is primarily known for synth-pop, a subgenre of New Wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s. Dolby said he “got his hands on a kit-built synthesizer and never looked back.”</p>
<p>Early in his career, he promoted himself as a kind of musical mad scientist. Later on, he would become a technology entrepreneur in Silicon Valley.</p>
<p>He is currently the head of the Peabody Conservatory’s Music for New Media program at Johns Hopkins University. The four-time Grammy nominee will be touring this summer with appearances scheduled for Riverside, CA; Phoenix, AZ; Irving, TX; Houston, TX; Boston, MA; Atlantic City, NJ; Rochester Hills, MI; Cincinnati, OH; Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; and London, UK.</p>
<p>Please check out the audio track of Dolby and Welsh songstress Reader singing “Cruel.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…</p>
<p><strong>“Cruel”</strong><br />
Written by Thomas Dolby. Performed by Dolby, featuring Eddi Reader.</p>
<p>Cruel – what a thing to do<br />
I’ve been cruel to you such a long time<br />
And how can I hide my shame<br />
‘Cause there I go again<br />
At the wrong time</p>
<p>And I know that it was just the fear of flying<br />
And I know it’s hard to keep myself from crying<br />
But when my tears are washed away<br />
You’ll still be blind<br />
Skin-diving<br />
For jewels</p>
<p>You were a shining pearl<br />
In a broken shell<br />
Under moonlight<br />
And I was cruel</p>
<p>And I know that it was just the fear of flying<br />
And I know it’s hard to keep myself from crying<br />
But when my tears are washed away<br />
You’ll still be blind<br />
Skin-diving<br />
For jewels</p>
<p>Cruel – I’ve been such a fool<br />
And I’ll be missing you<br />
Such a long time<br />
I was cruel</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f_yLInynbjY?si=Rw21JAi5uLVhBF4M" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Image by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Dolby_2018.jpg">DavidWeesner</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-39682432290397467302024-03-13T05:01:00.003-06:002024-03-13T05:01:33.736-06:00Jewelers Mutual Offers Tips for Traveling Confidently With Fine Jewelry in Tow<p>With many of you starting to plan your summer vacations, it's important to take note of the best ways to safeguard your fine jewelry when traveling. The importance of getting this right can't be overstated. In a recent survey by Jewelers Mutual (JM), nearly all respondents admitted to bringing their treasured pieces with them on holiday, while a surprisingly large chunk also reported suffering a loss.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/travelsurvey1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32893" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/travelsurvey1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>For many women, their engagement ring is, by far, the most expensive piece of jewelry they possess, yet a whopping 87% of respondents regularly travel with this precious keepsake.</p>
<p>The pleasure of wearing your best jewelry on holiday has to be weighed against the risks. The JM survey revealed that a whopping 35% of respondents reported losing jewelry away from home. (Hotel rooms emerged as the most common location for such misfortunes).</p>
<p>JM recommends balancing fashion options with the purpose of your trip. If you are going to a beachy resort, you may get away with a few pieces of casual jewelry or no jewelry at all. If you're traveling for work or attending a destination wedding, it's likely your better jewelry will be making the trip.</p>
<p>Says JM, be sure to take an inventory of the pieces you choose to bring for your records. Pack them securely in your carry-on bag and wear any jewelry that reasonably suits your traveling attire. For added security, avoid wearing overly flashy or expensive jewelry while traveling.</p>
<p>Make sure to keep the carry-on bag in your sight at all times. That includes offers of help from airport staff, cab drivers, bellhops and the like.</p>
<p>If you do decide to remove your jewelry for whatever reason, put it into your carry-on bag, not in a TSA bin or bowl.</p>
<p>Never, never, never pack your fine jewelry in checked luggage.</p>
<p>According to the JM survey, approximately 40% of respondents said they insure their travel jewelry. Yet, nearly half of these individuals rely on their homeowners' policies, which typically have lower, insufficient coverage limits for jewelry.</p>
<p>In fact, about 50% of travelers attested they were uncertain whether their insurance policies provided adequate coverage while traveling abroad.</p>
<p>Travelers with insurance were more likely to secure their jewelry in hotel safes and dedicated travel cases, while those without insurance tended to keep their jewelry close by during their travels, reported JM.</p>
<p>The JM study also revealed that younger adults are more likely to opt for specialized jewelry insurance, recognizing the unique advantages it offers in safeguarding their precious possessions beyond traditional homeowners' or renters' policies.</p>
<p>"Our goal is to educate and empower consumers to safeguard their jewelry so they can wear it without worry,” said Howard Stone, vice president of Global Risk Services and Analytics at Jewelers Mutual. “The insights gained from our latest study underscore the need for more informed decision-making when it comes to traveling with jewelry, and we are committed to being a trusted advisor for loss prevention education and helping consumers keep themselves and their jewelry safe."</p>
<p>The Jewelers Mutual study of 300 adults was conducted in August of 2023 by usertesting.com via an online survey.</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Image by BigStockPhoto.com.</em></small></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-10842067393165131332024-03-11T05:04:00.003-06:002024-03-11T05:04:20.939-06:00Panamanian Archeologists Recover Golden Treasures From 1,200-Year-Old Tomb<p>Panamanian archeologists have recovered a trove of golden treasures from the 1,200-year-old tomb of a powerful chief at El Caño, an ancient necropolis about 110 miles southwest of Panama City in Coclé province.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/panama3.1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32870" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/panama3.1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Among the artifacts discovered in the tomb were gold breastplates, gold bracelets, gold belts adorned with gold beads, gold-clad whale teeth earrings, a set of gold plates and gold earrings in the likenesses of a man, woman and crocodile.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/panama3.3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32868" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/panama3.3.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Also in the funerary trousseau were two bells, skirts made with dog teeth and a set of bone flutes.</p>
<p>A more disturbing finding was that the tomb held as many as 32 other occupants, who were likely sacrificed to accompany the powerful leader to the "beyond." The archeologists said the chief was buried face-down, as was the custom of that society, but are unsure of the exact number of those who joined him because the excavation has yet to be completed.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/panama3.2.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32869" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/panama3.2.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Dr. Julia Mayo, the director of the El Caño Foundation, believes the tomb was constructed in 750 AD and that the gold items belonged to a high-status adult male from the Rio chiefdom who died in his 30s.</p>
<p>She added that the recovered items possess not only economic value, but also "incalculable historical and cultural value."</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/panama3.4.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32867" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/panama3.4.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>In ancient times, El Caño was considered a city of the dead. The necropolis was built circa 700 AD and abandoned circa 1000 AD, according to the researchers. In addition to monoliths, the site contained a cemetery and a ceremonial area with wooden buildings.</p>
<p>Mayo said the findings are significant because they shed new light on "multiple" or "simultaneous burials" of the Coclé society, which included a high-status person, as well as eight to 32 others, who were sacrificed to serve as companions in the afterlife.</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Images courtesy of Ciudad del Saber/Panama Culture Ministry.</em></small></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-32808690136763973522024-03-08T05:15:00.003-07:002024-03-08T05:15:30.796-07:00Music Friday: Brad Paisley Forgets the Ring in 'You Have That Effect On Me'<p>Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you romantic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, a giddy and love-struck Brad Paisley is about to propose to his girlfriend, but accidentally leaves the engagement ring at home in 2001’s “You Have That Effect On Me.”</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/paisley3.1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32859" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/paisley3.1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>In this song, Paisley takes on the role of a young man who is so head-over-heels in love that he can hardly think straight. He tells his girlfriend how anxious he’s been during the past few weeks — that he’s been haunted by the vision of getting down on one knee and forgetting what to say. Each morning, while brushing his teeth, he’s rehearsed the lines, but still can’t get them straight.</p>
<p>He successfully acquires the ring of her dreams, but when it's finally time to pop the question, the awkward boyfriend comes up short.</p>
<p>Paisley sings, “You’ve had your eyes on a 2-carat ring / I finally went out and I bought it / Right now it’s at home sittin’ on my TV / Would you believe I forgot it.”</p>
<p>Our protagonist tries to explain away his absentmindedness: “You can’t blame me ’cause it’s plain to see that you have that effect on me.”</p>
<p>The character Paisley portrays in the song may be a close reflection of himself.</p>
<p>The singer famously recounted how, as a 19-year-old, he became spellbound by actress Kimberly Williams, who starred in 1991’s <em>Father of the Bride</em>. Paisley developed an instant crush when he saw her on the big screen and his feelings only grew stronger when he saw her in <em>Father of the Bride II</em> in 1995. It wasn't until 2001 that he gathered the courage to contact the actress and ask her out on a date.</p>
<p>In Paisley's world, good things come to those who wait. Williams accepted his marriage proposal in August of 2002 and the couple tied the knot in March of 2003.</p>
<p>“You Have That Effect On Me” was the 11th track of <em>Part II</em>, his second studio album — a release that rose to #3 on the US <em>Billboard</em> Top Country Albums chart and #31 on the US <em>Billboard</em> 200 chart.</p>
<p>Born in Glen Dale, WV, in 1972, Bradley Douglas “Brad” Paisley was introduced to country music by his grandfather, Warren Jarvis, who gave the eight-year-old his first guitar, a Sears Danelectro Silvertone. Jarvis taught his grandson to play, and by the age of 10, Paisley was already performing at his church.</p>
<p>While in junior high, Paisley was doing a show at a local Rotary Club, when he was discovered by a program director for a Wheeling, WV, radio station. He was invited to be a guest on the popular radio show “Wheeling Jamboree” and the rest is history.</p>
<p>Paisley has sold more than 11 million albums, won three Grammy Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards and two American Music Awards. In 2001, at the age of 28, he became the youngest artist ever to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.</p>
<p>He is currently on a European tour with performances scheduled in Glasgow, London and Belfast.</p>
<p>Please check out the audio track of Paisley performing “You Have That Effect on Me.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…</p>
<p><strong>“You Have That Effect On Me”</strong><br />
Written by Brad Paisley and Frank Rogers. Performed by Brad Paisley.</p>
<p>Every morning the last couple of weeks<br />
In between shaving and brushing my teeth<br />
I’d lean on the sink and practice my lines<br />
By now you would think they’d be memorized</p>
<p>But leave it to me to come all this way<br />
Get down on one knee and forget what to say<br />
I’m at a loss, should have known this is how it would be<br />
‘Cause you have that effect on me</p>
<p>I must admit I still don’t understand<br />
Why I lose my head holding your hand<br />
There’s no explanation, no simple excuse<br />
For this intoxication I feel around you</p>
<p>Now truth be known since I’ve met you girl<br />
I’ve been walkin’ around in my own little world<br />
One look in my eyes, oh and darlin’ any fool could see<br />
That you have that effect on me</p>
<p>You’ve had your eyes on a 2-carat ring<br />
I finally went out and I bought it<br />
Right now it’s at home sittin’ on my TV<br />
Would you believe I forgot it</p>
<p>But you can’t blame me ’cause it’s plain to see<br />
That you have that effect on me<br />
Yeah, you have that effect on me<br />
Girl, you have that effect on me</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5ty9wT7zH60?si=5zSnGkjjz6_QKbXC" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Photo by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paisley,_Brad_(2007)_2.jpg">minds-eye</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-41807411365622768452024-03-06T05:30:00.002-07:002024-03-06T05:30:10.462-07:00Rare 14-Karat Lego 'Bionicle Hau' Mask Found at Goodwill Sells for $18,000<p>Launched by the Lego Group in the summer of 2001, Bionicle was a line of articulated plastic action figures that deviated from the Danish toy company's core business of interlocking building blocks.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/legogoldmask1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32838" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/legogoldmask1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Lego pulled the plug on Bionicles nearly 14 years ago, but the legend lives on — thanks to a 14-karat, super-rare, special-edition Bionicle Hau mask that surfaced at a Goodwill store in western Pennsylvania and recently sold at auction for $18,000.</p>
<p>During the era of Bionicles, the now-$10-billion-a-year toy company ran competitions with the top prize being a "playable" golden Hau mask. It is estimated that only 30 of the special collectibles were ever created, with approximately 25 presented to competition winners and the rest handed out to Lego employees.</p>
<p>Each piece measured one inch tall and weighed 26.14 grams (0.922 ounces). At today's gold price of $2,126 per ounce, the value of the precious metal content alone is approximately $1,146.</p>
<p>When the golden Bionicle Hau was found in a box of donated jewelry at the Goodwill store in DuBois, PA, employees didn't think much of it. But when the item was listed on Goodwill's online store, offers began flooding in and supervisors began to take notice.</p>
<p>“We didn’t know it was worth anything until people started asking if they could buy it for $1,000,” Chad Smith, the vice president of e-commerce and technology at the Dubois store, told <em>USA Today</em>.</p>
<p>Offers for the 14-karat Bionicle Hau topped out at $33,000 during an early February Goodwill auction, but that buyer couldn't come up with the funds. Goodwill re-listed the item with the bidding starting at $3,000. After 48 bids, the piece sold it to an anonymous collector for $18,101.</p>
<p>Goodwill spokesperson Jessica Illuzzi told <em>USA Today</em> that all of the money earned from the sale of the Lego collectible will support Goodwill's mission of helping people with life challenges and providing training opportunities.</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Image courtesy of ShopGoodwill.com.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-86436748872380381952024-03-04T05:16:00.004-07:002024-03-04T05:33:13.543-07:00Here's Why a 1950s Brazilian Beauty Is Forever Linked With March's Birthstone<p>In the lead-up to the the 1954 Miss Universe pageant, the runaway favorite to win the title was Maria Martha Hacker Rocha, a statuesque 21-year-old Brazilian beauty with captivating blue eyes. She had captured the title of Miss Bahia in her home state and went on to become the first-ever Miss Brazil.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/rochamarch3.1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32820" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/rochamarch3.1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The pageant took place at the Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, CA, and although Rocha eventually would become the runner-up to American Miriam Stevenson, the Brazilian won the hearts of fans all over the world. They were smitten by her grace and elegance.</p>
<p>Around the same time as Rocha was competing on the world stage, an incredible 74.5-pound aquamarine crystal was unearthed on a farm near Teofilo Otoni, Brazil. Its color was so rich, so intense that the Brazilian gem dealers needed to come up with a special name to distinguish it from the rest.</p>
<p>The rare, intense blue aquamarines from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil were called “Santa Maria.” Similar-color aquamarines from Mozambique and other countries in Africa were named “Santa Maria Africana.” Lighter hues were named after the Brazilian state where they were mined, specifically “Espirito Santo.”</p>
<p>The new classification would be called “Martha Rocha,” representing a tone and intensity of the finest-color aquamarines. Even today, gem experts use this rating as a lasting tribute to the Brazilian beauty queen with captivating clear blue eyes.</p>
<p>Rocha, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 87, continues to be a symbol of beauty in Brazil. She has streets named after her in Bahia, Santa Catarina and São Paulo. The Brazilians even named a delicious and decadent dessert after her. Ask for a "Martha Rocha" at a Brazilian fine dining establishment and you will receive a treat made from white and chocolate cake with cream, peaches, creamy egg custard and walnuts.</p>
<p>Aquamarine, the official birthstone for the month of March, is the sea-blue variety of the mineral beryl, whose family members include emerald (intense green) and morganite (pink to orange-pink). Aquamarines can range in color from light blue to pure blue to shades of greenish-blue. The variations in blue color are dependent on trace amounts of iron in the gemstone’s chemical composition. Interestingly, pure beryl is absolutely colorless.</p>
<p>Aquamarines are mined in many countries, including Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, Mozambique and the US, but most of the finest-quality gemstones still come from Brazil.</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Martha Rocha image by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Martha_Rocha_Manchete.png">Gráficos Bloch S.A.</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Aquamarine image by Greg Polley / Smithsonian.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-15563885515132313762024-03-01T05:05:00.003-07:002024-03-01T05:05:33.936-07:00Music Friday: 'Your Love Is a Pearl' in Joshua Kadison's 'Beautiful in My Eyes'<p>Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you romantic favorites with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we shine the spotlight on one of the most requested wedding songs of the 1990s: “Beautiful in My Eyes” by Joshua Kadison.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/kadison3.1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32813" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/kadison3.1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Kadison’s lyrical love letter offers a sweet and sentimental prediction of how a relationship will become stronger through the years. Kadison pledges that even as they grow old together — and lines appear on their faces — she will always be beautiful in his eyes. To emphasize the concept of a “perfect” love, Kadison introduces an iridescent gem in the first verse.</p>
<p>He sings, “You’re my peace of mind / In this crazy world / You’re everything I’ve tried to find / Your love is a pearl.”</p>
<p>Released in 1994 as the second single from his critically acclaimed debut album <em>Painted Desert Serenade</em>, “Beautiful in My Eyes” ascended to #19 on the US <em>Billboard</em> Hot 100 and charted in seven countries. The song was Kadison’s most successful single, even surpassing the performance of his breakout hit, “Jessie.”</p>
<p>Thirty years after its release, “Beautiful in My Eyes” is still recommended on MyWeddingSongs.com's compilation of "25 Groom Dedicated Songs to His New Life Partner."</p>
<p>Born in Los Angeles in 1963, Kadison started writing songs at the age of 12. Four years later, he hit the road as a teenager, searching for life’s answers after the tragic death of his mother. He made a living performing at bars in cities, such as Santa Barbara, Nashville and Dallas. His major influences included Cole Porter, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, Nina Simone, Igor Stravinsky and Bela Bartok.</p>
<p>“All of that time on the road was great therapy for me,” he told <em>Billboard</em> magazine. “It strengthened my soul and focused my songwriting — however corny that sounds.”</p>
<p>At 30 years old, he got his big break when he was signed by EMI Records and released <em>Painted Desert Serenade</em>. VH-1 named Kadison the network’s major video breakthrough artist of 1993.</p>
<p>Despite his commercial success, Kadison still didn’t feel fulfilled.</p>
<p>“It felt as if I had the world at my feet, but it wasn’t what my soul wanted,” he told songmeanings.com. “I felt I had learned all I could from my experiences in the pop music field. The lessons of fame and success and all that go with them were amazing, but I knew there was much more to life I had to learn.”</p>
<p>Kadison has been mostly out of the musical spotlight since 2012.</p>
<p>Please check out the video of Kadison’s performance of “Beautiful in My Eyes.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…</p>
<p><strong>“Beautiful in My Eyes”</strong><br />
Written and performed by Joshua Kadison.</p>
<p>You’re my peace of mind<br />
In this crazy world<br />
You’re everything I’ve tried to find<br />
Your love is a pearl<br />
You’re my Mona Lisa<br />
You’re my rainbow skies<br />
And my only prayer is that you realize…<br />
You’ll always be beautiful in my eyes</p>
<p>The world will turn<br />
And the seasons will change<br />
And all the lessons we will learn<br />
Will be beautiful and strange<br />
We’ll have our fill of tears<br />
Our share of sighs<br />
My only prayer is that you realize…<br />
You’ll always be beautiful in my eyes</p>
<p>You will always be<br />
Beautiful in my eyes<br />
And the passing years will show<br />
That you will always grow<br />
Ever more beautiful in my eyes</p>
<p>And there are lines upon my face<br />
From a lifetime of smiles<br />
When the time comes to embrace<br />
For one long last while<br />
We can laugh about<br />
How time really flies<br />
We won’t say good-bye<br />
Cause’ true love never dies…<br />
You’ll always be beautiful in my eyes</p>
<p>You will always be (You will always be)<br />
Beautiful in my eyes (Beautiful in my eyes)<br />
And the passing years will show<br />
That you will always grow<br />
Ever more beautiful in my eyes</p>
<p>The passing years will show<br />
That you will always grow<br />
Ever more beautiful in my eyes</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mdWjBQzVFx4?si=XTcIkxjGuF04lNJO" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Photo by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joshua_Kadison_2008.jpg">Sabine from Deutschland</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0">CC BY 2.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-68789168941795164112024-02-28T04:59:00.004-07:002024-02-28T05:03:32.695-07:00Tomorrow Is Leap Day; Are You Ready for Some Role-Reversal Proposals?<p>In the 2010 romantic comedy <em>Leap Year</em>, talented real estate "stager" Anna Brady, played by Amy Adams, is forced to take extreme measures after her cardiologist boyfriend fails to produce an engagement ring after four years together.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/leapday2024.3.jpg"><img src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/leapday2024.3.jpg?w=575" alt="" class="wp-image-32801"/></a></p>
<p>Invoking the Irish tradition that empowers women to pop the question on Leap Day, she travels to Dublin to track down her fiancé at a business conference in time to deliver a marriage proposal on February 29.</p>
<p>Yes, tomorrow is Leap Day, a romantic 24 hours dedicated to women who feel that have waited far too long for their men to pop the question.</p>
<p>In a recent Chillisauce.com survey of more than 10,000 respondents, the UK-based men's lifestyle and event-planning website asked women if they were willing to propose to their partners. Exactly 57% declared they would be willing to do it, and interestingly 76% of men agreed that they should.</p>
<p>When asked about the best day to propose, 52% of the women chose Leap Day, compared to 25% who picked Valentine's Day.</p>
<p>The concept of women proposing to men on Leap Day is rooted in 5th century Ireland where St. Brigid of Kildare hammered out an arrangement with St. Patrick to permit women to propose to men on a single day every four years.</p>
<p>Irish monks brought this tradition to Scotland, and legend states that in 1288, the Scotts passed a law that allowed women to propose on Leap Day. If the man refused the proposal, he would have to pay a fine, ranging from a kiss, to a silk dress or a pair of gloves. In upper-class circles, the fine for a proposal denial was 12 pairs of gloves. Presumably, the gloves would hide the shame of not wearing an engagement ring.</p>
<p>Leap Day proposals eventually found their way to England, where the date of February 29 uniquely held no legal status. The English reasoned that traditional customs held no status on that day either. Thus, women were free to reverse the unfair custom that permitted only men to propose marriage.</p>
<p>Leap Day proposals are now celebrated in North America and around the world. So, gentlemen, if you've been dragging your feet regarding a proper proposal, you may be in for a February 29th that will truly change your life.</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Image by BigStockPhoto.com.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-41983751572827745112024-02-26T05:08:00.003-07:002024-02-26T05:08:27.062-07:00Jonker I Diamond Headlines '100 Carats' Exhibit at LA's Natural History Museum<p>Said to be one of the most perfectly cut diamonds in the world, the seldom-seen 125.35-carat Jonker I Diamond is now headlining a special exhibition at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM).</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/hundredcarats3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32773" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/hundredcarats3.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Titled "100 Carats: Icons of the Gem World," the presentation features more than two dozen gems that have at least two things in common: Each weighs more than 100 carats and each represents the finest example of its type. The exhibition was assembled by the NHM in collaboration with Robert Procop Exceptional Jewels and runs through April 21, 2024.</p>
<p>The Jonker I Diamond is the largest stone cut from the 726-carat Jonker Diamond, which was the fourth-largest rough diamond in the world when it was found in 1934.</p>
<p>According to the NHM, the historic gem has passed through the hands of global royalty and Hollywood stars, but has not been on display at a museum for more than eight decades. In fact, the public has not seen this diamond since it was bought by a private collector in 1977.</p>
<p>Now, owner Ibrahim Al-Rashid has lent the Jonker I Diamond to NHM for display in this exhibition.</p>
<p>“The Jonker is one of the largest and most famous diamonds ever unearthed,” said Al-Rashid, who is also chairman of Miami-based Limestone Asset Management. “Its beauty and history are compelling. I'm grateful to have it on display for viewers to enjoy for the first time in many decades.”</p>
<p>In addition to the Jonker I Diamond, the gemstones on display in the NHM's Hixon Gem Vault include the following:</p>
<p>The Northern Light beryl (103.30 carats)<br />
The Great White Emerald goshenite (168.20)<br />
The Crown of Colombia emerald (241.04)<br />
The Imperial tourmaline (111.09)<br />
The Blue Star aquamarine (108.29)<br />
The Magnificent paraiba (106.20)<br />
Pride of Sri Lanka, The Healing Blue sapphire (186.82)<br />
The Miracle sapphire (100.06)<br />
The Scepter sapphire (127.30)<br />
The Eastern Star sapphire (177.91)<br />
The Princess Pink sapphire (109.82)<br />
The Scarlet Red rubellite (112.68)<br />
The Ukrainian Flag topaz (153.27)</p>
<p>“The show is a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Dr. Aaron Celestian, NHM’s curator of mineral sciences. “The rarity of these gems cannot be overstated. Visitors will be able to see tremendous examples of gemstones in a rainbow of vivid colors that have been expertly cut to display their remarkable brilliance. I am thrilled that we’ve been able to bring these giant gems together for the first time.”</p>
<p>The Jonker Diamond has a wild backstory that includes a possible connection to the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, the largest diamond ever unearthed.</p>
<p>On January 17, 1934, a rough diamond the size of a hen’s egg was pulled from a bucket of gravel at the Elandsfontein claim, 4.8 kilometers south of the Premier Mine in South Africa. The massive 726-carat rough diamond with a frosty ice-white color would take on the surname of Jacob Jonker, the 62-year-old digger who owned the claim.</p>
<p>Diamond experts speculated whether the 63.5mm x 31.75mm Jonker and the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond had once been conjoined, as their respective cleaved faces seemed to match up perfectly. The Cullinan Diamond had been discovered at the nearby Premier Mine 19 years earlier.</p>
<p>The Jonker rough was acquired by De Beers chairman Sir Ernest Oppenheimer and subsequently caught the attention of diamond dealer Harry Winston, who purchased the rough stone in 1935 for £75,000, the equivalent of £6.7 million ($8.5 million) today.</p>
<p>The Jonker diamond earned celebrity status when it was displayed during the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in May of that same year.</p>
<p>The next year, Winston contracted Lazare Kaplan to cut 13 finished gems from the original rough. The Jonker finished diamonds were each named with a Roman numeral, in size order. The largest was the Jonker I at 142.90 carats and the smallest was the Jonker XIII at 3.53 carats. The Jonker I was later re-cut to eliminate flaws and improve its brilliance. The new-and-improved version weighed 125.35 carats.</p>
<p>Please check out the five-minute NHM video, below, which highlights many of the beautiful gemstones in the exhibit, with expert commentary from Celestian, jewelry designer Robert Procop and former president of the Gemological Institute of America Bill Boyajian.</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0IV9etG1jcQ?si=7gj8qy58SjHXaHXL" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Image of Jonker I Diamond, photo courtesy of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-12723067881162950882024-02-23T05:45:00.000-07:002024-02-23T05:45:05.479-07:00Music Friday: 'Plant Your Flower and You Grow a Pearl,' Sings Earth, Wind & Fire<p>Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you classic hits with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, legendary band Earth, Wind & Fire uses pearls and gold to symbolize flawless perfection in its signature song, “That’s the Way of the World.”</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/wayoftheworld3.1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32763" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/wayoftheworld3.1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>A memorable singalong brimming with messages of inspiration and hope, “That’s the Way of the World” reminds the listener to “stay young at heart” despite society's negative influences.</p>
<p>They sing, “That’s the way of the world / Plant your flower and you grow a pearl / Child is born with a heart of gold / Way of the world makes his heart so cold.”</p>
<p>Band members have called “That’s the Way of the World” their “national anthem” and, in 2004, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. One year later, <em>Rolling Stone</em> magazine rated it #329 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.</p>
<p>“That’s the Way of the World” was written by band members Maurice and Verdine White, along with producer Charles Stepney, as part of the score for a movie about the dark side of the music business. While the movie flopped, the soundtrack was a rousing success.</p>
<p>The song was also the title track of the group's sixth studio album, which ranked as the third best-selling pop album and the #1 best-selling R&B album of 1975.</p>
<p>Founded in Chicago by Maurice White in 1969, Earth, Wind & Fire’s unique sound combines modern jazz, fusion, soul, gospel, funk, disco, rock and the distinct rhythms of African music.</p>
<p>Featuring the interplay of Philip Bailey’s falsetto and Maurice White’s baritone — supported by multiple drummers and a powerful brass section — the band amassed a huge international following. Maurice White passed away in February of 2016 at the age of 74.</p>
<p>The six-time Grammy Award winners are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and have sold more than 90 million albums worldwide. The group starts a four-month tour in New Orleans on May 5.</p>
<p>Please check out the video of Earth, Wind & Fire’s live performance of “That’s the Way of the World.” Put on your dancing shoes and be prepared to sing along…</p>
<p><strong>“That’s the Way of the World”</strong><br />
Written by Verdine White, Maurice White and Charles Stepney. Performed by Earth, Wind & Fire.</p>
<p>Hearts of fire creates love desire<br />
Take you high and higher to the world you belong<br />
Hearts of fire creates love desire<br />
High and higher to your place on the throne</p>
<p>We come together on this special day<br />
Sing our message loud and clear<br />
Looking back, we’ve touched on sorrowful days<br />
Future pass, they disappear<br />
You will find peace of mind<br />
If you look way down in your heart and soul<br />
Don’t hesitate ’cause the world seems cold<br />
Stay young at heart, ’cause you’re never, never old</p>
<p>That’s the way of the world<br />
Plant your flower and you grow a pearl<br />
Child is born with a heart of gold<br />
Way of the world makes his heart so cold</p>
<p>Hearts of fire create love desire take you<br />
High and higher to the world you belong<br />
Hearts of fire love desire<br />
High and higher, yeah yeah yeah<br />
Hearts of fire love desire<br />
Ahh higher</p>
<p>We come together on this special day<br />
Sung our message loud and clear<br />
Looking back, we’ve touched on sorrowful days<br />
Future disappears<br />
You will find peace of mind<br />
If you look way down in your heart and soul<br />
Don’t hesitate ’cause the world seems cold<br />
Stay young at heart, ’cause you’re never, never, never</p>
<p>That’s the way of the world,<br />
Plant your flower and you grow a pearl<br />
Child is born with a heart of gold<br />
Way of the world makes his heart so cold</p>
<p>Hearts of fire, love desire<br />
High and higher, yeah yeah<br />
Hearts of fire, love desire</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ge9hWcx1_ZI?si=HpffJaNBdcAoN-Zp" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Image by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Earth_Wind_and_Fire_1970s_press_photo.jpg">Distributed by Columbia Records</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-55134657625082766652024-02-21T04:50:00.003-07:002024-02-21T04:50:17.962-07:00TODAY Hosts Fabricate 'Pet' Segment So Veterinarian Can Finally Get Her Ring<p>TODAY show hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie fabricated a "Love Your Pet" segment on Valentine's Day as part of an elaborate ruse to set the stage for a surprise marriage proposal.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32744" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Veterinarian Priscilla Diaz, who graduated in May of 2023, joined the hosts on a live broadcast, where she fielded questions about how to keep pets active during the winter months.</p>
<p>Priscilla told the first pet owner (who was actually a TODAY show producer) that it's important to bring pets outdoors despite the cold weather, while being mindful of providing the right gear, such as booties to protect paws from the salt, and sweaters to keep short-haired breeds warm.</p>
<p>The hosts then introduced the second pet owner, who turned out to be Priscilla's longtime boyfriend, Carlos. He entered the set accompanied by the couple's very excited pup, Teddy.</p>
<p>The hosts asked Carlos if he had a question for the surprised veterinarian.</p>
<p>"I do," he said solemnly.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.2.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32743" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.2.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>"Baby, since the moment I told you I loved you and we slow danced in your backyard, I've waited for this moment," he began. "We've been three, three-and-a-half years long distance, and now you're home. And I wanted to make you my forever Valentine. And ask you to marry me."</p>
<p>Carlos went down on one knee and then asked formally, "Will you marry me, babe?"</p>
<p>Priscilla quickly responded, "Absolutely. Yes! Oh, my gosh."</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32741" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.3.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Carlos opened a ring box and took out a pear-shaped diamond ring with diamond halo in white metal setting and placed it on Priscilla's ring finger.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.4.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32740" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.4.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>"Oh, my gosh. I love you," she said, as she and Carlos embraced.</p>
<p>The hosts congratulated the couple and presented Priscilla with a bouquet of roses.</p>
<p>"And we're not done with surprises for you," said Guthrie, who went on to list a series of valuable gifts from a famous New York bridal shop, men's formalwear store and retail jeweler.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.5.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32739" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/todayvalentine24.5.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The hosts recounted how Priscilla and Carlos carried out a long-distance relationship while she was away at veterinary school. They had started dating during COVID and were excited to be reunited when she graduated last spring.</p>
<p>Carlos admitted that he had the engagement ring locked up in his safe for months, as he waited for the perfect time to pop the question, but there were "hiccups" along the way.</p>
<p>First they got COVID and then Priscilla burned her ring finger, which further delayed his proposal plans.</p>
<p>"I can't make that up," Carlos joked.</p>
<p>The TODAY show team learned about Priscilla's and Carlos's love story from a friend of the couple, who also happens to be Carlos's boss.</p>
<p>"A friend of yours told us about you," Kotb said. "We created an entire pet segment so that you would come here [and] we could have this moment."</p>
<p>"Congratulations and I'm glad your pooch was here to witness it, too," Kotb added.</p>
<p>Check out the full segment <strong><em><a data-id="https://www.today.com/video/see-veterinarian-get-surprise-marriage-proposal-live-on-today-204189253946" data-type="link" href="https://www.today.com/video/see-veterinarian-get-surprise-marriage-proposal-live-on-today-204189253946">here…</a></em></strong></p>
<p><small><em>Credits: Screen captures via today.com.</em></small></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-87029655263726057352024-02-20T05:12:00.003-07:002024-02-20T05:12:51.038-07:00Singer Gwen Stefani Shares Why Valentine's Day Was Extra Special This Year<p>Rocking a bedazzled manicure and rings on five fingers, three-time Grammy winner Gwen Stefani coyly revealed on <em>Jimmy Kimmel Live!</em> why her Valentine's Day gift from hubby and country music star Blake Shelton was extra special this year.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/stefaniemerald1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32726" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/stefaniemerald1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>"I got my Valentine's present early this year," the "Don't Speak" singer said, as she casually lifted her right hand near her face and tapped a beautiful emerald ring with the pointer of her left hand. Kimmel's audience let out a collective cheer.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/stefaniemerald2.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32725" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/stefaniemerald2.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>While Stefani tried to queue up a clear shot of her ring for the studio cameras, it became clear that Stefani really likes fine jewelry. She wore two rings on her left hand and three on her right.</p>
<p>"It looks like you got a few Valentine's presents," Kimmel joked before asking if Shelton picks out the gifts himself, or if he has some friend that helps.</p>
<p>"He really mixed it up," the 54-year-old Stefani said. "Usually I get amazing flowers, which I love, love, love, but this was just a, 'Here you go!' Yeah, he did the whole thing. I love you Blakey!"</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/stefaniemerald3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32728" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/stefaniemerald3.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The Valentine's Day ring appears to feature a large oval emerald surrounded by florets of colorless accent diamonds. Last year, she received a massive assortment of pink and red roses.</p>
<p>Stefani and Kimmel laughed about how the talk show host's previous recommendation for a Valentine's gift for Shelton, 47, was a big hit.</p>
<p>"He got a lot of use out out it," she said of the flame thrower.</p>
<p>Shelton was on set to join his wife for the debut of their newest release, "Purple Irises,” a song about how true love can endure the aging process.</p>
<p>In a 2022 interview with <em>Access Hollywood</em>, Stefani revealed Shelton's all-time most romantic gift.</p>
<p>"Blake wrote our vows as a song," she said. "That was pretty up there. Try to top that, guys!"</p>
<p>Stefani and Shelton met while starring on <em>The Voice</em> in 2014. They began dating in 2015 and wed in 2021.</p>
<p>Check out Kimmel's interview with Stefani, below. The discussion about her Valentine's Day present starts at 2:32.</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0pyv7v5S6Uc?si=KMS6D1wGyEjbVanv&start=153" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credits: Screen captures via Youtube.com / Jimmy Kimmel Live.</em></small></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-32369208150149843662024-02-16T05:09:00.003-07:002024-02-16T05:09:11.696-07:00Music Friday: 'For Your Love,' The Yardbirds Will Bring Diamond Rings to Your Door<p>Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today’s featured track is “For Your Love” by the British-invasion band The Yardbirds. The 1965 hit, which features key “diamond” references, was the group’s biggest commercial success, but also triggered the departure of future superstar Eric Clapton.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/foryourlovef3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32717" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/foryourlovef3.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The song is essentially a love treatise, with lead singer Keith Relf ticking off all the things he would give “for your love.” In addition to offering the moon, the sun and the stars, Relf starts off with a jewelry-related proposal…</p>
<p>Relf sings, “I’d give you everything and more and that’s for sure / I’d bring you diamond rings and things right to your door / To thrill you with delight / I’d give you diamonds bright/ There’ll be things that will excite / Make you dream of me at night.”</p>
<p>Even though the song rose to #6 on the US <em>Billboard</em> Top 100 chart and scored #1 spots in both the UK and Canada, “For Your Love” became a dealbreaker for the 20-year-old Clapton.</p>
<p>The lead guitarist left the band eight days after the song’s release because he believed it signaled that The Yardbirds were abandoning their blues roots and becoming too commercial. Music historians claim he was also disgruntled having to duplicate the song’s unusual harpsichord intro on his 12-string electric guitar when playing live.</p>
<p>On The Yardbirds official site, guitarist Chris Dreja said “For Your Love” was responsible for bringing the group international fame. He also said that the “weirdness” of the song’s time-signature change in the middle became a template for future hits.</p>
<p>“‘For Your Love’ was an interesting song,” Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty told songfacts.com. “It had an interesting chord sequence, very moody, very powerful. And the fact that it stopped in the middle and went into a different time signature, we liked that, that was interesting. Quite different, really, from all the bluesy stuff that we’d been playing up till then. But somehow we liked it. It was original and different.”</p>
<p>Ironically, The Yardbirds’ signature song and biggest hit wasn’t originally intended for the group. Apparently, songwriter Graham Gouldman wrote it for his own group, the Mockingbirds, but their demo was rejected by Columbia Records. The song was also turned down by the producers of Herman’s Hermits and the Animals before landing with The Yardbirds.</p>
<p>Musician Dave Liebman, who was hired to write the introduction to “For Your Love,” revealed years later that the use of the harpsichord was a total accident. Upon arriving at the recording studio, he realized that the organ he intended to use was nowhere in site. He had to settle for a harpsichord and history was made — the first rock song featuring a harpsichord.</p>
<p>The Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and are included in <em>Rolling Stone</em> magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”</p>
<p>Please check out the video at the end of this post. It’s a rare 1965 clip of The Yardbirds performing “For Your Love” on <em>Shindig!</em>, a U.S. musical variety show. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along...</p>
<p><strong>“For Your Love”</strong><br />
Written by Graham Gouldman. Performed by The Yardbirds.</p>
<p>For your love.<br />
For your love.<br />
For your love.<br />
I’d give you everything and more, and that’s for sure.<br />
For your love.<br />
I’d give you diamond rings and things right to your door.<br />
For your love.</p>
<p>To thrill you with delight,<br />
I’ll give you diamonds bright.<br />
There’ll be things that will excite,<br />
Make me dream of you at night.</p>
<p>For your love.<br />
For your love.<br />
For your love.</p>
<p>For your love, for your love,<br />
Well, I would give the stars above.<br />
For your love, for your love,<br />
Well, I would give you all I could.</p>
<p>For your love.<br />
For your love.<br />
For your love.<br />
I’d give the moon if it were mine to give.<br />
For your love.<br />
I’d give the sun and stars ‘fore I live.<br />
For your love.</p>
<p>To thrill you with delight,<br />
I’ll give you diamonds bright.<br />
There’ll be things that will excite,<br />
To make you dream of me at night.</p>
<p>For your love.<br />
For your love.<br />
For your love.<br />
For your love.</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HU5zqidlxMQ?si=PoT6_j1APW4fvVeU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Photo by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Yardbirds_on_ad_1965.jpg">Epic</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-76862232144638671012024-02-14T05:05:00.001-07:002024-02-14T05:05:04.620-07:00Solar Eclipse: Sun, Moon Will Align to Create 'Diamond Ring Effect' on April 8<p>If you're lucky enough to live along the narrow path that runs from Eagle Pass, TX, to the eastern tip of Maine, April 8th will bring you a fantastical total solar eclipse, complete with a bonus celestial display that looks remarkably like a diamond ring.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/aprileclipse1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32699" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/aprileclipse1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The “Diamond Ring Effect,” which was first explained by Francis Baily in 1836, occurs when the moon completely masks out the sun during a total solar eclipse. Due to the rugged lunar landscape, the black outline of the moon is not smooth. Tiny beads of sunlight can still shine through in some places and not in others as the moon slowly grazes past the sun.</p>
<p>These are called Baily’s Beads. When only one dazzling “bead” remains, momentarily, the view of the eclipse resembles a diamond ring. The ring’s glow is produced by the sun’s corona remaining dimly visible around the lunar silhouette.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/aprileclipse2.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32702" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/aprileclipse2.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The Diamond Ring Effect will actually happen twice on April 8. The first time will occur in the moment just before the total eclipse, and the second will occur just after the total eclipse. The solar eclipse will last about 4.5 minutes in most locations along the path, and effectively turn day into night. The grey path shown on NASA's map is about 115 miles wide and represents the viewing area where the Moon will completely block out the Sun in the sky.</p>
<p>Skygazers southwest of San Antonio will experience the solar eclipse at approximately 1:30pm Central time, while those in the easternmost reaches of Maine will close out the US light show just after 3:30pm Eastern.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/aprileclipse3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32701" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/aprileclipse3.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Ironically, one of the best places to view the “Diamond Ring Effect” on April 8 will be at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, AR, the only diamond site in the world that’s open to the general public.</p>
<p>The park will experience 3 minutes and 48 seconds of the total eclipse, which will start at 1:47pm and last through 1:51pm. Visitors to the park on April 8 will see the start of a partial eclipse at 12:30pm and the end of the partial eclipse at 3:08 pm.</p>
<p>Reservations at the park are booking up fast, so those planning a trip to the park should order tickets online at <strong><em><a data-id="https://crater-of-diamonds-state-park.ticketleap.com/crater-of-diamonds-mine-admission-eclipse-day/dates/Apr-08-2024_at_0800AM" data-type="link" href="https://crater-of-diamonds-state-park.ticketleap.com/crater-of-diamonds-mine-admission-eclipse-day/dates/Apr-08-2024_at_0800AM" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">this site…</a></em></strong></p>
<p>While snacks and drinks are available in the Visitor Center while supplies last, guests are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and plenty of water for every person in their group. Visitors are also encouraged to bring their own buckets, shovels, wagons, and sifting screens, as rental equipment is likely to sell out.</p>
<p>NASA warned that skywatchers should NEVER look at a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection. Looking directly at the sun, even when it is partially covered by the moon, can cause serious eye damage or blindness. Only during totality, when the sun’s disk is completely covered by the moon, is it safe to view the eclipse with the naked eye, says NASA.</p>
<p>During the solar eclipse, the moon’s shadow will pass over half of the US. The path of the umbra, where the eclipse is total, will stretch on a fairly straight path from the Tex-Mex border to the Maine-New Brunswick border. Cities in a great position to view a total eclipse and the "Diamond Ring Effect" include Little Rock, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo and Burlington, VT.</p>
<p><small><em>Credits: Diamond ring solar eclipse photo by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diamond_Ring_of_22July,_2009.jpg">Lutfar Rahman Nirjhar</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons. Solar eclipse map by Michala Garrision and the Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS), in collaboration with the NASA Heliophysics Activation Team (NASA HEAT), part of NASA's Science Activation portfolio. Eclipse calculations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Crater of Diamonds image courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.</em></small></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-10770786853673582432024-02-12T05:00:00.003-07:002024-02-12T05:00:14.381-07:00Oxford Mathematician Reveals Formula for a Perfect Marriage Proposal<p>The same Oxford University mathematician who this past fall calculated that young children were most likely to pitch a tantrum exactly 27 minutes and 48 seconds into a flight, has revealed his newest formula — this one for a perfect proposal.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/proposalcalc1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32678" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/proposalcalc1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The 34-year-old Dr. Tom Crawford, who is widely known by his YouTube handle @TomRocksMaths, cooked up a way to quantify whether a marriage proposal is likely to be a roaring success or an embarrassing bust.</p>
<p>His methodology, which is based on an Asda engagement survey of 2,000 Brits, establishes an individual's "proposal score" (S) out of possible 100 points.</p>
<p>"If you follow this recipe for success," he told the <em>Daily Mail</em>, "you'll be giving yourself the best possible chance of getting that 'Yes.'"</p>
<p>Here's how it works…</p>
<p>Dr. Crawford's formula rewards points in four areas and then adds bonus points for superior behavior and subtracts points for each thoughtless faux pas.</p>
<p>Assuming the proposal will be taking place during a home-prepared dinner, the four key factors include the exact time of the meal (M), the staging of the proposal (T), the amount of advance planning (P) and the cost of the engagement ring (C). Each one of these is worth 20 points.</p>
<p>Dr. Crawford calculated that the optimum time to start the momentous meal is exactly 8:06 pm, with the proposal set to occur after the main course, but before the dessert.</p>
<p>The mathematician noted that the suitor should have been planning for this special moment for 68 days and that the ring's value should reflect 2.5 months' salary.</p>
<p>Proposers can supplement their point totals (and thereby increase their chances of a "Yes" response) by delivering a heartfelt engagement speech (+8 points), setting an attractive environment with mood lighting and flowers (+7 points) and queuing up a romantic playlist (+5 points).</p>
<p>These same suitors needed to be mindful of potential score busters…</p>
<p>Checking one's phone is a definite "no-no." If it happens, deduct 20 points.</p>
<p>Leaving the TV on in the background is a distraction that will cost an additional 14 points.</p>
<p>Burning the dinner is a 10-point deduction, and having kids in the house when popping the question is a negative-6 on the score card.</p>
<p>"In terms of things to avoid," Crawford told the <em>Daily Mail</em>, "keep those phones switched off and out of sight, drop the kids off with a babysitter, and don't burn the food!"</p>
<p>Dr. Crawford, a self-proclaimed numberphile, began teaching at the University of Oxford in the 2017. His Tom Rocks Maths YouTube channel claims more than 178,000 subscribers.</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / TomRocksMaths.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-29714694538444811402024-02-09T05:07:00.003-07:002024-02-09T05:07:29.157-07:00Music Friday: Jenny Lewis Sings, 'I Was Your Silver Lining, But Now I’m Gold'<p>Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, former Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis sings about having the courage to jettison a failing relationship in the 2007 release, “Silver Lining.”</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/jennylewis4.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32667" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/jennylewis4.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Penned by Lewis, the song builds up to the moment our heroine breaks up with her boyfriend because she knows that — in the long run — she’ll be better off without him.</p>
<p>She sings, “I never felt so wicked / As when I willed our love to die / and I was your silver lining as the story goes / I was your silver lining but now I’m gold.”</p>
<p>The phrase “now I’m gold” reflects Lewis's return to a fresh and idyllic view of life after having the confidence to break ties and set out on her own. She is no longer defined as her boyfriend’s silver lining — the glimmer of hope in his bad situation.</p>
<p>In the song’s official video, Lewis and fellow bandmate Blake Sennett are seen exchanging vows in a church. But then, Lewis hands Sennett a gold coin and leaves him at the altar. Both child actors, Lewis and Sennett dated in real life until 2002.</p>
<p>“Silver Lining” is the first track on the indie rock band’s fourth and final full-length album, <em>Under the Blacklight</em>. In retrospect, some critics believe that the song foreshadowed the band’s breakup, which would take place in 2014.</p>
<p>Both the single and the album earned critical acclaim. <em>Rolling Stone</em> magazine rated Under the Blacklight as the 8th best album of 2007, and picked “Silver Lining” as the 27th best song that same year.</p>
<p>Founded in Los Angeles in 1998, Rilo Kiley was named for a mythical Australian rules football player that came to Sennett in a dream. According to a 2005 interview with syndicated radio show Loveline, Sennett dreamed he was being chased by a sports almanac.</p>
<p>“When it got me, I leafed through it… and I came upon an Australian rules football player from the 19th century named Rilo Kiley. It’s kind of embarrassing,” Sennett admitted.</p>
<p>After the band's breakup, Lewis has gone on to have a successful solo career. She is currently touring, with stops planned in California, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Georgia and Tennessee.</p>
<p><strong><em>Trivia:</em></strong> As a 13-year-old, Lewis starred alongside Shelley Long in <em>Troop Beverly Hills</em> (1989).</p>
<p>Please check out the official video of Lewis and Rilo Kiley performing “Silver Lining.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…</p>
<p><strong>“Silver Lining”</strong><br />
Written by Jenny Lewis. Performed by Rilo Kiley.</p>
<p>And I’m not going back into rags or in the hole<br />
And our bruises are coming<br />
But we will never fold</p>
<p>And I was your silver lining<br />
As the story goes<br />
I was your silver lining but now I’m gold<br />
Hooray hooray I’m your silver lining<br />
Hooray hooray but now I’m gold.</p>
<p>And I was your silver lining<br />
High up on my toes<br />
Well you were running through fields of hitchhikers<br />
As the story goes</p>
<p>Hooray hooray I’m your silver lining<br />
Hooray hooray but now I’m gold<br />
Hooray hooray I’m your silver lining<br />
Hooray hooray but now I’m gold</p>
<p>And the grass it was a ticking<br />
And the sun was on the rise<br />
I never felt so wicked<br />
As when I willed our love to die</p>
<p>And I was your silver lining as the story goes<br />
I was your silver lining but now I’m gold<br />
Hooray hooray I’m your silver lining<br />
Hooray hooray but now I’m gold<br />
Hooray hooray I’m your silver lining<br />
Hooray hooray but now I’m gold<br />
But now I’m gold<br />
But now I’m gold<br />
But now I’m gold</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jVtSSCzASR0?si=YpkZTukbUi5qpZdd" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / rilokiley.</em></small></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-13290863082237534632024-02-07T05:02:00.003-07:002024-02-07T05:02:59.311-07:00Birthstone Feature: This Remarkable Brazilian Amethyst Weighs in at 401 Carats<p>Flaunting an intense vivid purple color with flashes of red, this 401.52-carat stunner is one of the finest and largest faceted amethysts in the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/amethyst3a.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32648" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/amethyst3a.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The Brazilian-sourced, emerald-cut gem was a gift from the Smithsonian Gemstone Collectors group in 2012 and checks all the boxes for what a Smithsonian-quality gem should be. In addition to its impressive size, it displays superb color, clarity and cut.</p>
<p>Amethyst is February's official birthstone and the most coveted variety of quartz. The gem is colorless in its pure state, but gets its purple color from a few atoms of iron displacing some of the silicon in the gem’s molecular structure. These traces of iron can give amethyst a wide range of colors, from almost white to deep purple.</p>
<p>Amethyst has been coveted for thousands of years and is one of the oldest recorded gemstones. Amethysts have been recovered from ancient Egyptian tombs and were prized by the Greeks, Romans, Babylonians and Hebrews.</p>
<p>The color purple was traditionally the color of royalty, and amethyst was used to adorn the richest and most powerful monarchs and rulers. The English revered the stone for its majestic properties — creating emblems and insignia featuring amethysts during the Middle Ages to symbolize royalty.</p>
<p>Amethyst gets its name from the Greek word “amethystos,” which literally means “not to intoxicate.” Apparently, the Greeks believed amethyst could reverse the effects of drunkenness. Other characteristics attributed to amethyst include peace, balance, courage, stability and inner strength.</p>
<p>The color rating of an amethyst is determined by hue, tone and saturation. Hue is the color; tone is relative lightness or darkness of the color; and saturation relates to the color’s intensity, from dull to vivid.</p>
<p>While Brazil is the primary source of this gemstone, fine-quality amethysts also can be found in parts of Zambia, Mexico, Uruguay, Italy, Germany, Canada, Maine, Colorado, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Photo by Ken Larsen / Smithsonian.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-36708524759139317952024-02-05T05:02:00.003-07:002024-02-05T05:02:55.904-07:00Out-of-This-World Proposal Package Includes Ascent to the Stratosphere<p>Starting in 2025, a Paris agency known for outrageous and lavish engagement proposal packages, will be offering couples a robot-hosted, seven-hour romantic adventure to the stratosphere and back for the tidy sum of 750,000 euros ($808,000).</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/spaceproposal1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32630" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/spaceproposal1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>ApoteoSurprise described how the couple will board a sleek, futuristic spherical space capsule hours before sunrise. Equipped with state-of-the-art comforts, the cabin will be equipped with an elegantly set dining table reminiscent of the most refined Parisian eateries.</p>
<p>As they start their slow, two-hour, pilot-assisted ascent into space, the couple will be introduced to StellarEmbrace, an AI-trained robot who will present the soon-to-be fiancée with a bouquet of roses.</p>
<p>StellarEmbrace is able to recognize body language, facial expressions, tone and vocabulary. The robot will respond to the couple's beck and call and is ready to field questions, converse, serenade and dance.</p>
<p>Propelled by a helium-inflated stratospheric balloon, the craft will pass through the troposphere (10 km, 6.2 mi) and into the stratosphere at about 32 miles (50 km) above the Earth's surface.</p>
<p>ApoteoSurprise noted that the towering windows of the capsule will offer awe-inspiring 360-degree views and a unique perspective of our planet. In the darkness of night, they will be able to see the countless networks of luminous cityscapes and roadways.</p>
<p>In the first phase of the trip, the robot will serve glasses of champagne, orange juice, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and freshly baked croissants.</p>
<p>As the sun rises, the capsule will be at its full cruising altitude. From that vantage point, the couple will see the bluish halo of the atmosphere, and the pitch-black expanse of space, bejeweled by a multitude of stars. It's a view that only 600 humans have ever experienced. ApoteoSurprise noted that the couple will feel a profound connection with all of humanity, forever altering their perception of our world.</p>
<p>StellarEmbrace will then invite the couple to gather around the central table, where it will serve a food and wine pairing curated by a French Michelin-starred chef. The menu features puffed scallops, a duet of lobster and truffles, matured caviar with milk flower, honey-lacquered roast supreme and a crisp grapefruit.</p>
<p>Also accompanying the experience is a space-theme playlist, including iconic tracks, such as "Space Oddity" by David Bowie, "Across the Universe" by The Beatles, "Rocket Man" by Elton John and "Walking on the Moon" by Police.</p>
<p>But just before dessert, StellarEmbrace will playfully interject that something very important has been forgotten.</p>
<p>ApoteoSurprise noted that the robot will then make its way backstage and promptly return, clutching a luminous chest straight out of a science-fiction film. The suitor will input a secret code on the chest's screen, and a resonant electronic tone will announce the unveiling of a box containing an engagement ring.</p>
<p>At that moment, the suitor will pop the question, "forever sealing your love within the eternity of space!"</p>
<p>StellarEmbrace will break into applause, moved to tears, joyously sharing in the celebration.</p>
<p>A bit later, noted ApoteoSurprise, the capsule will begin its two-hour descent.</p>
<p>All the while, the robot will have filmed every moment — from the couple's arrival at the capsule to their final farewells.</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Image courtesy of ApoteoSurprise.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-37399090718367731572024-02-02T05:12:00.003-07:002024-02-02T05:12:55.683-07:00Music Friday: Gregory Alan Isakov 'Turns These Diamonds Straight Back Into Coal'<p>Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. In his signature “Stable Song,” singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov uses gemstone and precious-metal metaphors to describe an artist who struggles to find his muse and ultimately returns to his roots.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/stable3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32624" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/stable3.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>He sings, “Ring like crazy, ring like hell / Turn me back into that wild haired gale / Ring like silver, ring like gold / Turn these diamonds straight back into coal / Turn these diamonds straight back into coal.”</p>
<p>Isakov has told live audiences that “The Stable Song” is a poem “about everything.”</p>
<p>But, in our interpretation, the artist seems overwhelmed by the stress that comes with success. He’s under tremendous pressure to compose something perfect (diamond) and, instead, decides to return home where he can get back to basics (coal) and recapture the energy of his youth.</p>
<p>Written by Isakov, “The Stable Song” was the second track of his 2007 debut album, <em>That Sea, The Gambler</em>. The song also returned as the fourth track of the artist’s 2016 collaboration with the Colorado Symphony.</p>
<p>Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, raised in Philadelphia and now calling Boulder, CO, his home, the 44-year-old Isakov has been traveling most of his life. His songs tell the story of his time on the road and his constant yearning for a sense of place. Music critics have described him as “strong, subtle, a lyrical genius.”</p>
<p>Isakov is currently wrapping up a series of shows in Australia before coming back to the US with stops scheduled in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Riviera Maya, Mexico.</p>
<p>Please check out the video of Isakov's live performance at the Forum in Melbourne, Australia, on January 28 of this year. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…</p>
<p><strong>“The Stable Song”</strong><br />
Written and performed by Gregory Alan Isakov.</p>
<p>Remember when our songs were just like prayer<br />
Like gospel hymns that you called in the air<br />
Come down, come down sweet reverence<br />
Unto my simple house and ring… and ring</p>
<p>Ring like silver, ring like gold<br />
Ring out those ghosts on the Ohio<br />
Ring like clear day wedding bells<br />
Were we the belly of the beast, or the sword that fell?<br />
We’ll never tell</p>
<p>Come to me, clear and cold<br />
On some sea<br />
Watch the world spinning waves<br />
Like that machine</p>
<p>Now I’ve been crazy, couldn’t you tell?<br />
I threw stones at the stars, but the whole sky fell<br />
Now I’m covered up in straw, belly up on the table<br />
Well I drank and sang, and I passed in the stable</p>
<p>That tall grass grows high and brown<br />
Well I dragged you straight in the muddy ground<br />
And you sent me back to where I roam<br />
Well I cursed and I cried, but now I know<br />
Now I know</p>
<p>And I ran back to that hollow again<br />
The moon was just a sliver back then<br />
And I ached for my heart like some tin man<br />
When it came, oh it beat and it boiled and it rang<br />
Oh, it’s ringing</p>
<p>Ring like crazy, ring like hell<br />
Turn me back into that wild haired gale<br />
Ring like silver, ring like gold<br />
Turn these diamonds straight back into coal<br />
Turn these diamonds straight back into coal</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rE9pBLtV7J8?si=ly48L2-BuSxPDjng" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com / Aiden Giddings.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-86604492830826417262024-02-01T05:20:00.003-07:002024-02-01T05:20:50.988-07:00Americans to Spend a Record $6.4B on Jewelry Gifts for Valentine’s Day<p>US consumers are projected to spend a record $6.4 billion on jewelry gifts for Valentine’s Day 2024, outpacing last year's total by 16.3%, and up an amazing 64.1% compared to 2019, according to a survey just released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. Jewelry topped all other categories for the 8th year in a row and is expected to account for 25 cents of every dollar spent on gifts for the holiday.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/nrfvalentine2024.1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32612" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/nrfvalentine2024.1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The jewelry category's gains come at the same time when overall Valentine gift sales are expected to be flat. Total spending for Cupid's Day, according the the NRF, is projected to tick down in 2024 from $25.9 billion to $25.8 billion.</p>
<p>The NRF also predicted new spending records for three other categories: "evening out" ($4.9 billion), "clothing" ($3 billion) and flowers ($2.6 billion) categories.</p>
<p>Another important finding is that spending dollars seem to be shifting towards "significant others" and away from "other family members," "friends," "children's classmates/teachers" and "co-workers."</p>
<p>The value of Valentine's Day gifts intended for significant others/spouses will see an increase of 5.2% in 2024 ($14.2 billion vs. $13.5 billion). Gift budgets allocated to significant others/spouses is expected to reach an all-time high of $101.84, while overall household spending for Valentine's Day is expected to be $185.81, down from $192.80 in 2023 and off the $196.31 peak set in 2020.</p>
<p>Exactly 57% of survey respondents intended to give candy in 2024, followed by greeting cards (40%), flowers (39%), an evening out (32%), jewelry (22%), clothing (21%) and gift cards (19%).</p>
<p>More than half of consumers (53%) plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, which is on par with the 52% tallied last year. Sixty-two percent of consumers ages 25-34 plan to celebrate this year, a higher proportion than any other age group.</p>
<p>According to the NRF, among those not celebrating Valentine’s Day, 29% still plan to mark the occasion in some way. Many will treat themselves to something special, while others will plan a get-together or evening out with their single friends or family members.</p>
<p>As the leading authority and voice for the retail industry, NRF provides data on consumer behavior and spending for key periods such as holidays throughout the year. The survey of 8,329 US adult consumers was conducted January 2-8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Image by BigStockPhoto.com.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-35988171843135875102024-01-31T05:05:00.003-07:002024-01-31T05:05:39.905-07:00Chewy Offers $1,000 to Couples Who Include Pets in Their Proposal Photos<p>Chewy, the online purveyor of pet supplies, is offering $1,000 eGift cards to 10 lucky couples who include their pets in their marriage proposal photos or videos.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/chewy1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32607" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/chewy1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>At its official website, the company explains that pets are fur-children, first loves and sometimes "the favorite cuddle," but when its time to take the next steps in a romantic relationship, pets should be right there to share in the excitement.</p>
<p>The rules for the contest are simple. Couples planning to get married during 2024 or 2025 must tag their "pet-posal" photos or videos with @Chewy and use the hashtag #ChewyPetposals. The 10 best entries posted between January 10, 2024, and March 31, 2024, will win a $1,000 eGift card, and 100 couples will get a "special surprise gift."</p>
<p>Chewy explained that it really doesn't matter how the pet is framed in the photo.</p>
<p>"Whether it’s getting your pet’s permission, having them deliver the ring or even a photobomb happy accident, we’re here for it all," the Chewy website noted.</p>
<p>After popping the question, all attention shifts to the impending wedding, and according to a Chewy survey, 21% of married couples have included pets in their weddings.</p>
<p>Respondents said that their beloved pets were incorporated into the festivities in many ways, such as ring bearers (50%), flower girls (17%), page boys (13%). Pets were also included on wedding invitations and save-the-date cards, "first look" photos and cake toppers. Some couples even named a signature drink after their four-legged friends.</p>
<p>Notes Chewy on its website that it's no surprise that many couples want their pets to be a part of this major relationship milestone, especially when you consider these other survey stats...</p>
<p>95% believe their pet loves them unconditionally<br />
93% are happier because of their pet<br />
70% say they are obsessed with their pets</p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@katiewallacephoto?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Katie Wallace</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-couple-of-men-sitting-on-the-ground-with-a-dog-SM2r0cE4H8w?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a></em></small></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-29392117394149073472024-01-26T03:53:00.003-07:002024-01-26T03:53:53.894-07:00Music Friday: Gladys Knight Sings, 'You're Like a Diamond But She Treats You Like Glass'<p>Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you classic chart toppers with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Gladys Knight & the Pips tell a story of unrequited love in their 1970 hit single, “If I Were Your Woman.”</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/gladysknight3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32601" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/gladysknight3.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>In the song, the protagonist is a young woman whose love interest continues to give her the cold shoulder. His attention is focused on a rival, despite the fact that she treats him so poorly. Songwriters Gloria Jones, Pamela Joan Sawyer and Clay McMurray use a diamond vs. glass comparison to describe how the two women value the same man.</p>
<p>Knight sings, “She tears you down darlin’, says you’re nothing at all / But, I’ll pick you up darling, when she lets you fall / You’re like a diamond but she treats you like glass / Yet you beg her to love you, but, me you don’t ask.”</p>
<p>According to music trivia website Songfacts.com, the song came together while Jones and Sawyer were having a discussion about gender issues during the infancy of the Women’s Liberation Movement. They were looking to compose a piece about how women could be committed in their relationships while remaining strong and independent.</p>
<p>“If I Were Your Woman” appears as the first track from Gladys Knight & the Pips’ album of the same name. The single zoomed all the way to #1 on the <em>Billboard</em> Best Selling Soul Singles chart and peaked at #9 on the <em>Billboard</em> Hot 100 singles chart.</p>
<p>The song has been covered by a number of top artists, including Stephanie Mills (1988) and Alicia Keys (2006). The Keys version received a nomination for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance at the 2006 Grammy Awards.</p>
<p>Established in Atlanta as The Pips in 1952, the group led by founding member Gladys Knight topped the music charts for more than three decades. Gladys Knight & the Pips are multiple Grammy and American Music Award winners and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.</p>
<p>The group disbanded in 1989, but Knight went on to a successful solo career. Also known as The Empress of Soul, Knight continues to maintain an active touring schedule at the age of 79.</p>
<p>Please check out Gladys Knight & the Pips performing “If I Were Your Woman” on <em>The Ed Sullivan Show</em> in February 1971. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…</p>
<p><strong>“If I Were Your Woman”</strong><br />
Written by Gloria Jones, Pamela Joan Sawyer and Clay McMurray. Performed by Gladys Knight & the Pips.</p>
<p>If I were your woman and you were my man,<br />
you’d have no other woman, you’d be weak as a lamb.<br />
If you had the strength to walk out that door,<br />
My love would overrule my sense, and I’d call you back for more,<br />
If I were your woman.<br />
If I were your woman, and you were my man.</p>
<p>She tears you down darlin’, says you’re nothing at all.<br />
But, I’ll pick you up darling, when she lets you fall.<br />
You’re like a diamond but she treats you like glass.<br />
Yet you beg her to love you, but, me you don’t ask.<br />
If I were your woman, If I were your woman.<br />
If I were your woman, here’s what I’d do,<br />
I’d never, never, never stop loving you.</p>
<p>If I were your woman, here’s what I’d do,<br />
I’d never, never, never stop loving you.<br />
If I were your woman, the sweet lovin' woman<br />
You'd need no other woman<br />
If I were your woman, I'd be your only woman<br />
You'd have no other woman</p>
<p>I'd never stop loving you…</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-jCmu9AxyMU?si=_IY5us_GHjJDMEKr" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><small><em>Credit: Photo by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gladys_Knight_and_the_Pips,_Bestanddeelnr_922-1819.jpg">Anefo</a>, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-31496119722691064712024-01-24T05:33:00.003-07:002024-01-24T05:33:34.555-07:00Sara Bareilles Replaces Placeholder Ring With Vintage Diamond Dazzler<p>Sara Bareilles, who is best known for starring in and composing the original score for the Broadway hit <em>Waitress</em>, just added photographer and hand model to her list of credits as she presented to 850,000 Instagram followers a photo montage featuring her vintage diamond engagement ring.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/bareilles1a.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32577" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/bareilles1a.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Spoofing the not-so-subtle way future brides show off their rings on social media, the three-time Tony winner posed with her new bauble while holding random items, such as a pen, avocado, scissors and wine bottle. The singer-songwriter-actress described the carousel of pics as “hand holding things” taken by me.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/bareilles2a.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32576" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/bareilles2a.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Bareilles, who currently stars with her fiancé, Joe Tippett, in the film adaptation of <em>Waitress</em>, noted that her new ring not only replaces the simple placeholder she's been wearing for more than a year, but also represents a "leap of faith."</p>
<p>Tippett, 41, had proposed to the “Love Song” singer, 44, with a simple gold ring they purchased while on holiday south of the border. They settled on a basic ring because the task of choosing the perfect ring became overwhelming.</p>
<p>"We bought the gold leaf [ring] at an arts fair in Mexico City last December because looking for a ring started to feel like it was distorting and eclipsing the beauty of choosing each other," Bareilles wrote on Instagram.</p>
<p>In the Instagram post, she explained how their recent visit to an Upstate New York antique store yielded her forever ring.</p>
<p>As they shopped, Bareilles looked at tiny lamp shades while Tippett gravitated to a vintage ring featuring an unusual center diamond flanked by two smaller diamonds.</p>
<p>(A jewelry-industry insider told <em>The Jeweler Blog</em> that the center stone appears to be an "Old Euro," or European Cut, which is characterized by a high crown and small table. The insider added that the Old Euro predates the modern round brilliant-cut by 40 years.)</p>
<p>"It didn’t fit my finger so I was scared to take the leap," she wrote. "I had been thinking I should go get something custom or really hunt for the ‘right ring’ so I balked at it."</p>
<p>On the drive back home, Bareilles and Tippett discussed the <em>real</em> meaning behind an engagement ring.</p>
<p>"That it is something he wants to give me, not just get for me," she explained. "That the leap of faith of not quite knowing if it was ‘the one’ is just that. A leap of faith. And isn’t that life?"</p>
<p>Bareilles and Tippett went back for the vintage ring the next day.</p>
<p>"I look at this ring and think of his big blue eyes and how sometimes they are pleading with me to let go and grow into something new with him. So I did," she wrote.</p>
<p>Bareilles got the ring sized and wears it proudly, as her Instagram selfies can attest.</p>
<p>"Now I just love that I see him when I look at it. I like looking at you @joetipps,” she concluded.</p>
<p>Bareilles and Tippett have yet to announce any wedding plans.</p>
<p>The singer had previously told <em>People</em> magazine that she and her fiancé are torn between two wedding options. The first is going down to City Hall and "just do the thing." The second is to have a great party with friends and family.</p>
<p>"And so I don't know," she said. "We're still figuring it out.”</p>
<p><small><em>Credits: Images via Instagram / sarabareilles.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094043.post-15622172018984777602024-01-22T04:54:00.003-07:002024-01-22T04:54:16.623-07:00French Visitor to Crater of Diamonds State Park Scores 7.46-Carat Sparkler<p>On his first visit to Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park, a French tourist plucked a 7.46-carat chocolate brown diamond from the surface of the park’s 37.5-acre search area. About the size of a candy gumdrop, the roundish diamond is the eighth-largest ever discovered at the only diamond site in the world that’s open to the general public.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/frenchfind1.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32549" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/frenchfind1.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>The park was not on Julien Navas's original itinerary. The Paris native's first stop was Cape Canaveral, FL, where he witnessed the launch of the moon-bound Vulcan Centaur Rocket on January 8. A few days later, he extended his trip to explore New Orleans with some friends and was intrigued by their stories about a park in Arkansas that sits upon the exposed eroded surface of an ancient diamond-bearing kimberlite pipe.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/frenchfind2.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32548" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/frenchfind2.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>Navas had previously enjoyed his experiences panning for gold and searching for ammonite fossils, so he decided to add to his US adventure a stop at the world-famous diamond park in Murfreesboro.</p>
<p>Outfitted with rented gear, Navas got to work early on Thursday, January 11. The park had recently received more than an inch of rain, making the terrain wet and muddy.</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/frenchfind4.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32550" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/frenchfind4.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>“I got to the park around 9 o’clock and started to dig,” he said. “That is back-breaking work, so by the afternoon I was mainly looking on top of the ground for anything that stood out."</p>
<p>That strategy was not a bad one, because many of the park's largest diamonds have been found on the surface, according to Assistant Park Superintendent Waymon Cox.</p>
<p>“We periodically plow the search area to loosen the diamond-bearing soil and promote natural erosion,” he said. “As rain falls on the field, it washes away the dirt and uncovers heavy rocks, minerals and diamonds near the surface.”</p>
<p>After several hours of picking potential treasures, he carried his finds to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center. There he learned that one of his selections — a deep chocolate brown stone in the shape of a marble — was, indeed, a 7.46-carat diamond.</p>
<p>“I am so happy!" Navas exclaimed upon hearing the good news. "All I can think about is telling my fiancée what I found.”</p>
<p><a href="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/frenchfind3.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-32546" src="https://thejewelerblog.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/frenchfind3.jpg?w=575" /></a></p>
<p>In honor of his fiancée, he named his treasure the "Carine Diamond."</p>
<p>Navas told the park's administrators that he was planning to have the rough stone cut into two polished diamonds, one for his fiancée and one for his daughter. He also noted that he was planning to return to the park with his daughter once she's a bit older.</p>
<p>“It is always so exciting to see first time visitors find diamonds, especially large diamonds like this one,” said Park Interpreter Sarah Reap.</p>
<p>Navas called Crater of Diamonds State Park "a magical place, where the dream of finding a diamond can come true.”</p>
<p>The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States was unearthed in Murfreesboro in 1924. Named the “Uncle Sam,” the white diamond with a pink cast weighed 40.23 carats. The site of that early mining operation became a state park in 1972.</p>
<p><small><em>Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.</em></small></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0