Music Friday: He Wears a 'Plain Gold Ring' and in Her Heart It Will Never Be Spring

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, New Zealand songstress Kimbra channels jazz legend Nina Simone in her contemporary rendition of "Plain Gold Ring," a song about a young woman who is in love with a married man.

The tune's emotionally torn protagonist pledges she will love him until the end of time while acknowledging that for as long as he wears that symbol of eternal love, he belongs to another.

She sings, "Plain gold ring has but one thing to say / I'll remember 'til my dying day / In my heart it will never be spring / Long as he wears a plain gold ring."

In her live performance video, below, Kimbra utilizes an electronic device called a "phrase sampler" or "looper," which captures and plays back audio snippets in realtime. The result is a complex, layered sound, where Kimbra seems to be harmonizing with herself.

"Plain Gold Ring" originally appeared on Simone's Little Girl Blue album in 1958 and made subsequent appearances on the jazz singer's 1964 live album and 2001 compilation album. During her career, she released more than 40 albums. The artist passed away in 2003 at the age of 70.

Kimbra gave the song a fresh, new interpretation on her debut album, Vows, which was released in 2011. The album charted in seven countries, including a #14 position on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and a #24 placement on the Canadian Albums chart. It was also nominated for Australian Album of the Year.

The multi-talented singer-songwriter-actress-model grew up in Hamilton, New Zealand, and began writing songs at the age of 10. As a 12-year-old, she sang the New Zealand national anthem in front of a crowd of 27,000 rugby fans. As a 17-year-old in 2007, she won the Juice TV award for Best Breakthrough music video. She was signed to a record deal in 2008 and moved to Australia to pursue a music career.

Please check out the 2012 video of Kimbra performing "Plain Gold Ring" live in the Seattle studio of radio station KEXP. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Plain Gold Ring"
Written by Earl Burroughs and George Stone. Performed by Kimbra.

Plain gold ring on his finger he wore
It was where everyone could see
He belonged to someone, but not me
On his hand was a plain gold band

Plain gold ring has a story to tell
It was one that I knew too well
In my heart it will never be spring
Long as he wears a plain gold ring
Oh, oh

When nighttime comes a' callin' on me
I know why I will never be free
I can't stop these teardrops of mine
I'm gonna love him 'til the end of time

Plain gold ring has but one thing to say
I'll remember 'til my dying day
In my heart it will never be spring
Long as he wears a plain gold ring
Plain gold ring on his finger he wore
Plain gold ring on his finger he wore
Plain gold ring on his finger he wore

Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com.

World Diamond Museum Releases Stunning New Book, 'Diamonds Across Time'

Timed to coincide with the first virtual World Diamond Congress, the World Diamond Museum unveiled Diamonds Across Time, a stunning 432-page book that celebrates every aspect of history's most coveted precious stone.

Diamonds Across Time includes essays from 10 internationally renowned jewelry experts and is richly illustrated with high-quality images of gems and jewels, archival documents, rare drawings and eye-popping photographs.

The new book presents new discoveries, explores extraordinary collections, looks back on history and trade, investigates the nature of diamonds, reviews legendary gems, celebrates jewelry collections and spotlights great designers. The volume places diamonds in the context of the political, social and cultural stage on which their histories were etched.

Above all, the contributors tell the human stories that underpin the adoration of diamonds.

Dr. Usha R. Balakrishnan, the chief curator of the World Diamond Museum, compiled and edited the book, which includes her own monograph, titled The Nizam Diamond, Bala Koh-i-noor, the Little Koh-i-noor in the Sacred Trust of the Nizam of Hyderabad.

"There is a saying that, 'It takes a village to raise a child' and the same goes for making a great book," Balakrishnan told rough-polished.com. "Diamonds Across Time involved people from all over the world — all of us united by a love for diamonds."

Other topics include the following:

• Diamonds of the French Crown Jewels – between West and East, by François Farges;
• A Concise History of Diamonds from Borneo, by Derek J. Content;
• Indian Diamonds and the Portuguese during the rise of the Mughal Empire, by Hugo Miguel Crespo;
• Two Large Diamonds from India, by Jack Ogden;
• The Romanov Diamonds - History of Splendour, by Stefano Pappi;
• The Londonderry Jewels 1819-1959, by Diana Scarisbrick;
• Dress to Impress in South East Asia, by René Brus;
• Powerful Women Important Diamonds, by Ruth Peltason;
• One in Ten Thousand; the Unique World of Coloured Diamonds, by John King.

“The establishment of the World Diamond Museum marks the first step in the long journey to reignite the passion for diamonds, chronicle traditions, explore cultures and show the eternal relevance of beauty, even in present times," wrote Alex Popov, Founder of the World Diamond Museum, in the book's foreword. “This volume unites diverse stories that reveal the many meanings of the diamond and how human emotions and beliefs are reflected in its thousands of facets. The book is illustrated with incredible photographs of rarely seen gems and jewels from closely held collections and reconstructions of historical diamonds, done with the help of state-of-the-art computer technology.”

The book will be available soon on the World Diamond Museum's website.

Credits: Images courtesy of the World Diamond Museum.

Miami Hurricanes’ ‘Touchdown Rings 2.0’ Feature 1,925 Orange and Green Sapphires

Crafted from 100 grams of gold, the Miami Hurricanes' "Touchdown Rings 2.0" span eight knuckles and spell out "The Crib" when the two fists are held together. The script words are adorned with orange and green sapphires to match the team's colors. The rings are set with 829 and 1,096 gems, respectively.

The latest version of the college football team's celebratory rings was unveiled during the first quarter of the Hurricanes' Thursday opener against UAB (The University of Alabama at Birmingham).

Down 7-0 and facing a 4th and 1 from their own 34 yard line, running back Cam’Ron Harris took a handoff, busted through the line and scampered untouched for a 66-yard touchdown. The Hurricanes would go on to win 31-14.

For his efforts, Harris earned the honor of being the first Hurricane to wear the over-the-top, double-fisted rings.

"The Crib" represents a nickname for South Florida and is also a way of referring to the end zone, as in, "taking it to the crib."

According to a University of Miami press release, the rings were designed by Miami jeweler AJ Machado and took more than three months to complete. He also created an alternate, one-handed version of the piece, with the words "The Crib" stacked.

Machado's 2019 edition of the team's Touchdown Rings spelled out "Hurri" on one hand and "canes" on the other. Two fists together spelled out "Hurricanes."

The Miami Herald reported that coach Manny Diaz believed the Touchdown Rings would encourage his offense to play with the same intensity as his defense.

The offense-focused Touchdown Rings were the answer to the defense-oriented Turnover Chain that was unveiled in 2017. The first incarnation of that chain featured a diamond-encrusted "U" hanging from a Cuban link chain. The 2019 version was a diamond-adorned "305," also hanging from a Cuban link chain chain (The three-digit number refers to the South Florida area code.)

Defensive players credited with causing a turnover got to wear the special jewelry. The 2020 version of the Turnover Chain remains under wraps because no turnovers were recorded by the Miami defense in their battle with UAB.

Credits: Images courtesy of Miami Athletics.

Music Friday Flashback: This Lover No Longer Laughs at Blue Diamond Rings

Welcome to Music Friday when we like to bring you throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, internationally renowned barbershop quartet Gimme Four covers Frank Sinatra's "Oh! Look at Me Now," a 1941 tune about a cynical, unlucky-in-love young man who used to laugh at the idea of gifting a blue diamond ring.

But, now's he's excited to tell the story of his remarkable change of heart.

Gimme Four sings, "So I'm the guy who turned out a lover / Yes I'm the guy who laughed at those blue diamond rings / One of those things / Oh, look at me now!"

The young man is now proud to be a better man, with a new heart and a brand new start. He also has a new appreciation of romantic, blue diamonds.

Written by John DeVries and composed by Joe Bushkin, "Oh! Look at Me Now" was made famous by a 26-year-old crooner Frank Sinatra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The legendary singer recorded it again in 1957 for his album A Swingin' Affair!.

Over the years, "Oh! Look at Me Now" has been covered but the likes of Bing Crosby (1954), Bobby Darin (1962) and Ella Fitzgerald (1989), but the rendition featured today is artfully delivered by Gimme Four, a talented group of young men from Caldwell, NJ.

According to the group's official bio, Gimme Four has been singing together as a barbershop quartet since 2011. The singers are heavily involved in youth outreach and music education through barbershop singing, having coached students across the New York metropolitan area. They love to make music that leaves a lasting impression, one that changes someone's day — or life — for the better.

In 2017, Gimme Four opened for Jay Leno at The Freeman Stage at Bayside in Delaware and toured St. Petersburg, Russia. A year later, the group released its first album, Gimme Four: Volume I, on which "Oh! Look at Me Now" is the eighth track.

Please check out the video of Gimme Four performing "Oh! Look at Me Now" at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, during the Barbershop Harmony Society's 2013 International Convention. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Oh! Look at Me Now"
Written by John DeVries and composed by Joe Bushkin. Performed by Gimme Four.

I'm not the guy who cared about love
And I'm not the guy who cared about fortunes and such
I never cared much
Oh, look at me now!

I never knew the technique of kissing
I never knew the thrill I could get from your touch
I never knew much
Oh, look at me now!

I'm a new man better than Casanova at his best
With a new heart and a brand new start
Why I'm so proud I'm bustin' my vest

So I'm the guy who turned out a lover
Yes I'm the guy who laughed at those blue diamond rings
One of those things
Oh, look at me now!

I'm not the guy who cared about love
And I'm not the guy who cared about fortunes and such
I never cared much
Oh, look at me now!

And I never knew the technique of kissing
I never knew the thrill I could get from your touch
I never knew much
Oh, look at me now!

I'm a new man better than Casanova at his very best
With a new heart and a brand new start
I'm so proud I'm bustin' my vest

So I'm the guy who turned out a lover
Yes I'm the guy who laughed at those blue diamond rings
One of those things
Oh, look at me now!
Look at me now!

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes Gave a Ring on Same Day He Got His Ring

The Kansas City Chiefs received their spectacular Super Bowl rings in a special ceremony on September 1, but did you know that on the same day MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes got his ring, he gave one, as well?

The romantic 24-year-old popped the question to his high school sweetheart, Brittany Matthews, with an eye-popping radiant-cut diamond ring. Experts believe the center stone weighs between 8 and 10 carats and could be worth as much as $800,000, depending on the diamond's quality.

The stone is secured with yellow-gold prongs and sits atop a double diamond band. Radiant-cut diamonds are square or rectangular, but unlike an emerald-cut, which has stepped facets, the radiant-cut mimics the faceting of a round brilliant cut.

The surprise proposal took place in a luxury suite at Arrowhead Stadium. In photos posted to Mahomes' Instagram page, the couple is seen posing in a room decorated with candles, flowers and a marquee sign spelling out, "WILL YOU MARRY ME."

Earlier, on the field, each Chiefs player and coach received a personalized Super Bowl championship ring featuring 255 diamonds and 36 rubies.

Matthews wrote on Instagram, "On a day that was meant to celebrate you, you turned it into celebrating us. It’s always us, it’s always you & me, the words you looked into my eyes and said to me, will NEVER leave my mind! You made this day perfect, you took my entire breath away! I LOVE YOU @PatrickMahomes." She punctuated her post with a double-red-heart emoji.

Mahomes was excited to post a closeup of the ring on his Instagram Story. "Ring SZN," Mahomes wrote atop the snap. Of course, that translates to "Ring Season."

Another shot shows the bride-to-be smiling ear-to-ear and proudly holding out her newly adorned left hand to the camera as Mahomes kisses her cheek. The proposal took place one day after her 25th birthday.

Matthews and Mahomes have been dating since they were teenagers. They were prom dates in 2013.

Wrote Matthews on Instagram, "8 years ago, you played safety & I was a cheerleader in a small town called Whitehouse, TX. Oh how times have changed! Love you."

While Mahomes runs the offense for the Kansas City Chiefs, his new fiancée heads a company called Brittany Lynn Fitness. In early July, Mahomes signed the richest contract in sports history, a 10-year, $503 million deal.

No wedding date has been announced.

Credits: Images via Instagram/Patrick Mahomes.