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.