Music Friday: 'Emeralds From Mountains Thrust Towards the Sky' in 1998's 'I’ll Be'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fantastic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, Edwin McCain employs a key "emerald" reference in his timeless hit, "I’ll Be" — a tune that was selected by one-million-plus Dr. Phil viewers in 2005 as the best wedding song ever written.

The romantic gemstone metaphor is in the very first verse of the memorable 1998 tune: “The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful / Stop me and steal my breath / And emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky / Never revealing their depth.”

Emeralds, in this case, embody the characteristics of his girlfriend: precious, beautiful, majestic, mysterious and sublime.

While most listeners would bet the farm that McCain intended “I’ll Be” to be a heartwarming love song, the 53-year-old singer-songwriter revealed that it was actually written as a prayer in a moment of personal and professional desperation. He was going through a rough breakup with his girlfriend while struggling with the unwieldy demands of his record label.

“It was kind of a Hail Mary prayer for me, personally,” he told songfacts.com. “The idea was that maybe if I write my future, it’ll come true.” He told the music website that, despite the misinterpretation of “I’ll Be,” he is very pleased that his song has become a favorite wedding song and he’s always proud to play it in concert.

“I’m not associated with the ’90s,” he said. “I’m associated with weddings. So it never ends. It’s timeless.”

McCain also revealed his inspiration for the song's repeating phrase, "cryin’ shoulder," and its final line, "The greatest fan of your life."

He explained to hudsonandemily.com, “There was a girl I dated who was on her way to being an actress and it was one of those things where it was never going to last, but I remember I used to always tell her I’d be her greatest fan."

He continued, "That and I overheard a drunk guy at a bar fumble over his words about being a 'shoulder to cry on' or 'crying shoulder' and I remember writing it down on a bar napkin because that phrase sort of hit me the right way, and I went home and wrote it all down, and there you go.”

“I’ll Be,” which was released as the first single from McCain’s second album, Misguided Roses, rose to #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and stands as McCain’s biggest hit.

Born in Charleston, SC, McCain toured with Hootie and the Blowfish in the early 1990s and eventually signed with his tourmates' label, Atlantic Records. McCain has released 11 albums and continues to perform live, with dates already scheduled through September 2024.

Check out the official video of McCain singing “I’ll Be.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“I’ll Be”
Written and performed by Edwin McCain.

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
And emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky
Never revealing their depth

And tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I’ll be captivated, I’ll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

And I’ll be your cryin’ shoulder
I’ll be love suicide
And I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life

And rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
And you’re my survival, you’re my living proof
My love is alive, and not dead

And tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I’ll be captivated, I’ll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

And I’ll be your cryin’ shoulder
I’ll be love suicide
And I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life.

And I dropped out, I burned up, I fought my way back from the dead
I tuned in, I turned on, remembered the thing that you said

And I’ll be your cryin’ shoulder
I’ll be love suicide
And I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life

And I’ll be your cryin’ shoulder
I’ll be love suicide
And I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life
The greatest fan of your life.

Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com.

Demi Lovato Shares Intimate Shot of Her New Pear-Shaped Engagement Ring

Singer-songwriter-actress Demi Lovato and her new fiancé Jordan “Jutes” Lutes have been sharing social media pics of their holiday-season engagement, and Lovato's stunning new pear-shaped diamond engagement ring has become a news story in itself.

While some "experts" have estimated the carat weight of the diamond at 4.5 to 5 carats, with a value of $150,000 to $200,000, others believe it's as large as 8 or 9 carats with a price tag of up to $760,000.

Nevertheless, what we do know for sure is that the natural diamond ring is set with five prongs in a cathedral solitaire setting on an unadorned yellow gold band. This design draws all of the attention to the large center stone..

The 32-year-old Lutes, who is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter, popped the question privately in Los Angeles a week ago Saturday and reportedly celebrated the engagement with members of both families the next day at Craig's, one of their favorite West Hollywood eateries.

“I’m still speechless," the "Confident" singer, 31, captioned a series of engagement pics on Instagram. "…last night was the best night of my life and I can’t believe I get to marry the love of my life @jutesmusic.”

The next day, Lovato shared an intimate closeup of her hand caressing the shoulder of her napping boyfriend while the impressive ring glistens in the foreground. Her caption read, "4 candles for forever," a reference to the four Sundays of Advent and the symbols of hope, peace, joy and love.

On Christmas Day, Lutes shared multiple photos of his first American Christmas, which included an adorable pic of the couple in matching hooded pajamas.

Commenting on the post, Lovato joked, "I’m still not over your uno championship reign. I’ll let you have it because it’s Christmas. Jkjk I loooooooove you and this was the best Christmas ever… getting to spend it with you has been a dream come true. Now can we pleeeease watch some love island together?"

Pagesix.com reported that the ring design was the result of a collaboration between the couple and Teresa Panico of the Material Good boutique, located in the Soho district of New York City. Lovato and Lutes reportedly "fell in love" with the pear-shaped diamond and the design came to life two weeks later.

In addition to collaborating on the ring design, Lovato and Lutes also co-wrote the former Disney star's song, "Substance," back in January of 2022. That was when they met, and they subsequently worked professionally and became good friends before taking the relationship to the next level in August of 2022.

“He was just so focused on the music,” Lovato said during a LadyGang podcast. “So we were friends for a while and then told each other how we felt.”

Credits: Ring photo via Instagram / ddlovato. Couple photo via Instagram / jutesmusic.

Artificial Intelligence Helps Unite Airline Passengers With Lost Jewelry, Watches

With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), holiday travelers who have lost their jewelry at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and 11 other major air hubs across the US have a much better chance of getting it back.

During an average year at DFW, for example, more than 18,000 items are reported lost by travelers. But, thanks to newly installed artificial intelligence software, about 90% of the items are successfully returned to their owners.

Shimaa Fadul, who runs daily operations at the DFW lost and found, told CBS News that her team of specialists have collected 587 rings and 414 watches, including seven Rolexes, so far in 2023.

As she opened a secured cabinet to show CBS News reporter Omar Villafranca the magnitude of the collection, all he could say was "Wow" as he viewed the labeled plastic containers brimming with watches, bracelets, necklaces, rings and miscellaneous jewelry, as well as keys, sunglasses and cell phones.

When the airport's team finds an item, it is immediately photographed and entered into a database. The team does its best to described the item in great detail. When travelers inquire about items, they, too, will provide descriptive information and photos, if available.

Lost and Found software, which is operated by Hallmark Aviation Services, uses AI and image recognition to automatically match found items with inquiries. Once the match is confirmed, the items can be quickly returned to their rightful owners.

Fadul noted that distinguishing marks, such as stickers or serial numbers, help the process along. In the case of jewelry, we're assuming that detailed gem configurations, hallmarks and inscriptions will be equally valuable in making a match.

She explained how her team came to the rescue of a woman who recently misplaced her wedding dress at DFW. Fadul's team found the dress and, with the help of AI, matched it to the bride-to-be and overnighted it to her barely 24 hours before she was set to walk down the aisle.

Check out the CBS News report here…

Credits: Screen captures via cbsnews.com.

Music Friday: Chrissie Hynde Sings About Diamonds Sparkling in the Snow

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you spectacular songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. In the 1983 holiday release, “2000 Miles,” rock legend Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders paints a picture of a diamond-embellished winter scene while lamenting the fact that she’s far away from the one she loves at Christmastime.

She sings, “In these frozen and silent nights / Sometimes in a dream… you appear / Outside under the purple sky / Diamonds in the snow… sparkle / Our hearts were singing / It felt like Christmastime."

While many people see “2000 Miles” as a sweet Christmas song about a young woman yearning to be closer to her lover during the holidays, the tune is actually Hynde’s tribute to guitarist and founding band member James Honeyman-Scott, who died of a cocaine overdose in 1982 at the age of 25.

“2000 Miles” was released as a single in December of 1983 and appeared as the 10th track of The Pretenders’ Learning to Crawl album. The single was popular in the UK, where it peaked at #15 on the UK Singles Chart. Learning to Crawl earned the #5 spot on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.

While discussing the song in a 1990 interview with Select magazine, Hynde praised the excellent guitar work of former band member Robbie McIntosh while roasting herself as a vocalist and lyricist, stating, "… McIntosh plays beautifully on '2000 Miles'. Anything to avoid listening to my voice and my stupid words."

In 2014, while finishing up her album Stockholm, Hynde collaborated with Swede Bjorn Yttling on an updated version of “2000 Miles." It was released as a Christmas single in the UK that December.

She told Classic Rock Magazine, “I think it captures the mood of the season perfectly as it gets cold in Sweden, reindeer wander the streets freely and the snow was coming down! Happy Christmas!”

Coldplay (2003), The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (2010), Natalie Imbruglia (2010), Mark Kozelek (2014), Kylie Minogue (2015), Train (2015) and Tom Chaplic (2017) have all covered “2000 Miles” for their holiday albums.

Born in Akron, OH, in 1951, Hynde formed The Pretenders in Hereford, England, in 1978. The band has sold more than 130 million albums worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. They have been touring on and off for the past 45 years.

Please check out the live performance video of Hynde and The Pretenders performing “2000 Miles” in 1995. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“2000 Miles”
Written by Christine Hynde. Performed by The Pretenders.

He’s gone 2000 miles
It’s very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

The children will sing
He’ll be back at Christmastime

In these frozen and silent nights
Sometimes in a dream… you appear
Outside under the purple sky
Diamonds in the snow… sparkle

Our hearts were singing
It felt like Christmastime

2000 miles
Is very far through the snow
I’ll think of you
Wherever you go

He’s gone 2000 miles
It’s very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

I can hear people singing
It must be Christmastime

I can hear people singing
It must be Christmastime

Credit: Image by Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Choron Group to Unlock Secrets Within Historic 108-Carat Pink Diamond

The historic 108.39-carat pink diamond recovered in March at the renowned Kao mine in the Kingdom of Lesotho is now in Antwerp, where it will be skillfully cut and polished into a series of finished diamonds by the Choron Group.

"Over the coming weeks and months, we will be taking you on a manufacturing journey from our base in Antwerp as we bring this once-in-a-lifetime diamond to life," Choron wrote on its Linkedin page. Founded in 1985, Choron is a leading diamond-industry player with a division that specializes in the manufacturing of exceptional rough diamonds.

Earlier this month, Choron agreed to purchase the Type IIa pink gem from Kao mine operator Storm Mountain Diamonds (SMD) for an undisclosed sum. Type IIa diamonds are chemically pure with no traces of nitrogen or boron impurities.

"It is a privilege for Choron to unlock the secrets within this remarkable pink diamond and we look forward to revealing the story of this historic diamond," said company CEO Anshul Gandhi. "Our artisans will meticulously transform this rough diamond into an array of polished diamonds that will be remembered for generations to come."

It's likely that the 108.39-carat fancy intense pink diamond will be divided into a large hero stone and a series of satellite stones. The anticipated sizes and shapes on the polished stones have yet to be revealed.

Gandhi told Rapaport News that SMD will retain a minority share in the stone, while Choron will manufacture and market it.

Storm Mountain Diamonds, which is jointly owned by Namakwa Diamonds Limited and the Government of Lesotho, noted that its March 2023 find is one of the largest pink diamonds ever to be discovered globally. In fact, the gem is more than twice the carat weight of the Kao mine’s previous record holder: the 47.81-carat “Pink Eternity,” which was discovered in 2022. Other notable pink diamonds from the mine include the “Pink Palesa” (21.68 carat, 2021) and the Rose of Kao (29.59 carats, 2018).

“SMD continues to consistently deliver extraordinary diamonds, and this diamond further cements the Kao mine as the primary producer of pink diamonds globally," noted Robert Cowley, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SMD. "We are thrilled to enter into this agreement with Choron and we look forward to the next chapter of this diamond’s story.”

Pink diamonds are in high demand and short supply since the November 2020 closure of Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine, which had been the world’s primary source of high-quality pink diamonds.

Credits: Images courtesy of Storm Mountain Diamonds.

Spirit of Giving: Another Donor Drops Bridal Jewelry in Salvation Army Kettle

Back in December of 2014, an anonymous woman honored her late husband’s joy of Christmastime gift giving by dropping her engagement ring and wedding band into a Salvation Army Red Kettle outside of Boston’s North Station. Accompanying the three-stone engagement ring and plain gold wedding band was a type-written note.

“I’ve dropped my wedding ring in your Red Kettle knowing that the money from its sale will buy toys for needy children,” she wrote. “In all seasons, my husband was a giver. I especially remember his joy in giving at Christmastime, especially to those in need. To honor his memory, I donate this ring.”

That uplifting story, which earned national headlines, has been spawning copycat acts of generosity ever since.

This past Thursday, at The Salvation Army in Waltham, about 12 miles west of Boston, Lt. Nicole Fullop was inspecting the contents of a Red Kettle at the local Market Basket grocery store when she encountered a curious plastic bag. Inside the bag, wrapped in a dollar bill, was a wedding band and engagement ring, along with a type-written note.

“This ring is being given in love for a second time,” wrote the anonymous donor. “Like the first time, I hope that this ring will bring joy and make a difference.”

According to The Salvation Army, the rings are valued at an estimated $1,500. Once sold, the proceeds will be put directly toward helping families and others in need in the Waltham area this holiday season.

“We are honored and humbled that someone would care enough to give something this precious to The Salvation Army to help others,” said Lt. Fullop. “Donors dropping valuable jewelry and coins with notes into kettles has been happening for years and is often a reminder of how the kettle is a sign of hope.”

In an interview with WBZ News in Boston, Fullop delivered a message to the anonymous donor: "We thank you and we love you. Merry Christmas."

This year, The Salvation Army hopes to raise $2.5 million in Massachusetts through its iconic red kettle campaign. In 2022, the national campaign generated more than $102 million.

Every year, The Salvation Army serves more than 24 million people across America. They provide more than 55 million meals for the hungry, more than 10 million nights of shelter for the homeless, and countless Christmas gifts for children who may otherwise go without.

The Salvation Army Red Kettle Program can track its origins to 1891, when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee struggled with the reality that so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. His only hurdle was a tall one — funding the project.

According to The Salvation Army’s official website, McFee’s red kettle idea was inspired by his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England. There, he remembered an iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor.

The next day, McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” He soon had the money to see that the needy people of the area were properly fed at Christmas.

Credits: Images courtesy of The Salvation Army.

Music Friday: Diamond Bracelet and Ring Top Ashanti’s Wish List in 'Hey Santa'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you uplifting songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Ashanti reveals to St. Nick the blingy accessories at the top of her holiday wish list in the 2003 ditty, “Hey Santa.”

After asking Santa in the first verse for “something sweet,” such as chocolate Kisses or candy canes, Ashanti takes it up a notch in the second verse, as her request for “something new” includes a diamond bracelet or diamond ring.

(In a nod to the 1953 classic, “Santa Baby,” Ashanti echos Eartha Kitt’s call for a baby blue convertible.)

She sings, “Hey Santa, can you bring me something new / (Something new, something, something new)? / Like a diamond bracelet or a diamond ring / How about a shiny new, baby blue, convertible? / Hey Santa, can you bring me everything?”

Written by Ashanti and Irving Lorenzo, “Hey Santa” was released as the third track from Ashanti’s Christmas. The album, which included an equal mix of original songs and covers of holiday classics, peaked at #43 on the Billboard‘s Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Ashanti performed “Hey Santa” during the 2003 tree-lighting festivities at New York City’s Rockefeller Center.

Born Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas in 1980, the singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actress is named after the 17th century Ashanti Empire, in what is now modern-day Ghana. In that kingdom, women held positions of power and influence, and Ashanti’s mother believed the name might help inspire her daughter to achieve greatness.

Ashanti joined a gospel choir at the age of six and scored her first recording contract at the age of 14. The Glen Cove, NY, native won a Grammy Award in 2003 and went on to become the first female artist to occupy the top two positions on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously with “Always on Time” and “What’s Luv?” She has also nabbed eight Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards and a Grammy.

Please check out the audio track of Ashanti singing “Hey Santa.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Hey Santa”
Written by Ashanti Douglas and Irving Lorenzo. Performed by Ashanti.

Hey Santa, can you bring me something good
(Something good, something good)?
Hey Santa, can you bring me something sweet
(Something sweet, something, something sweet)?
Like chocolate kisses or candy canes.
Gumdrops or butterscotch, fruity flavor, chewy rings.

Hey Santa, can you bring me something nice
(Something nice, something nice)?
Hey Santa, can you bring me something new
(Something new, something, something new)?
Like a diamond bracelet or a diamond ring.
How about a shiny new, baby blue, convertible?
Hey Santa, can you bring me everything?

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh?

Hey Santa, can I sing this song to you
(Sing to you, sing to you)?
Hey Santa, can you make my wish come true
(Make it true, make it, make it true)?
Can you fill my stocking with lots of treats?
Boxes with red and green, underneath the Christmas tree?
Hey Santa, can you bring me everything?

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / Ashanti Vault.

Study: Most Popular Occasions for Self-Purchasing Are Holidays and Birthdays

The idea that women deserve to splurge on themselves as a sign of self-empowerment and independence has been encouraged and promoted by the jewelry industry for many years.

Back in 2019, for example, the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) introduced the “For Me, From Me” ad campaign, which was inspired by the ever-growing segment of the market represented by women who buy diamonds for themselves. The DPA claimed at the time that one-third of the $43 billion diamond jewelry market was associated with female self purchases.

A new study by Jewelers Mutual Group adds more depth to the subject by revealing that the most popular occasions for self-purchasing are holidays and birthdays. The results illuminate the importance of nurturing self-celebration and prioritizing well-being and happiness during the holiday gift-giving season when self-care can be forgotten, according to the Neenah, WI-based insurer.

“Jewelry is so much more than metal and stone; it’s a symbol of independence and self-expression,” said Krystle Craycraft, senior vice president of marketing and digital at Jewelers Mutual. “As we continue our work to elevate the love of jewelry, these findings reinforce the significance of empowering individuals to treat themselves to beautiful and meaningful jewelry, regardless of the occasion.”

The Jewelers Mutual survey also revealed that female self-purchasers are significantly more likely to purchase necklaces and earrings, while males are more likely to purchase watches.

Respondents also acknowledged jewelry as an heirloom. Exactly 96% of self-purchasers either plan to or are considering passing down their fine jewelry.

Just about everybody knows the having one's fine jewelry regularly inspected is critical, especially if the items contain precious gemstones. But good intentions and good habits don't always match up. Jewelers Mutual learned that 39% of self-purchasers claimed they never have their fine jewelry inspected.

When asked about the frequency of their self purchases, a surprising 50% of respondents said they buy jewelry for themselves only once a year.

Credit: Image courtesy of Jewelers Mutual.

Velvety Orange-Pink 'Peach Fuzz' Named Pantone's 2024 Color of the Year

On Thursday, The Pantone Color Institute selected a velvety gentle peach tone to be its 2024 Color of the Year. The institute said Peach Fuzz's warm and welcoming embrace conveys a message of compassion and empathy.

The subtle orange-pink Peach Fuzz (PANTONE 18-1750) stands in stark contrast to 2023's Viva Magenta, which was described last year as a “new animated red that revels in pure joy.”

Conscious of a world in turmoil, Pantone decided this year to seek a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness, connection and a more peaceful future.

"We chose a color radiant with warmth and modern elegance," noted Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute. "[It's] a shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless."

Typically, Pantone’s yearly selection influences product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.

Consumers embracing Peach Fuzz-inspired fashion items might consider accessorizing with fine jewelry featuring orange-pink gemstones, such as padparadscha sapphire and morganite.

Having been called “a true Rembrandt among gemstones,” padparadscha is the rarest and most valuable variety of sapphire. Padparadscha belongs to the corundum family of gemstones, which includes rubies and sapphires. The presence of trace elements determines the color of each gemstone.

While blue sapphires are naturally colored with iron and rubies with chromium, padparadschas are colored by the presence of both. The delicate interplay of pink and orange hues makes this gem one of nature’s greatest achievements. The gem’s name is derived from “padma raga,” which literally means “the color of the lotus flower” in Sanskrit.

Morganite is a member of the beryl family of gemstones, which includes emerald and aquamarine. Once known simply as pink beryl, the gemstone got its current name in 1911 when the famous New York gemologist G. F. Kunz recommended that the pretty pinkish-orange stone be named for banker and mineral collector John Pierpont Morgan. The New York Academy of Sciences agreed and this unique variety of beryl was officially designated as “morganite.”

The Pantone Color Institute originally created the Pantone Color of the Year educational program in 1999 to engage the design community and color enthusiasts around the world in a conversation around color.

Here are the Pantone Colors of the Year dating back to 2010…

PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta (2023)
PANTONE 17-3938 Veri Peri (2022)
PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray (2021)
PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating (2021)
PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue (2020)
PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral (2019)
PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet (2018)
PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery (2017)
PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz (2016)
PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity (2016)
PANTONE 18-1438 Marsala (2015)
PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid (2014)
PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald (2013)
PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango (2012)
PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle (2011)
PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise (2010)

Credits: Color swatch images courtesy of Pantone courtesy. Padparadscha image by Chip Clark / Smithsonian and digitally enhanced by SquareMoose. Morganite image by Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Music Friday: Kelly Clarkson Describes Herself as 'A Diamond From Black Dust'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you popular songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Kelly Clarkson reveals her vulnerable side and wonders out loud if her boyfriend can embrace her flaws in the 2012 hit, “Dark Side.”

In this soaring synth-pop ballad, songwriters Alexander Geringas and Michael Busbee touch on the diamond’s origin story to illustrate Clarkson’s true potential.

Specifically, they reference how carbon has the ability, over time, to transform into a precious diamond. Clarkson argues that even though she’s not “picture perfect” and has an ominous “dark side,” she is still a gem at her core.

The 2002 American Idol winner sings, “Like a diamond / From black dust / It’s hard to know what can become if you give up / So don’t give up on me.”

Clarkson told New York radio station Z100 that she liked “Dark Side” because “it’s a sweet-sounding song, but with a dark lyric, and I like that.”

In reviewing "Dark Side," Kat George of VH1 said, “This is what we love best about Kelly... acknowledging the pitfalls of her personality, Kelly invites us all to be imperfect without letting us (or herself) be any less perfectly lovable.”

“Dark Side” was released as the third single from Clarkson’s Grammy-award winning album, Stronger. The song topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart and peaked at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100. Overall, it charted in 13 countries.

A year after the release of “Dark Side,” Clarkson made jewelry-industry news when she was stymied in her bid to claim the 200-year-old turquoise ring once owned by famed British novelist Jane Austen. Clarkson had won the ring in 2012 at a Sotheby’s auction in London.

Clarkson’s winning bid of $235,000 was more than five times the auction house’s high estimate. But instead of allowing Clarkson to take the ring back to the US, British authorities unexpectedly declared the ring a “national treasure” and blocked its export. If a British patron could match Clarkson’s winning bid, the singer would have to forfeit the ring so it could stay in the UK.

Jane Austen’s House Museum launched an aggressive fundraising appeal through its website and Facebook page. Donations from around the world flooded into the “Bring the Ring Home” campaign, generating an infusion of $253,000 — more than enough to match Clarkson’s bid.

Born in Ft. Worth, TX, in 1982, Kelly Brianne Clarkson rose to fame in 2002 after winning the inaugural season of American Idol. Since then, Clarkson has sold more than 25 million albums and 45 million singles worldwide. She also has the distinction of becoming the first artist in history to top each of Billboard's pop, adult contemporary, adult pop, country and dance charts.

Clarkson's daytime talk show on NBC, The Kelly Clarkson Show, has been airing since September of 2019. During the past four years, the show has earned 13 Daytime Emmy Awards. Clarkson was named "Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host" in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Please check out the official video of Clarkson's “Dark Side.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Dark Side”
Written by Alexander Geringas and Michael Busbee. Performed by Kelly Clarkson.

There’s a place that I know
It’s not pretty there and few have ever gone
If I show it to you now
Will it make you run away

Or will you stay
Even if it hurts
Even if I try to push you out
Will you return?
And remind me who I really am
Please remind me who I really am

Everybody’s got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody’s a picture perfect
But we’re worth it
You know that we’re worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?

Like a diamond
From black dust
It’s hard to know what can become if you give up
So don’t give up on me
Please remind me who I really am

Everybody’s got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody’s a picture perfect
But we’re worth it
You know that we’re worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?

Don’t run away
Don’t run away
Just tell me that you will stay
Promise me you will stay
Don’t run away
Don’t run away
Just promise me you will stay
Promise me you will stay

Will you love me?
Ohh, everybody’s got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody’s a picture perfect
But we’re worth it
You know that we’re worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?

Don’t run away
Don’t run away
Promise you'll stay

Credit: Photo by vagueonthehow from Tadcaster, York, England, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Leap Day 2024: Is It Time to Plan Your Role-Reversal Marriage Proposal?

Ladies, it's never too early to start planning for a Leap Day role-reversal marriage proposal. Yes, if you've been waiting far too long for your significant other to pop the question, Thursday, February 29, 2024, is your day.

The concept of women proposing to men on Leap Day is rooted in 5th century Ireland, where St. Brigid of Kildare forged a deal with St. Patrick to permit women to propose to men on a single day once every four years. In Ireland, Leap Day is also called Bachelor’s Day.

This scenario was the basis for the 2010 romantic comedy, Leap Year. Amy Adams plays the part of Anna, who is frustrated when another anniversary passes without a marriage proposal from her boyfriend. When she learns about the Irish tradition that allows women to pop the question on Leap Day, she rushes to Dublin to track down the boyfriend at a convention just in time to deliver a marriage proposal on February 29.

Although the tradition started in Ireland, it has slowly migrated throughout that region and around the world. Irish monks introduced the concept to Scotland, which passed a law in 1288 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.

In England, the day February 29 held no legal status, so people believed that traditional customs held no status on that day either. Hence, women were free to reverse the unfair custom that permitted only men to propose marriage.

Surveys have shown that both men and women are increasing open to the idea of role reversal when it comes to popping the question.

In 2015, a survey of 500 men by Glamour found that 70% of men would be “psyched” if their female partner popped the question.

Pinterest revealed in December 2018 that searches on its site for the phrase “women proposing to men” had skyrocketed 336% compared to 2017.

As reported by Yahoo Life, the UK-based website "Guides for Brides" found that 27% of women responding to a recent survey would like to, or have already, proposed to their male partner.

Their reasons for initiating the proposal included the following:
-- 39% Not believing the notion that only men can pop the question
-- 17% Finding it empowering
-- 14% Being "fed up" of waiting for a proposal from their other half

The same survey noted that 73% of the male partners said they would accept the proposal, while 15% said they would refuse.

The reasons for turning down a proposal included the following:
-- 28% Wanting to stick to tradition
-- 26% Believing it’s the man’s responsibility to propose
-- 14% Not being ready to get married

Credit: Image by BigStockPhoto.com.

Angola's Newest Diamond Mine Projected to Produce 600+ Million Carats

More than 600 million carats of diamonds over a lifespan of 60 years. That's the production estimate for Angola's new Luele mining project — one of the world's largest based on anticipated performance.

Sitting atop a kimberlite pipe in Angola's northeastern Lunda Sul Province, the Luele diamond deposit was discovered back in 2013, but officially began operations last week.

"This is the only major new diamond mine in the world that will commence production this decade," independent diamond analyst Paul Zimnisky told Reuters.

Angola has a reputation of supplying some of the world's finest diamonds. Among the most notable are the 170-carat "Lulo Rose," the largest pink diamond discovered anywhere in the world over the past 300 years, and the 404.20-carat white diamond named “4 de Fevereiro.” Both were mined by Lucapa Diamond Company at its Lulo alluvial diamond mine in Angola.

The Luele mine — formerly known as Luaxe — is billed as one of the largest discoveries in the diamond industry in more than half a century. During its pilot phase, Angola's state-controlled diamond miner, Catoca, extracted five million carats from the 600-meter-deep deposit. The site should reach full capacity by 2025.

The Luele mine is just 20 km from the already-successful Catoca mine, the world’s fourth largest, with an annual production capacity of 10 million carats.

According to published reports, the Luele mine is expected to double Angola's production, making it the world’s third-largest diamond producer, behind only the Russian Federation and Botswana. Catoca has a 50.5% stake in the Luele mining project.

Credit: Image of Catoca mine by Gsmart-ao, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Music Friday: ‘Golden Ring’ Reflects Country Legends' Real-Life Rocky Romance

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, second-hand bridal jewelry on display at a pawn shop in Chicago is the focus of “Golden Ring,” a chart-topping duet by country legends George Jones and Tammy Wynette.

In the song, we follow a golden band through a cycle of young love, marriage and eventual heartbreak. Jones and Wynette were married for six years, but divorced in 1975. They continued to perform after the breakup and scored a #1 hit in 1976 with a song that seemed to mirror the story of their tumultuous relationship.

The beginning of the song introduces the listener to a glittering ring that symbolizes all the promise of a young love. The second verse sees the couple exchanging vows and making a home for themselves. In the last verse, however, we learn that the relationship has gone sour and the ring has returned to the window display at the store where it was originally purchased.

The chorus punctuates the prevailing theme: “By itself it’s just a cold metallic thing / Only love can make a golden wedding ring.”

Written by Bobby Braddock and Rafe Van Hoy, “Golden Ring” was the title track to the Jones/Wynette duet album released in 1976 and the second of three #1 hits sung by the duo. The first was “We’re Gonna Hold On” (1973) and the last was “Near You” (1977).

Even though her marriage to Jones didn’t end well, in her autobiography, Wynette wrote, “The most fun, the most wonderful part of my career was working with George.”

Born in a log cabin in the small town of Saratoga, TX, Jones got his first guitar at the age of nine. By 1955, at the age of 24, Jones had already served in the Marines, was married twice and recorded his first hit song, “Why Baby Why.” In 1969, he married Wynette.

Over a career that spanned seven decades, Jones is credited with charting 168 country songs. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. Jones passed away in 2013 at the age of 81.

Wynette, who was born in Tremont, MS, in 1942, is considered to be one of the most influential singers in country music history. She scored 20 #1 hits on the U.S. country singles charts (16 solo, three with Jones, and one with David Houston). She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and was ranked #2 in Country Music Television’s “40 Greatest Women of Country Music.”

Plagued by medical problems, which required 15 major operations, Wynette passed away in 1998 at the age of 55.

Please check out the performance of “Golden Ring” by Wynette and Jones. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Golden Ring”
Written by Bobby Braddock and Rafe Van Hoy. Performed by Tammy Wynette and George Jones.

In a pawn shop in Chicago
On a sunny summer day
A couple gazes at the wedding rings
There on display

She smiles n’ nods her head
As he says, “Honey that’s for you,
It’s not much, but it’s the best
That I can do.”

Golden rings (golden ring) with one tiny little stone
Waiting there (waiting there) for someone to take you home
By itself (by itself) it’s just a cold metallic thing
Only love can make a golden wedding ring

In a little wedding chapel later on that afternoon
An old upright piano plays that old familiar tune
Tears roll down her cheeks
And happy thoughts run through her head
As he whispers low, “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Golden ring (golden ring) with one tiny little stone
Shining ring (shining ring) now at last it’s found a home
By itself (by itself) it’s just a cold metallic thing
Only love can make a golden wedding ring

Ooo-ooo
In a small two room apartment
As they fought their final round
He says, “You won’t admit it,
But I know you’re leavin’ town.”

She says, “One thing’s for certain,
I don’t love you any more.”
And throws down the ring
As she walks out the door

Golden ring (golden ring) with one tiny little stone
Cast aside (cast aside) like the love that’s dead and gone
By itself (by itself) it’s just a cold metallic thing
Only love can make a golden wedding ring

In a pawn shop in Chicago
On a sunny summer day
A couple gazes at the wedding rings
There on display,
Golden ring

Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com / TammyWynettemusic.

Fake Traffic Stop by Eau Claire Police Turns Into Surprise Marriage Proposal

Moriah Prichard tried to keep her cool as her boyfriend, Troy Goldschmidt, was being detained during a routine traffic stop in front of the Pablo Center in downtown Eau Claire, WI.

Officers Maggie Anderson and Josh Miller had pulled the couple over, claiming that one of the car's tail lights was out. But then Miller instructed Goldschmidt, who was driving, to step out of the car because there was an issue with his license.

The situation got even more dicey when Officer Anderson asked Prichard to get out of the car and Officer Miller seemed to be placing her boyfriend under arrest. Goldschmidt was on one knee with his hands behind his back.

"My nervousness was growing a little bit, but I thought it must just be a mistake," Prichard told WQOW News 18. "Looked over my shoulder and noticed his hands were being put behind his back, and I was definitely starting to get a little concerned."

Prichard's despair turned to elation when Goldschmidt — still on one knee — professed his love and presented the ring box he was hiding behind his back. Yes, the traffic stop was a carefully orchestrated ruse.

"I love you so much. You are my best friend," he began. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Would you marry me?"

Without hesitation, Prichard said "Yes."

At that point, he opened the box, stood up and put the engagement ring on her finger.

The officers congratulated the couple as hugs and handshakes were shared all around.

"You guys have been awesome," Goldschmidt told the officers.

Then the groom-to-be asked his new fiancée if she liked the ring.

"It's gorgeous!" she exclaimed.

The Eau Claire Police Department shared the body cam footage on its official Facebook page under the caption, "You never know what's going to happen on a traffic stop."

The Wausau couple had a great time when they visited Eau Claire back in March and were impressed by how friendly the people were. In fact, Prichard had lost her phone on that trip and Officer Anderson helped her recover it.

Goldschmidt was certain that he would return to Eau Claire with his girlfriend in late November when he was planning to propose.

"They had a very positive experience with Officer Andersen, and Troy was hoping she could be involved in the proposal," officer Miller told News 18. "Troy said they were coming into town again… to see a show, so he and I coordinated to do a traffic stop on them when they got into town."

You can check out the three-minute video here…

According to WEAU 13 News, both Goldschmidt's and Prichard's families were inside The District Pub & Grill watching the proposal happen across the street.

Commenting on the video post, Goldschmidt wrote, "Thank you so much, ECPD! I'm glad you had the video because I barely remember what I said. Neither Moriah and I have been able to stop smiling!"

A spokesperson for the ECPD responded, "It was such a pleasure to be a part of your special moment. Congrats to you both!"

On her own Facebook page, Prichard noted that she is not a big social media user, but HAD to share the ECPD video, writing, "Thank you SO much Eau Claire Police Department for volunteering your time! And Troy Goldschmidt for your love, care and creativity! I couldn't be happier, and I can't WAIT to spend the rest of my life with you! Excuse me while I go practice writing my new last name…"

Credits: Screen captures via Facebook / EauClairePD.

Taco Bell Canada to Reveal Lab-Grown Diamonds Made From Taco Shells

Taco Bell Canada is about to unveil its "biggest crown jewel yet" — four 1-carat lab-grown diamonds made from taco shells. The diamonds serve as an ode to what the company calls "the perfectly imperfect nature of tacos."

"Taco Bell is all about celebrating life's messy moments and embracing what it means to be imperfect," said Devon Lawrence, marketing director for Taco Bell Canada. "The idea that even something as beautiful as diamonds have imperfections reinforces our brand mantra to 'Live Mas,' and celebrate our authentic, messy and beautiful selves! And what better way to mark the occasion than with friends – the people who celebrate you for exactly who you are."

On December 1 and 2 at a pop-up event at 1153 Queen St. W. in Toronto, besties are invited to see the diamonds up-close and enjoy a variety of activities for free. These include the following:

-- Getting matching tote bags
-- Taking cheesy photos at the photo booth with fun props and filters
-- Receiving matching temporary tattoos
-- Getting permanent friendship bracelets

What's more, Taco Bell fans in Canada are encouraged to enter a drawing to win a pair of matching Taco Bell Diamond Friendship Necklaces featuring the taco-derived diamonds. Each pair is valued at $20,000 CAD.

As the hardest substance know to man, the diamonds in the Taco Bell Canada promotion celebrate the unbreakable friendships in our lives.

According to Taco Bell Canada's marketing team, the process of growing the diamonds from taco shells took more than 12 months to complete at a "top-secret, undisclosed location." We're not sure why the process took so long because conventional lab-grown diamonds typically require only a few weeks to form.

Diamonds are composed of pure carbon. And while we've heard of diamonds grown from the carbon obtained from hair or cremation ashes, this may be the first time taco shells have been used in the process.

To enter the contest, Taco Bell lovers must follow Taco Bell Canada on Instagram or TikTok, like the "Friends Are Forever" post and tag their bestie in the comments. The contest is open to Canadian residents, except for those in Quebec, and runs from November 21 to December 8, 2023. The winners will be drawn on December 11, 2023.

Credit: Image courtesy of CNW Group/Taco Bell Canada.

Super-Rare Fancy Vivid Orange-Yellow Diamond Earrings Headline Christie's Sale

The California Sunset Diamonds, a super-rare matched pair of fancy vivid orange-yellow sparklers, are set to headline Christie's Magnificent Jewels sale in New York on December 6. The fancy-color diamonds weigh 12.20 carats and 11.96 carats, respectively.

Orange diamonds are highly coveted, yet hardly ever come to auction. Appropriately, Christies's assigned the gems with a pre-sale estimate of $7 million to $12 million, reflecting the size, color saturation, clarity and extreme rarity of the oval mixed-cut fancy color gems.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) monograph accompanying the stones emphasized the rarity of fancy vivid orange-yellow diamonds with this statistic: Only 1/3 of 1% of fancy-color diamonds submitted to GIA's grading lab over the past 10 years were graded as "fancy vivid orange-yellow."

The website naturaldiamonds.com describes orange diamonds as "the most infrequent occurrence of orange in nature," and colored-diamond specialists Leibish affirms that orange diamonds are the second rarest colored diamonds, with red being the rarest.

Set as dangle earrings in platinum and 18-karat rose gold, the California Sunset Diamonds are complemented by oval brilliant-cut white diamonds weighing 3.03 and 3.02 carats, as well as white marquise-cut accent stones each weighing .73 carats. The larger of the two orange-yellow diamonds boasts a clarity grade of VVS2, while the other has a VS1 rating.

Another top lot in the same auction will also feature an orange-hued diamond. The pear-shaped, mixed-cut fancy vivid yellowish-orange diamond seen here weighs 5.16 carats, is set in an 18-karat yellow gold ring and carries a pre-sale estimate of $1.5 million to $2 million.

Orange diamonds are rated on a color scale from pale orange to deep orange with the following designations from light to dark: Light Orange, Fancy, Fancy Intense Orange, Fancy Vivid Orange and Fancy Deep Orange.

Scientists are still somewhat baffled about how orange diamonds get their color, because their hue on the spectrum is sandwiched between yellow and red.

Unlike yellow diamonds that owe their color to the presence of nitrogen in their chemical makeup, pink and red diamonds owe their color to the effects of intense pressure, heat and twisting while they were still deep within the Earth. So there could be multiple factors at work to generate the rich orange hue.

The New York auction's second-priciest lot is expected to be a fancy vivid blue cushion modified brilliant-cut diamond weighing 3.49 carats. The internally flawless gem is set in a brushed platinum ring and is predicted to fetch between $4.5 million and $5.5 million.

Credits: Images courtesy of Christie’s.

Topaz: November's Birthstone Presents a Myriad of Vibrant Color Options

November's popular birthstone, topaz, is widely admired for its vibrant array of colors, including yellows, oranges, blues, greens, reds, browns, pinks and purples.

The topaz in the photo, above, are part of the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection and can be seen up close and personal in the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. Originating from Russia, Japan, Madagascar, Ukraine, Brazil and the US (Texas), the topaz in this grouping range in weight from 18 to 816 carats.

Topaz — especially the yellow-to-orange varieties — has been misunderstood and misidentified for more than 2,000 years. Topaz gets its name from Topazios, the ancient Greek name for a tiny island in the Red Sea. The island is now known as Zabargad Island, the largest of a group of islands in Foul Bay, Egypt. It is very likely that the “topaz” mined there in ancient times was actually a yellow-green variety of peridot.

Before 1950, many “gem experts” shared the misconception that all yellow gems were topaz and that all topaz was yellow. In fact, citrine (November’s alternate birthstone) and even smoky quartz are still mistaken for topaz even though quartz and topaz are unrelated minerals

Today, we know that topaz is allochromatic, which means that its color is caused by impurities in the gem's chemical makeup or defects in its crystal structure, according to the Gemological Institute of America. For example, the presence of the element chromium results in natural pink, red and violet-to-purple colors, while imperfections at the atomic level can cause yellow, brown and blue colors. Pure topaz will be colorless.

Brazil is the largest producer of quality topaz, but the gem variety is also mined in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Russia, Australia, Nigeria, Germany, Mexico and the US (specifically California, Utah and New Hampshire). Topaz rates an 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it a durable and wearable gem.

Topaz is a talisman for the sign of Sagittarius and is the suggested gift for the 23rd or 50th wedding anniversary.

Credit: Photo by Chip Clark/Smithsonian and digitally enhanced by SquareMoose.

'Engagement Season' 2023-24 Should See Strong Rebound in Marriage Proposals

Next week marks the beginning of “engagement season,” the especially blissful time of the year that stretches from Thanksgiving until Valentine’s Day and accounts for nearly 40% of all marriage proposals.

About 19% of all proposals take place during the month of December, which is more than twice as popular as any other month. For many years, Christmas Day has been the most preferred day to get engaged, followed by a frosty mix of favorites that include Christmas Eve, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

Engagements tend to occur during the holiday season because couples love to celebrate in a relaxed atmosphere surrounded by friends and family.

About 2.8 million couples get engaged every year in the United States, according to data compiled by jewelry chain Signet. But for the past few years, the jewelry industry has experienced an "engagement gap" due to the relationship-busting effects of COVID-19. Many singles were forced to isolate themselves and stepped out of the dating pool.

Signet noted that couples get engaged about 3.25 years after they begin dating, so the COVID disruption resulted in the number of engagements thinning out at 2.1 to 2.2 million in 2023.

With a gradual return to pre-pandemic lifestyles, the coming season should reflect the beginning of a rebound, with 2.4 to 2.5 million engagements expected in 2024. Signet predicts the upward trend will continue over the next three years, as the company has identified 14 million people right now in the "dating funnel."

States, such as Texas and Florida, which were the first to drop pandemic restrictions, are 10 points closer to pre-pandemic engagement levels than other states that opened later, according to Signet.

Credit: Image by Bigstockphoto.com

Music Friday: For Ray Stevens, It All Started With a Song About a ‘Silver Bracelet’

Welcome to Music Friday when we often bring you throwback hits with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we flip back the calendar to 1957 and find an 18-year-old Ray Stevens signing a big-time record deal.

What got the label's attention was a tune called “Silver Bracelet,” which is a fascinating look at love from the point of view of a young man growing up in the 1950s. Stevens tells the story of a simple, engraved bracelet that symbolizes his devotion to his new girlfriend.

He sings, “A silver bracelet / My silver bracelet / This simple token I do give / A silver bracelet / My silver bracelet / To show my love will ever live.”

He goes on to describe how he had his girlfriend’s name engraved on the front and his on the back: “Turn it over there is mine / Forever let it shine.”

Stevens detailed the origin of “Silver Bracelet” on his official website. His family had moved to Atlanta in 1956, and while still in high school, Stevens (then Ray Ragsdale) got his first big break when he met radio personality and Georgia Tech football broadcaster, Bill Lowery.

“He was looking for talent to write songs,” Stevens remembered. “I went out to his house and I said, ‘My name is Ray Ragsdale and I’m going to learn to write songs for you.’ He said, ‘Okay lad, go to it.’”

Stevens continued, “I borrowed a little tape recorder from a friend. I got the key to the lunch room, which also served as the assembly hall, from the principal. The room had a very high ceiling and a piano on a little stage. I went there one Sunday by myself and made a demo of a song that I and a friend had written called, ‘Silver Bracelet.’ I took it to Bill and he liked it. He called Ken Nelson at Capitol Records, who was coming to Nashville a lot during those days to produce records. Ken liked the song and signed me to a contract with [Capitol Records’ subsidiary] Prep Records.”

The success of “Silver Bracelet” helped launch a stellar career that has seen the artist release more than 45 studio albums and 93 singles. His two most popular tunes were “The Streak” (1974), a novelty song about streaking, and “Everything Is Beautiful,” which earned Stevens a 1970 Grammy for Male Vocalist of the Year.

Born in Clarksdale, GA, in 1939, Stevens started piano lessons at the age of six. His mom insisted he practice at least an hour each day. At 15, he sang and played piano in a band, the Barons, and the group performed all over the area for the American Legion, the Elks and private parties. His big break came after his family moved to Atlanta.

In 2018, Stevens opened a dinner theater in Nashville called the CabaRay, and the very next year he was inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He is still actively performing at the age of 84.

Please check out this rare audio track of “Silver Bracelet.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Silver Bracelet”
Written and performed by Ray Stevens.

A silver bracelet
My silver bracelet
This simple token I do give
A silver bracelet
My silver bracelet
To show my love will ever live

I had your name engraved on the front
In letters of my heart’s design
Turn it over there is mine
Forever let it shine

Wear my bracelet, please wear my bracelet
Wear it proudly on your arm
So everyone can see
Your heart belongs to me

Whoa, don’t ever lose my silver bracelet
My silver bracelet
This simple token I do give
A silver bracelet
My silver bracelet
To show my love will ever live

Cherish this token
Though small it may be
May it always remind you of me
Let no other take my place
Let none my name erase

This tiny trinket is such a small part
Of the love I hold in my heart
Won’t you say you love me too
No one else will ever do
Whoa, don’t ever lose my bracelet
Silver bracelet

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

'Bleu Royal' Diamond Lives Up to Pre-Auction Fanfare, Delivers $43.8 Million

The 17.6-carat "Bleu Royal" lived up to its pre-auction fanfare at Christie's Geneva on Tuesday as the largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond ever put up for auction sold for $43.8 million after a tense, six-minute bidding war.

Two phone bidders battled back and forth in a dramatic exchange that included 21 individual offers. The bidding started at 19 million Swiss francs (about $21.1 million) and creeped forward in increments of 1 million, 500,000 and 250,000 Swiss francs.

Taking in the action in real time via streaming video, viewers around the world witnessed Christie's international head of jewelry and auctioneer Rahul Kadakia finally put the hammer down at 34 million CHF ($37.8 million). With commissions and fees included, the final price was 37.7 million Swiss francs, or $2.49 million per carat. The winning bidder remains anonymous, for now.

The realized price of $43.8 million was solidly in the range of the Bleu Royal's pre-sale estimate of $35 million to $50 million. Its strong showing elevated the diamond into the upper tier of blue diamonds that have been sold at auction. Among them are the 14.62-carat “Oppenheimer Blue” (Christie’s 2016, $57.5 million), the 15.10-carat “De Beers Blue” (Sotheby’s 2022, $57.47 million) and the 12.03-carat “Blue Moon of Josephine” (Sotheby’s 2015, $48.5 million).

Set in a platinum and 18-karat rose gold ring, the perfectly symmetrical pear-shaped Bleu Royal is flanked by a pair of pear brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 3.12 and 3.07 carats, respectively. The piece had been tucked away in a private collection for the past 50 years.

“This is a true miracle of nature,” commented Kadakia prior to the auction. “Over our 257-year history, Christie’s has had the privilege of offering the world’s rarest gems at auction, and Bleu Royal continues this tradition. We are proud to offer collectors the opportunity to own a diamond fit for royalty.”

Blue diamonds are considered one of the rarest colors of all diamonds. A fabulous fluke of nature, a blue diamond owes its color to the random presence of boron within the diamond’s carbon structure. The Bleu Royal is categorized as a Type IIb diamond, a quality level that includes less than 0.5% of all diamonds.

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

Credits: Images courtesy of Christie’s.

292-Ounce 'Golden Aussie' Nugget May Fetch $1 Million at Christie's Auction

A 292.46-ounce gold nugget originally discovered in 1980 by Jack Bray at the Feysville mine in Western Australia is expected to fetch upwards of $1 million when it headlines "Jewels Online: The Geneva Edit," a Christie's online auction.

Described as a large amorphous form with bright yellow patina, the "Golden Aussie" is one of the most impressive examples of Australian gold ever found, according to Christie's Lot Essay. Bray's 1980 find was so monumental, the Perth Mint feted the Golden Aussie in its 1987 series of commemorative gold nuggets coins. Bray reportedly sold his "monster" for $250,000 in an undisclosed year.

The impressive nugget measures 26.2 cm x 18.1 cm x 7.4 cm (10.31 in x 7.13 in x 2.91 in) and weighs 8,291 gm (8.28 lb). With the spot gold price standing at about $1,988 per ounce, the intrinsic gold value of the Golden Aussie is $581,410. Christie's pre-auction estimate of 700,000 to 1 million Swiss francs ($779,770 to $1.11 million) reflects the specimen's extreme rarity and provenance.

First established in 1896, the Feysville mine is located in Australia’s premier gold belt. According to Christie's Lot Essay, the mine is known for producing exceptionally high grade gold.

While the Golden Aussie, by most standards, is enormous, it pales in size to the largest nugget ever found. That distinction goes to the "Welcome Stranger," which was found at Moliagul, Victoria, Australia, in 1869 by John Deason and Richard Oates. It had a gross weight of more than 2,520 troy ounces (173 lb).

The prospectors found the massive nugget just 3 cm (1.2 in) below the surface, near the base of a tree. Legend states that the Welcome Stranger was so large that it had to be broken into three pieces on an anvil before it could fit on a bank scale. Based on today’s gold price, the nugget's precious metal value would be worth $5 million.

The Golden Aussie is the largest of 11 gold nuggets set to hit the auction block during The Geneva Edit. The online auction began on November 3 and is scheduled to run through November 16.

Credit: Image courtesy of Christie's.

Music Friday: Justin Bieber Wants to Be 'Your Platinum, Your Silver, Your Gold'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, platinum, silver and gold take center stage in Justin Bieber’s 2012 hit, “As Long as You Love Me,” a song about how true love conquers all.

The 29-year-old Canadian-born superstar employs three noble metals in the reprise to illustrate the power of love.

He vows, “As long as you love me / We could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke / As long as you love me / I’ll be your platinum, I’ll be your silver, I’ll be your gold / As long as you la, la, la, la, la… love me.”

One might wonder why an artist with a net worth estimated at $300 million would co-write a song referencing hunger and homelessness, but Bieber did, in fact, endure a hardscrabble youth being raised by a single mom in low-income housing.

“As Long as You Love Me” is the third track of Bieber’s third studio album, Believe. Both the single and the album were huge commercial successes. “As Long as You Love Me” charted in 20 countries and Believe made its debut at #1 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.

Born in London, Ontario, Canada, in 1994, Justin Drew Bieber loved to perform as a kid. In early 2007, he placed second in a local singing competition. Bieber’s mom, Pattie, posted a video of his performance on YouTube, and then added videos of her gifted teen singing covers of various R&B songs. In a twist of fate, a music executive happened upon one of them.

Music legend states that Scooter Braun accidentally clicked on one of Bieber’s videos — thinking he was watching a 20-year-old doing a cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” The impressive performer was, in fact, a 13-year-old Bieber.

Braun tracked down the youngster in Canada, and with the permission of Bieber’s mom, introduced him to singer-songwriter Usher, who soon became his mentor. Bieber was then signed by record executive L.A. Reid and the rest is music-industry history.

Bieber has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments — all before his 30th birthday. He has sold an estimated 150 million records worldwide, making the two-time Grammy winner one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

He has nearly 92 million followers on Facebook, 111 million followers on Twitter and 293 million followers on Instagram.

We hope you enjoy the video of Bieber’s acoustic version of “As Long As You Love Me.” The clip is from the Ellen Degeneres Show in December of 2012. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“As Long As You Love Me”
Written by Nasri Atweh, Rodney Jerkins, Sean Anderson, Andre Lindal and Justin Bieber. Performed by Justin Bieber.

As long as you love me (love me, love me)

We're under pressure,
Seven billion people in the world trying to fit in
Keep it together,
Smile on your face even though your heart is frownin'
But hey now, you know girl,
We both know it’s a cruel world
But I will take my chances

As long as you love me
We could be starvin', we could be homeless, we could be broke
As long as you love me
I’ll be your platinum, I’ll be your silver, I’ll be your gold
As long you la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la, love me
As long you la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la, love me

I don’t know if this makes sense, but you’re my hallelujah
Give me a time and place, and I’ll rendezvous, and I’ll fly you to it,
I’ll beat ya there
Girl you know I got you
Us, trust
A couple of things I can’t spell without you
Now we are on top of the world, ’cause that’s just how we do
Used to tell me sky’s the limit, now the sky’s our point of view
Man now we stepping out like whoa (oh God)
Camera’s point and shoot,
Ask me what’s my best side, I stand back and point at you, you
You the one that I argue with, I feel like I need a new girl to be bothered,
But the grass ain’t always greener on the other side,
It’s green where you water it
So I know we got issues baby true true true
But I’d rather work on this with you
Than to go ahead and start with someone new
As long as you love me

We could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke
As long as you love me
I’ll be your platinum, I’ll be your silver, and I’ll be your gold
As long as you love, love me,
As long as you love, love me

As long as you love me
I’ll be your silver, I’ll be your gold
Love me,
As long as you la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la, love me
As long as you la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la, love me
As long as you love, (love me, love me)
As long as you love, (love me, love me)
As long as you love, (love me, love me)
As long as you love me

Credit: Image by Jakub Janecki, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Aussies Who Pop the Question With a KFC Onion Ring Can Win $80K Wedding

To promote its new BBQ Onion Ring Burger, KFC Australia is offering an AU$80,000 wedding to a couple that does the most creative job documenting their onion ring marriage proposal.

The Aussie division of KFC is encouraging couples to tie the knot "Kentucky style," which apparently means removing an onion ring from a chicken burger, getting down on one knee and placing the delectable, but a tad greasy, treat on your lover's ring finger.

To enter, couples must submit a photo of the proposal, a 15-second video that introduces themselves and conveys their love for KFC, as well as a 100-word statement about why they deserve to win a KFC Wedding.

"The more creative, the better!" notes the instructions on the entry form. The contest began yesterday and will run through November 27.

The best onion ring proposal will earn a wedding package valued at AU$80,000 (US$50,700), with the following breakdown:

-- Up to AU$30,000 towards one KFC Food Truck to attend and cater the KFC Wedding;
-- Up to $15,000 towards a KFC stylist to theme and decorate the KFC Wedding;
-- Up to $35,000 towards additional wedding costs (including outfits and entertainment).

KFC Australia's latest gastronomic concoction consists of an Original Recipe Chicken Fillet, cheese, lettuce, a new sweet and tangy BBQ sauce and, most importantly, two onion rings (one for the proposal and the other to be kept in reserve, just in case of a jittery mishap). The special sandwich is a limited item, ending November 27.

“At KFC, we’re always looking at life on the fried side," KFC Australia CMO Tami Cunningham said in a statement. "We know our customers love our fried chicken and their partners, so what could be better than combining KFC and weddings?”

The contest is open to everyone in Australia 18 years of age and older, and the winning couple must agree to schedule the wedding within one year of the promotional drawing date.

Credit: Image via KFC Australia.

Two Design Innovations Highlight Denver Nuggets' 2023 NBA Championship Rings

The Denver Nuggets' 2023 NBA championship rings are loaded with exciting Easter Eggs, including two never-before-seen design innovations — a bonus ring-within-a-ring as well as a special lever that changes the background gems on the team's logo from blue to white.

When discussing what kind of special features might be included in the ring, Nuggets president and governor Josh Kroenke was clear to designer Jason Arasheben that he didn't want anything that's been done before.

Arasheben, the CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills, worked with Kroenke, six Nuggets players and his own creative team to come up with elements that were truly unique.

The Nuggets' 2023 championship ring is the first to feature a ring in a ring. A retractable compartment reveals a smaller yellow gold ring hidden inside the larger white gold ring. The yellow gold ring, which is topped with the NBA championship banner, is less ostentatious than the host ring and can be worn separately.

The second unique design element is a lever that can alter the gemstones seen behind the mountain peak and pickaxes logo on the face of the ring. The blue sapphires represent the 2023 Nuggets, but the background can change to white diamonds — a nod to the team's 1967 origin as an ABA team. The Nuggets merged into the NBA in 1976, along with three other ABA teams.

"We're one of four franchises that were merged to the NBA from the ABA so we have that date on there as a nod to our ABA past, which I wanted to make sure we acknowledged," Kroenke told ESPN.com. "And all the players and coaches will, no matter where they go with that ring, always have the banner with them as well, which I think is a very special and unique feature."

Overall, the ring contains 17 individual components and more than 16 carats of yellow and white diamonds, rubies and sapphires. Each gemstone represents one of the team's official colors and the gemstone total weight signifies the number of Nuggets' playoff victories achieved on the way to the championship.

Overlaying the Larry O'Brien trophy on the face of the ring, the team name "NUGGETS" is rendered in 24 points of yellow diamonds, an acknowledgement of the team's 24 years at Denver's Ball Arena.

The 89 points of rubies encircling the ring's shoulders is symbolic of the number of points scored by the Miami Heat in the deciding championship Game 5. Below the rubies and above the finger hole, the number 5280 in raised white gold lettering represents Denver's altitude above sea level.

On one side of the ring is the player's name in polished gold lettering against a contrasting gold-nugget-textured background. Below the player's name is his number rendered in white diamonds, and below the number is the team's 2023 slogan, "BRING IT IN."

The other side of the ring features the words "WORLD CHAMPIONS" along with the team's retro logo and 2023 regular season record of 53-29. Above the words are a row of 15 diamonds symbolizing the 15 playoff games played at Ball Arena during the championship season.

Credits: Images courtesy of Jason of Beverly Hills.

Music Friday: Ed Sheeran Carves a Pendant and Yearns for a Ring in 'Wake Me Up'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Ed Sheeran carves a heart pendant and yearns for a wedding ring in his "really silly" love song, “Wake Me Up.”

Appearing as the fifth track from his debut studio album called + ("Plus"), "Wake Me Up" is essentially a musical love letter Sheeran wrote to his ex-girlfriend just after their breakup. The English singer/songwriter outlines many of the characteristics and idiosyncrasies that made her so endearing during their 3 1/2-year relationship.

Sheeran told The Sun, “I picked out every little thing about my ex-girlfriend that I thought was wicked (i.e. awesome) and put it into a song. There’s a lyric about New Year’s Day on Southwold Beach when I made her a necklace from two bits of chalk, which I carved into a heart.”

Here's how he describes the scene...

“So I’ll take you to the beach / And walk along the sand And I’ll / Make you a heart pendant / With a pebble held in my hand / And I’ll carve it like a necklace / So the heart falls where your chest is / And now a piece of me is a piece of the beach and it falls just where it needs to be / And rests peacefully / So you just need to breathe / To feel my heart against yours now / Against yours now.”

Sheeran also fantasizes about wearing a wedding band on the ring finger of his left hand. In a beautifully turned phrase, Sheeran sings, “See I could do without a tan / On my left hand, where my fourth finger meets my knuckle / And I should run you a hot bath / And fill it up with bubbles.”

According to SongFacts.com, Sheeran penned “Wake Me Up” while poolside at the California residence of actor/singer/songwriter/comedian Jamie Foxx in 2010. Foxx had met Sheeran through a chance encounter at an open-mic night and was so impressed by his talent and potential that he invited Sheeran to perform on his radio show and to use his home recording studio.

During a live UStream performance in 2011, Sheeran admitted to being "mashed up" (drunk) while writing this "really silly" love song.

Born in Hebden Bridge, England, in 1991, Sheeran sang in a church choir with his mother starting at the age of 4. He was inspired to pursue music as a career after having the opportunity to chat with Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice. Although Sheeran was only 11 at the time, he still remembers the profound impact the meeting had on his life.

“I had a little bit of a chat and kind of had an epiphany, like ‘Wow, this is exactly what I want to do!'” Sheeran told The Telegraph. “I got home that night and wrote a whole bunch of songs. I remember one was called ‘Typical Average Teen.’ Yeah, I was one of those.”

At the age of 17, Sheeran moved to London, where he played small venues. In 2010, he bought a ticket to Los Angeles with no contacts or solid leads. All that changed when he met Foxx. Soon after, Sheeran was signed by Asylum Records.

His breakthrough song, “The A Team,” was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2013 Grammy Awards. A year later, he was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2014 Grammy Awards. Sheeran has since blossomed into one of the world's best-selling music artists with more than 150 million records sold.

Please check out the video of Sheeran’s live performance of “Wake Me Up.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along.

“Wake Me Up”
Written by Ed Sheeran and Jake Gosling. Performed by Ed Sheeran.

I should ink my skin
With your name
And take my passport out again
And just replace it

See I could do without a tan
On my left hand, where my fourth finger meets my knuckle
And I should run you a hot bath
And fill it up with bubbles

‘Cause maybe you’re lovable
And maybe you’re my snowflake
And your eyes turn from green to gray and in the winter I’ll
Hold you in a cold place
And you should never cut your hair
‘Cause I love the way you flick it off your shoulder

And you will never know just how beautiful you are to me
But maybe I’m just in love when you wake me up

And would you ever feel guilty
If you did the same to me
Would you make me a cup of tea
To open my eyes in the right way
And I know you love Shrek
‘Cause we’ve watched it 12 times
But maybe you’re hoping for a fairy tale too
And if your DVD breaks, today
You shoulda got a VCR
‘Cause I never owned a Blu-Ray
True say

And now I’ve always been s*** at computer games and your brother always beats me
And if I lost, I go all cross
And chuck all the controllers at the TV
And then you’d laugh at me
And be asking me
If I’m gonna be home next week
And then you’d lie with me till I fall asleep
And flutter eyelash on my cheek between the sheets

And you will never know just how beautiful you are to me
But maybe I’m just in love when you wake me up

I think you hate the smell of smoke
You always try’na get me to stop
But you drink as much as me
And I get drunk a lot

So I’ll take you to the beach
And walk along the sand And I’ll
Make you a heart pendant
With a pebble held in my hand

And I’ll carve it like a necklace
So the heart falls where your chest is
And now a piece of me is a piece of the beach and it falls just where it needs to be
And rests peacefully
So you just need to breathe
To feel my heart against yours now
Against yours now

‘Cause maybe I’m just in love when you wake me up

Or maybe I’m just in love when you wake me up
Maybe I fell in love when you woke me up

Credit: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

'Beyond Rare' Event Showcases Argyle Pink and Red Diamonds, Plus Diavik Yellows

Rio Tinto is about to launch the first installment of its "Beyond Rare" tender, an art series that will showcase the legacy inventory of pink and red diamonds from its shuttered Argyle Mine in Western Australia and intense yellow diamonds from its Diavik Diamond Mine, located beneath a frozen lake in the Barren Lands of Northern Canada.

Presented as 46 lots, the inaugural collection — dubbed "The Art Series 01" — comprises 87 polished diamonds, weighing 29.96 carats in total. Among the highlights are the following:

-- Seven "Masterpiece" sets of Argyle Pink Diamonds™ and yellow Diavik diamonds, selected for their unique beauty
-- A rarified offering of 11 perfectly matched pairs of colored diamonds
-- 30 exquisite single diamonds, including one remarkable Fancy Red Argyle diamond

Each "Masterpiece" will be accompanied by bespoke art created by Western Australian artist Sam Price, whose creative inspiration is derived from the "surreal chain of earthly events that led to the birth of nature’s most exquisite works," according to Rio Tinto.

“Rio Tinto has a rich history of innovative diamonds sales and marketing events and this carefully curated collection of rare jewels will be in strong demand by the world’s finest jewelers, collectors and diamond connoisseurs,” noted Sinead Kaufman, chief executive of Rio Tinto Minerals.

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

Red is said to be the rarest diamond color in the world. The Argyle-sourced specimen, above, the "Argyle Everglow," was part of the mining company's 2017 tender. The diamond weighed 2.11 carats and was the first 2-carat-plus fancy red diamond ever offered by Rio Tinto.

“The market fundamentals that drive value appreciation for Argyle pink and red diamonds have never been stronger – a combination of severely constrained supply, with the closure of Argyle, and unwavering global demand for truly scarce gems," said Patrick Coppens, general manager of sales and marketing for Rio Tinto’s Diamonds business.

Rio Tinto has not revealed how many Argyle pink diamonds remain in its legacy inventory, but confirmed to thewest.com.au that this latest collection will be one of the last.

The lots will be displayed in Australia, Switzerland and Belgium, with bids closing on November 20, 2023.

Credits: Images courtesy of Rio Tinto.