Nicole Kidman Reveals She Clapped Like a Seal at the Oscars to Protect Huge Diamond Rings

Beleaguered actress Nicole Kidman finally revealed why she clapped like a seal at the 89th Academy Awards. It was all about the rings.

In the two weeks since the broadcast, social media has exploded with memes trying to explain Kidman's strange clapping behavior where she essentially slapped the bottom of her palms together while splaying her hands apart. Critics wondered why she had such a hard time bringing her unusually long hands together, sparking comparisons to a seal and The Grinch.

If Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway hadn't incorrectly named La La Land, instead of Moonlight, as the Best Picture winner, the lead story of the night would have been about Kidman's clapping disorder.

But this past Wednesday on the Australian "Kyle and Jackie O" radio show, the actress confirmed that the expensive jewelry she was wearing was to blame.

"It's because of the rings you idiots," Kyle told his radio audience. "That's why she's clapping like that. She doesn't want to damage the jewels!"

Kidman chimed in, "Yes, Yes! I'm so glad you clarified that because it was really awkward! I was like, 'Gosh, I want to clap. I don't want to not be clapping.' Which would be worse. Right? 'Why isn't Nicole clapping?'"

Specifically, Kidman was worried about the safety of a 13.58-carat pear-shaped diamond ring that had been lent to her by Harry Winston. It was part of a larger diamond ensemble that weighed in at 119 carats. Red carpet photos taken before the ceremony showed Kidman wearing two large rings, one on the index finger of her right hand and another on the ring finger of her left hand.

"So, therefore I'm clapping, but it was really difficult because I had a huge ring on that was not my own, but it was absolutely gorgeous, and I was terrified of damaging it!" she said.

Kidman was a little taken aback by the viral reaction to her clapping display.

"It's like, [are] there not more important things to be focused on than the seal clap?" she asked.

Kidman's role in Lion had earned her an Oscar nomination for Actress in a Supporting Role. The Oscar eventually went to Naomie Harris for her role in Moonlight.

See the Entertainment Tonight report below...

Credits: Screen captures via Eonline.com., YouTube.com/Entertainment Tonight.

Music Friday: Nickelback's Chad Kroeger Sings, 'You Can't Give Up When You're Lookin' for a Diamond in the Rough'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger sings about finding the perfect love in the group's 2008 hit, "Gotta Be Somebody."

In Kroeger's view, we all dream about the love of a lifetime, the perfect soulmate. The challenge is having the patience and fortitude to keep searching for that person — no matter how long it takes.

He sings, "You can't give up / When you're lookin' for a diamond in the rough / Because you never know when it shows up / Make sure you're holdin' on / 'Cause it could be the one, the one you're waiting on."

Kroeger told MTV News that "Gotta Be Somebody" contains a universal theme that rings true with single people as well as those in a relationship who are questioning that "this may not be the one."

"[They will say] to themselves, 'There's got to be that perfect somebody for me out there.' And that's what the song is about," he said.

"Gotta Be Somebody" was released as the first single from Nickelback's sixth studio album, Dark Horse. The song reached #10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #4 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart. It was also an international hit, charting in 15 countries. The album was a huge commercial success, spending 125 consecutive weeks on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart. In all, the album sold more than five million copies worldwide.

Formed in Hanna, Alberta, Canada, in 1995, Nickelback is composed of guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer Daniel Adair. Nickelback is one of Canada's most successful musical groups, having sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.

Music legend states that Mike Kroeger's experience working for Starbucks provided the impetus for the band's unusual name. Apparently, some of the products at the popular chain cost $1.95 CAD, so when the customers handed over $2, he would make the change and say, "Here's your nickel back."

Please check out the video of Nickelback's live performance of "Gotta Be Somebody." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Gotta Be Somebody"
Written by Chad Kroeger, Ryan Peake, Mike Kroeger and Daniel Adar. Performed by Nickelback.

This time I wonder what it feels like
To find the one in this life
The one we all dream of
But dreams just aren't enough
So I'll be waiting for the real thing
I'll know it by the feeling
The moment when we're meeting
Will play out like a scene straight off the silver screen
So I'll be holdin' my breath
Right up to the end
Until that moment when
I find the one that I'll spend forever with

'Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There's gotta be somebody for me like that.
'Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they're not alone.
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere.
There's gotta be somebody for me out there.

Tonight, out on the street out in the moonlight
And damn it this feels too right
It's just like deja vu
Me standin' here with you
So I'll be holdin' my breath
Could this be the end?
Is it that moment when
I find the one that I'll spend forever with?

'Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There's gotta be somebody for me like that.
'Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they're not alone.
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere.
There's gotta be somebody for me out there.

You can't give up
When you're lookin' for a diamond in the rough
Because you never know when it shows up
Make sure you're holdin' on
'Cause it could be the one, the one you're waiting on

'Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There's gotta be somebody for me.

Oh, nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they're not alone.
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere.
There's gotta be somebody for me out there.

Nobody wants to be the last one there
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere.
There's gotta be somebody for me out there.

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube.com.

Named After a Perfume, 1,000-Carat 'Most Precious' Aquamarine Resides at the Smithsonian

"Most Precious" is one of the world's most beautiful examples of March's official birthstone. Presented as part of the National Gem and Mineral collection at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., the rectangular-cut aquamarine from Brazil weighs a startling 1,000-carats and evokes the clear blue hue of a tranquil sea.

A gift of Dr. W. Langer and Evyan Perfumes, Inc., "Most Precious" takes its name from the perfume that was launched by the design house of Evyan in 1958.

The colossal aquamarine has some handsome company in the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals. Among her neighbors are a pantheon of world-famous gems, including the Hope Diamond, Logan Sapphire and Rosser Reeves Star Ruby.

Aquamarine is the sea-blue variety of the mineral beryl, whose family members include emerald (intense green) and morganite (pink to orange-pink). Aquamarines can range in color from light blue to pure blue to shades of greenish-blue. The variations in blue color are dependent on trace amounts of iron in the gemstone's chemical composition.

In the photo above, "Most Precious" is shown alongside a near-perfect aquamarine crystal that weighs 15,256 carats (6.7 lbs).

Beryl rates 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it suitable for fine jewelry.

Aquamarine is a symbol of youth, hope, health and fidelity. Legend states that Neptune, the Roman Sea God, gifted aquamarines to the mermaids, thus bringing love to all who have owned it.

Aquamarines are mined in many countries, including Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, Mozambique and the U.S., but most of the finest-quality gemstones still come from Brazil.

Credits: Photos by Minor/Smithsonian, Chip Clark/Smithsonian.

Arkansas-Sourced 'Esperanza' Diamond Heads to the Auction Block March 21

Here's your chance to own a piece of Americana. The 4.64-carat D-flawless "Esperanza" diamond, which was found by Bobbie Oskarson in 2015 at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Ark., will be offered for sale at Skinner's fine jewelry auction in Boston on March 21.

Esperanza carries a pre-sale estimate of $100,000 to $150,000 and is the top lot in a show that will include more than 500 items.

What's amazing about "Esperanza" is that it was picked out of the soil by Oskarson, a visiting Coloradan, who paid a mere $8 to dig for riches at the only diamond site in the world where amateur prospectors of all ages get to keep what they find. She made her spectacular discovery within 20 minutes of entering "The Pig Pen," the 37 1/2-acre plowed field that is actually the eroded surface of the eighth-largest, diamond-bearing deposit in the world.

Originally 8.52 carats in weight and the shape of an icicle, “Esperanza” was transformed by Master Diamond Cutter Mike Botha into a unique 4.64-carat teardrop “triolette.” Botha’s 147-facet triolette is a shape of his own design. It resembles a teardrop and merges the elements of both emerald and trapezoid shapes. The painstaking cutting and polishing process took 130 hours.

"Esperanza" (meaning "hope" in Spanish) was then set vertically in a platinum mounting designed by jeweler Ian Douglas of The Inspired Collection, Wellington, New Zealand. The unique mounting is intended to emphasize the triolette shape.

The fifth-largest diamond ever found at Crater of Diamonds State Park, the "Esperanza" is, by far, the most perfect in terms of color and clarity. It even has its own Facebook page with more than 1,000 followers.

Credits: Crater of Diamonds State Park; Stanley Jewelers; Facebook.com/theesperanza.

NASA Captures Image of Giant ‘Ice Diamond’ Floating in Caspian Sea

NASA’s Landsat 8 satellite spotted a glistening diamond-shaped ice jewel while orbiting above the cold, 600-mile northern region of the Caspian Sea — the world's largest inland body of water — stretching from Kazakhstan to Iran. The image of Ice Diamond was captured on February 4 by NASA's Operational Land Imager (OLI), a high-tech camera attached to the satellite.

IFL Science reported that the Ice Diamond likely had been chipped off from the larger sea ice and then became grounded to the seabed. Northern areas are more prone to freezing in wintertime than southern parts. NASA noted that the wind is pushing thinner darker pieces of ice called "nilas" around the diamond, leaving a shadow of open water where currents can move around it.

According to NASA's Earth Observatory, which published the image, the northern part of the Caspian Sea is less saline and shallower than the southern part. Lower temperatures and higher latitudes make it more prone to freezing than the southern areas.

NASA noted to Daily Mail that the ice captured in the images from OLI in February is all known as first-year ice and will not make it through the summer. The images from warmer months often reveal a series of "scour marks" left behind on the seafloor by the jagged edges of the grounded ice that stuck around all winter.

“This ‘island’ of white ice is most probably a piece that detached from the ice field,” explained Alexei Kouraev, a scientist at the Laboratory of Geophysical and Oceanographic Studies in France who spoke to the NASA Earth Observatory. “With the advance of spring and rising temperatures, ice on the Caspian will soon disappear. All of the ice is first-year ice, meaning that it should not survive the summer.”

Next to the Ice Diamond “hummocking” can be seen — weak, thin ice formed over the sea and then broken up by currents, waves and wind. When the pieces pile up on top of each other and then get locked back into an ice floe, they form hummocks that extend down several meters.

NASA also released an image of the area with thermal data, noting that the image will turn more orange as the weather warms. The sparkling diamond-shaped ice jewel will then disappear back into the sea forever.

Credits: Images via NASA.

Retailer Roundtable: How was your season and what were your hot sellers?

Mid-America Jewelry News

February 2017

“We had an extraordinary Christmas - our second best in the company’s 48-year history. We kicked off the holiday season with some challenges as PANDORA ended our eight-year relationship in September. It took some creative selling to get these customers to remain loyal with us. We explained that PANDORA had closed 700 independent stores and then proceeded to show them alternatives such as Alex & Ani and Swarovski. While the number of shoppers was down this holiday season, our average sale more than doubled. Engagement rings and loose diamonds were in high demand. Marketing wise, we introduced an e-commerce experience on our website that showcases most of the products available in our brick and mortar store and sent out a beautiful traditional Christmas catalog and gift card offer. Print still works. It certainly helped generate interest and sales. Once again, TACORI was our strongest performer. Hearts On Fire also saw a record increase this year and Alex & Ani continues to drive massive foot traffic through our doors. This Christmas was our first season selling Shinola. We discovered a great connection between our Midwest customers and the Shinola watch brand story. Finally, we were honored to be selected as one of six retailers in the US to test market DIAMA, a created diamond collection by Swarovski. As a former Instructor of Gemology (GIA), I’ve been following the evolution of lab-created diamonds for 25 years. It’s finally here to share with consumers. What an exciting opportunity!”

Craig Husar, Chief Romance Officer
Lyle Husar Designs
Brookfield, WI

UK Treasure Hunters Unearth Four Golden Torcs Dating Back 2,500 Years

Two buddies with a passion for treasure hunting unearthed four 2,500-year-old golden torcs within the parish of Leekfrith (pop. 363) in the English countryside.

The items, which include three neck torcs and one bracelet weighing between 1 ounce and 8 ounces, may date back to 400 BC and represent the earliest Iron Age gold work ever discovered in Britain. An antiquities expert called the Iron Age torcs a "unique find of international importance."

British metal detectorist buddies Joe Kania and Mark Hambleton found their bounty in a field about 30 miles southeast of Manchester. Each item was buried just under the surface about one meter apart from the next.

Hambleton explained to the BBC that he and Kania were searching a field back in December, but had come up empty. Hambleton was just about to quit for the day when his friend approached with a golden surprise.

"He pulled this big torc out of his pocket and dangled it in front of me," Hambleton said. "When I'd gotten some air back into my lungs, my head had cleared and my legs had stopped wobbling, I said, 'Do you realize what you've found there?'"

The discovery of the large torc led the treasure hunters to the three other items, each of which was determined to be crafted of at least 80% gold.

"The torcs were probably worn by wealthy and powerful women, perhaps people from the [European] continent who had married into the local community," surmised Dr. Julia Farley, the British Museum's curator of British and European Iron Age collections. "Piecing together how these objects came to be carefully buried in a Staffordshire field will give us an invaluable insight into life in Iron Age Britain."

The fabulous Leekfrith Iron Age torcs will be exhibited for the next three weeks at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke, a short distance from where they were discovered.

“This amazing find of gold torcs in the north of the county is quite simply magical, and we look forward to sharing the secrets and story they hold in the years to come,” said Staffordshire County Council Leader Philip Atkins in a statement.

The UK's Treasure Act of 1996 states that finders have a legal obligation to report all potential treasure to the local coroner in the district where the find was made. The Act allows a national or local museum to acquire the treasure for the public's benefit and pay a reward, which is usually shared equally between the finder and landowner. The value of the four golden torcs will be determined by experts at the British Museum.

Credits: Images courtesy of Staffordshire County Council. Screen captures via BBC.com.

Jewelry Collection of Celebrated Author Jackie Collins to Hit the Auction Block at Bonhams

One thousand lots from the estate of celebrated author Jackie Collins — including a 6.04-carat pear-shaped diamond — will hit the auction block on May 17 and 18 at Bonhams in Los Angeles.

The star and socialite, who wrote 31 novels which together sold more than 500 million copies in 40 countries worldwide, passed away in September of 2015 at the age of 77. During her stellar 47-year writing career, Collins amassed an impressive collection of fine art, sculpture and jewelry.

Bonhams is calling the two-day auction "Jackie Collins: A Life in Chapters." The lots are estimated to be worth in excess of $3 million in total.

The jewelry reflects the style and glamor of the British-born author, who called Beverly Hills her home since 1992.

• The top item in the jewelry category is a 6.04-carat pear-shaped diamond ring. Carrying a pre-sale estimate of $100,000 to $150,000, the platinum ring features tapered baguettes on the shoulders.

• A second head-turner is this geometric platinum necklace set with diamonds and emeralds weighing a combined 44 carats. The pre-sale estimate is $40,000 to $60,000.

• A collection of three diamond-and-platinum Flamme brooches are expected to sell for $15,000 to $20,000. Two of the brooches are set with round brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds, while the third is set solely with baguette diamonds. The total weight of the three pieces is 26.70 carats.

• Verdant cabochon emeralds are the focal point of these ear clips, which boast a diamond total weight of 17.65 carats. The clips carry a pre-sale estimate of $8,000 to $12,000.

"Our mother never did anything in small measures!" noted Collins' daughters — Tracy, Rory and Tiffany — in a joint statement. "She was passionate about collecting, and spent many decades selecting paintings, statuettes and jewelry which brought her joy and creative inspiration."

The daughters said that in the early 1990s their parents designed and built a breathtaking contemporary home in Beverly Hills, which became the custom designed backdrop to their mother's collections.

"She had a unique and extraordinary eye for a design and aesthetic that combined elegance and glamor with humor and warmth," they said.

Bonham's announced that a portion of all proceeds from the auction will be donated to support the empowerment of young women in the arts and education.

Credits: Images courtesy of Bonhams.

McMatch Made in Heaven: Man Pops the Question With Ring Hidden in Box of Chicken McNuggets

When Lincoln, Ill., native Kristian Helton was plotting the perfect way to propose to girlfriend Karsyn Long on Valentine's Day, he knew that McDonald's Chicken McNuggets had to be the focus of the plan. You see, Long absolutely loves, loves, loves the crispy batter-dipped morsels.

"She has devoted her life to chicken nuggets," Helton told NBC affiliate WAND, "so that had to be part of the engagement. I mean, it was just a given."

Helton, 19, decided he would surprise Long with a diamond engagement ring hidden in a 10-piece box.

"Her love for chicken nuggets I'm sure is more than she loves me," Helton joked.

Excited to get a jump on his plan, Long headed out to his local McDonald's at 7:30 a.m. He ordered the large box of nuggets, but was told that it was way too early to get food off the lunch menu.

Long pleaded his case to department manager Tina Summers, revealing that the nuggets would be central to his proposal that was set to take place later that same morning. The kind-hearted manager not only made a special batch of nuggets for Helton, but gave it to him for free.

Armed with the nugget box, which would double as a ring box, Long had only a few modifications to pull off. On the inside cover of the box he wrote in orange marker, "Will You McMarry Me??" And then he pressed a pretty solitaire engagement ring into one of the nuggets.

Long, 16, was thrilled to accept Helton's proposal.

"I didn't hesitate to say yes because he is obviously the one I want to spend my life with,” Long told WAND.

The local McDonald's was excited to share Long's Facebook post, where she included a photo collage and a description of the events leading up to the proposal.

McDonald's included an intro that read, "Love is in the air at your Central Illinois McDonald's! The Lincoln, IL McDonald’s was instrumental in helping pull off a very McRomantic engagement. Check out how he asked below:" The fast-food restaurant also congratulated the future Mr. and Mrs. Helton and wished them a Happy Valentine's Day.

This is how Long described her unforgettable day... "This morning at 7:30 a.m. my boyfriend went to McDonald's and they don't serve lunch until 11 or so and my boyfriend asked for a 10-piece chicken nugget and they told him they don't serve [nuggets] until lunch. Well, my boyfriend said I'm proposing to my girlfriend and she's a crazy nugget girl! And they made him chicken nuggets and gave them to him for free... It was the sweetest thing ever. Thank you so much McDonald's. I'm one happy girl now!!!"

The story of the couple's sweet, homespun, deep-fried marriage proposal has gone viral. The story was picked up by Today.com, Fox News, Brides.com, the New York Post and numerous other media outlets.

Helton and Long are planning a Valentine 2018 wedding. It's rumored that McDonald's has offered to do the catering.

Screen captures via wandtv.com, today.com; McDonald's collage by Kristian Helton via Facebook/McDonald's at 1109 Hickox Dr.

'Real Is Rare. Real Is a Diamond' Commercial Shares Limelight During Last Night's Academy Awards

More than 30 million viewers tuning into the 89th annual Academy Awards last night got their first glimpse of "Runaways," the second in a series of “Real is Rare. Real is a Diamond” commercials produced by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA). It's been 10 years since the diamond category has shared the limelight of the Oscars — the second-most-watched event in the U.S. behind the Super Bowl.

Aimed at a millennial audience and shot as a short film, the provocative commercial offers a modern take on love and diamonds.

In the full one-minute version, the viewer gets to experience the whirlwind romance of a young couple, as told from the man's point of view. For this couple, it was love at first sight. They ran away together, and even though time has passed, the passion is still strong, as symbolized by her necklace strung with three diamond rings. An abbreviated 15-second version of "Runaways" ran last night at 10:24 p.m. EST during the Oscars.

How much DPA paid for the 15-second spot was not disclosed, although it is well known that a 30-second spot during this year's show has been selling for $2 million. The DPA reported that 67 percent of Oscar viewers are women.

"The DPA's 'Real is Rare. Real is a Diamond' marketing platform aims to connect with new generations in a way that is highly personal and emotionally relevant," observed Deborah Marquardt, DPA Chief Marketing Officer. "The campaign acknowledges millennials' desire to demonstrate their commitment in a more individualist, but equally sentimental and significant, way than previous generations."

The DPA successfully capitalized on Hollywood's biggest night. Before the show, viewers were dazzled by a red carpet parade of starlets decked out in head-turning gowns, complemented by stunning diamond and gemstone jewelry.

Established by the world’s biggest diamond mines to raise the profile and allure of diamonds for a millennial market, the DPA will release its third “Real is Rare” commercial this April. In September, DPA will roll out the second phase of its campaign, which will be targeted to a slightly older 25- to 32-year-old demographic, which tends to be more traditional when it comes to getting married.

Credits: Image captures via YouTube.com.