Music Friday: 'Your Love Is a Pearl,' Sings Joshua Kadison in 1994's 'Beautiful in My Eyes'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you hit songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we shine the spotlight on one of the most requested wedding songs of the 1990s: "Beautiful in My Eyes" by Joshua Kadison.

Kadison's lyrical love letter offers a sweet and sentimental prediction of how a relationship will become stronger through the years. Kadison pledges that even as they grow old together — and lines appear on their faces — she will always be beautiful in his eyes. To emphasize the concept of a "perfect" love, Kadison introduces June's official birthstone in the first verse.

He sings, "You're my peace of mind / In this crazy world / You're everything I've tried to find / Your love is a pearl."

Released in 1994 as the second single from his critically acclaimed debut album Painted Desert Serenade, "Beautiful in My Eyes" ascended to #19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and charted in five countries. The song was Kadison's most successful single, even surpassing the performance of his breakout hit, "Jesse."

In reviewing the album, Bryan Buss of Allmusic described it as "chock full of odes to finding romance, longing for romance and losing romance." MyWeddingSongs.com rated "Beautiful in My Eyes" #7 on its list of "beautiful" songs to play on your beautiful day.

Born in Los Angeles in 1963, Kadison started writing songs at the age of 12. Four years later, he hit the road as a teenager, searching for life's answers after the tragic death of his mother. He made a living playing at bars in cities, such as Santa Barbara, Nashville and Dallas. His major influences included Cole Porter, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, Nina Simone, Igor Stravinsky and Bela Bartok.

"All of that time on the road was great therapy for me," he told Billboard magazine. "It strengthened my soul and focused my songwriting — however corny that sounds."

At 30 years old, he got his big break when he was signed by EMI Records and released Painted Desert Serenade. VH-1 named Kadison the network's major video breakthrough artist of 1993.

Despite his commercial success, Kadison still didn't feel fulfilled.

"It felt as if I had the world at my feet but it wasn't what my soul wanted," he said. "I felt I had learned all I could from my experiences in the pop music field. The lessons of fame and success and all that go with them were amazing, but I knew there was much more to life I had to learn."

He took a long sabbatical to study music. First it was classical, then it was jazz. He did an apprenticeship with a Native American sound healer and worked with her for three years until her death.

"It was the strangest thing really. She found me as much as I found her," he said. "She told me I would be her last student. At the time, I didn't understand the profundity of that statement. From Otelia, I amplified my respect for both silence and sound.”

Kadison still performs at the age of 54 and has a strong fanbase in Germany. Trivia note: Kadison dated the actress Sarah Jessica Parker in the early 1990s.

Please check out the video of Kadison's performance of "Beautiful in My Eyes." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Beautiful in My Eyes"
Written and performed by Joshua Kadison.

You're my peace of mind
In this crazy world
You're everything I've tried to find
Your love is a pearl
You're my Mona Lisa
You're my rainbow skies
And my only prayer is that you realize...
You'll always be beautiful in my eyes

The world will turn
And the seasons will change
And all the lessons we will learn
Will be beautiful and strange
We'll have our fill of tears
Our share of sighs
My only prayer is that you realize...
You'll always be beautiful in my eyes

You will always be
Beautiful in my eyes
And the passing years will show
That you will always grow
Ever more beautiful in my eyes

And there are lines upon my face
From a lifetime of smiles
When the time comes to embrace
For one long last while
We can laugh about
How time really flies
We won't say good-bye
Cause' true love never dies...
You'll always be beautiful in my eyes

You will always be (You will always be)
Beautiful in my eyes (Beautiful in my eyes)
And the passing years will show
That you will always grow
Ever more beautiful in my eyes

The passing years will show
That you will always grow
Ever more beautiful in my eyes

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

$1.3 Million 'Australian Trilogy' Collection Features 1-Kilo Coins Adorned With Fancy-Color Diamonds

The Perth Mint has just unveiled "The Australian Trilogy," an exclusive, one-of-a-kind collection of one-kilo coins meticulously set with fancy-color diamonds sourced from Rio Tinto’s Argyle Diamond Mine.

The mint uses three precious metals — yellow gold, platinum and rose gold — in a set of coins that celebrate Western Australia’s unique heritage and natural treasures.

With a mintage of just one, "The Australian Trilogy" carries a price tag of AUS$1.8 million ($1.36 million) and boasts a hefty combined weight of 6.6 pounds.

The Australian Kookaburra coin, crafted from 99.99% pure gold, depicts two kookaburras perched on a wooden fence gazing toward a round 0.47-carat fancy deep purple-pink diamond. (The photo, above, shows the freshly struck coin, minus the diamond.)

Fashioned from 99.95% pure platinum, the Australian Kangaroo coin portrays this iconic animal bounding across an outback plain over an emerald-cut 0.46-carat fancy dark gray-violet diamond.

To complete the trilogy, the 91.67% rose gold Australian Koala coin illustrates this native marsupial beneath a eucalyptus tree in a rural landscape beside an emerald-cut 0.58-carat fancy intense pink diamond.

The artistry on each coin is bordered by a title inscription, the year 2017, the weight, fineness and metal, and The Perth Mint’s traditional "P" mintmark.

Each release also displays the renowned Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on its obverse. The Australian Kookaburra coin has a face value of AUS$5,000.

The one-of-a-kind set will be on display in The Perth Mint Shop throughout June — or until a buyer takes it home.

The Australian Trilogy was revealed to the public by officials of The Perth Mint, the Australian government and mining company Rio Tinto.

“The Australian Trilogy has elevated our creations to a new level with three diamond-studded gold and platinum coins in one dazzling presentation,” Perth Mint Chief Executive Officer Richard Hayes said in a statement.

Check out the video below, which offers an insider's perspective of how the coins came together at The Perth Mint.

Credits: "The Australian Trilogy" and executive images courtesy of The Perth Mint; Coin screen capture via YouTube.com.

Dream Comes True: LI Woman Reunited With Class Ring She Lost in Peconic Bay 36 Years Ago

Debbie Cassidy was only one year out of high school when she lost her class ring while swimming in scenic Peconic Bay on Eastern Long Island. The year was 1981.

“We were at a party and we were in the water and it slipped off my finger and I was heartbroken,” Cassidy told ABC News. “We never found it. I thought I’d never see it again. I always dreamed I would."

Cassidy's dream came true on Saturday thanks to the metal-detecting prowess of Rich Miliauskas, who found the ring under three feet of water and 10 inches of sand. Miliauskas scooped up the ring about three houses down the beach from where it was lost 36 years ago. Despite being submerged for more than three decades, the ring — which is engraved with Cassidy's name and features a blue faceted stone — was still in very good condition.

Cassidy, whose maiden name is Deborah E. Wells, played a key role in the return of her ring. The 54-year-old Mattituck resident had told her friend Jimmy Parsons, another metal-detector hobbyist and friend of Miliauskas, that she was heartbroken over the loss of her class ring. She told him about the beach party she attended in Laurel, how she went swimming with her friends and how distressed she was when the loose-fitting ring slipped off her finger and disappeared into the surf. Cassidy and her friends made desperate attempts to find the ring, but came up empty.

Parsons shared Cassidy's heart-tugging saga with a number of his metal-detecting friends and asked them to keep and eye out for the ring.

On Friday, Miliauskas got out of work early and noticed that low tide on the Peconic Bay was the perfect opportunity to break out his equipment and search for Cassidy's ring. Later that evening, Miliauskas called his buddy to report his success.

“Her name is fully inscribed in it: Deborah E. Wells, so there’s no question,” Parsons told ABC News. “I met up with him later Saturday afternoon so I could look at it and confirm it. He had cleaned it up so it looked pretty, much like the day she got it. It was pretty perfect, in pretty good shape for being in the water for 36 years.”

On Saturday, the 1980 Mattituck High School graduate was reunited with her class ring on the beach where she lost it 36 years ago. She slipped the class ring on her finger and it fit perfectly. The ecstatic Cassidy screamed out in delight and then gave her hero a big hug.

“I was beyond happy,” Cassidy told southoldlocal.com. “You have no idea. My husband and I thought it would be all beat up, but it’s not. It looks perfect!”

Cassidy believes in good karma — the concept that one reaps what one sows. Previously, she had purchased a jewelry collection on eBay and was surprised that one of the items was a high school ring. Cassidy took the initiative to call the seller and track down the family of the original owner, who had since passed away. The owner's sister had none of her brother's possessions, so Cassidy gave the ring back to the family.

Her reward: A new friend in Miliauskas and a cherished class ring back on her finger.

Credits: Photos by Debbie Cassidy. Map by Googlemaps.

26.27-Carat 'Tenner' Diamond — Once Thought to Be a Fake — Fetches $849,637 at Sotheby's London

The woman who bought a 26.27-carat gem-quality diamond for £10 (about $13) at a car boot sale in London about 30 years ago is now $849,637 richer.

The gem — which has earned the nickname "Tenner" because is was purchased for a 10-pound note — sold for nearly two times the pre-auction estimate after a fierce bidding war at Sotheby's London last week.

The unnamed owner had been convinced the showy ring was a piece of costume jewelry due to its low price, ostentatious center stone and filthy mounting. She cleaned it up and wore it day-to-day, never realizing that the gaudy center stone was actually a VVS2, I-color, cushion-shaped diamond that dated back to the 19th century. Some experts believe that a stone of this size and value might even have royal provenance.

How the ring ended up at a car boot sale — where goods are sold from the boot, or trunk, of a vehicle — may never be known.

What we do know is that the owner, only recently, had been tipped off by a local jeweler that the ring could be very valuable. The owner took the ring to Sotheby’s, which confirmed the authenticity of the diamond with a report from the Gemological Institute of America.

"It was bought as a costume jewel," Jessica Wyndham, head of Sotheby’s London jewelry department, told the BBC. "No one had any idea it had any intrinsic value at all. [She] enjoyed it all this time."

Wyndham explained that the center stone didn't sparkle like a modern-cut diamond.

“With an old style of cutting… the light doesn’t reflect back as much as it would from a modern stone cutting,” Wyndham said. “Cutters worked more with the natural shape of the crystal, to conserve as much weight rather than make it as brilliant as possible.”

Wyndham said the sale of the ring would be life-changing for the owner. She called the ring a “one-off windfall, an amazing find.”

The new owner, who has remained anonymous, is likely to have the Tenner re-cut into a modern diamond, a strategy that will trim its size, while boosting its value.

Credits: Image courtesy of Sotheby’s.

Biggest Super Bowl Rings Ever Made Commemorate Historic Comeback That Led to Patriots' 5th Championship

The New England Patriots commemorated their fifth championship and greatest comeback in Super Bowl history with monumental rings gleaming with 283 diamonds. The number of diamonds is a nod to the score of 28-3, the seemingly unsurmountable deficit the Patriots faced before going on to tally 31 unanswered points in their triumph over the Atlanta Falcons on February 5.

"It was a historic comeback win and the players deserve to have a ring that represents that accomplishment," said team owner Robert Kraft, who hosted the celebration at his residence on Friday. "So, we created the biggest Super Bowl ring ever made. Watching the expressions of the players and coaches when they saw them for the first time and the overwhelming pride when they put them on was priceless."

The Patriots earned their first Super Bowl ring 15 years ago. With each subsequent championship, their rings have gotten progressively more impressive. This year's ring boasts diamonds weighing 5.1 carats, while the Super Bowl XLIX Championship rings delivered in 2015 were set with 205 diamonds weighing 4.85 carats.

"Much like the games themselves, the rings and the celebrations keep getting bigger and better," Kraft added.

Created by Jostens, the 10-karat white gold championship rings are loaded with symbols that tell the story of a memorable season and historic Super Bowl LI victory.

The face of the ring features the iconic Patriots logo, which is made from custom-cut sapphire and ruby. The design is outlined in diamonds and punctuated by a diamond-embellished star.

An additional sapphire serves as the background to five Vince Lombardi trophies, each featuring a marquise-cut diamond "football" at the top.

The words "WORLD" and "CHAMPIONS" wrap the sides of the ring in raised white gold lettering on a black ground.

The left side of the ring has the recipient's name and number encrusted with diamonds. An image of the lighthouse and bridge, which form Gillette Stadium's signature view, are accented with the years of each of the Patriots' previous Super Bowl victories.

On the right side of the ring, the Super Bowl LI logo is highlighted with the game's final score at the top and the team's 17-2 overall record at the bottom. Framing the side is Kraft's famous postgame comment that this Super Bowl victory was "UNEQUIVOCALLY THE SWEETEST."

Two additional elements are hidden on the inside of the ring. One is Kraft's memorable quote, "WE ARE ALL PATRIOTS," along with his signature and the date when he first delivered that line. A second element reads, "GREATEST COMEBACK EVER."

All New England players, coaches, football staff and team executives were presented with championship rings, which are reportedly worth $37,000 each.

Credits: Images by Jostens via patriots.com.

Music Friday: 'Plant Your Flower and You Grow a Pearl,' Sings Earth, Wind & Fire

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, legendary band Earth, Wind & Fire uses pearls and gold to symbolize unspoiled perfection in their 1975 classic, "That's the Way of the World."

A powerful song brimming with messages of inspiration and hope, "That's the Way of the World" implores the listener to "stay young at heart" despite the negative influences of the cold world.

They sing, "That's the way of the world / Plant your flower and you grow a pearl / Child is born with a heart of gold / Way of the world makes his heart so cold."

Band members have called "That's the Way of the World" their "national anthem" and, in 2004, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. One year later, Rolling Stone magazine rated it #329 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

"That's the Way of the World" was originally written by band members Maurice and Verdine White, along with producer Charles Stepney, as part of the score for a movie about the dark side of the music business. While the movie flopped, the soundtrack was a rousing success. The song was also the title track of their sixth studio album, which ranked as the third best-selling pop album and the number one best-selling R&B album of 1975.

Founded in Chicago by Maurice White in 1969, Earth, Wind & Fire's unique sound combines modern jazz, fusion, soul, gospel, funk, disco, rock and the distinct rhythms of African music. Featuring the interplay of Philip Bailey's falsetto and Maurice White's baritone — supported by multiple drummers and a powerful brass section — the band amassed a huge international following for more than 40 years. Maurice White passed away in February of 2016 at the age of 74.

The six-time Grammy Award winners are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

Please check out the video of Earth, Wind & Fire's live performance of "That's the Way of the World." Put on your dancing shoes and be prepared to sing along...

"That's the Way of the World"
Written by Verdine White, Maurice White and Charles Stepney. Performed by Earth, Wind & Fire.

Hearts of fire creates love desire
Take you high and higher to the world you belong
Hearts of fire creates love desire
High and higher to your place on the throne

We come together on this special day
Sing our message loud and clear
Looking back, we've touched on sorrowful days
Future pass, they disappear
You will find peace of mind
If you look way down in your heart and soul
Don't hesitate 'cause the world seems cold
Stay young at heart, 'cause you're never, never old

That's the way of the world
Plant your flower and you grow a pearl
Child is born with a heart of gold
Way of the world makes his heart so cold

Hearts of fire create love desire take you
High and higher to the world you belong
Hearts of fire love desire
High and higher, yeah yeah yeah
Hearts of fire love desire
Ahh higher

We come together on this special day
Sung our message loud and clear
Looking back, we've touched on sorrowful days
Future disappears
You will find peace of mind
If you look way down in your heart and soul
Don't hesitate 'cause the world seems cold
Stay young at heart, 'cause you're never, never, never

That's the way of the world,
Plant your flower and you grow a pearl
Child is born with a heart of gold
Way of the world makes his heart so cold

Hearts of fire, love desire
High and higher, yeah yeah
Hearts of fire, love desire

Credit: Image by Craig ONeal [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons.

World’s Most Popular Engagement Ring Boasts 103,900 Saves on Pinterest

Social media has been a game changer for bridal jewelry, particularly on Pinterest, where the most popular engagement ring on that image-sharing platform has garnered an astonishing 103,900 pins and worldwide attention.

In a surprising twist on a classic, this dainty rose gold stunner features a 1.22-carat brilliant round solitaire set with four prongs on a simple band. The engagement ring is complemented by a two-millimeter milgrain rose gold wedding band accented with small round diamonds. Simple yet magnificent. Retro yet modern.

According to Metro News UK, the ubiquitous ring was custom-designed by its owner, Sylvia Billone, who was inspired by images on Pinterest. The ring stands in stark contrast to last year’s most popular engagement ring, the “Verragio Venetian,” an ornate 18-karat white gold ring centered by a princess-cut diamond.

Rose gold is an alloy made from gold and copper. Colors range from to dusky pink to yellow-orange depending on the ratio of gold to copper. The sugary pink tone has captured hearts since its inception in nineteenth-century Russia, when Carl Fabergé blended yellow gold with copper to create a blush-toned hybrid called “Russian gold.” Cartier’s use of the composite during the 1920s Art Deco period reinforced its popularity.

Trend research indicates that more couples are selecting distinctive rose gold as their metal of choice for engagement rings and wedding bands. While rose gold can feel retro, the metal works surprisingly well for modern designs. The warm hues of rose gold beautifully show off diamonds and other gemstones.

The rose gold shade shined brightly in 2016 when Rose Quartz was named a Pantone Color of the Year along with Serenity blue. According to Pantone, “as consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent.” According to Allure.com, the most sought after items are swathed in the opulent blush of rose gold. Described a hue between icy white gold and warm yellow gold, rose gold is whimsical and romantic.

According to The Next Web, the rose gold phenomenon really exploded in popularity on the social media scene since the 18-karat rose gold “tech luxury” Apple Watch arrived in September 2014. Then came the wildly popular rose gold iPhone 6s. For personal tech gadgets, rose gold proved to be a welcome change from largely impersonal, cool-toned metallics. According to CNET, rose gold “is the new black” for gadgets, and the hottest option for iPhones, MacBooks and Beats headphones – often causing a "preorder frenzy."

Rose gold-colored accents are even popping up in unexpected places, including interior design. "It's definitely a trend and not a classic look," says Maria Killam, an interior designer and color expert. "Metals for interiors have been getting warmer recently, and now that gold is dominating the scene, rose gold has a strong place on the edge of the trend for those who love to push the limits."

Credits: Images via Pinterest/Sylvia Billone.

Music Friday: Awkward Teen Katy Perry Wants to Be 'Pretty in Pearls,' Not 'One of the Boys'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. As part of our continuing tribute to June's official birthstone, today's selection from Katy Perry shines the spotlight on pearls.

In the title track from her blockbuster 2008 album One of the Boys, Perry sings about shedding her tomboy image: “I just wanna be one of the girls, pretty in pearls. Not one of the boys.”

Later in the song, she tells a guy who used to treat her like a little sister that he may have a chance to win her heart one day, “But not until you give me my diamond ring.”

In an interview with New York radio station Z100, Perry explained that "One of the Boys" was inspired by her own experiences as an awkward teenager who suddenly transforms into a young woman.

"[It's a] coming-of-age-type song," she said. "Something happens from junior high to high school: We girls start blooming; guys start developing crushes. No longer are we playing dodge ball; we want to sit and paint our fingernails instead."

"One of the Boys" was the first track from Perry's Grammy-nominated second studio album — a release that charted in 14 countries and sold more than seven million copies worldwide.

Born Katheryn Elizabeth "Katy" Hudson in Santa Barbara, Calif., the singer changed her name in the early 2000s so she wouldn't be confused with actress Kate Hudson. The daughter of Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up singing in a church choir, where she developed an affection for gospel music. Perry was dropped by two record labels before going on to sign with Capitol Music Group in 2007.

Over the past decade, the 32-year-old Perry has become one of the most successful musical artists of all time, having sold 100 million records globally. Perry has the distinction of being the most followed celebrity on Twitter. She has 99.2 million followers, narrowly edging out Justin Bieber's 95.7 million.

Please check out the video of Perry’s 2008 live performance of “One of the Boys.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along.

“One of the Boys”
Written and performed by Katy Perry.

I saw a spider, I didn’t scream
‘Cause I can belch the alphabet
Just double dog dare me
And I chose guitar over ballet
And I take these suckers down
‘Cause they just get in my way

The way you look at me is kinda like a little sister
Your high five, your goodbyes
And it leaves me nothing but blisters

[Chorus:]
So I don’t wanna be one of the boys
One of your guys
Just give me a chance to prove to you tonight
That I just wanna be one of the girls
Pretty in pearls
Not one of the boys

So over the summer something changed
I started reading “Seventeen” and shaving my legs
And I studied “Lolita” religiously
And I walked right into school and caught you staring at me

‘Cause I know what you know
But now you’re gonna have to take a number
It’s OK
Maybe one day
But not until you give me my diamond ring

[Chorus:]
'Cause I don't wanna be one of the boys
One of your guys
Just give me a chance to prove to you tonight
That I just wanna be your homecoming queen
Pin-up poster dream
Not one of the boys

I wanna be a flower
Not a dirty weed
I wanna smell like roses
Not a baseball team
And I swear maybe one day you're gonna
Wanna make out, make out, make out with me

(Don't wanna be) don't wanna be
(Don't wanna be) don't wanna be
(Don't wanna be)

[Chorus:]
'Cause I don't wanna be one of the boysv One of your guys
Just give me a chance to prove to you tonight
That I just wanna be one of the girls
Pretty in pearlsv And not one of the boys

Credit: Image by Lordnikon (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Let's Celebrate June's Official Birthstone With a Close-Up Look at the Hope Pearl

Let's celebrate June's official birthstone with a close-up look at one of the most extraordinary natural pearls in the world. It stands two inches tall, weighs 450 carats and is the sibling of the world's most famous blue diamond. Introducing the Hope Pearl.

Back in the early part of the 19th century, a London banker named Henry Philip Hope amassed a collection of fabulous gems, including the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond and 150 natural pearls.

Hope's namesake pearl, which was once believed to be the largest natural saltwater baroque pearl in existence, exhibited an irregular pear shape and a unique coloration, grading from dark bronze to white. Experts believe the baroque specimen is a blister pearl, which grows attached to the mollusk's shell.

A natural pearl is extraordinarily rare and valuable because it is created by a mollusk totally by chance, without human intervention. A natural pearl forms when an irritant, such as a grain of sand, slips in between the mollusk’s shell and its mantle tissue. To protect itself from the irritant, the mollusk secretes layer upon layer of nacre, which is the iridescent material that eventually produces a pearl. Cultured pearls, by comparison, are grown under controlled conditions, where a bead is implanted in the body of the mollusk to stimulate the secretion of nacre.

The Hope Pearl is set as a pendant, with the smaller end capped with a crown of red enameled gold set with diamonds, rubies and emeralds.

Both the Hope Diamond (purchased in 1824) and Hope Pearl (purchased between 1800 and 1810) were mentioned prominently in the 1839 publication titled "Catalogue of the Collection of Pearls and Precious Stones Formed by Henry Philip Hope, Esq." Hope, who never married, died that same year and a bitter legal battle ensued among his three nephews, who made claims on the estate. After 10 years, a settlement was reached and the jewels were split up. The pearl ended up in the South Kensington Museum for many years, and was sold at a Christie's auction in 1886 for £9,000 (about £1 million, or $1.29 million, in today's valuation).

The Hope Diamond and Hope Pearl remained apart for the next 156 years. But then, in 2005, the diamond and pearl siblings enjoyed a momentous reunion at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. The Hope Diamond was already a resident of the National Gem and Mineral collection at the National Museum of Natural History.

The Hope Pearl was one of 12 extraordinary specimens featured in a six-month special exhibition called "The Allure of Pearls" in the Harry Winston Gallery of the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals. The Hope Pearl was loaned for the presentation by an unnamed collector from England.

Credits: Smithsonian/NMNH Photo Services.

Amateur Prospector Finds 2.78-Carat Diamond in the Same Spot Where 'Strawn-Wagner' Was Discovered in 1990

Back in 1990, a Murfreesboro, Ark., resident named Shirley Strawn became an instant celebrity when she struck it rich at the nearby Crater of Diamonds State Park — the only diamond site in the world where amateur prospectors get to keep what they find.

Strawn discovered a 3.03-carat diamond in the East Drain section of the park's 37 1/2-acre search area. Gemologists determined that the rough stone had so much potential as a faceted diamond that it was sent to New York, where famous diamond cutter Lazare Kaplan International worked its magic. The Arkansas-sourced rough gem was transformed into a world-class, 1.09-carat round brilliant-cut sparkler, and became the first diamond from the state park to earn a perfect grade of "Triple Zero" (Ideal cut/D color/Flawless) from the American Gem Society.

The find was so momentous that the State of Arkansas purchased the gem — now known as the "Strawn-Wagner" diamond — for $34,700 and made it the centerpiece of the park's special exhibit. There's even a prominent marker in the East Drain section of the park to show exactly where it was found.

Only a few weeks ago, a retiree named Wendell Fox was scanning the ground very close to the Strawn-Wagner marker when he, too, spotted a diamond on the surface. While Strawn's gem was white and weighed 3.03 carats in its rough state, Fox's gem weighed 2.78 carats and displayed a champagne brown color.

“I was 80 to 90 percent sure that it was a diamond when I saw it,” the 70-year-old Fox told park officials. About the size of an English pea, the oval diamond contains a few inclusions and demonstrates an unmistakable metallic shine.

Park Interpreter Waymon Cox noted, “It’s no surprise that Mr. Fox found his diamond by surface searching. It has rained a lot at the park this spring and, so far, we have registered 11 diamonds that were found on top of the ground in May.”

Cox explained that diamonds lack static electricity so dirt doesn't stick to them. When rainfall uncovers larger diamonds near the surface and the sun comes out, they sparkle and are often easier to see.

Although Fox and his wife, Jennifer, are now retired and living in Joliet, Mont., Fox spent his formative years in Arkansas and always dreamed of searching for diamonds at the park. His wish came true a few weeks ago when the couple visited for the first time.

Wendall and Jennifer have named their diamond "Way Out Yonder" to honor their home in Montana and plan to have the gem mounted in a piece of jewelry.

“All in all, it was a great experience,” said Wendell Fox. “Finding a diamond was just icing on the cake.”

So far this year, the Crater of Diamonds State Park has registered 209 diamonds weighing a total of 52.08 carats. Seven diamonds have weighed in at more than 1 carat each. In March, 14-year-old Kalel Langford of Centerton, Ark., made headlines when he secured a 7.44-carat brown gem that he named “Superman’s Diamond.” The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States was unearthed in Murfreesboro in 1924 during an early mining operation. Named the Uncle Sam, the white diamond with a pink cast weighed 40.23 carats.

Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.