UK Airport's 'Secret Code' Allows You to Slip a Surprise Engagement Ring Through Security

What could be more disheartening than having a surprise marriage proposal scuttled by airport security during a routine bag search? Acting on this problem, a romance-minded airport in the UK has devised a special way for a suitor to slip the ring through security without alerting his soon-to-be fiancée.

“It would put a big damper on someone’s meticulously planned romantic trip if their big surprise was revealed even before they’ve boarded the plane," noted East Midlands Airport’s head of security, Matthew Quinney. "Arguably, there are more romantic places to be proposed to than in our security hall."

Out of courtesy to those who have been planning this moment for weeks or months, the airport has put in measures to ensure its security procedures are not the cause of a failed marriage proposal.

During the week of February 12 — to align with romantic Valentine's Day getaways — the East Midlands Airport will offer up a "secret code" to those who plan to pop the question during their trip. Valentine's Day is the second-most-popular day of the year to get engaged, according to WeddingWire.com. Christmas Day ranks first.

To obtain the code, the suitor simply emails a request to love@eastmidlandsairport.com or sends a direct message via Twitter to @EMA_Airport. The suitor then receives a secret code that he will reveal to security staff at the airport. That code will alert the staff to divert the ring carrier to a separate lane from his partner, so that his bag search remains away from her view.

The airport has been promoting its innovative "secret code" via Facebook and Twitter. It is also encouraging social sharing using the hashtag #LoveIsInTheAirport.

East Midlands Airport, which is located in Leicestershire about 120 miles north of London, expects to handle 60,000 passengers during Valentine's Day week. The airport serves a number of romantic destinations, including Dublin, Belfast, Brussels, Malaga, Amsterdam and Gran Canaria.

It's still not clear if other international airports will take East Midlands' lead and offer their own "secret codes" during the year's most romantic travel periods.

Credits: Engagement ring image via Twitter.com/EMA_Airport. CC0 Creative Commons. Airport security screen capture via TSA.gov.

Music Friday: Neil Diamond Retires Due to Parkinson's Diagnosis; Ride Has Been 'So Good, So Good, So Good’

Welcome to Music Friday when we normally bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today we bend the rules just a bit to pay tribute to the incomparable Neil Diamond, who was forced to cancel the third leg of his year-long, worldwide golden anniversary tour due to a Parkinson's diagnosis.

Diamond made the announcement on Monday, just two days short of his 77th birthday.

“It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring,” said the Brooklyn native. “I have been so honored to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years. My thanks go out to my loyal and devoted audiences around the world. You will always have my appreciation for your support and encouragement. This ride has been ‘so good, so good, so good’ thanks to you.”

Diamond's "so good" comment is a nod to his timeless 1969 hit, "Sweet Caroline," a song that has been woven into the fabric of American culture. Played at sporting events from coast to coast, when Diamond sings the line, "Good times never seemed so good," the crowd chants back, "So good, so good, so good."

Originally believed to be an ode to Caroline Kennedy, the then-11-year-old daughter of late President John F. Kennedy, "Sweet Caroline" was actually written for Diamond's second wife, Marcia.

Diamond revealed the truth during a 2014 appearance on the Today show.

"I was writing a song in Memphis, Tenn., for a session. I needed a three-syllable name," Diamond said. "The song was about my wife at the time — her name was Marcia — and I couldn't get a 'Marcia' rhyme."

The song was released in the summer of 1969 and zoomed to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Over the course of his 56-year career as a singer-songwriter-musician, Diamond has sold more than 130 million albums worldwide and placed 38 singles in the Top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. None has been more enduring than "Sweet Caroline." The song has been covered by Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Roy Orbison, Julio Iglesias and many more.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Diamond was a member of Erasmus Hall High School’s Chorus and Choral Club along with close friend Barbara Streisand. Diamond got his first inspiration to write his own songs when folk singer Pete Seeger visited a summer camp he was attending as a teenager.

“And the next thing, I got a guitar when we got back to Brooklyn, started to take lessons and almost immediately began to write songs,” he told Rolling Stone.

Just 10 credits short of an undergraduate degree from New York University, Diamond dropped out of college to take a 16-week assignment writing songs for Sunbeam Music Publishing. The job paid $50 per week. Later in his career, he would joke, “If this darn songwriting thing hadn’t come up, I would have been a doctor now.”

Please check out the rare video of a 33-year-old Diamond singing "Sweet Caroline" on the Shirley Bassey Show in 1974. The lyrics are below, but you probably already know the words...

"Sweet Caroline"
Written and performed by Neil Diamond.

Where it began, I can't begin to knowing
But then I know it's growing strong
Was in the spring
Then spring became the summer
Who'd have believed you'd come along

Hands, touching hands
Reaching out, touching me, touching you

Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I'd be inclined
To believe they never would
But now I

Look at the night and it don't seem so lonely
We filled it up with only two
And when I hurt
Hurting runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when I'm holding you

One, touching one
Reaching out, touching me, touching you

Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I'd be inclined
To believe they never would
Oh no, no

Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
Sweet Caroline
I believe they never could

Sweet Caroline

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Gem-Related Baby Names Symbolize Peace, Passion, Power and Much, Much More

In 2016, the most popular baby names in the U.S. were Emma, Olivia and Ava for girls, and Noah, Liam and William for boys. With traditional names making a comeback, expectant parents may consider taking a closer look at the symbolic and beautiful baby girl names associated with precious stones.

At the beginning of the 20th century, it was not unusual for a one-room schoolhouse to be filled with young ladies named Pearl, Opal, Coral and Beryl. Parents believed that children named for precious stones might assume the gems' mystical attributes.

Now, more than 100 years later, seven gem-inspired names are ranked in the Social Security Administration’s official list of the Top 1000 Baby Names.

Here’s a countdown of the top names, along with their symbolic meaning and comparative rankings from the year 2000. Incidentally, the name Diamond dropped off the Top 1000 list in 2016 after ranking 162 only six years earlier.

• Pearl and Perla. Said to symbolize the purity, generosity, integrity and loyalty of its wearer, Pearl (or Perla in Spanish) was one of the top girl’s names in 1880. It slowly faded from favor over the next 100 years, but resurfaced recently. Pearl ranked #567 in 2016 and its Spanish variant, Perla, ranked #701. Actress/comedian Maya Rudolph named her daughter Pearl Minnie Anderson in 2005.

• Esmeralda. The Spanish word for emerald, Esmeralda ranked #377 in 2016, down from #195 in 2000. The name Emerald made a brief appearance on the Top 1000 list from 2000 (#966) to 2002 (#995) before falling off in 2003. Emerald symbolizes growth, reflection, peace and balance. Actor Ryan Gosling's daughter is named Esmeralda.

• Jade and Jada. This deep green gemstone, which is revered in the Orient for its mystical and healing properties, arrived on the U.S. top names chart in 1980 and has been in the Top 200 since 1992. In 2016, it ranked #117, down a tick from #116 in 2000. Jada, a slight variation of the name, was also highly ranked at #397 in 2016. TV chef Giada De Laurentiis named her daughter Jade in 2008. Giada happens to be the Italian word for Jade.

• Amber. This beautiful deep yellow gemstone is made from fossilized tree resin. It was also a marginally popular girl’s name in the late 1800s (ranking between 800 and 1000). The name Amber zoomed to the very top of the list in 1980 and has steadily slid down the list over the past 37 years. Amber ranked #375 in 2016, down from #47 in 2000. Actresses Amber Heard and Amber Rose share this gem's name.

And our top-rated gem name is…

• Ruby. Fiery and captivating, the rich red ruby is known as the stone of nobility and is considered a symbol of passion and power. For the past 137 years, the name Ruby has never placed lower than #400. It was near the top of the list in 1910, reached its low point in 1980 and has been making a rapid ascent ever since. Rated #258 in 2000, Ruby zoomed to #71 in 2016. Ruby Stewart is the daughter of rocker Rod Stewart and model Kelly Emberg.

Credits: Baby by BigstockPhoto.com. Pearls by By Hannes Grobe/AWI (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Emeralds by By Paweł Maliszczak [hardleo.com] (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Jade by Manfredwinslow (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Amber by Brocken Inaglory (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Carmen Lucia Ruby courtesy of Smithsonian/Chip Clark.

Princess Eugenie's Engagement Announcement Sparks the Question, 'What's a Padparadscha?'

Princess Eugenie's official engagement announcement on Monday has the world asking, "What's a padparadscha?"

You see, the 27-year-old granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II received an oval padparadscha engagement ring from her long-time boyfriend Jack Brooksbank. In the official photos released by Buckingham Palace and during a subsequent interview with the BBC, Eugenie proudly showed off her beautiful — but unusual — orange/pink stone. In an instant, the padparadscha had spawned its own storyline.

In the BBC interview, Brooksbank, 31, waxed poetic about the gem.

"What's amazing about it and why I love it so much is that it changes color from every different angle that you look at it," he said. "And that's what I think of Eugenie. That she changes color."

Eugenie's oval padparadscha is surrounded by a halo of white diamonds and is set in yellow gold. The engagement ring design is strikingly similar to that of her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, whose ruby center stone complemented her red hair.

Called “a true Rembrandt among gemstones,” natural padparadscha is one of the rarest and most valuable varieties of sapphire.

Unlike its blue brethren, padparadscha boasts a salmon color reminiscent of the most delicate orange/pink sunset. The gem's name is derived from “padma raga,” which literally means “the color of the lotus flower” in Sanskrit.

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 make this gem one of nature’s greatest marvels.

An excellent example of this strikingly beautiful gemstone hit the auction block at Christie's Hong Kong in May of 2013. The oval padparadscha weighed 73.98 carats and was framed with brilliant-cut diamonds mounted in 18-karat rose gold. The ring carried a pre-sale high estimate of $1.55 million.

Princess Eugenie and Brooksbank are expected to get married later this year and the Queen is reportedly delighted.

Credits: Interview screen captures via YouTube.com/The Royal Family Channel; Auction ring photo courtesy of Christie's.

Farmer’s Lost Wedding Ring Recovered on Dirt Road 45 Years Later

A Saskatchewan man was reunited with his long-lost wedding ring after it flew off his finger while driving down a dirt road in a small farming community in the early 1970s.

Bill Wilson blamed the loss on a spunky grasshopper that had leaped into the farmer’s work truck and landed on his chest. Wilson quickly reacted by capturing the small creature and flipping it out the window, along with his gold wedding band. He realized it was gone shortly after, but he was hauling a full load and could not turn back.

"We looked off and on for years, even bringing in a metal detector on several occasions. Every time I drove by there, I drove with my head out the window," Wilson said. He noted that if the ring landed on cultivated soil, it would be like “finding a needle in a haystack.”

More than four decades later, neighbor Carlee Goodwin was taking a walk along the very same dirt road. It had rained the day before and the bright afternoon sun reflected on something shiny that caught her eye.

“I was thinking it was a piece of metal off a tractor, but soon realized it was a ring and dug it out,” Goodwin told CTV Regina. She tried it on and noticed it was styled for a man. She wondered how and when it got there. She also wondered about the owner.

“A ring isn’t something you just throw out the window,” Goodwin told CTV Regina.

Intrigued, Goodwin called her grandmother, who suggested that the owner might be impossible to find. After all, the only building on the desolate road was a school that had been closed for nearly five decades.

Ironically, Wilson ran into Goodwin’s grandmother at a local auction. She mentioned the ring while making small talk and asked him if he knew anyone who had lost a ring in the area. Stunned, Wilson immediately said yes, noting the design and what was engraved on the inside.

The woman's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened, Wilson said. "I wish I had a picture of her face.”

Goodwin told CBC/Radio-Canada that it was surreal to find a long-lost ring, and then locate the owner.

"I didn't think I would find the owner. I was blown away," she said. "It's almost like the ring wanted to be found."

After getting the ring back, the couple stared at it in awe. The ring was missing for 45 of their 51-year marriage. In fact, most of his children have never even seen the ring.

“I was very surprised and very grateful,” Wilson said.

Interestingly, Wilson had never purchased a replacement ring. "It's a little worse for wear, but back on my finger,” he said.

Right where it belongs.

Credits: Screen captures via CTVNews.ca.

Music Friday: Shirley Bassey Nearly Passed Out Holding the Climactic Final Note of 'Goldfinger'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, we tell the story of how Dame Shirley Bassey nearly passed out while holding the climactic final note to "Goldfinger," the title song of the 1964 James Bond thriller.

Often cited as the best film of the Bond franchise, Goldfinger borrows its name from Auric Goldfinger, a movie villain with a penchant for gilding his victims. In the theme song, which was used for the opening and closing credits, Bassey describes the man with the Midas touch.

She sings, "Golden words he will pour in your ear / But his lies can't disguise what you fear / For a golden girl knows when he's kissed her / It's the kiss of death from / Mister Goldfinger / Pretty girl beware of this heart of gold / This heart is cold."

Written by John Barry, Leslie Bricuss and Anthony Newley, "Goldfinger" presented a challenging recording session for the then-27-year-old Bassey. Repeated takes due to musicians' or technical issues forced the session to extend throughout the night. Bassey remembered how composer Barry demanded that the dramatic final note of the song be held for an extended count — seven seconds to be exact.

"I was holding it and holding it," Bassey said. "I was looking at John Barry and I was going blue in the face, and he's going, 'Hold it just one more second.' When it finished, I nearly passed out."

"Goldfinger" was an instant global phenomenon — at the record stores and on the big screen. The single netted Bassey her only Top-10 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song peaked at #8 and charted in seven countries. The movie had a production budget of $3 million and grossed $125 million at the box office.

Bassey's remarkable rendition of "Goldfinger" has stood the test of time. In 2008, the single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2013, a 76-year-old Bassey was asked to perform the song during the 2013 Academy Awards as part of a tribute to the James Bond franchise's 50th anniversary.

A native of Cardiff, Wales, Bassey went on to record the theme songs for two other James Bond films, including Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Moonraker (1979). In 2000, she become a Dame in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. She was honored for her services to the performing arts.

Please check out the video of Bassey's live performance of "Goldfinger" at the Royal Albert Hall in 1974. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Goldfinger"
Written by John Barry, Leslie Bricuss and Anthony Newley. Performed by Shirley Bassey.

Goldfinger
He's the man, the man with the Midas touch
A spider's touch
Such a cold finger
Beckons you to enter his web of sin
But don't go in

Golden words he will pour in your ear
But his lies can't disguise what you fear
For a golden girl knows when he's kissed her
It's the kiss of death from

Mister Goldfinger
Pretty girl beware of this heart of gold
This heart is cold

Golden words he will pour in your ear
But his lies can't disguise what you fear
For a golden girl knows when he's kissed her
It's the kiss of death from

Mister Goldfinger
Pretty girl beware of this heart of gold
This heart is cold

He loves only gold
Only gold
He loves gold
He loves only gold
Only gold
He loves gold

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

$300,000 Diamond and Sapphire Pumps Entice the Well 'Heeled' Women of Dubai

A new collection of gem-spangled footwear has the well "heeled" women of Dubai — and the world over — buzzing with excitement.

Inspired by iconic royal women, from Cleopatra to Princess Diana, the collection by UAE-based luxury brand Jada Dubai is headlined by a one-of-a-kind pump adorned with 54 carats of brilliant-cut white diamonds and 416 carats of rose-cut white sapphires set in platinum and 19-karat gold. They're simply called "Jada Shoes."

Only one pair is available worldwide and it carries a price tag of 1.1 million dirhams, or just under $300,000. Jada Dubai co-founder Majari Maria told GulfNews.com that the pair took one year to produce and demanded the collaboration of precious stone specialists from three countries.

"Jada Shoes" were designed to honor Jada, the Princess of the Desert. According to the legendary love story, a prince fell in love with Jada, whose captivating eyes were as green as jade, but, alas, she was just a beautiful mirage.

Jada Dubai claims that its shoes are the first in the world with both the insole and outsole covered in gold and platinum.

Other shoes in the “The Imperative of Royalty” collection are named for Diana (Princess of Wales), Grace Kelly (Princess of Monaco), Cleopatra (Queen of Egypt) and Josephine (Empress of France). Each is limited to just 10 pairs and range in price from about $5,000 to $7,000. Featured gemstones include citrines, black diamonds, rubies and emeralds.

Carrying a price tag of $6,960, the Princess Diana Shoes are adorned with 2,000 citrines and 10 brilliant-cut white diamonds set in 19-karat yellow gold and platinum. The total weight of the citrines is 315 carats. Jada Dubai notes that the ivory color symbolizes elegance and purity.

The Grace Kelly Shoes feature a crown motif rendered in white and black diamonds, with other gemstones. The gems are set in 19-karat yellow gold and platinum. The crown, notes Jada Dubai, is the ultimate symbol of power and royalty. Price tag: $5,310.

Jada Dubai's Cleopatra Shoes are adorned with two jewelry snakes glittering with 28 black diamonds, four white diamonds and other stones. The snake is a symbol of protection, royalty and seductive power. The shoes are priced at $5,150.

Rounding out the line are the Josephine Shoes, adorned with eight rubies, six emeralds and other colored gemstones set in 19-karat yellow gold and platinum. Featured on the $4,980 pair is Josephine's favorite flower, the rose — one of the most enduring symbols of royalty and passion.

Credits: Images via jada-dubai.com.

Tiny African Kingdom of Lesotho Yields 910-Carat, Gem-Quality Diamond; Ranks as 5th Largest Ever

The prolific Letšeng mine in the tiny southern Africa kingdom of Lesotho has produced another mammoth gem-quality diamond. Weighing 910 carats, the D-color, Type IIa stone is the largest ever mined at Letšeng and the fifth-largest gem-quality diamond ever recovered in world history.

The yet-to-be-named gem is probably worth more than $50 million based on recent sales of colossal diamonds exhibiting nearly identical characteristics.

For example, the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona (#2 on the all-time list) was sold in September of 2017 for $53 million. In May of 2016, the 812-carat Constellation (#7 on the all-time list) fetched $63 million. Sourced at Lucara's Karowe mine in Botswana, both D-color diamonds were rated Type IIa, which means they are chemically pure with no traces of nitrogen or boron impurities.

Despite having a land mass slightly smaller than Maryland, Lesotho is an international powerhouse when it comes to turning out huge, top-quality stones.

“Since Gem Diamonds acquired Letšeng in 2006, the mine has produced some of the world’s most remarkable diamonds, including the 603-carat Lesotho Promise," noted Gem Diamonds CEO Clifford Elphick. "However, this exceptional top-quality diamond is the largest to be mined to date and highlights the unsurpassed quality of the Letšeng mine."

Here's a list of the most newsworthy stones to come from Letšeng, which is billed as the highest dollar-per-carat kimberlite mine in the world.

2006 – Lesotho Promise (603 carats)
2011 – Letšeng Star (550 carats)
2007 – Lesotho Legacy (493 carats)
2008 – Leseli La Letšeng (478 carats)
2015 – Letšeng Dynasty (357 carats)
2015 – Letšeng Destiny (314 carats)
2014 – Unnamed Yellow (299 carats)

The newly unveiled 910-carat rough diamond has an equivalent weight of 182 grams, or 6.41 ounces. A baseball, by comparison, weighs 5.25 ounces.

The fifth-largest gem-quality diamond ever mined is less than one-third the weight of the granddaddy of them all — the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, which was discovered in South Africa in 1905. Finished gems cut from the Cullinan Diamond include the Cullinan I (530.20 carats) and the Cullinan II (317.4 carats).

The United Kingdom-based Gem Diamonds holds a 70% stake in the Letšeng mine with the government of Lesotho owning the remaining 30%.

Credit: Image via Twitter.com/GemDiamondsLtd.

8-Year-Old Finds Lost Engagement Ring in Parking Lot; His Mom Uses Social Media to Identify Owner

The community of Cedar Park, Texas, is singing the praises of 8-year-old Hudson Komendera, who not only spotted a lost engagement ring in a parking lot and helped reunite the ring with its rightful owner, but also donated his $300 reward to a local family that lost two boys in a tragic car crash.

Hudson and his mom, Stacy Komendera, had just gotten out of their car at a local shopping center last week when something on the sidewalk caught the little boy's eye.

“I found a ring,” Hudson exclaimed.

Stacy told a reporter for ABC affiliate KVUE that, at first, she didn't think much of the discovery.

She recalled telling her son, "Great, we're at the Dollar Tree, honey."

Young Hudson told the reporter, "She didn't believe me. She thought it was a fake little plastic ring."

What Hudson held in his hand was a slightly bruised, but very valuable, diamond engagement ring. Stacy decided to secure the ring and attempt to find its rightful owner.

Meanwhile, fellow Cedar Park resident Faith Goldberg was distraught over losing her cherished engagement ring — a ring her husband purchased for her less than a year ago to symbolize their 17 years together. Goldberg had lost the ring while shopping a few days earlier and was pretty sure it was gone forever.

Goldberg's husband told her over and over that the ring could be replaced and that everything was OK. But, Goldberg wasn't about to give up without a fight.

Under the title, "Heartbroken/Lost Ring," she posted two photos of the engagement ring to the community social media site Nextdoor.com, along with a caption offering a clue to where it may have been lost.

She wrote, "Lost my engagement ring in parking lot of pet smart/dollar store on 1431 1890 ranch shopping center, or possibly post office on 1431."

By coincidence, Stacy was checking Nextdoor.com to learn about a car accident that had just claimed the lives of two young boys. One post down from the item about the accident was Goldberg's desperate plea. The photo matched Hudson's find exactly.

Instead of contacting Goldberg right away, Stacy brought the damaged ring to a local jeweler to be fixed and shined up.

Once the ring looked good as new, it was time to reunite it with its rightful owner.

A KVUE news team was on hand when Goldberg met her little hero for the first time.

“I honestly didn't think I'd see it again, but I did,” Goldberg told KVUE.

Goldberg rewarded Hudson with a well deserved hug, a gift card and $300 in cash.

Hudson chose to donate the money to the Cedar Park family that lost two boys in last week's tragic car crash.

Credits: Screen captures via KVUE.com.

British Crown Jewels Were Hidden From Nazis in a Biscuit Tin, BBC Documentary Reveals

Priceless gems from the British Crown Jewels were hidden from the Nazis in a biscuit tin and buried underground at Windsor Castle during World War II, a BBC documentary revealed last night.

Fearing an invasion, King George VI ordered that the most precious jewels — including the Black Prince’s ruby and Saint Edward’s sapphire — be removed from the royal crowns, stashed in a Bath Oliver biscuit tin and buried under a sally port, which is a secret exit from the castle used in times of emergency.

The treasures were placed deep in the ground at the royal family's country residence in Berkshire and secured with steel doors. The limestone excavation was filled in with soil and covered with turf. Queen Elizabeth II, who was only 14 at the time, first learned of her father's ploy during her BBC interview with Alastair Bruce.

"What was so lovely was that the Queen had no knowledge of it," Bruce noted. "Telling her seemed strangely odd."

Some historians speculated that the royal gems had been whisked away during the war to a vault in Canada or a cave in Wales. But, confidential correspondence from Sir Owen Morshead, the royal librarian, to Queen Mary, the mother of George VI, finally uncovered the secret of the biscuit tin. The British Crown Jewels — 23,578 in all — are currently under armed guard in the Jewel House at the Tower of London.

During the interview, the 91-year-old monarch got to take a close look at the Imperial State Crown, the stone's from which were remounted for her father's coronation in 1937. The crown is set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, hundreds of pearls and a famous ruby that's not actually a ruby.

The Queen pointed out that the 2lb 13oz crown has been reduced in height since her father wore it. She also joked that it's important not to look down when wearing the crown as your "neck would break."

She told Bruce that her favorite gem in the crown is the Black Prince's ruby, which is, in fact, an irregular cabochon red spinel weighing 170 carats. The stone is set in the cross above the 317-carat Cullinan II diamond at the front of the Imperial State Crown and its history dates back to the middle of the 14th century.

The Queen seemed to be saddened by the plight of the pearls mounted in the crown. She said they are “not very happy now” and had been “hanging out for years.”

“I mean, the trouble is that pearls are sort of live things and they need... warming,” she said.

Princess Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25 after her father died unexpectedly.

The BBC documentary was broadcast by the Smithsonian Channel on Sunday night.

Credits: Queen Elizabeth II screen capture via Smithsonianchannel.com; British Crown Jewels, including Saint Edward's Crown, by United Kingdom Government [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons; Imperial State Crown showing Black Prince's ruby by Cyril Davenport (1848 – 1941) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.