Rising Star Andrew Benintendi Assists Red Sox Fan With Surprise Marriage Proposal

Rising star Andrew Benintendi of the Boston Red Sox had a memorable day at the ballpark on Saturday. Not only did he go 3-for-5 with a triple and double in the Red Sox's 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers, but he also earned an assist with a very romantic pre-game marriage proposal.

During batting practice at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, a couple from Arkansas — dressed in his-and-her Red Sox regalia — was among a small group of devoted fans allowed on the field to meet the players. Little did the woman know that her boyfriend had plotted a special on-field proposal with the help of a former Arkansas Razorback.

Benintendi, who was born in Cincinnati and played college ball in Arkansas, went up to a woman in the meet-and-greet line and presented her with a baseball that he pulled from his back pocket. Written in bold marker across the ball were the phrases, "Turn Around" and "Will You Marry Me."

The stunned woman spun around to see her boyfriend on bended knee with an engagement ring box in his hand.

The man nervously fumbled with the ring and asked the woman to marry him. Major League Baseball cameras captured the special moment when she said "Yes" and he slipped the ring on her finger.

Under the caption, "It's hard not to be romantic about baseball," the Red Sox organization posted the proposal video to its Twitter page.

One clever fan commented, "Takes a brave man to have @asben16 give his lady a ball that says "Will you marry me?" I'd be like, well I barely know you but what the hell! You only live once!"

The 23-year-old Benintendi told NESN’s Guerin Austin that it was "pretty cool" to be part of the marriage proposal.

Benintendi was drafted by the Red Sox in 2015 and joined the major league team in August of 2016. In his first full year, Benintendi was the second-place finisher for the American League's Rookie of the Year.

Screen captures via Twitter/Red Sox.

Coke Bottle-Shaped Handbag Adorned With 9,888 Diamonds Sets Guinness World Record

A Coca-Cola bottle-shaped handbag adorned with 9,888 natural diamonds recently earned a Guinness World Record for Swiss luxury brand Coronet. Guinness officials affirmed at the recent Baselworld trade fair that the unique piece is the official title holder in the category "Most Diamonds Set on a Handbag."

The fanciful Coca-Cola bottle/purse is rendered with 8,543 black diamonds, mimicking the color of the soda, and 1,345 colorless diamonds that are set into the iconic brand logo, diamond clasp and borders between the red enamel label and the rows of black diamonds.

It took a production team of 15 craftsmen nearly 100 working days to craft the piece, which is meticulously handset with diamonds weighing a total of 120 carats.

The handbag was conceived by Beverly Hills Designer Kathrine Baumann and fabricated by Coronet parent company Aaron Shum Jewelry. It is crafted from Icestrella, a material employed in the creation of bulletproof glass. The unique material replicates the look and feel of the distinctively contoured Coca-Cola glass bottle.

This is the third time Coronet has been honored with a Guinness World Record. In 2016, the company set a record for the "Most Jewels on a Guitar," when it customized a Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass with 16,033 Swarovski crystals. In 2015, Coronet created the world's "Most Valuable Guitar," a Gibson glittering with 11,441 diamonds weighing 401 carats and valued at $2 million.

“Although we have successfully set two Guinness World Records titles before, we continue to challenge ourselves and create the world’s top-level diamond art treasures,” noted Aaron Shum Wan-lung, President of Aaron Shum. “My team and I are very proud and excited that we have set a new Guinness World Records title.”

Credits: Images via coronetstore.com.

Diamonds Rain on the Diamond as Slugger Yoenis Cespedes Snaps His Chain Legging Out a Double

A surreal scene played out in New York City last week as diamonds literally rained on the diamond at Citi Field. Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes snapped his diamond chain while legging out a bloop double in the first inning of Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Braves.

As Cespedes slid into second base, one of his necklaces seemed to get tangled with Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies, who jumped over Cespedes to receive the throw from the outfield.

After the play, SNY cameras captured the twinkling of more than two dozen diamonds scattered around second base.

While stretching after the play, Cespedes discovered that his thin, white metal chain had broken and that most of the diamonds from that chain were now on the infield dirt. He held up what remained of his busted chain, stared at it for a moment and then threw it to the ground in frustration.

Between innings, Mets second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera and second base umpire Bill Welke picked up the pieces of the necklace.

"Well, the cleanup is underway after Yoenis Cespedes's necklace exploded," SNY play-by-play man Gary Cohen said. "Asdrubal Cabrera, who has done everything for this team this year, is now doing the housekeeping, as well."

"They were around the base. I didn't want somebody to slide on them," Cabrera told the New York Daily News. "I just tried to get as many as I could. The umpire helped too."

After the game, 25 diamonds sat in a styrofoam Gatorade cup in the Cuban-born slugger's locker.

"I had that necklace for six years," Cespedes told the Daily News. "Oh, well."

Major League Baseball's Twitter feed, Cut4, called the incident "the most expensive double" of Cespedes's career.

According to the Washington Post, the “Official Baseball Rules” do not mention jewelry, and Major League Baseball does not otherwise restrict its usage. Players commonly wear chain necklaces or earrings for religious or stylistic reasons.

MLB’s Rule 1.11, which deals with uniforms, includes a clarification that states, “a pitcher’s person cannot include any unessential or distracting thing (including jewelry, adhesive tape, or a batting glove), especially on his arm, wrist, hand, or fingers.” MLB seems to maintain an unwritten policy, however, that jewelry on a pitcher is OK — unless the batter makes a specific complaint.

Cespedes is not the first Major Leaguer to have his chain explode during a game. Just last year, the black diamond chain of Houston pitcher Lance McCullers came apart during the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium. During a replay review, McCullers dug through the dirt on the pitcher's mound to find the precious stones.

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube.com/MLB.

Music Friday: Brett Eldredge Meets a 'Diamond' and Wants to Explore Her Secrets in 'The Long Way'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you new tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in title or lyrics. In his 2017 release, "The Long Way," country star Brett Eldredge meets the girl of his dreams — his diamond — and wants to get to know her better by exploring her history and hometown. He'd love to see where her daddy met her momma, and learn about the "faults and glories" that made her the person she is today.

The recurring line, "Take me the long way around your town," reflects Eldredge's willingness to let the relationship develop slowly while he gets to know what's in her heart and soul.

He sings, "Take me the long way around your town / Were you the queen with the silver crown? / I want the secrets you keep, the shine underneath / Of the diamond I think I just found / Take me the long way around."

Co-writer Matt Rogers introduced Eldredge to the basic premise of "The Long Way" during their first-ever songwriting session, and Eldredge added the part about exploring the girl's hometown.

"In a world where we don't have conversations anymore," Eldredge told Taste of Country. "I wanna sit down and have a conversation. Put away the phones, put away everything and I wanna get to know you as a person. I want to get to know your heart."

The 32-year-old admitted to ABC Radio, that the themes in "The Long Way" reflect the love he's hoping to find.

"I want to have somebody, along with me, along for the ride and share that with them," he told ABC Radio. "I'm opening up more to it, and I think now, yeah, something like 'The Long Way' is what I'm looking for."

"The Long Way" was the second single released from Eldredge's self-titled studio album. The single shot up to #7 on both the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the Billboard Canada Country chart. The album earned four out of five stars from AllMusic and placed #1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

Born in Paris, Ill., in 1986, Brett Ryan Eldredge was inspired as a child by the songs of Ray Charles, Ronnie Dunn, Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra.

"My family started to have me sing the National Anthem at family parties," he recalled. "I'd get real nervous, and then someone would give me a candy bar or $5, and I'd sing. My body would shake. They'd call it the man voice, because I had this older voice coming out of a kid's body."

Eldredge signed with Atlantic Records in 2010 and performed at the Grand Ole Opry later that same year. He was named the CMA Awards New Artist of the Year in 2014.

Please check out the video of Eldredge performing of "The Long Way" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in November of 2017. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"The Long Way"
Written by Brett Eldredge and Matt Rogers. Performed by Brett Eldredge.

Don't think I've ever seen your kind of pretty
Wandering 'round this midnight mad house city
You got a look that says you got it all together
So if you don't mind, I'd like to know you better

Take me the long way around your town
Were you the queen with the silver crown?
I want the secrets you keep, the shine underneath
Of the diamond I think I just found
Take me the long way around

I'd love to see just where your daddy met your momma
Your hand-me-down '99 Impala
Show me the field you danced in Clover
The harvest in October
When the leaves fall from the sky just like a Sunday drive

Take me the long way around your town
Were you the queen with the silver crown?
I want the secrets you keep, the shine underneath
Of the diamond I think I just found
Take me the long way around

I didn't think tonight when I walked in
I'd be falling for somewhere I've never been

Take me the long way around your town
Were you the queen with the silver crown?
I want your red blushing stories
Your faults and your glories
That made you who you are right now
Take me the long way around
Take me the long way around

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

NRF Survey: Jewelry to Top All Mother's Day Gift Categories; Spending to Hit $4.6 Billion

Consumers plan to spend $4.6 billion on jewelry-related items this Mother's Day, making it the most popular gift-giving category, according to an annual survey released by the National Retail Federation (NRF). More than a third (34%) of respondents said they will be buying jewelry for their moms this year.

Interestingly, the $4.6 billion that will be spent on Mother's Day jewelry in 2018 is nearly identical to the $4.7 billion spent on Valentine's Day jewelry back in February. Valentine's Day gift-givers spent more on jewelry-related items than any other category.

Mother's Day spending in all categories is estimated to reach $23.1 billion in 2018, with the average budget reported to be $180 per person. Both numbers are the second-highest tallies in the 15-year history of the survey, which was conducted for NRF by Prosper Insights & Analytics. Mother's Day 2017 still holds the record at $23.6 billion in total purchases, with an average individual outlay of $186.

“Mother’s Day continues to be a holiday close to the heart of many Americans and this year is no different,” said Prosper Insights Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist. “Those between 35 and 44 years old are planning to spend the most this season, while younger consumers are the most likely to put their online shopping skills to good use to find inspiration for the perfect gift for mom.”

The survey, found that individuals ages 35 to 44 will spend an average of $224, the highest of any age group, and 62% of respondents between 18 and 24 will use smartphones to research their purchases and compare prices.

While jewelry certainly has the biggest “wow” factor of all Mother’s Day gifts, special outings, flowers, gift cards, apparel, electronics and personal services are all expected to be multibillion-dollar categories.

According to NRF's Mother's Day survey, $4.4 billion will be spent on special outings, such as dinner or brunch. More than half (55%) of consumers said treating Mom to a special meal would be their gift of choice. NRF estimated that $2.6 billion will be spent on flowers (to be gifted by 69 percent), $2.5 billion on gift cards (45%), $2.1 billion on clothing (36%), $2.1 billion on consumer electronics (14%) and $1.8 billion on personal services, such as a spa day (24%). Another $956 million will be spent on housewares or gardening tools (19%), $813 million on greeting cards (77%) and $494 million on books or music (19%).

The survey, which asked 7,520 consumers about their Mother’s Day plans, was conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics from April 4 to 12 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.2 percentage points.

Credit: Image by Bigstockphoto.com.

858-Carat Uncut 'Gachala Emerald' Is One of the Finest Examples of May's Birthstone

Weighing 858 carats and displaying a superb vivid green color, the uncut "Gachala Emerald" is one of the world's finest examples of May's official birthstone.

The hexagonal crystal was found at the Vega de San Juan mine in Gachala, Colombia, in 1967, and sold to famous New York jeweler Harry Winston, who chose to keep the incredible crystal intact instead of cutting it into a number of smaller stones. In 1969, he donated the gem to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., where it's been on permanent exhibit at the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals.

Measuring 5cm (about 2 inches) in width, the 6-ounce Gachala Emerald crystal is considered to be one of the largest gem-quality emerald crystals in the world. As part of the National Gem Collection, it is prominently displayed alongside famous emerald jewelry, such as the Mackay Emerald Necklace, the Hooker Emerald Brooch, the Chalk Emerald Ring, the Maximilian Emerald Ring and the Spanish Inquisition Necklace.

Emerald is the most valuable variety of the mineral beryl. When it comes to classifying an emerald, much of the emphasis is focused on the color. Pure green stones demand the highest prices. If the green stone displays a tint that is too yellow or too blue, it may not be considered an emerald at all. For example, if the stone is yellow-green, it might be classified as green beryl, according to the Smithsonian, while if a stone is too blue, it could be classified as an aquamarine.

In its pure state, beryl is clear. The beautiful green hues in the beryl family are caused when some of the aluminum atoms in the crystal are replaced by chromium and/or vanadium atoms.

Although the Gachala emerald mines are relatively young (mining started in 1954), other famous Colombian mines, such as the Muzo, Chivor and Cosquez, boast a recorded history that dates back to the 16th century.

In fact, lush green emeralds have excited legions of gem admirers for thousands of years. The first emerald mines were in Egypt, and Cleopatra was reportedly a big fan of the verdant member of the beryl family. The name “emerald” comes indirectly from the ancient Greek word for green gem, “smaragdos.”

Emerald is known to display a wide variety of visible inclusions, which are referred to as “jardin” (French for “garden”). These imperfections do not detract from the stone’s beauty but, instead, give each stone a unique fingerprint and distinct character.

Besides being the birthstone for the month of May, it’s also the official gemstone for 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries.

Colombia continues to be the world’s most prolific producer of fine emeralds, constituting more than half of the global supply, by value.

Credit: Gachala Emerald photo by Chip Clark, courtesy Smithsonian Institution.

'Experts' Dismissed It As a Fake, But This 1854 Gold Rush Coin Is Actually Worth Millions

A New England man recently received the stunning news that his 1854-S Half Eagle coin is not a counterfeit, as "experts" had told him, and is likely worth millions. It was authenticated as only the fourth known example of the $5 denomination coin struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1854 during the California Gold Rush.

Slightly smaller than a quarter, the Half Eagle is historically rare because Mint records indicate that just 268 of them were struck in San Francisco in 1854, the first year of coin production. On the reverse, the "S" under the eagle stands for the San Francisco Mint.

Out of the short run of 268 gold coins, only three were known to still exist. One of them is in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. A second is owned by a Texas family and a third had dropped off the radar when it was stolen from the DuPont family in Florida in 1967.

The Smithsonian provided high-resolution images of its coin to Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) to assist with authentication of the one owned by the New England man, according to NGC chairman Mark Salzberg.

A careful examination of the newly discovered specimen ruled out the possibility that it was the stolen coin connected to the DuPont family, and just as importantly, it was deemed to be genuine.

"It's like finding an original Picasso at a garage sale," noted Salzburg. "It's the discovery of a lifetime."

The New England man, who wishes to remain anonymous, had shown the coin to collectors and dealers at a recent coin show. Each of the so-called "experts" dismissed his coin as a counterfeit because they knew that there were only three surviving 1854 San Francisco Mint $5 gold pieces known to exist.

Undaunted, the man sought the assistance of Sarasota, Fla.-based NGC, the world's largest rare coin authentication company.

"Our initial reaction on examining the coin was utter disbelief that a rarity of this magnitude could still be discovered in this era," said NGC president Rick Montgomery. "But upon seeing the coin in person for the first time, it was apparent that the coin is genuine."

Salzburg said that the New England man was "stunned" when he learned that his $5 gold piece was, indeed, a genuine, 164-year-old, multi-million-dollar coin.

Newsweek.com reported that the owner is looking to put the coin up for auction. A San Francisco-based coin dealer told the San Francisco Chronicle that the coin would likely fetch between $3 million and $4 million.

Credits: Photos courtesy of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.

Lea Michele Shows Off 4-Carat Radiant-Cut Diamond Engagement Ring on Instagram

Glee star Lea Michele announced the news of her engagement to boyfriend Zandy Reich this past weekend with an Instagram post of her wearing a stunning 4-carat, halo-style diamond ring.

Michele's five million Instagram followers got the first peek at the elongated radiant-cut diamond via a Saturday post that was captioned, "Yes," and punctuated with an engagement ring emoji. Michele posed for the photo at a beach with her diamond-adorned left hand covering her face.

An E! News insider revealed that Reich, who is the president of the clothing brand AYR, assisted with the design of the ring that features a 4-carat center stone surrounded by a halo of smaller round diamonds. The thin white-metal band is also embellished with small round diamonds.

Fans of the singer/actress/author offered their congratulations on Instagram and gave a thumbs-up to the ring...

"That ring is GORGEOUS! You deserve all the happiness in the world. Congrats!!!!!" noted kitcatkath.

"Happy for you. I love the ring! added kyliegraaceeeso.

The newly engaged 31-year-old got her start as a child actress on Broadway, but rose to national prominence playing Rachel Berry on the Fox series Glee, which followed the disparate members of the fictitious William McKinley High School glee club. Glee aired for six seasons, from 2009 to 2015.

Reich, who is a graduate of the prestigious Wharton School of Business, reportedly asked Michele’s dad for his permission before popping the question.

Michele and Reich had been friends for a few years, but started dating in July of 2017. Their wedding date has yet to be announced.

Michele will be performing this summer with Glee castmate Darren Criss. Their LM/DC Tour kicks off in Nashville on May 30 and will include stops in nine cities.

Credits: Photos via Instagram.com/leamichele.

Music Friday: Chris Isaak's Promising New Relationship Hits a Speed Bump in 'Notice the Ring'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, rocker Chris Isaak's promising new relationship hits a speed bump in his 2002 release, "Notice the Ring."

In this song, Isaak's character is having a great time getting to know a woman he just met at a club. The chemistry is right and this could be the beginning of something special, but Isaak notices a diamond ring on the woman's finger. Is it an engagement ring, a piece of fashion jewelry or a sentimental bauble that was handed down from her grandma?

He sings, "I notice the ring, does it mean anything / You don't gotta fool me if you say it's only jewelry / I believe you when you slip off the ring, oh baby / It's got complicated if it's more than just gold plated / Are you single, does it mean anything?"

While introducing this song at his concerts, Isaak offers light-hearted advice to the men in the audience.

"When you meet a woman for the first time, it's important to focus on her hands. Not the whole body, but the hands," Isaak joked. "Look at the hands and they will tell you so much about a person. Particularly, notice the ring."

Penned by Isaak, "Notice the Ring" appeared as the eighth track of the artist's eighth studio album, Always Got Tonight.

The singer-songwriter, musician, actor and talk show host is best known for his soaring falsetto, 1950s Rock and Roll style and his song, "Wicked Game," which was featured in the 1990 film, Wild at Heart.

The son of a potato chip factory worker mom and a forklift driver dad, Isaak was born in Stockton, Calif., in 1956. His mom claims that Isaak showed musical intuition at eight months of age. She noticed that he would be moved by the sad country songs that played on the radio. Isaac started his first band in 1984 and was signed by Warner Bros. one year later.

Fun Trivia: Isaak was an amateur boxer and had his nose broken seven times, according to Discussions Magazine. At the time, his good looks and combed-back hair earned him the nickname, Elvis.

We hope you enjoy the audio track of Isaak performing "Notice the Ring." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Notice the Ring"
Written and performed by Chris Isaak.

Long legged
Good looking
You got everything
Slow walking
You come up
Then I notice the ring
I notice the ring

You're talking, I'm listening,
But I don't hear a thing
Is it something he bought you
Or only a ring, oh baby

I notice the ring, does it mean anything
You don't gotta fool me if you say it's only jewelry
I believe you when you slip off the ring, oh baby
It's got complicated if it's more than just gold plated
Are you single, does it mean anything?

I notice the ring, we gotta slow down
She's laughing, stop worrying
Get in the swing
Heart pounding, I'm wondering
Just what did she mean

I notice the ring
I notice the ring

Say nobody's waiting
That's it's nothing just gold plating
That it really doesn't mean anything
Say your grandma left it to you
Just all you need to do is tell me that it's no wedding ring,
Nice diamond

I notice the ring
I notice the ring
We gotta slow down
I notice the ring

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Bride-to-Be Sells Her Engagement Ring to Make Ends Meet; Buyer Gives It Right Back

A New Zealand bride-to-be who was forced to sell her engagement ring in order to make ends meet has been overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness and generosity of a stranger. The buyer — who happens to be a wedding officiant — gave it right back.

Angelique Bankhart had fallen on hard times and was devastated by the prospect of having to give up her three-stone diamond engagement ring, a ring she owned for only six months. Nevertheless, she took a photo of her precious keepsake and posted it to the Hamilton Buy'n'Sell Facebook page, along with this heart-wrenching caption: "My beautiful engagement ring is up for grabs, trying to make ends meet."

Bankhart immediately became so distraught with her decision to part with her ring that she avoided checking the responses to her post.

"I hadn't even looked - I didn't want to see if anyone wanted it," she told the New Zealand Herald.

Meanwhile, Chloe Boerema, a wedding officiant who works with couples daily and is intimately aware of the emotions that go into a piece of jewelry, took notice of the Buy'n'Sell post and knew instantly what she had to do.

"Angelique posted a photo of her beautiful ring and it really touched me because she was selling it to try to make ends meet," Boerema said. "She was in a bit of a tight situation that week, so I just messaged and said I was very happy to purchase it, but she had to keep the ring."

Bankhart was overwhelmed by Boerema's selfless act.

"It restored my faith in humanity - it really did," she said. "Words can't express how thankful I am."

The two women got to meet in person during an interview with a reporter for the New Zealand Herald.

"What does it mean to hang onto [the ring]?" the reporter asked Bankhart.

"Everything. Everything," she responded.

The fateful meeting of the two women is likely to develop into a lasting friendship. In just a few months, Bankhart and her partner will be taking their wedding vows and it looks like Boerema will be officiating.

Credits: Screen captures via nzherald.co.nz.