Woman Is on a Mission to Identify Six-Year-Old Who Returned Her Lost Engagement Ring

Former nurse and Jupiter, Fla., resident Carol Winig is on a mission to identify the honest little girl who found her engagement ring in a supermarket parking lot and turned it over to the store's management. Winig wants to give the youngster a reward and a big hug.

The six-year-old had spotted the diamond solitaire ring in the parking lot of a Publix supermarket on May 14 and promptly turned it in. The girl didn't give her name and her identity remains a mystery.

Earlier that day, Winig had been shopping at the same Publix and stopped into the bathroom to wash her hands. She removed three rings from her hand — her engagement ring, a platinum wedding band and an antique wedding band that once belonged to her husband's grandmother — and slipped them into her back pocket.

“As I did it, I put the rings in my back pocket and I said to myself, ‘This is probably not one of your better moves, putting them there. Just remember to take them out,’” she told local ABC affiliate WPBF.

Winig forgot to take them out, and that's where her story takes a turn for the worse. Standing near her car with a cart of groceries, she reached into her pocket to pull out her receipt. Just then she heard a "ting, ting, ting" as her receipt dropped to the ground in the parking lot.

“All I could find was the receipt,” Winig said. “So even though it made no sense, I thought, ‘Well, if that’s all I’m seeing, then I didn’t lose anything.’”

What she failed to realize was that all three precious rings had fallen from her pocket and were left behind in the parking lot as she drove away.

About 20 minutes later, at about 7 p.m., the mystery youngster found the most precious of the three rings — Winig's engagement ring — lying on the pavement. It was the ring Winig's husband gave her when he first proposed.

The next morning, Winig realized that all three rings were missing, so she scampered back to Publix to try to find them. After searching the parking lot unsuccessfully, she entered the store and asked if any rings had been turned in.

Management handed her an envelope with the engagement ring inside.

“That’s my ring! That’s my ring!” Winig remembered saying to the staff. And then she cried as she placed it back on her finger.

"For me, that was the most incredible gift to have been able to get the ring back," she told WPBF.

Now, Winig is trying to find the honest, heroic young lady responsible for returning her ring. The staff at Publix did not get her name, just the fact that was six years old.

“This little girl needs to be hugged and rewarded," Winig told WPBF.

Winig's story has gotten a fair amount of media attention. It was covered by local ABC affiliate WPBF and was a featured on the website mypalmbeachpost.com, but the little hero has yet to come forward.

Winig still holds out hope that the other two lost rings may eventually be found, but "that would be a miracle," she said.

Credits: Screen captures via wpbf.com.

Music Friday: Ryan Adams Likens Glorious, Sunny Day to 'Pearls on a String'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you uplifting songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, alt-country rocker Ryan Adams compares a glorious, sunny day to June's official birthstone in his 2007 ditty, "Pearls on a String."

The song, which appeared as the ninth track on the artist's ninth studio album Easy Tiger, is a celebration of all the wonderful things life has to offer — with a special emphasis on nature's beauty and the joy of music.

He sings, "Blue eyes for miles / Pretty as a peach / Glorious kind and always on time / Never far outta reach / Tomorrow's on it's way / And there's always new songs to sing / Glorious kind, always on time / Pearls on a string."

In an interview with Australia's Herald Sun, Adams explained that the songs featured on Easy Tiger are "strays" that arose from a writing project that was originally intended to go in a different direction.

"They are very, very simple, very easy songs that, in my opinion, were written on the periphery of some more complex work," he said. "These were the tunes around them that just kind of happened. It's shocking to me how they happened."

Easy Tiger made its debut at #7 on the U.S. Billboard 200 list and charted in 14 countries. The 43-year-old Adams has released 16 albums as a solo artist and three with his former band, Whiskeytown.

Born in Jacksonville, N.C., Adams described his childhood as "dysfunctional." His father left the family when Adams was five, so he, his mom and siblings had to move in with his grandparents. At age eight, Adams began writing short stories and was inspired by the work of Edgar Allan Poe. At 14, he got his first electric guitar and soon joined a local band named Black Label.

Adams dropped out of high school as a 16-year-old and performed with a number of local bands. He eventually earned his GED and built his reputation as a singer-songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and poet. He's been called a "new Dylan" and "the Kurt Cobain of alt-country."

In 2009, he famously married singer-actress Mandy Moore in a secret ceremony. They were divorced in 2015.

Please check out the audio track of "Pearls on a String." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Pearls On A String"
Written by Bradley Smith Pemberton, Jonathan Graboff, Neal Graeme Casal and Ryan Adams. Performed by Ryan Adams.

One, two, three
Blue eyes for miles
Pretty as a peach
Glorious kind and always on time
Never far outta reach
Tomorrow's on it's way
And there's always new songs to sing
Glorious kind, always on time
Pearls on a string

Soft, precious and easy
Under the sea
If you dive down far enough to the bottom
Look around and you will see
Tomorrow's on it's way
And there's always new songs to sing

Glorious kind, always on time
Pearls on a string
Glorious kind, and always on time
Pearls on a string

The sun shinin' down
The children laugh and play
Glorious kind, and always on time
Out there in the day
Tomorrow's on it's way
And there's always new songs to sing

Glorious kind, and always on time
Pearls on a string
Glorious kind, always on time
Pearls on a string
Glorious kind, always on time
Pearls on a string

Glorious kind, always on time
Pearls on a string

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Antwerp's 570-Year Bond With the Diamond Trade Is Celebrated at New 'DIVA' Museum

Antwerp's brand new "DIVA" museum celebrates the Belgian city's 570-year love affair with diamonds. Since the 15th century, traders from around the world journeyed to Antwerp to buy and sell luxury items, and the DIVA museum tells that story in a most unique way.

Jérome, a virtual butler, escorts visitors through the "house" of a fabulously wealthy fictional mistress. Through the use of soundscapes, multimedia, interactive elements and actual artifacts, each of the six rooms explores a different aspect of the city's history. Visitors will marvel at 600 objects, including diamond-encrusted boots, a stunning owl cup and bejeweled peacock brooch.

The first steps inside DIVA’s house take the guest into her amazing Wunderkammer, a luxurious chamber exhibiting a collection of curiosities and objects from every corner of the globe. Among the items are silverware, jewelry, precious stones and other highly sought-after items of yesteryear, including coconuts, shells and coral.

The Atelier is a room where the visitor can sit at a workbench and learn how beautiful jewelry was made. Demonstrated are the arts of diamond-cutting and silversmithing.

Next, DIVA’s butler takes visitors to the International Trading Room, where a large, multimedia globe makes it instantly clear why Antwerp was — and still is — the diamond center of the world. Projected trade routes illustrate how diamonds have made their way to and from Antwerp for the better part of six centuries.

In the Dining Room, guests are invited to take a seat at DIVA's surrealistic arrangement of tables, decked out with silver services worthy of the grandest of banquets. The rules of etiquette and stories about some of Antwerp’s aristocratic families shed light on the use of silver and the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

The fifth room is The Vault. Visitors must answer a few questions to gain entry, and they are rewarded with access to an abundance of information about diamond security.

Lastly, guests are escorted into The Boudoir, where DIVA keeps her most most dazzling and precious jewelry treasures.

DIVA: Antwerp Home of Diamonds is open to the public every day except Wednesday. Cost of admission is 10 Euros ($11.78) for adults, 7 Euros ($8.24) for those under 26. Children under 12 may visit for free.

Credits: All images © DIVA. Peacock by White Light. Snake by Dominique Provost. All other images by Carla Janssen Hofelt.

Dance Superstar tWitch Helps 'Ellen' Fan With Flash Mob Surprise Marriage Proposal

Dance superstar Stephen "tWitch" Boss helped choreograph an elaborate flash mob marriage proposal that Austin natives Patrick Barker and Johanna Alvarado will never forget.

Barker had met tWitch on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where the former So You Think You Can Dance alum has become the resident DJ. The break dance and hip-hop specialist just launched a new web series called "tWitch, Please... Help Me Dance!" — so when Barker hinted that he was planning to propose to his girlfriend, tWitch had the perfect plan.

tWitch's ultimate surprise proposal takes place on the back lot of Warner Bros. studios. Alvarado believes she's taking a standard studio tour, but the scene quickly morphs into an elaborately choreographed flash mob — starring her boyfriend, tWitch and a troop of professional dancers.

The "tWitch, Please... Help Me Dance!" video shows Barker working on his dance moves under tWitch's tutelage. tWitch tells the groom-to-be that learning the moves will not be easy, but the end result will be well worth it.

"After this work, they'll be stories you can tell for years and years to come," tWitch says.

As the couple rides onto the Warner lot in a tour cart, the guide tells them and the other passengers that they need to be extremely quiet because they are about to witness the taping of a commercial.

Just then, she hears the opening refrain from Bleachers' "Let's Get Married" and the other passengers — actually professional dancers — take their places on the set.

Barker hands Alvarado of sunflower and joins the dance troop.

Alvarado is overwhelmed as a storybook flash mob marriage proposal plays out in front of her eyes.

The future bride gets even more emotional when her parents and Barker's parents make a surprise appearance.

In the final scene, the bride is led from the tour cart to a gazebo, where her boyfriend has completed a costume change and is ready to propose.

Says Barker, "This is for you. This is for us. I love you so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, of course," she answers.

Alvarado is so excited, bouncing up and down, that Barker has a hard time trying to get the diamond ring on her finger. Finally, with the ring securely in place, the couple embraces, the music resumes and the dancers celebrate by doing what they do best.

When asked by an interviewer how she felt about the flash mob proposal, Alvarado commented that she was "beyond happy."

"It was magic," she said.

Check out the full segment of "tWitch, Please... Help Me Dance!" (Episode 2) at this link...

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube.com/TheEllenShow.

Celebrating June’s Official Birthstone with Hollywood’s Most Legendary Pearl – La Peregrina

The precious pearl — adored by the world since the ancients — is June’s official birthstone. Today we’re featuring one of the most celebrated natural pearls, La Peregrina, whose history is steeped in both legend and lore. Meaning “pilgrim,” La Peregrina was considered a treasure for Spain, and has been called the largest, finest example of a teardrop-shape natural pearl, weighing in at 55.95 carats.

After its discovery in the Gulf of Panama in the 16th century, King Phillip II of Spain gave the pearl to Queen Mary I (Mary Tudor). It has also been owned by Spanish royalty, the Bonapartes of France, and the British Marquis of Abercorn. In 1969, Richard Burton spent $37,000 (outbidding a prince at Sotheby’s) to buy La Peregrina for Elizabeth Taylor as a gift for Valentine’s Day.

La Peregrina, which sold at auction in 2011 for a record $11.8 million, was rumored to be nearly eaten by Taylor’s dog shortly after she received it. In a Caesars Palace suite, Taylor was wearing the pearl on a delicate pearl and diamond chain. She suddenly realized it was gone. She looked down and saw her dog happily chewing on something, and in a split second, reached down and pulled the pearl and diamond pendant out of the dog’s mouth. The pearl was unscathed.

Taylor then asked Cartier to reset La Peregrina with pearls, diamonds and rubies. She wanted the necklace to resemble the painting of Mary, Queen of Scots, who was wearing it as a choker. The pearl’s original setting can be seen in Taylor’s cameo in Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) – and the new, more exquisite setting in the films Divorce His — Divorce Hers (1973) and A Little Night Music (1977).

Interestingly, the close call at Caesars wasn’t the only near-misfortune for La Peregrina. According to legend, it was once lost in a sofa at Windsor Castle – and a duke’s wife once misplaced it at a family wedding and later found it in the bride’s train.

Natural pearls like La Peregrina are exceedingly rare and treasured because they are created by mollusks randomly, without human intervention. When a grain of sand or similar irritant sidles between the mollusk’s shell and its mantle tissue, the process begins. To protect itself, the mollusk instinctually secretes multiple layers of nacre, an iridescent material that eventually becomes a pearl. Cultured pearls, by contrast, are created when a bead is embedded inside the body of the mollusk to stimulate nacre secretion.

In 2005, La Peregrina was one of 12 rare pearls featured during a six-month exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History called “The Allure of Pearls.” Other specimens included the Hope Pearl, the Drexel Pearl, the Black Beauty, the Pearl of Kuwait, the Queen Mary Brooch with two large natural pink conch pearls, the South Sea Drops, the Survival Pearl, the Pearl of Asia and the Paspaley Pearl. La Peregrina was loaned for the presentation by Elizabeth Taylor, of course.

Credits: Images courtesy of Smithsonian/NMNH Photo Services.

This Blinged-Out $1.9 Million Harley-Davidson Is the Most Expensive Motorcycle in the World

Luxury Swiss watch and jewelry brand Bucherer has teamed up with Harley-Davidson customizer Bündnerbike to create the blingiest, most expensive motorcycle in the world.

The $1.9 million "Blue Edition" Harley-Davidson is adorned with 360 diamonds, including a 5.4-carat diamond ring displayed under an armored glass compartment built into one side of the tank. Located under a second dome on the opposite side of the tank is a Carl F. Bucherer custom-made watch.

The dial of the watch boasts design elements of a motorcycle engine, and to ensure that vibrations do not damage the mechanical movement, the watch is housed in a cage with an elaborate holder made from silicon rings. The cage also serves as a watch winder.

Bucherer's unique "Dizzler" rotating diamond rings are seen in a number of places on the bike, including smaller ones on the handgrips and forks and a larger one on the left half of the tank.

Other parts of the bike are plated in rose gold, including the throttle valves, headlight and screw heads.

Bündnerbike started with a Harley-Davidson Softail Slim S and then stripped it bare. Every metal element was welded, beaten, ground and polished by hand. The bike is even equipped with two retractable safes.

The iridescent blue color was achieved by first silverplating the entire motorcycle and then adding six coats of paint using a secret method.

It took a team of eight specialists 2,500 hours to put together the Blue Edition Harley-Davidson.

The dazzling bike is currently on display at the Bucherer London boutique within Selfridges department store. In a few weeks, the Blue Edition will embark on an extended tour that will take it to a number of other Bucherer outlets throughout Europe.

Credits: Images by Bucherer.

Unmanned Sub Positively IDs 300-Year-Old Spanish Wreck Laden With $17B in Gold and Emeralds

Utilizing an unmanned submersible vehicle at a depth of 600 meters, researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) positively ID'd the San José — a 62-gun, three-masted Spanish galleon that has been called the "Holy Grail of Shipwrecks." The ill-fated ship had been en route to Spain in 1708 laden with a cargo of emeralds, precious-metal coins and jewelry estimated to be worth $17 billion.

A quartet of British warships sank the galleon near Colombia's port city of Cartagena, and for hundreds of years, treasure hunters speculated about the exact location of the wreck and the untold riches it contained.

WHOI researchers maneuvered the REMUS 6000 robotic submarine to within 30 feet of the wreck — close enough for cameras to capture images of the distinctive dolphins engraved on the ship's massive bronze cannons.

When they are finally recovered, the gold coins of the Galleon San José are likely to look similar to these specimens salvaged from a 1715 Plate Fleet wreck off the coast of Florida.

“The wreck was partially sediment-covered, but with the camera images from the lower altitude missions, we were able to see new details in the wreckage and the resolution was good enough to make out the decorative carving on the cannons,” said exhibition leader Mike Purcell in a statement.

This is not the first time the REMUS 6000 has been called on for a high-profile assignment. In 2010, it assisted in mapping and photographing the Titanic wreck site in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Researchers believe that all the San José's treasures remain intact. The Colombian government is currently raising funds for the recovery effort that should yield millions of gold and silver coins, as well as fine jewelry and a bounty of Peruvian-mined emeralds. It also plans to build a museum and world-class conservation laboratory to preserve and publicly display the wreck’s contents.

The San José discovery carries considerable cultural and historical significance because the artifacts may provide a clearer picture of Europe’s economic, social and political climate in the early 18th century.

Although the exact location of the wreck remains a Colombian state secret, the Associated Press previously reported that the ship was believed to have sunk along the coral reefs near Colombia’s Baru peninsula, about 16 miles south of Cartagena. The San José was part of Spain’s royal convoy taking colonial riches to King Philip V during the War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714). Of the 600 people aboard the doomed San José, only 11 survived.

Credits: San José battle painting [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Coin photo via Facebook/1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC; REMUS image by Mike Purcell, courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Ocean floor images courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Once Owned by Catherine the Great, 'The Sleeping Lion' Pearl Hits Auction Block This Week

Once owned by Catherine the Great, the world's largest known freshwater blister pearl is expected to fetch more than $600,000 when it hits the auction block in The Netherlands this Thursday.

Dubbed "The Sleeping Lion" due to its unusual shape, the extraordinary quarter-pound natural pearl is more than 2.7 inches long and was likely formed in China between 1700 and 1760.

For approximately 250 years, the pearl has traveled the world as it changed hands among global merchants, noble jewelers and European royals.

According to the Venduehuis auction house, The Sleeping Lion was found in southeastern China — perhaps in the Pearl River — during the Qing dynasty. And even though Chinese Emperor Qianlong enforced a ban on exporting large pearls, The Sleeping Lion was moved by Dutch merchants to Batavia and then to Europe.

In 1765, Hendrik Coenraad Sander, the accountant for the Dutch East India Company, became the first European owner of The Sleeping Lion. After his death, the pearl was auctioned off in Amsterdam in 1778 and acquired by Catherine the Great. The Empress of Russia placed the piece in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, where it was on public display until 1796.

In 1865, Lodewijk Willem van Kooten, a goldsmith working for the Italian court jeweler, Catellani, purchased The Sleeping Lion and brought it to Amsterdam two years later. For the next four generations, the pearl would remain in the possession of the prestigious Dutch jewelry family.

The Amsterdam Pearl Society purchased the pearl in 1979 with the goal of researching The Sleeping Lion's composition and history. On Thursday, the Society will be offering the pearl for sale during the Venduehuis auction in The Hague. The Venduehuis der Notarissen is the oldest Dutch auction house, founded in 1812.

The Sleeping Lion is considered a blister pearl, which means that it formed while attached to the inside surface of a mollusk's shell. This causes blister pearls to be flat on one side.

Coming off a three-day viewing in The Hague, The Sleeping Lion will be Lot 1778 at Thursday's auction. Venduehuis estimated the piece would sell in the range of $395,000 to $628,000. The pearl is being offered along with its original custom-made brass case.

Credits: Images courtesy of Venduehuis.

Music Friday: The Rolling Stones Release Kaleidoscopic Lyric Video of 1967's 'Ruby Tuesday'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we present The Rolling Stones' newly released, kaleidoscopic lyric video of their 1967 smash hit, "Ruby Tuesday." The video premiered on Tuesday, of course, to promote the group's 2018 European tour, which kicks off tonight in London.

Composed by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, the hauntingly beautiful ballad is our pick for the most popular "ruby" song of all time — even though it's about a lost love and not about the coveted scarlet gemstone.

The famous reprise goes like this… “Goodbye Ruby Tuesday / Who could hang a name on you? / When you change with every new day / Still I’m gonna miss you.”

The lyric video delivers a throwback vibe on a number of levels. The producers used the original mono recording and illustrated the lyrics with brightly colored floral and paisley graphics reminiscent of the 1960s hippie era. The choruses cut to kaleidoscopic patterns set against a bright ruby red backdrop, ensuring a big hit of color in contrast to the verses.

In his autobiography, Richards noted that "Ruby Tuesday" was inspired by an emotionally devastating breakup with his girlfriend, Linda Keith, who left him for a poet.

“That’s the first time I felt the deep cut," he explained. "The thing about being a songwriter is... you can find consolation in writing about it, and pour it out... It becomes an experience, a feeling, or a conglomeration of experiences. Basically, Linda is ‘Ruby Tuesday.’”

The Rolling Stones released the original 45 of “Ruby Tuesday” in January of 1967 and the song immediately ascended to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #310 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

"Ruby Tuesday" had been intended as the B side of “Let’s Spend The Night Together,” another Stones hit, but radio deejays at the time were uncomfortable with the adult theme of the A side, and chose to play the flip. Today, the 45 is referred to as a double-A-sided record.

The Rolling Stones are credited with more than 250 million album sales. They are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and were ranked fourth on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”

Septuagenarian rockers Jagger, Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood will be performing "Ruby Tuesday" on their "No Filter" tour, which runs through July 8 and will take the band throughout Europe.

Please check out the new video of "Ruby Tuesday." The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Ruby Tuesday”
Written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. Performed by The Rolling Stones.

She would never say where she came from
Yesterday don’t matter if it’s gone
While the sun is bright
Or in the darkest night
No one knows, she comes and goes

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I’m gonna miss you

Don’t question why she needs to be so free
She’ll tell you it’s the only way to be
She just can’t be chained
To a life where nothings gained
And nothings lost, at such a cost

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I’m gonna miss you

“There’s no time to lose,” I heard her say
Catch your dreams before they slip away
Dying all the time
Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind
Ain’t life unkind?

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I’m gonna miss you

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I’m gonna miss you

Credits: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Dancer Cheryl Burke Reveals Sentimental Story Behind Her Dazzling New Engagement Ring

Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke got engaged to Boy Meets World alum Matthew Lawrence in early May, but took to her Instagram just last week to reveal the sweet and sentimental elements that make her double halo diamond engagement ring truly unique.

“While, obviously, I absolutely love the look of my engagement ring (come on who doesn’t love a little bling), the story behind it makes it even more special,” Burke wrote on Instagram.

The 34-year-old professional dancer, model and TV host explained that the round center diamond of her new ring holds an extra special place in her heart because it is the same diamond her recently deceased father, Steve Burke, had given to her mother, Sherri, when they were engaged. Her dad passed away on March 9 at the age of 67.

“Matt worked with my mom to get the original diamond that my late father had given her, and designed a new ring around that,” she wrote. "It has two intertwined circles to represent our two lives coming together and has the words he used to propose, ‘Love you always & forever,’ engraved inside.”

Along with a selfie of the new ring, Burke included a second shot of what the center stone looked like in its original yellow gold setting.

“It couldn’t be more perfect. Swipe to see a throwback of what the original ring looked like! #tbt,” she noted.

According to people.com, Lawrence, 38, recruited his future mother-in-law and his own mom, Donna, to assist with the redesign. Together, they worked with a jeweler to come up with the current look.

Burke accepted Lawrence's surprise proposal and the beautiful new ring on May 3, the dancer's 34th birthday.

Burke posted to Instagram a romantic pic of the couple with the following caption: "OMG! So far so good for 34! #amilliontimesyes #imengaged #herecomesthebride."

Later, she was back on Instagram with another photo and this comment: "I’ve taken more selfies in the last 48 hours than I have in my entire life! (Or since whenever selfies started to be a thing) #fiancestatus #futuremrslawrence."

Burke and Lawrence had dated back in 2007, but separated for more than a decade before getting back together in 2017. The couple has yet to announce a wedding date.

Credits: Images via Instagram/cherylburke.