Guest User 10/2/18 Guest User 10/2/18

With a Price Tag of $17 Million, 'Passion Diamond Shoes' Are the Most Expensive in the World

Jada Dubai's new "Passion Diamond Shoes" — elegant stilettos made from real gold and embellished with two round 15-carat D-flawless diamonds — went on sale last week for $17 million and are said to be the most expensive pair of shoes in the world. The stunning stilettos are on display at the world's only seven-star hotel, the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.

Each shoe is trimmed with 118 smaller round diamonds and features one of the impressive crowning jewels prong-set near the pointed toe. Everything about the "Passion Diamond Shoes" exudes luxury. Even the insoles are inscribed in gold.

Jada Dubai's record-setting shoes, which were designed in coordination with Dubai-based Passion Jewellers, took nearly nine months to create.

"Jada Dubai designs only shoes with diamonds," said the company's co-founder, Maria Majari. "For the launch of our second collection, we wanted to create a piece that is truly unique in the world using very rare diamonds."

While the prototype shoes are shown in size 5.5, those who place an order will receive a custom pair in the requested size.

The record for the world's most expensive shoes was previously held by a $15.1 million pair conceived by British designer Debbie Wingham in October of 2017.

Credit: Image courtesy of Jada Dubai.

Guest User 10/1/18 Guest User 10/1/18

71-Year-Old Grandma Unearths 2.63-Carat Diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park

A 71-year-old grandma from Aurora, Colo., is being credited with finding the largest diamond so far this year at Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park — the only diamond site in the world where amateur prospectors get to keep what they discover. The 2.63-carat diamond is the size of a pinto bean and white in color, with several brownish freckles on the surface.

The retiree, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she found the gem after 10 minutes of searching with her husband, son, grandson and granddaughter. At first, she thought the stone might be glass, but she still asked her son to stash it in his pocket so it could be identified later by park officials.

The woman named her gem "Lichtenfels," a nod to her hometown in Germany. The word means “a rock between two lights,” which is significant because she was standing between her grandchildren when she found the diamond.

“She wouldn’t have come to the park if it weren’t for her grandkids,” said the finder's son. “They’re her two points of light.”

The lucky grandma plucked the diamond from the soil about halfway between the park's East Drain and North Wash Pavilion. Visitors are encouraged to test their luck with basic tools in a 37-acre plowed field, which is actually the eroded surface of a volcanic crater.

Even though she found her diamond early in her search, the family continued to prospect for another hour before returning to the park's Diamond Discovery Center, where experts are on hand to help visitors identify what they've found.

When she learned that she'd made the biggest diamond discovery of 2018, the grandma said, “I didn’t know what to think. I was shocked!”

Park Interpreter Waymon Cox said, “About one out of every five diamonds registered by park visitors is found right on top of the ground, including many of the largest ever found at the Crater of Diamonds.”

So far this year, 256 diamonds weighing a total of 49.64 carats have been registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park. The three most common diamond colors found at the park are white, brown and yellow, in that order. In total, more than 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed at the Crater of Diamonds since the first diamonds were found there in 1906 by John Huddleston, a farmer who owned the land long before it became an Arkansas State Park in 1972.

The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States was unearthed here in Murfreesboro in 1924 during a mining operation. Named the “Uncle Sam,” the white diamond with a pink cast weighed 40.23 carats. The largest diamond ever discovered at the park by a visitor was the 16.37-carat "Amarillo Starlight" in 1975.

Access to the diamond field is $8 for visitors 13 and older. Tickets for children 6 through 12 cost $5, and kids ages 5 and younger get to prospect for free.

Credit: Image courtesy of Crater of Diamonds State Park.

Guest User 9/28/18 Guest User 9/28/18

Music Friday: Duawne Starling Pens and Performs His Own Wedding Song, 'With This Ring'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you inspirational songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, contemporary Christian artist Duawne Starling sings his wedding vows in the 2001 release, "With This Ring."

In the first verse, Starling describes the wedding band as a "circle of trust" and a symbol of his commitment to cherish his bride for a lifetime.

He sings, "With this ring / With this circle of trust / I confess that I must be in love / With this vow / I can promise you now / to be more than you've ever dreamed of / With my heart in your hand / and faith in His plan / and with patience to last a lifetime/ I offer you everything / with this ring."

"With This Ring" appeared as the first track of the wedding-song compilation album of the same name. Billed as a unique, romantic collection of inspirational love songs, the album spawned a second album by various artists called With This Ring... Forever I Do (2002).

Born in Petersburg, Va., in 1970, Starling immersed himself in music after his father died of cancer when the youngster was only seven.

"It was then that music became my sanctum, my escape from that reality,” Starling stated in his official bio. "Now, it's simply my passion."

Starling worked as a background artist for 10 years before stepping forward as a soloist. He developed his talents touring with the likes of Michael Jackson, Patti Austin, Dolly Parton, Michael McDonald, Kelly Price and CeCe Winans, among many others.

Starling’s inspirational music shares the triumphs and trials of his journey through life.

“My gift is God’s tool," he wrote. "I always speak from the place of truth. We are all intrinsically connected so I know that others will relate to what I’ve experienced. My purpose is to enlighten, encourage and empower the listener.”

Please check out the audio track of Starling performing "With This Ring." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"With This Ring"
Written and performed by Duawne Starling.

With this ring,
With this circle of trust,

I confess that I must be in love.
With this vow,
I can promise you now,
to be more than you've ever dreamed of.
With my heart in your hand,
and faith in His plan,
and with patience to last a lifetime,
I offer you everything,
With this ring.

With my mind,
with each thought I'm inclined,
to cherish you more everyday,
With my soul,
I'm completely yours,
You're the answer to all that I've prayed.
With my heart in your hand,
and my faith in His plan,
and with patience to last a lifetime,
I offer you everything,
With this ring.

If perfect is something that people can be,
and heaven is more than just a fantasy,
then I am in heaven and you're perfect to me.

So with my heart in your hand,
and faith in His plan,
and with patience to last a lifetime,
I offer you everything,
With this ring.

With my heart in your hand,
and faith in His plan,
and with patience to last a lifetime,
I offer you everything,
Be mine for eternity, yeah,
please say you'll stay with me,
With this ring.

With my ring, Will you stay.
I'll love you forever,
and ever, and ever and ever.

Credits: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Guest User 9/27/18 Guest User 9/27/18

Christie's Exec Says the Color of the 18.96-Carat 'Pink Legacy' Diamond 'Is As Good As It Gets'

In terms of its saturation and intensity, the color of "The Pink Legacy" is "as good as it gets in a colored diamond," according to the Christie's exec who will be overseeing its sale in Geneva on November 13. The auction house is expecting the 18.96-carat, fancy vivid pink diamond to fetch up to $50 million, a price that would establish a new per-carat world record for a pink diamond.

"To find a diamond of this size with this color is pretty much unreal," said Rahul Kadakia, International Head of Jewellery at Christie’s. "You may see this color in a pink diamond of less than one carat. But this is almost 19 carats and it’s as pink as can be. It’s unbelievable."

Once owned by the Oppenheimer family — famous for its connections to De Beers — the rectangular-cut diamond is the largest fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction by Christie’s. The auction house noted that over the course of its 252-year history, only four fancy vivid pink diamonds larger than 10 carats have ever appeared for sale.

"Its exceptional provenance will no doubt propel it into a class of its own as one of the world’s greatest diamonds,” Kadakia said in a statement.

Kadakia explained that most pink diamonds exhibit a secondary color, such as purple, orange, brown or grey. The Pink Legacy is unique because it has an even color distribution, balanced saturation and straight pink hue. Only one in 100,000 diamonds possess a color deep enough to qualify as "fancy vivid," he noted.

In November 2017, Christie’s Hong Kong sold "The Pink Promise," an oval-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond of just under 15 carats, for $32.4 million. That figure translated to $2,175,519 per carat, which remains the world auction record price per carat for any pink diamond.

In April 2017, the 59.60-carat "Pink Star" set a world record for any kind of diamond ever offered at auction when it fetched $71 million at Sotheby's Hong Kong.

The Pink Legacy will be heading out on a global tour, with stops in Hong Kong, London and New York, before returning to Geneva for the Magnificent Jewels auction at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues.

Credits: Images courtesy of Christie’s.

Guest User 9/26/18 Guest User 9/26/18

Bravo's 'Summer House' Reality Stars Confirm Engagement With Selfie of 2.5-Carat Diamond Ring

Bravo's Summer House reality stars Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula confirmed their engagement on Instagram with a selfie of her gorgeous new ring.

Cooke recently popped the question with a 2.5-carat diamond set on a yellow gold, split-shank band. Cooke told Bravotv.com that the diamond is cushion cut. Based on the photo, above, we're pretty certain it's a princess cut.

Nevertheless, Batula told People magazine that she can't stop staring at it.

When Cooke enlisted the help of New York-based jewelry designer Stephanie Gottlieb, he already had a pretty good idea of the type of ring Batula wanted. Although she didn't expect him to propose for another year or so, she did prepare him with photos of the styles she liked best.

Cooke and Gottlieb worked together to incorporate the design elements into a totally unique keepsake.

“It’s beautiful. He did a good job," said the 27-year old graphic designer. "I look down at it and still can’t believe it’s my ring on my finger. When friends would get engaged in the past, I’d try their rings and you sort of get an idea about what it would be like if it was yours. But it’s so different when it happens."

“I’m just relieved,” the 34-year-old entrepreneur and app designer told People. “I kind of felt like I was living a lie for several months because I knew I was going to propose, but I wanted to keep things secret, catch her off guard, and completely surprise her — all of which I managed to pull off.”

The attractive couple first met in 2015 and have been dating for two years.

Despite all the hoopla surrounding their engagement, Batula and Cooke are not ready to set a wedding date.

“It’s going to be overwhelming and expensive and probably very stressful in our relationship," Batula told People, "so right now, we’re just enjoying the engagement. We haven’t even planned an engagement party, let alone even figured out where we want to get married!”

Summer House fans have been following the couple's relationship throughout Seasons 1 and 2 of the reality show, which takes place in Montauk, N.Y., an affluent beach town on the easternmost tip of Long Island. The Summer House cast includes nine friends who work in New York City and share a beach house on the weekends.

Credits: Images by Amanda Batula and Kyle Cooke via Instagram/ImKyleCooke.

Guest User 9/25/18 Guest User 9/25/18

What Would You Do If You Saw an Engagement Ring Being Swiped at a Nail Salon?

In a recent episode of ABC's What Would You Do?, correspondent John Quinones and his team explored how average individuals might react if they witnessed a diamond engagement ring being swiped by a patron at a local nail salon. Would they intervene or mind their own business?

For its test, What Would You Do? designed a scenario where bride-to-be Jazelle is victimized by the manicure bandit, Madison. Everyone in the shop is in on the ruse except for a single customer who is sitting at the next manicure station.

When Jazelle arrives at the salon, she is greeted by Greta, who compliments the new bride on her beautiful ring. She tells Jazelle to place her jewelry in a small glass ring dish during the manicure.

When Jazelle steps away for a moment to pick her color, Madison swoops in and brazenly pilfers the ring.

Witnessing the staged theft is an ordinary patron who is seated at the table between Jazelle and Madison.

"Excuse me," says the woman, tapping Madison on the shoulder. "You just took her ring."

"No," Madison responds.

"Yes, you just took her ring," the woman says confidently.

"Me?" Madison asks.

"Yes, yes. Her ring was sitting here," the woman says, holding up the empty glass that once held the ring. "And I saw you walk here and take her ring!"

At this point, Jazelle returns from picking a polish and joins the fray.

"Where's my ring," asks Jazelle.

"You took her ring," the patron tells Madison again. "Please give it back to her."

Madison glances at Jazelle and says, "I'm not sure what she's talking about."

The manicure bandit then rises from her seat and announces to the salon staff that she needs to go.

But, then the patron rises, as well, and pleads her case with more intensity.

"No, no, no, no, no. Don't let her leave because she has her ring," the woman exclaims. "She took your ring."

As Madison tries to make a quick getaway, the patron jogs after her.

"Somebody call 911," she pleads.

Outside the storefront, the patron is greeted by Quinones and his crew.

"Boy, you were not going to let her go," he says.

"You can't watch someone do something like that and not respond to it," she says.

The What Would You Do? crew continued to shoot the same scene throughout the day, and just about every patron continued to do the right thing, exposing the thief and threatening to call the police.

There was one exception, however. A young man clearly witnessed the theft, but said nothing. When confronted by Quinones, he first tried to excuse his behavior by stating that he thought the thief and the bride-to-be were friends. But, then he realized how silly that sounded.

Another woman, who had done the right thing, told Quinones, "Everyone has struggles in life, but it makes it easier for everyone if you provide help when you can."

What Would You Do? airs Friday nights at 9|8c on ABC. Check out the full segment below...

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube.com.

Guest User 9/24/18 Guest User 9/24/18

Vibrant Red 'Whitney Flame Topaz' Joins the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection

An extraordinarily rare 48.86-carat vibrant red topaz is the newest member of the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection. The teardrop-shaped gem, which was acquired for the museum by philanthropist Coralyn Wright Whitney, made its debut this past Thursday at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Dubbed the "Whitney Flame Topaz," the gem is described by Smithsonian curators as one of the finest examples of imperial topaz in the world. Imperial, or "precious," topaz is typically golden-orange in color, but the vivid red hue of the Whitney Flame is even more unusual and highly prized.

The red color is the result of trace quantities of chromium that were incorporated into the original topaz crystal as it grew in the earth. The Whitney Flame was sourced more than 50 years ago at the topaz mines of Ouro Preto, Brazil.

“Of all the topaz found in that locality, only about a percent or two is gem quality," Smithsonian minerals curator Jeffrey Post told Smithsonian.com. "And of those one to two percent, maybe one percent of those have a deep enough red color that they could be marketed as red topaz.”

“The color and beauty of this gemstone is astounding," Post continued. "You have to see it to believe it. The Whitney Flame is truly one of Earth’s treasures.”

The unusual red topaz was held privately for many decades, before emerging at Arizona’s annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, a massive showcase that draws buyers and rockhounds from all around the world.

When Post and Whitney viewed the stone for the first time this past winter, the uniform red color captivated them and they instantly knew they had a winner on their hands, according to Smithsonian.com.

“When we saw it,” Post said, “we all collectively started weeping a little bit.”

Whitney purchased the stone and gifted it to the Smithsonian, along with a $5 million endowment. In 2013, Whitney provided the National Museum of Natural History with its largest education donation to date: a $13 million gift in support of Q?rius (pronounced “curious”), which created the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center.

On Thursday, visitors to the National Museum of Natural History were the first to see the "Whitney Flame Topaz." It occupies a display case all its own in the gallery occupied by other famous gems, such as The Hope Diamond. The gem is positioned vertically and backlit to emphasize its fiery color.

The Smithsonian’s gem and mineral collection, with 10,000 gems and 375,000 mineral specimens, is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free.

Credit: Photo by Donny Bajohr, Smithsonian. Screen captures via NBCWashington.com.

Guest User 9/21/18 Guest User 9/21/18

Music Friday: Lauv Wears This Bracelet to Preserve the Memories of a Love That Got Away

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fresh songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, 24-year-old Lauv wears a special piece of jewelry to preserve the memories of a love that got away in his 2018 release, "Bracelet."

In the intensely personal song that draws on his experiences as a music tech major at New York University, Lauv (whose birth name is Ari Leff) recounts a bad breakup that left him with a bracelet and wounded heart.

He sings, "I used to have you, now I have this bracelet / I used to have you, now I have this bracelet / I let you go but baby I’m gonna wear it / Until I don’t need to / Until I don’t need you / All I know is I can’t face it."

Later in the song, he wonders whether he should "toss" the bracelet because he doesn't want to keep her figuratively wrapped around his wrist. But, the answer is always "No." The bracelet preserves the memories of their love and he wakes up each morning missing her even more.

"Bracelet" appears as the 15th track of Lauv's 2018 album, I Met You When I Was 18 (The Playlist). He subtitled the album "The Playlist" because he treated it as a work in progress, with new songs added periodically.

"This is my life, it’s a playlist," he told Billboard magazine. "It’s an ongoing thing where I’m piecing together this chapter of my life when I was in New York, in my first serious relationship, trying to figure myself out. Like, here it is. And I’ve been building upon it just naturally."

Lauv was born in San Francisco in 1994. His mother was of Latvian descent, so to honor her he took on the stage name "Lauv," which mean "lion" in Latvian. Not coincidentally, Lauv's given name, "Ari," means "lion" in Hebrew. His zodiac sign is Leo.

Interested in music at a young age, Lauv took piano and viola lessons before favoring the guitar at the age of 11. He played in several bands in high school and eventually enrolled at NYU as a music technology major. His music writing style was heavily influenced by a Paul Simon interview, during which the legendary singer-songwriter revealed why, as an artist, it is important to get in touch with one's innermost feelings. An emotional breakup in 2014 set Lauv's creative juices flowing.

Upon graduation, Lauv was signed by publishing company Prescription Songs. In 2015, he released his debut EP, Lost in the Light. By 2017, he was touring with Ed Sheeran.

Please check out the official audio track of Lauv performing "Bracelet." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Bracelet"
Written and performed by Lauv.

Didn’t know what I wanted
I’ll admit that
Still don’t know what I wanted
I’ll be honest, I’m not ready to let you go

I walk down memory lane late at night
I end up losing my way every time
I wake up missing you more
Oh why did I say goodbye?

I used to have you, now I have this bracelet
I used to have you, now I have this bracelet
I let you go but baby I’m gonna wear it
Until I don’t need to
Until I don’t need you
All I know is I can’t face it
I used to have you, now I have this bracelet
I let you go but baby I’m gonna wear it
Until I don’t need to
Until I don’t need you

Anyway I could toss it
I’ll admit that
That don’t mean that I need to keep you wrapped around my wrist
Oh no

I walk down memory lane late at night
I end up losing my way every time
I wake up missing you more
Oh why did I say goodbye

And another day is passing by
Oh I still need you
And another day is passing by
Oh I still need you
All of these Melatonin tears I cry
Oh I still need you
Oh I still need you

(Bye, Bye, Bye, Bye)
Missing you more oh why?

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Guest User 9/20/18 Guest User 9/20/18

5-Carat Fancy Vivid Blue 'Ai' (Love) Diamond Could Fetch $15 Million at Sotheby's Hong Kong

A 5-carat fancy vivid blue diamond named "Ai" — the Chinese word for love — will be flirting with a world record when it hits the auction block at Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite event in Hong Kong on October 3.

The auction house is estimating that the richly colored step-cut gem will sell in the range of $12.4 million to $15.2 million, potentially putting the per-carat price at $3 million or more. If The Ai Diamond outperforms Sotheby's estimate, it will be ascending into the rarefied air occupied by two of the most famous blue diamonds of all time.

Back in May of 2017, the “Oppenheimer Blue” — a 14.62-carat fancy vivid blue diamond — fetched an astounding $57.5 million at Christie’s Geneva. The Oppenheimer Blue’s per-carat price of $3.93 million came up just shy of the record of $4.03 million held by the 12.03-carat Blue Moon of Josephine, another magnificent blue diamond that sold for $48.5 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in November of 2015. It was the highest price per carat ever paid for a diamond or gemstone.

“Fancy Vivid” is the ultimate color classification for blue diamonds. Those displaying lower levels of color saturation may be rated “Fancy Intense,” “Fancy,” “Fancy Light” or “Light,” according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Blue diamonds owe their color to the presence of boron in the chemical makeup of the gem.

The Ai Diamond, which earned a VS2 clarity rating from the GIA, is framed by white baguette diamonds and set in 18-karat white gold.

Other top lots at the Sotheby's auction include the following stunners...

• A Spectacular Pair of Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond and Diamond Pendant Earrings Estimated to fetch between $4.8 million and $6.1 million, these earrings are designed as double gourds and vines, each suspending four old European brilliant-cut fancy vivid yellow diamonds weighing 51.17 carats in total. The earrings are embellished with pink and yellow diamonds mounted in 18-karat pink and yellow gold.

• An Impressive Ruby and Diamond Ring, Bulgari Set with an oval Burmese ruby weighing approximately 31.40 carats, this impressive ring by Bulgari is embellished with custom calibré-cut rubies and brilliant-cut diamonds on the shoulders. The setting is fabricated in 20-karat yellow gold. Sotheby's is estimating that the piece will sell in the range of $2 million to $2.5 million.

• A Unique Pair of Sapphire, Pearl and Diamond Pendant Earrings Drop-shaped Kashmir sapphires weighing 17.70 and 17.47 carats, respectively, dangle from these platinum and 18-karat white gold earrings. The earrings also feature button-shaped pearls and diamond beads, decorated with brilliant-cut diamonds. Estimated selling price: $1.6 million to $2.1 million.

Credits: Images courtesy of Sotheby's.

Guest User 9/19/18 Guest User 9/19/18

Emmy Winner Proposes During Live Broadcast With a Ring 'More Valuable Than The Hope Diamond'

To director Glenn Weiss, the simple gold wedding band his dad placed on his mom's finger 67 years ago is "more valuable than The Hope Diamond" — a fact that grew ever more significant when the Emmy winner proposed to his girlfriend Jan Svendsen on stage while accepting his award for "Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special."

Weiss earned his Primetime Emmy for directing the Oscars ceremony on ABC, but what should have been a joyful speech started off as a melancholy acknowledgement of his mom's passing only two weeks ago.

“Part of my heart is broken," he said. "I don’t think it will ever be repaired. But she’s in me and she always will be.”

But, then Weiss told the audience and millions of viewers at home that his mom always believed in finding the sunshine, and that Svendsen was the sunshine of his life.

“And Mom was right. Don’t ever let go of your sunshine," he said, spying Svendsen in the crowd. "You wonder why I don’t like to call you my girlfriend? Because I want to call you my wife.”

Cameras zoomed in on Svendsen's priceless reaction as the word "wife" left his lips.

Attendees of the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles could sense something momentous was about to happen. And they were right.

Svendsen was ushered up to the stage, where Weiss started his marriage proposal by describing the significance of the ring.

“Jan, I want to put this ring that my mom wore on your finger in front of all these people and in front of my mom and your parents watching from above," he said. "Will you marry me?”

Of course, she said, "Yes."

In a backstage interview, Weiss described the ring in more detail and the sensation of having it in his pocket in the lead-up to the awards ceremony.

"It's not a diamond ring," Weiss clarified. "It's my mom's wedding ring, which, to me, is more valuable than The Hope Diamond."

"Walking around on the red carpet like nothing's happening with this thing sitting in my pocket was a nerve-racking experience," he continued. "It was such a valuable thing sitting right here, but now it's where it belongs."

Svendsen said that she had no idea that a marriage proposal was about to go down.

She stated: “I really hoped he was going to dedicate the award to his mother, and he did, and then some.”

Weiss and Svendsen met in 2001 and have worked on awards shows together for about 10 years.

Check out the clip of Weiss's proposal. The action starts at the 1:30 mark.

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube.com/Television Academy, YouTube.com/Variety.