Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Unveils Jewelry and Gem Exhibit

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County just unveiled a new exhibit called “Brilliance: The Art and Science of Rare Jewels.” Appearing in the museum's Gem Vault for a limited engagement are more than 100 spectacular objects — necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and unmounted gems — drawn primarily from the works of master jewelry designer Robert Procop.

The museum is encouraging visitors to discover how gems and minerals are used in a wide variety of fields, from jewelry design to scientific research in geology, chemistry, physics and other disciplines. Procop's jewelry is paired with the museum’s mineral collection to encourage visitors to make the connection between the dazzling finished jewelry and the rough, uncut gems.

The displays will explain how scientists use exceptional stones to learn about Earth processes, and, in turn, gain a better understanding of how our planet works.

“This is about discovery, it’s about wonder. It’s an inspiration of what can be found in this mother Earth that has such rarities,” Procop told the Los Angeles Daily News.

The exhibition, which opened on December 8 and will run through February 21, 2022, will include a number of head-turning pieces. Among the highlights are the 42.72-carat “Pink Starburst" diamond, the fancy blue 46.39-carat “Celeste Diamond” and the 21.01-carat "Ceylon Star" sapphire.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News, Aaron Celestian, the curator of mineral sciences for the museum, described the exhibition as "some of the rarest gemstones in the world all coming together under one roof."

The primary gems feature in the necklaces, above, include the "Jade of Muzo," a 63.70-carat pear-shaped, cabochon-cut emerald; "The Golden Sundrop," a 64.72-carat pear-shaped yellow sapphire; and the "Magnificent Muzo," a 24.45-carat pear-shaped emerald.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is located in Exposition Park and general admission is $15, $7 for children under 12. Timed-tickets are required to enter the Gem and Mineral Hall, as well as the new jewelry exhibit.

Visitors may pick up their tickets at the museum's ticket counters or at the entrance to the Gem and Mineral Hall on the day of their visit. Capacity is limited.

Credits: Images courtesy of Robert Procop/Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Music Friday: Christina Aguilera Gets a Diamond Ring in ‘Merry Christmas, Baby’

Welcome to a special holiday edition of Music Friday, when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Christina Aguilera belts out her rendition of the 1947 classic, “Merry Christmas, Baby,” a song about how a very special piece of jewelry has made this the best Christmas ever.

In first lines of the song, Aguilera — with an assist from Dr. John — sings, “Merry Christmas baby, oh ooh / You sure did treat me nice, oh ooh / You gave me a diamond ring for Christmas / Now I’m living in paradise, oh oh.”

Originally recorded by Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers in 1947, this R&B holiday classic has been covered by a Who’s Who of music-industry legends, including Chuck Berry, Otis Redding, B.B. King, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen and Melissa Etheridge.

A little known fact about Aguilera’s version, which appeared on her My Kind of Christmas album in 2000, is that one of her heroines, Etta James, was supposed to be a featured performer on the track. For unknown reasons, Aguilera never got to record with James and Dr. John was picked as a replacement.

Nevertheless, Aguilera’s My Kind of Christmas peaked at #28 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart and sold more than one million copies.

Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers’ recording of “Merry Christmas Baby” also was a great success. The song reached #3 on Billboard‘s R&B Juke Box chart during the Christmas of 1947.

Born in Staten Island, NY, in 1980, Christina María Aguilera moved to the Pittsburgh area as a 6-year-old to live with her grandmother after her parents' divorce. There she earned a reputation as "the little girl with the big voice." At the age of 9, she competed on Star Search and made it all the way to the semi-finals.

The next year, she auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club even though she did not meet its age requirements. Two years later, she would land a role on the series with castmates — and future stars — Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.

With record sales tallying 75 million, Aguilera is recognized as one of the world's best-selling music artists. She's been referred to as the "Voice of a Generation" and claims a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Please check out the video of Aguilera’s live performance of “Merry Christmas Baby” on The Late Show With David Letterman. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along!

“Merry Christmas, Baby”
Written by Brian Douglas Wilson and Mike E. Love. Performed by Christina Aguilera, featuring Dr. John.

Oh oh
Merry Christmas baby
You sure did treat me nice, oh ooh yeah yeah
Said uh, merry Christmas baby, oh ooh
You sure did treat me nice, oh ooh
You gave me a diamond ring for Christmas
Now I’m living in paradise, oh oh

I’m, I’m feeling mighty fine
Got good music on my radio
(Yes you do child)
Well I’m, I’m feeling mighty fine
Got good music, on, music on my radio, oh
Well I, I want to kiss you baby
While we’re standing underneath the mistletoe

Santa came down the chimney
About a half past three
Left all these pretty presents
That you, that you see before me, oh

Merry Christmas baby, merry Christmas baby
You sure been good to me, oh, oh ooh
Well I, I haven’t had a drink this morning
But I’m, I’m lit up like a Christmas tree
Christmas tree, oh oh oh, oh yeah

Oh, yeah yeah yeah
Oh oh ooh, yeah, oh, ooh,
Oh oh yeah, yeah, yeah

St. Nick came down the chimney
About a half past three
He left all these pretty presents
That you see before me

Merry Christmas baby
You sure been good to me
Haven’t had a taste this morning
But I’m all lit up like a Christmas tree

Oh, oh, oh ooh, oh ooh
Merry Christmas baby
You sure been good to me
Oh oh, oh oh
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh

Sure been good, to, to, to, me
Hey, oh oh hey

Credit: Photo by Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Vancouver-Based Artist Cliff Kearns Explores the 'Immortal Diamond'

Vancouver-based artist Cliff Kearns is passionate about diamonds. In his latest series of paintings called "Immortal Diamond," the artist is inspired to interpret, bend and push the gem’s characteristics. Shifting geometric shapes and brilliantly changing facets seem to explode off the canvas in his colorful, spirited explorations of nature's most precious stone.

These mixed-media artworks begin as digital creations which are then rendered, embellished and finished in acrylic paint on canvas. His close-up views and use of background refractions tend to convey the precious stone's beauty, infatuation and romance.

Kearns employs iridescent and metallic acrylics, and even adds some glitter into the painted shapes. This technique tends to alter the appearance of the work when viewed from different angles, making it come alive — not unlike the nature of an actual diamond.

For the past two years Kearns has been working on the series, which, so far, includes 11 original paintings.

"My original references are based on just three high-resolution photos of true round diamonds, thus far," Kearns told The Jeweler Blog. "I crop, flop and manipulate those photos on the computer with filters. I play with the image on the computer until I’m excited and like what I see, and that provides the reference for my finished painted version."

Although brilliant-cut, round diamonds are perfectly symmetrical and generally display 57 facets, Kearns's work is not constrained by a diamond's true angles and proportions.

When the different layers of his digital files are superimposed and merged, they are bound to distort the original trueness of the gem, he said.

The resulting work is based more on a feeling than accuracy.

"The painting process can alter the structure even more, so the finished painting would not be true to the diamond's accurate proportions," he said. "Despite that, I want the finished result to be appealing and to be perceived as a beautiful diamond."

His larger paintings usually take a couple of months to complete. The smaller ones take about a month.

Kearns' current series was inspired by Father Richard Rohr's book, Immortal Diamond, and the artist's own contemplation on life. Rohr likens the diamond to our true self buried deep within us, molded under the intense pressure of our lives.

"The Diamond seems to have a lot of inherent qualities and symbolism which can be presented to make reflective statements and elicit positive response," he said.

So far, Kearns has only used round diamonds for reference.

"But I am intrigued by the square, as it is the same format as a square painting," he said. "I’m also intrigued by the heart shape. I used the heart as a symbol in about 50 original assemblages a few years ago."

Ten of Kearns' 11 original "Immortal Diamond" paintings are on display in the artist's Parker Street Studio in Vancouver. One of the originals was sold and five more pieces are in various stages of completion. The price of his work ranges from CAD$1,200 to CAD$8,200.

"I’m only beginning to learn about diamonds. As I learn more, there [will be] much more to explore in paintings," he said. "As an artist, success depends on image identity and "The Diamond" is a good image to be identified with. So, I see myself doing quite a few more diamond paintings."

The artist also offers limited-edition prints of the original works, in proportions about two-thirds the size of the original. They are printed on an ultra chrome archival paper, which is mounted on a thin durabond and surfaced in acrylic.

"The result is very sleek and contemporary," Kearns said.

You can learn more about the artist and see more examples from the "Immortal Diamond" series at the artist's website.

Credits: Images courtesy of Cliff Kearns, www.cliffkearns.com.

Underrated and Often-Misunderstood Zircon Is December's Alternate Birthstone

Underrated and often misunderstood, zircon is the colorful alternative birthstone for December. Available in a wide range of brilliant hues — from red, orange, yellow, green to blue and brown — zircon is the oldest mineral on Earth.

Back in 2014, a tiny zircon crystal that scientists believed was 4.4 billion years old was helping to unlock the mysteries of how the Earth first formed. John Valley, a professor of geoscience, and his team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, claimed that a translucent red zircon discovered in Western Australia’s remote Jack Hills region was nearly as old as the Earth itself.

Zircon likely got its name from the Persian word "zargun," which means “gold-hued.” The American Gem Society (AGS) also noted that zircon's name could be traced to the Arabic word "zarkun," which means "vermillion," the brilliant red pigment used to paint buildings in Biblical times.

While zircon has deep roots in science and history, contemporary jewelry buyers are often confused about the difference between zircon and cubic zirconia. Zircon is a naturally occurring mineral and cubic zirconia, also known as CZ, is a synthetic stone grown in a lab.

Zircon in its purest form is colorless and displays flashes of multicolored "fire" that can rival that of a diamond, according to the AGS. Other varieties of zircon owe their color to impurities in its chemical composition. The Smithsonian noted that zircons are most often cut as round brilliants to best show off their dispersion and brilliance.

The most popular color of zircon is blue, which happens to be the alternative birthstone for December. The others are tanzanite and turquoise.

The world's primary sources of zircon are Australia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tanzania, Myanmar, Canada and the US.

Zircon claims a hardness of 7.5 on the Mohs scale, compared to topaz (8), sapphire (9) and diamond (10).

The zircon gems in the photo, above, are from the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection. They were gifted by the Roebling fund and range in size from 48.3 carats to 105.9 carats. Two were sourced in Thailand and the other two were mined in Sri Lanka.

Credit: Photo by Dane A. Penland / Smithsonian.

Three Coins With Face Value of $1.15 Nets $13.35MM Payday for Las Vegas Collector

A group of coins known as the "Big Three" of numismatics — an early 20th century nickel, a 19th century dime and a vintage silver dollar — recently netted a spectacular $13.35 million payday for Las Vegas collector Bruce Morelan.

The grouping included the finest example of the five known 1913 Liberty Head nickels, a high-grade example of one of the nine known 1894-dated dimes struck at the San Francisco Mint and one of finest of the 15 known "King of Coins," an 1804-dated U.S. silver dollar.

The three coins with face value of $1.15 had been acquired by Morelan over the past four years working with dealer Laura Sperber of Legend Numismatics in Lincroft, NJ. The coins were authenticated by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).

Paying the record purchase price was Ian Russell, president of GreatCollections Coin Auctions of Irvine, CA.

“The PCGS Price Guide estimated the combined value of the ‘Big Three’ at $10.85 million, but I happily paid 23% more for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get the Holy Trinity all at one time. Each of the three coins set a new record price,” stated Russell.

Russell said he paid above book value because quality and rarity costs money in today's robust coin market.

"The 1913 Nickel is the ultimate U.S. rarity, and this is the finest known," he told The Jeweler Blog. "We had reached out to the owner and representative of the other two examples in private hands, and they were not interested in selling theirs, so I knew we had to pay a premium to secure this coin."

Russell purchased the trio as a group for $13.35 million, but estimated that the 1913 nickel accounted for approximately 50% of the total value.

GreatCollections is primarily an auction house that specializes in rare coins and banknotes, but the company also represents buyers and sellers in private transactions, such as the one with Morelan.

Russell told The Jeweler Blog that two of the three coins already have new owners, and he expects the third coin to be sold very soon.

"In talking with the new owner of the 1913 Nickel, he is ecstatic," Russell said. "We had discussed this coin for some time, and for the transaction to happen unexpectedly and so quickly, made his day. It was a goal of his to own a 1913 nickel — likely America's most famous coin."

Russell explained that the 1913 Liberty Head nickels are among the most famous and coveted rarities with only five examples known.

"Two are permanently in museum collections, including one at the Smithsonian, leaving just three for the public to own,” he said.

Prior to Morelan’s and Russell’s acquisitions of the 1804 dollar, 1894 San Francisco dime and 1913 Liberty Head nickel, only a few other collectors are known to have owned examples of all three. They include the late owner of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team Dr. Jerry Buss (1933-2013) and the late Baltimore financier Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. (1896-1976).

Credits: Images courtesy of GreatCollections Coin Auctions.

Engagement Ring Survey: Millennials Outspend Younger Gen Z Counterparts by 63%

Millennials (ages 25-34) outspend Gen Zers (ages 18-24) by 63% when it comes to buying an engagement ring. The average price paid for a ring by Millennials is $6,700, compared to $4,100 spent by their younger counterparts, according to a newly released survey by The Knot.

Across all age groups, the average spend is $6,000 — up slightly from the pre-pandemic spend in 2019 of $5,900. Ring costs varied widely depending on whether the couple was buying an engagement ring with a diamond or non-diamond center stone. The average cost of a diamond engagement ring is $6,800, versus an average of $2,500 for a ring with a colored gemstone center stone.

Roughly two out of three couples said they stuck to a set budget, while nearly 30% spent more than planned (up 9 percentage points since 2020).

The most popular type of engagement stone continues to be a diamond (86%), with round (41%) remaining the most popular cut. The wedding planning site noted that the oval shape has been enjoying a steady increase in popularity over the past six years. Only 2% preferred it in 2015, but now that number is up to 19%. 

Among the 10% of respondents who chose a non-diamond for their center stone, the most popular pick is moissanite, which now accounts for more than one-quarter of non-diamond stones (28%, +9% vs. 2019). Moissanite is even more popular among Gen Zers (35%).

Nearly one in four engagement rings in 2021 featured a center stone that was lab-grown. That number is up from 11% in 2019.

The Knot also said that bridal couple’s precious-metal preferences are trending away from white gold. Forty-five percent purchased white gold rings in 2021, compared to 61% in 2017.  Yellow gold has increased in popularity by 11 percentage points since 2017.

What’s more, The Knot reported that while online channels, such as social media and jewelry websites, continue to be the leading resource for ring research and inspiration, proposers value the importance of in-store shopping. Exactly 67% of engagement rings were purchased in-store, with half of in-store purchases happening at local jewelers in 2021.

Proposers said they visited two to three retailers and checked out 10 rings on average — in-store — before purchasing. 

More than 90% of couples announced their engagement on social media, with Instagram (78%) and Facebook (77%) being the most popular, and 20% of couples announced on Snapchat. Of those who got engaged in 2021, more than 75% have already set a date for 2022, with fall being the most popular season. 

Of the nearly three in four engagements taking place outdoors this year, 35% occurred at a scenic spot, such as a mountain top or a place with a city view. Nearly one in three engagements took place during a planned trip, up 7% from last year when many trips had to be canceled because of COVID restrictions.

“The Knot 2021 Jewelry & Engagement Study” reflects the impressions of more than 5,000 respondents who got engaged from January through November 2021. 

Credit: Image by Bigstockphoto.com.

Music Friday: Camila Cabello Dreams of Platinum and Gold in Her 2021 Hit, 'Don't Go Yet'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you joyous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Cuban-American singing sensation Camila Cabello kicks up her heels in the 2021 international dance hit, "Don't Go Yet."

Viewed on Youtube more than 47 million times, the video of this instant classic tells a story of a young woman who can't cope with the idea of being apart from her boyfriend. Throughout the song she implores him to stay — even though he's scheduled to take a flight. Cabello sets the scene by using precious metals to paint a picture of a magical, romantic place.

She sings, "I imagine myself in satin, the room was platinum and gold / I'd dance and catch your eye, you'll be mesmerized, oh."

Written by Cabello and collaborators Scott Harris, Eric Frederic and Mike Sabath, "Don't Go Yet" made its radio debut in July of 2021 as the lead single of Cabello's third studio album, Familia. The song quickly became an international success, charting in 33 countries.

It was nominated for Song of the Summer at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards and as the Best International Video at the 2021 LOS40 Music Awards.

"Familia" in Spanish means "family," and Cabello's official video for "Don't Go Yet" is all about family. The singer told YouTube’s “Released” that the song and music video were both inspired by Cuban-Mexican family parties from her childhood, where "everybody eats dinner, and then after you put on a little cheap disco ball with lights and suddenly the living room is the dance floor."

The video is teeming with a cast of colorful characters, including professional dancers, reality show celebrities and Cabello's actual relatives.

The 24-year-old, Cuban-born Cabello is best known for her smash hits "Havana" (2018) and "Señorita" (2019), a duet she performed with Shawn Mendes.

She got her first big break in 2012, when she placed third on The X Factor. Soon after, she joined a group called Fifth Harmony, which signed a record deal with Syco Music, a music company owned by X Factor host Simon Cowell.

Please check out the awesome video of Cabello and her familia performing "Don't Go Yet." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Don't Go Yet"
Written by Camila Cabello, Cabello, Scott Harris, Eric Frederic and Mike Sabath. Performed by Camila Cabello.

Oh, my love, oh, yeah, yeah
I'm in love, yeah

I replayed this moment for months
Alone in my head, waitin' for it to come
I wrote all your lines in the scripts in my mind, and
I hope that you follow it for once

I imagine myself in satin, the room was platinum and gold
I'd dance and catch your eye, you'll be mesmerized, oh

We'd find a corner, then your hands in my hair
Finally we're here, so, why
Are you sayin' you got a flight, need an early night?
No, don't go yet

Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet
Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet
Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet
What you leavin' for, when my night is yours?
Just a little more, don't go yet

Baby, don't go yet, 'cause I wore this dress for a lil' drama

And I bet, I bet that you think that you know, but you don't
Baby, come to mama
I get, I get what I want when I want
And I get it how I wanna, wanna
And I want you baby, gotta get you, baby

We'd find a corner, then your hands in my hair
Finally we're here, so, why
Are you sayin' you got a flight, need an early night?
No, don't go yet

Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet
Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet (No, no)
Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet
What you leavin' for, when my night is yours?
Just a little more, don't go yet

Dámelo
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la (Don't go yet)
La-la-la-la-la-la-la, hey (Don't go yet)
Hey!

(Oh-no-no, don't leave yet)
(No te vayas, quédate)

(Oh-no-no, don't leave yet) Ahora voy yo
(No te vayas, quédate)
(Oh-no-no, don't leave yet) Stay a little longer
(No te vayas, quédate) Know you really wanna
(Oh-no-no, don't leave yet) Stay a little longer
(No te vayas, quédate) Oh

Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet
Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet
Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet
(Oh-no-no, don't leave yet) What you leavin' for, when my night is yours?
(No te vayas, quédate) Just a little more

(Oh, yeah, don't go yet, don't go yet) What you leavin' for, when my night is yours? Yours, yours
What you leavin' for, when my night is yours?
Just a little more, don't go yet

Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com / Camila Cabello.

41,500-Year-Old Tusk Pendant May Be Eurasia's Oldest Human-Decorated Jewelry

A 41,500-year-old oval-shaped pendant crafted from a mammoth tusk represents the oldest human-decorated jewelry ever found in Eurasia, according to an international team of researchers.

Discovered in the Stajnia Cave in southern Poland, the jewelry has a sophisticated design that includes 50 puncture marks in a looping curve, along with two drilled holes. The holes indicate that the item was likely worn as a pendant.

“This piece of jewelry shows the great creativity and [the] extraordinary manual skills of members of the group of Homo sapiens that occupied the site,” noted Dr. Wioletta Nowaczewska, a researcher from Wrocław University in Poland.

The scientists believe the markings could represent the monthly cycle of the Moon or Sun, or a counting system that kept track of hunting tallies.

“If the Stajnia pendant’s looping curve indicates a lunar analemma or kill scores will remain an open question,” Dr. Adam Nadachowski, a researcher in the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals at the Polish Academy of Sciences, told sci-news.com.

The pendant was discovered alongside an awl made from horse bone and a number of bone fragments. The researchers believe the artifacts may indicate that humans of this period were beginning to produce small and transportable personal adornments.

Why humans started using jewelry at this time is a mystery that researchers are trying to understand, according to Sahra Talamo, a chemist at the University of Bologna in Italy, who led the study.

The researchers noted that similar carved decorations have appeared at other sites across Germany, France, Russia and the Siberian Arctic. The Polish artifact predates the others by 2,000 years, according to the researchers.

Cousins of modern-day elephants, woolly mammoths roamed Eurasia until about 10,000 years ago. Measuring 14-feet-tall at the shoulder, the giant beasts weighed up to 22,000 pounds.

The Stajnia Cave findings were first reported in the journal Scientific Reports.

Credits: Mammoth tusk jewelry photo by Antonino Vazzana/BONES Lab. Mammoth illustration by DataBase Center for Life Science (DBCLS), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

December's Newest Birthstone Was Heralded as the 'Gem of the 20th Century'

Back in 2002, tanzanite joined turquoise and zircon as an official birthstone for the month of December. The occasion was momentous because, up until that point, the list hadn't been amended since 1912. The gem you see here is an extraordinary example of tanzanite from the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

The 18.56-carat, emerald-cut stone was purchased for the Smithsonian with funds from the Tiffany & Co. Foundation in 2011. This is significant because 43 years earlier Tiffany played a vital role in making tanzanite a household name.

It was 1967 when Maasai tribesmen discovered a patch of shockingly beautiful bluish-violet gems in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Samples were entrusted to a prospector named Manuel d’Souza, who shared the crystals with distinguished gemologists. Originally thought to be sapphires, the gems turned out to be a totally new, vibrant blue variety of the mineral zoisite.

A year later, Tiffany looked to feature the gemstone in a broad-based advertising campaign, but its marketing team had to overcome a branding hurdle. The name “blue zoisite” sounded very much like “blue suicide” — and that alone could have tanked the campaign. So, the team at Tiffany decided to promote the gems as “tanzanite,” a name that would honor their country of origin.

Tiffany’s marketing campaign was a huge success and tanzanite would eventually earn the title of “Gem of the 20th Century.”

In 2002, a jewelry-industry trade organization — the American Gem Trade Association — designated tanzanite as an official birthstone for the month of December.

Tanzanites are said to be 1,000 times more rare than diamonds due to the fact that the blue-violet gem is mined in only one location on Earth. The area measures 2km wide by 4km long and the remaining lifespan of the mine is less than 30 years.

According to the Smithsonian, tanzanite exhibits the optical phenomenon known as pleochroism. This is when a gemstone presents multiple colors when observed at different angles. A tanzanite could appear intense blue, violet or red depending on the direction through which the crystal or polished gem is viewed.

Credit: Photo by Greg Polley / Smithsonian.

Actress Lindsay Lohan Shows Off New Engagement Ring in a Series of Instagram Pics

Actress Lindsay Lohan’s Thanksgiving weekend ended on a spectacular note, as the Mean Girls star turned to Instagram on Sunday to announce her engagement to fund manager Bader Shammas.

Lohan’s 9.8 million Instagram followers were treated to an unpretentious, four-pic gallery showing her and her new fiancé enjoying their special moment. The new engagement ring can be seen in all four photos, which shared the caption, “My love. My life. My family. My future.” She punctuated the post with the hashtag “love” and a diamond ring emoji.

Because the ring is a bit blurry in the series, jewelry-industry experts were hard-pressed to lock down the shape, size and value of the ring. The diamond certainly has a squarish shape, so the experts narrowed down the possibilities to radiant, cushion or princess cut.

The metal type is likely platinum or white gold and the thin band seems to be adorned with diamonds.

The jewelry-industry insiders couldn’t agree on the size of the center stone, with estimates ranging from 3 carats to 6 carats. The same experts placed the value of the ring in the neighborhood of $150,000 to $250,000.

The 35-year-old Lohan and 34-year-old Shammas were first spotted together at a Dubai music festival in 2020 and have been dating ever since. According to The Independent, Shammas holds the title of assistant vice president at Credit Suisse and the couple has been living in Dubai, the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates.

The Freaky Friday actress was previously engaged to Egor Tarabasov in 2016. Her previous engagement ring was similar to the current one in that it also featured a square-shaped center stone and thin band. 

Lohan will return to the big screen in 2022 with a starring role in a Netflix romantic comedy that is still untitled. She will play a newly engaged, spoiled hotel heiress who loses her memory after a skiing accident. Her co-star and love interest in the film is Glee alumnus Chord Overstreet.

Credits: Images via Instagram / lindsaylohan.