This 2-Carat Diamond Was Cooked Up in a Lab Using Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning

Hidden Valley celebrated National Ranch Day — March 10 — by unveiling a 2.01-carat round brilliant-cut diamond cooked up in a lab using Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning.

To pull off this feat, the popular condiment company employed the expertise of geologist Dean VandenBiesen, who is also the Vice President of LifeGem, a company known for creating memorial diamonds from the ashes of loved ones.

In this project, VandenBiesen heated the powdered seasoning to a scorching 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit and then applied 400 tons of pressure.

After five months, VandenBiesen had grown a rough diamond large enough to be cut into a 2-carat round known now as "The Ranch Diamond." Typically, more than half of the weight of a rough diamond will be lost in the cutting process, so we estimate that the pre-cut material weighed approximately 4 to 5 carats.

Diamonds are formed in nature when graphite, the crystalline form of pure carbon, is put under intense heat and pressure. Duplicating this process in a labor requires a material with a high carbon content, such as cremation ashes. Ranch dressing is made primarily from buttermilk, and it turns out that the chemical signatures of both butter and milk are high in carbon. By heating the seasoning to such a high temperature, the geologist was able to derive the graphite for his diamond press.

Set in a white-gold band engraved with the initials HVR LVR (short for “Hidden Valley Ranch Lover”), the G-color, VVS1-clarity diamond is currently up for bid on eBay.com (TheRanchDiamond.com redirects there) with the proceeds going to the hunger-relief nonprofit Feeding America.

Bidding started on Friday morning at $310. As of Sunday night, 78 bids had pushed the price to $12,450. Bidding closes on March 17. Every dollar raised will help provide at least 10 meals.

"Last year, when one of our custom Valentine's Day bottles was used in a marriage proposal, we were inspired," said Deb Crandall, Marketing Director at Hidden Valley Ranch. "We saw a love of ranch become part of one of life's most beautiful moments. It made us wonder, how can we make this act of love even more memorable?"

Back in 2018, Hidden Valley's marketing department honored the nuptials of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — and National Ranch Day — with a bejeweled bottle of salad dressing valued at $35,000.

White diamonds punctuated the crown-shaped cap, while green and blue sapphires adorned the bottle’s neck. Thin ribbons of blue sapphires hugged the contours of the bottle on four sides, while a thicker ribbon of blue sapphires wrapped around the bottom. All of the gems were set in 18-karat white gold.

The blue bottle accents were a nod to the British Royal Family. The late Princess Diana famously wore a blue sapphire engagement ring that was eventually passed down to her eldest son, Prince William.

Credits: Photos courtesy of Hidden Valley.

Music Friday: Easton Corbin Makes Plans to Pick the Perfect Ring in 'Marry That Girl'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you new tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, country star Easton Corbin's brand new release tells the story of a young man who believes in love at first sight. While his mom and his best friend urge the lovestruck romantic to "take it slow," Corbin's character is already making plans to visit his favorite jeweler. He knows from the get-go that he's gonna "Marry That Girl."

The song's catchy bridge goes like this, "I'll pick the perfect ring / I'll pick the perfect time / Ask her if she'll have me for the rest of my life."

Corbin, who dropped the new single on March 3, told People magazine how the song came to be during a writing session with collaborators Shane Minor, Wade Kirby and Adam Craig.

"The day we wrote 'Marry That Girl,' Adam had been telling us about how he knew he was going 'marry that girl' from the minute he met his [current] wife, and as soon as he said those words, we knew what our hook was for the day and went with it."

The song describes a chance meeting, a whirlwind romance and an overwhelming belief that a higher power brought the couple together.

"Marry That Girl" earned high praise on Corbin's YouTube channel.

User Chris Godfrey wrote, "This is such a great song by Easton. If radio gets behind this and with any luck, it should be a number 1 song by the wedding season in 2023."

Born Dan Easton Corbin in Trenton, FL, in 1982, the singer-songwriter was inspired as a child by the music of Merle Haggard, Hank Williams and the cast of Hee Haw. He started taking guitar lessons at the age of 14.

“My earliest memories are of me as a kid with a guitar, singing and playing along with the radio,” Corbin noted on his website. “I knew from an early age I wanted to be a country singer.”

On January 25 of this year, Corbin signed a new deal with Stone Country Records. He is currently working on a new album that is scheduled to drop later this year.

During his 17-year career, Corbin has sold 5 million singles and 500,000 albums.

Please check out the audio clip of Corbin performing "Marry That Girl." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Marry That Girl"
Written by Easton Corbin, Shane Minor, Wade Kirby and Adam Craig. Performed by Easton Corbin.

The first time that I met her
She was pouring shots of rum
Told me that her cousin just turned 21

She took my hand and said we're dancing
When they played her favorite song
We didn't stop till everybody else was gone

I'm gonna change her name but she don't know it yet
She's what I've been praying someday God would send
I ain't never been the same since we first met
I'm gonna marry that girl, I'm gonna marry that girl

My best friend's tired of hearing
Me talk about her smile
He says you've only known her for a little while

My momma keeps on saying
I better take it slow
I just say "I will," but I already know

I'm gonna change her name but she don't know it yet
She's what I've been praying someday God would send
I ain't never been the same since we first met
I'm gonna marry that girl, I'm gonna marry that girl

I'll pick the perfect ring
I'll pick the perfect time
Ask her if she'll have me for the rest of my life

I'm gonna change her name but she don't know it yet
She's what I've been praying someday God would send
I ain't never been the same since we first met
I'm gonna marry that girl, I'm gonna marry that girl

Gonna change her name
Gonna buy that ring
I'm gonna marry that girl
I'm gonna marry that girl

Credit: Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Freeman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Mark Your Calendar: The First Day of Spring Is Also National Proposal Day

If you missed last month's chance to pop the question on the most romantic day of the year, Valentine's Day, or on the once-in-a-lifetime true Twosday (2/22/22), there's another fine date around the corner — Sunday, March 20. Not only is that the first day of spring, it's also National Proposal Day.

Conceived by John Michael O’Loughlin decades ago as the perfect time for procrastinating lovers to finally ask for their partners’ hand in marriage, National Proposal Day has slowly become an accepted part of our holiday lexicon.

O’Loughlin picked the vernal equinox (first day of spring) as the ideal day for couples to make the ultimate commitment to each other because it’s the special time of the year when day and night are equal lengths worldwide. O’Loughlin reasoned that this symbolizes “the equal efforts of the two required to comprise the successful marriage.”

The romantic O’Loughlin created National Proposal Day after watching his cousin wait years for a proposal that never came. He felt that a special day earmarked for proposals would put a fire under some partners who have waited a bit too long to pop the question.

O’Loughlin promoted National Proposal Day as a worldwide event and encouraged romantic couples to connect with like-minded friends via social media using the hashtag, “proposalday.” O’Loughlin, who registered the name Proposal Day!®, clarified that March 20 doesn’t have to end with a proposal. It can be used, instead, to spark a conversation about a future proposal.

According to O’Loughlin, by opening the door on a delicate subject and generating an opportunity for an honest discussion about their future together, couples could use the holiday to discuss the path ahead.

If you’re wondering if the autumnal equinox — another perfectly balanced day — would carry the same symbolism as the spring version, your hunch is right. There is a second National Proposal Day on the first day of fall, Thursday, September 22.

According to WeddingWire, about 40% of all proposals take place between Thanksgiving Day and Valentine’s Day. For years, Christmas Day was the most popular day to get engaged, followed by a wintry mix of favorites that included Christmas Eve, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve. More recently, Valentine's Day moved into the #1 position.

True Twosday (2/22/22) was deemed a "true" Twosday because it fell on a Tuesday.

Credit: Image by BigstockPhoto.com.

Birthstone Feature: 1,298-Carat Aquamarine Was Gifted to Eleanor Roosevelt in 1936

Did you know that one of the largest and most famous aquamarines of all time — a 1,298-carat wonder — was gifted to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt by Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas more than 85 years ago? This extraordinary example of March's official birthstone now resides in the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, NY.

FDR had just won his second term as president in November of 1936, when he and the First Lady decided to embark on a month-long “Good Neighbor” adventure to South America.

When the cruiser USS Indianapolis landed in Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian president and his wife presented Eleanor Roosevelt with the remarkable stone from Vargas’ own collection. At the time, the bluish-green, rectangular, step-cut gem was the world’s largest cut aquamarine. It measured 9.5cm wide x 5.7cm deep x 2.9cm high (3 3/4 in x 2 1/4 in x 1 1/8 in).

Mined in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, the gem was cut from a rough stone that weighed 6,500 carats (2.86 pounds). The rough stone had been shipped to Amsterdam, where cutter Gustav Reitbauer successfully produced two world-class gems — the one given to the First Lady, and a second, at 865 carats, that was sold to Jagatjit Singh, the Maharaja of Kapurthala (India).

The First Lady’s gift was presented in an Art Deco wood veneer box, which was custom made by jeweler Casa Oscar Machado. Even today, the gem remains in its original presentation box, which is lined with white satin and velvet.

Like many famous gemstones, Eleanor Roosevelt’s aquamarine was the subject of intrigue and controversy. In 1947, two years after FDR’s death, syndicated columnist and radio personality Drew Pearson accused the former First Lady of trying to sell the aquamarine. Apparently, the columnist had been tipped off that she had attempted to discover the gem’s value. The controversy went away quietly after she donated the gem to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library.

She gave the aquamarine a shout-out in her 1949 autobiography This I Remember: “I think it does interest people and perhaps does serve a good purpose by symbolizing the kindness and generosity of Brazilian feeling toward our country.”

The former First Lady passed away in 1962 at the age of 78.

Aquamarine is the sea-blue variety of the mineral beryl, whose family members include emerald (intense green) and morganite (pink to orange-pink). Aquamarines can range in color from light blue to pure blue to shades of greenish-blue. The variations in blue color are dependent on trace amounts of iron in the gemstone’s chemical composition.

Aquamarines are mined in many countries, including Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, Mozambique and the U.S., but most of the finest-quality gemstones still come from Brazil.

Credits: All images courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library Digital Archives [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Jewelers Mutual to Give Away Milwaukee Bucks Super Fan Championship Ring

One lucky Milwaukee Bucks fan is going to win a limited-edition Super Fan championship ring hand set with 138 brilliant-cut white diamonds in 10-karat white and yellow gold.

The Super Fan ring, above left, has the same general appearance as the official NBA championship ring, above right, that was awarded to the players and coaches in October of 2021.

That ring, designed by Jason Arasheben, CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills, glistened with more than 400 diamonds and included a push-button system that allowed the players to remove the top of the ring and wear it as a pendant.

Jason of Beverly Hills is also credited with designing the Super Fan ring, which has a limited production of 105 pieces — a number that represents the Bucks' point total in the deciding Game 6 of the championship series against the Phoenix Suns in July of 2021.

The sweepstakes, which is sponsored by Neenah, WI-based Jewelers Mutual Group, is open to Wisconsin residents 18 years of age and older. The Super Fan Championship ring also can be obtained online at the Bucks Pro Shop for $8,995.

The sweepstakes ring includes many of the design elements seen in the team's version. For example, the gold Larry O' Brien Trophy and green Milwaukee Bucks logo are the prominent elements on the face of both rings.

A difference is that the precious metal used for the trophy element of the Super Fan ring is 10-karat yellow gold, while the official team rings used a "signature batch" of 65.3-karat yellow gold, representing the team’s winning percentage during the championship season. The Bucks green logo is rendered in enamel on the Super Fan ring, while the team's version used 4.14 carats of emeralds, representing the 414 Milwaukee area code.

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The side elements of each version are also very similar, except the team version features a more elaborate, diamond-embellished design.

The left side of the team's ring includes the popular rallying cry, “Fear the Deer,” as well as the player’s name, uniform number and the team name, “BUCKS.” On the sweepstakes ring, the winner will get his or her name engraved where the player's name would be. Also, the player's number is replaced by the phrase "Cream City" on the sweepstakes version.

(Milwaukee is known as the Cream City because of the distinctive cream-colored bricks that were manufactured locally from nearby clay deposits, starting in the 19th century.)

The right side of the ring carries the phrase “BUCKS IN 6,” which is the number of games it took the champions to beat the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals. Also noted are the win-loss records for the four playoff series, the city name Milwaukee, the year 2021, the Larry O’Brien Trophy, and the score of the deciding game in the championship series, 105-98.

Wisconsin residents can try their luck at the following sweepstakes page… bucks.com/winaring. Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. (Central Time) on March 29, 2022. In addition to the ring, the winner and a guest will be the subjects of a 60-minute photoshoot in and around Fiserv Forum, the home of the Bucks.

Credits: Super Fan ring photos via jewelersmutual.com and shop.bucks.com. Championship ring photos courtesy of Jason of Beverly Hills.

Music Friday: Buddy Melton's 'A Diamond Took My Place' Tells Story of Forlorn Lover

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you new music with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, bluegrass star Buddy Melton tells the story of a poor boy who proposes to the love of his life, only to find out she loves another, in his brand new release "A Diamond Took My Place."

The protagonist is so distraught that he's prepared to end it all. His plan is to jump off the highest bridge in town, but at the last moment he sacrifices the ring instead.

In the first verse, songwriter Milan Miller describes a treasure hidden under the rocks at the bottom of the river. But then the song takes an unexpected turn and we learn that the treasure is actually a diamond ring purchased by the forlorn lover with six months of hard-earned pay.

He sings, "No, it ain't a natural wonder / 'Cause I put it there myself / Just to serve as a reminder / Of the emptiness that I felt / So each time I cross that river / I say a word of grace / For it makes my body shiver / That a diamond took my place."

Better known as the co-founder of the bluegrass band Balsam Range, Melton explained to bluegrasstoday.com that the release of "A Diamond Took My Place" represents the first in a series of new solo recordings.

"I have been a fan of 'A Diamond Took My Place' since I first heard it several years ago," he said. "I am often lucky enough to hear Milan’s original songs first, and when he sent a demo of this one I knew it was one I wanted to record. It is a clever lyrical song with a fun uptempo groove in a minor key that supports the storyline. I guess you can say it checks a lot of boxes for what I consider to be a great song."

Balsam Range was founded in 2007 in Haywood County, NC. Over the past 15 years, the group has received numerous awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), including multiple trophies for Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year. On an individual level, Melton was named Male Vocalist of the Year by the IBMA in 2014 and 2018.

Please check out the audio track of "A Diamond Took My Place." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"A Diamond Took My Place"
Written by Milan Miller. Performed by Buddy Melton.

Down by the bend of the river
Under the highest bridge in town
Beneath the rocks and the water
A treasure can be found

Ain't no legend to surround it
No tale of better days
Just a heartache for an old poor boy
And six months of hard-earned pay

No, it ain't a natural wonder
'Cause I put it there myself
Just to serve as a reminder
Of the emptiness that I felt

So each time I cross that river
I say a word of grace
For it makes my body shiver
That a diamond took my place

On that fateful night by the meadow
My whole world fell apart
Said she couldn't take the ring that I bought her
For someone had stole her heart

So there I stood on the bridge in my misery
And prepared to take my life
Was no need to carry on with tomorrow
If she would not be my wife

No, it ain't a natural wonder
'Cause I put it there myself
Just to serve as a reminder
Of the emptiness that I felt

So each time I cross that river
I say a word of grace
For it makes my body shiver
That a diamond took my place

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Once a Week, Ordinary Folks Get to Search for One of the World's Rarest Gems

Halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco near the headwaters of the San Benito River, amateur treasure hunters pay $100 per ticket for the thrill of scouring the screening field at the Benitoite Mining Company for one of the world’s rarest gemstones — the beautiful bright blue benitoite.

From 9am to 3pm on Saturdays, the regular mining operations give way to a stream of rockhounds looking for a relaxing day of outdoor family fun — and the possibility of striking it rich. The mining company's website notes that there is a 1 in 20 chance that a visitor will walk away with a stone of value. The ticket price is $50 for kids 12 and under.

Pronounced "ben-ee-toe-ite," the gem was discovered in 1907 by a prospector named James M. Couch, who originally believed be may have discovered a new source of sapphire due to the similar color. In 1909, a sample was sent to mineralogist Dr. George D. Louderback of the University of California, Berkeley, who concluded that blue stone was a previously unknown mineral.

It was named benitoite to honor its connection to the San Benito River in San Benito County, CA. While benitoite occurs in a number of locations globally — such as Montana, Arkansas, Japan and Australia — the Benitoite Mining Company in Coalinga, CA, remains the primary source for gem-quality crystals.

In 1985, benitoite became California's official state gemstone.

The Benitoite Mining Company limits the amount of booty that each prospector may take home. Whatever fits in a quart-size bag can be kept. Larger specimens are priced individually. The actual mine is not open to the public due to safety concerns, but material from the mine is delivered to the screening area, where visitors are provided with digging tools. Reservations are required.

Officially, benitoite is a rare blue barium cyclosilicate found embedded in hydrothermally altered serpentinite. Sometimes referred to as the "blue diamond," benitoite ranges in hue from light transparent to dark blue. Medium-dark stones command the highest prices. The gem scores a 6 - 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. By comparison, sapphire rates a 9 and diamond rates a 10.

Credits: Images by Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Denver Reporter, Good Samaritan Team Up to Save Engagement Ring From Icy Doom

“No! You’re KIDDING ME!” Paulina Morales screamed, as she caught a glimpse of her cherished engagement ring during a Zoom call with Denver-based CBS reporter Spencer Wilson.

The Texas bride-to-be had lost her ring in a Colorado snowbank early in February and feared that it was lost forever. But, thanks to the efforts of the reporter and a Good Samaritan with a metal detector, the ring was saved from an icy doom and shipped back to Texas.

Morales and her fiancé, Deven Maraj, had been vacationing in the historic and scenic ski resort town of Breckenridge when a carefree romp in the snow turned disastrous. Deven playfully tossed Morales into the snow, but when she emerged, the ring was gone. They searched the location for days, but had no luck.

Their story caught the attention of Wilson, who recounted the couple's plight for the viewers of CBS4. The reporter even got into the act by using a blowtorch to try the melt the snow away to find the ring. Still no luck.

"Sadly, we had to go home," Morales told CBS4. The couple offered a $500 reward for the precious jewelry, hoping that there was still a glimmer of hope it would some day be returned.

In stepped Tony Pizzamigalo, a metal detector enthusiast who had seen Wilson's report.

Only a few steps away from where the reporter had used the blowtorch, Pizzamigalo started to get some promising hits on his detector. After one false hit, Pizzamigalo was quickly on the prize.

The hero said that he was going to donate the reward money to the Summit County Rescue Group, which provides search and rescue services to county officials.

With the ring secured, Wilson set up a Zoom call with Morales, who answered while in her car.

At first, Wilson acted as if the ring was still missing, asking Morales if she could describe the engagement ring. When she started to answer, he said, "Does it look like this?" and placed the yellow gold, flower-motif diamond ring squarely in front of the camera.

"I’m crying right now! I've got chills, I've got chills," she exclaimed. "This is such good news."

According to a report on the CBS4 website, Morales and Maraj wanted to extend a huge thank you to all of the people involved in the search, successful or not, and said they can not thank everyone enough for going out of their way to bring back their ring.

Pizzamigalo told the station that he was just happy to be able to find something that would bring them so much joy.

Morales added that Pizzamigalo would be getting an invitation to the wedding.

Credits: Screen captures via denver.cbslocal.com.

Weddings Make Strong Comeback in 2021; Boom Expected for 2022, Says The Knot

The Knot’s 2021 "Real Weddings Study" paints a picture of a wedding industry returning to normalcy after more than a year of COVID-related "minimonies" and micro weddings. The study also predicts a wedding boom for 2022.

The average cost of a wedding in 2021 was $28,000 ($34,000 including the engagement ring), which represents a full recovery to the average recorded in 2019. For comparison, the average cost of a wedding in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, was $19,000.

The engagement ring — at $6,000 — remained the second-highest-priced item on the list of all wedding expenses (the venue was #1).

Engagement ring spending varied broadly by region. The Mid-Atlantic, for example, had the highest average spend, coming in at $7,900. In areas like New England, the Southwest and the Southeast, the average spend was $7,400, $5,500 and $5,300, respectively. The Midwest trailed the other regions, averaging $5,200.

The Knot survey noted that the average cost of a women's wedding band in 2021 was $1,100, while the average cost of a men's wedding band was $550. White gold remained the most popular wedding band material, while rose gold, yellow gold and sterling silver were also top favorites.

The Knot is also predicting a wedding boom later this year. Barring any unforeseen health disruptions, the US will be celebrating 2.6 million weddings in 2022, far more than the pre-pandemic 2.2 million weddings registered during 2019. About 75% of couples who got engaged in 2021 have already set a date for 2022, according to The Knot, and nearly 65% of those couples are opting to wed in the summer and fall of this year.

For the sixth year in a row, October is anticipated to be the most popular month (17% of all weddings) with October 22, 2022, being the most coveted date. Other popular dates (all Saturdays) are May 21, June 18, October 1 and October 8.

In 2021, New Jersey was the most expensive place to have a ceremony and reception ($47,000), followed by the District of Columbia ($44,000), New York ($42,000) and Rhode Island ($43,000). The least expensive places to host a wedding were Wyoming ($15,800), Idaho ($16,000), Oklahoma ($16,000) and Kansas ($17,000).

The Knot is projecting that the average number of wedding guests in 2022 should grow to 129 (higher than the average of 105 in 2021 and on par with the 2019 average of 131), while the estimated average ceremony/reception spend will remain steady at $27,000.

On the average, couples pay for roughly 48% of their wedding tab, with families typically covering the remainder of the bill (52%).

These were the average costs of key bridal services in 2021: reception venue ($10,700); reception band ($4,300), photographer ($2,500), florist/décor ($2,300), rehearsal dinner ($2,300), videographer ($1,900), wedding dress ($1,800), wedding/event planner ($1,700), reception DJ ($1,400), transportation ($900), wedding cake ($500), invitations ($530), favors ($450), wedding day hair stylist ($130) and makeup artist ($115). Catering averaged $75 per person.

The "Real Weddings Study" is based on responses from more than 15,200 U.S. couples married between January 1 and December 31, 2021.

Credit: Image by BigStockPhoto.com.

Petra Diamonds Invests $289MM to Extend Life of Two Prolific South African Mines

Petra Diamonds announced that it will be investing $289 million to extend the productive lives of its Cullinan and Finsch mines in South Africa. The mines will be turning out high-value rough gems until 2030 and beyond, according to the mining company.

The Cullinan Diamond Mine, which has been operating continuously since 1902, is responsible for producing six of the world’s largest 50 diamonds based on carat weight. These include the The Legacy of the Cullinan Diamond Mine (#45, 424.89 carats, 2019), an unnamed diamond (#39, 460.2 carats, 2009), Cullinan Heritage (#32, 507 carats, 2009), Centenary (#27, 599 carats, 1986), The Golden Jubilee (#15, 755 carats, 1985) and the granddaddy of them all — the Cullinan Diamond (#1, 3,106 carats, 1905).

The Cullinan Diamond was eventually segmented into 105 faceted gems, two of which became part of the British Crown Jewels. These included the Great Star of Africa (Cullinan I) at 530.4 carats and the Second Star of Africa (Cullinan II) at 317.4 carats.

The Cullinan mine is also the world's only significant source of high-quality blue diamonds. Just last week, we wrote about a super-rare 39.34-carat blue rough diamond unearthed in 2021 at Cullinan that has since been transformed into a 15.10-carat, step-cut, fancy vivid blue diamond. That gem is expected to sell for $48 million or more at an upcoming Sotheby's auction.

Opened in 1967, Finsch is South Africa’s second-largest diamond operation by volume and is known for generating a steady supply of 50-plus-carat stones, as well as highly commercial goods of 5-plus-carats.

Petra said that $173 million will be allocated to the Cullinan mine, while $216 million will be earmarked for the Finch mine. Although these investments will extend the life of the mines to 2031 and 2030, respectively, Petra said both mines have the potential to be productive for much longer.

The Cullinan mine in the Gauteng Province of South Africa has a current depth of 880 meters, but Petra projects that high-quality diamonds will be found as deep as 1,073 meters. The mine's life could extend 50 years or more.

The Finsch mine in Northern Cape Province, South Africa, has a current depth of 700 meters, but diamond resources are present as deep as 1,000 meters. Petra projects that the mine's potential life could extend 25-plus years.

Interestingly, the size of the kimberlite pipe at the surface of the Cullinan mine is more than 75% larger than that of the Finsch mine. The Cullinan's surface pipe spans 32 hectares, while the Finsch's pipe spans 18 hectares. A hectare is equivalent to 100 square meters or 2.47 acres.

The Cullinan Diamond Mine was previously called the The Premier Mine, but took on its new moniker in celebration of its 100th anniversary in November of 2003. The mine was established in 1902, but mining operations didn't commence until 1903.

In 2008, Petra led a consortium that acquired the Cullinan diamond mine from De Beers Consolidated Mines.

Credit: Photo of 424.89-carat and 209.2-carat D-color diamonds recovered at Cullinan in March and April of 2019 courtesy of Petra Diamonds.