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‘Modern Family’ Star Eric Stonestreet Pops the Question with Oval-Cut Diamond Ring

by Howard Cohen on Aug 31 2021

Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet recently popped the question to long-time girlfriend and pediatric nurse Lindsay Schweitzer with an oval-cut diamond ring. The two-time Emmy-award-winning comedic actor, who plays Cameron Tucker on the ABC hit series, chronicled the happy news with a series of amusing photos on his Instagram page. His caption read, "She said,... The post ‘Modern Family’ Star Eric Stonestreet Pops the Question with Oval-Cut Diamond Ring appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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New Ad Campaign Spotlights a Natural Diamond’s Positive Impact on Vulnerable Communities

by Howard Cohen on Aug 30 2021

The Natural Diamond Council's new ad campaign titled, "Thank You, By the Way," communicates the massive socioeconomic benefits generated by the diamond mining industry. The campaign targets jewelry consumers, who now more than ever before want to know where their products come from, and the impact their purchases have on the producing countries and local... The post New Ad Campaign Spotlights a Natural Diamond’s Positive Impact on Vulnerable Communities appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Delta Pulls Out All the Stops to Assist Frequent Flyer With Memorable Proposal

by Howard Cohen on Aug 25 2021

It's not easy for sweethearts to maintain a long-distance relationship, especially when they live 800 miles apart. But over the past two years, Brennan and Skyler have maintained their Dallas-to-Atlanta romance via countless hours on Delta flights. While flying solo recently, Brennan came to the realization that he and Skyler were "destined" to be together so... The post Delta Pulls Out All the Stops to Assist Frequent Flyer With Memorable Proposal appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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24.45-Carat Heart-Shaped Diamond Narrowly Misses Record at Summer Sparkle Auction

by Howard Cohen on Aug 24 2021

A 24.45-carat, internally flawless, heart-shaped diamond fetched $2.01 million at Christie's Summer Sparkle sale, narrowly missing the record for the highest-valued jewel ever sold online. Christie's had established that record in June 2020 when a 28.86-carat, D-color, emerald-cut diamond achieved $2.11 million. The heart-shaped stunner, which came into the auction with a pre-sale estimate of... The post 24.45-Carat Heart-Shaped Diamond Narrowly Misses Record at Summer Sparkle Auction appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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A Faceted Poudretteite Is So Rare Few Gemologists Will Ever Encounter One, Says GIA

by Howard Cohen on Aug 23 2021

Today starts an occasional series covering the rarest gems you've probably never heard of. The remarkable 9.41-carat light-pink oval gem seen here is one of the largest — if not the largest — faceted poudretteite in existence, according to the Smithsonian. A faceted poudretteite is so rare, says the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), that... The post A Faceted Poudretteite Is So Rare Few Gemologists Will Ever Encounter One, Says GIA appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: 1955 Hit ‘Band of Gold’ Makes Resurgence 52 Years Later on ‘Mad Men’

by Howard Cohen on Aug 20 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, we shine the spotlight on Don Cherry's 1955 hit, "Band of Gold," which made a resurgence more than 50 years later on the Emmy-award-winning AMC series Mad Men. In the song, Cherry... The post Music Friday: 1955 Hit ‘Band of Gold’ Makes Resurgence 52 Years Later on ‘Mad Men’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Police Dog Trained to Sniff Out Drugs and Weapons Finds Lost Engagement Ring on Beach

by Howard Cohen on Aug 19 2021

Dogo, a police dog with the Keweenaw County Sheriff’s Office, recently showed off his amazing olfactory skills by sniffing out an engagement ring that was lost at a Michigan beach on the shore of Lake Superior. The five-year-old Dutch shepherd is trained to locate hidden drugs and weapons, but is also skilled at detecting human... The post Police Dog Trained to Sniff Out Drugs and Weapons Finds Lost Engagement Ring on Beach appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Mastercard Report: Jewelry Sales in July Jump 54.2% Above Pre-Pandemic Levels

by Howard Cohen on Aug 18 2021

In a startling report, Mastercard singled out "jewelry" as the fastest growing retail sector, with July 2021 sales jumping a whopping 54.2% compared to pre-pandemic July 2019 levels. When comparing July 2021 jewelry sales to those in July 2020, the growth is even more dramatic, with the jewelry sector accelerating 82.6%. In the 2021 vs... The post Mastercard Report: Jewelry Sales in July Jump 54.2% Above Pre-Pandemic Levels appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Hawaii’s Mahana Beach Is Blanketed With Olivine Crystals Eroded From Ancient Volcano

by Howard Cohen on Aug 17 2021

It’s one of the most difficult beaches to access on Hawaii’s Big Island, but certainly worth the extra effort. Because when you get there, you’ll be walking barefoot on a blanket of sparkling green sand that owes its astounding color to olivine crystals eroded from the belly of an ancient volcano and delivered to the... The post Hawaii’s Mahana Beach Is Blanketed With Olivine Crystals Eroded From Ancient Volcano appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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‘Ring Finder’ Reunites 70-Year-Old With Wedding Ring Lost in the Surf at Ocean City

by Howard Cohen on Aug 16 2021

Last Thursday, the wedding ring that Philadelphian Jim McAllister wore continuously since 1974 slipped off his finger in the surf at Ocean City, NJ. McAllister was with his son, Ryan, when a large wave nearly knocked them over. Jim felt the ring falling off his finger, and the water was clear enough for him to... The post ‘Ring Finder’ Reunites 70-Year-Old With Wedding Ring Lost in the Surf at Ocean City appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Beyoncé and P. Diddy Sing About Cruising the World for Pearls in ‘Summertime’

by Howard Cohen on Aug 13 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you feel-good songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, Beyoncé and P. Diddy sing about falling in love and cruising the world for pearls in “Summertime.” In this 2003 collaboration, Beyoncé celebrates that special moment when a woman knows she’s finally found... The post Music Friday: Beyoncé and P. Diddy Sing About Cruising the World for Pearls in ‘Summertime’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Chinese Researchers Develop Super-Hard Glass That Can Actually Scratch a Diamond

by Howard Cohen on Aug 12 2021

As the hardest material known to man, diamond is often used in tools to cut glass. But, research scientists at China's Yanshan University have developed a new type of glass that can actually scratch a diamond. This new high-tech glass — tentatively named AM-III — rated 113 gigapascals (GPa) in the Vickers hardness test, compared... The post Chinese Researchers Develop Super-Hard Glass That Can Actually Scratch a Diamond appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Two Out of Three Consumers Wear Jewelry to Express Their Personality and Mood: Survey

by Howard Cohen on Aug 11 2021

A new study confirms what most of us already know — that jewelry plays an important role in our daily lives. Two out of three respondents said that they wear specific jewelry pieces to express their personality and mood. And exactly 64% of respondents believe that — to some extent — the symbols used in... The post Two Out of Three Consumers Wear Jewelry to Express Their Personality and Mood: Survey appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Grand Island Man Celebrates 80th Birthday With Class Ring He Lost More Than 60 Years Ago

by Howard Cohen on Aug 10 2021

A Grand Island, NE, man celebrated his 80th birthday with a class ring he lost more than 60 years ago — thanks to the "pay it forward" attitude of a North Platte couple that shares a love for metal detecting and making the world a better place. Greg and Crystal Mattke were treasure hunting in... The post Grand Island Man Celebrates 80th Birthday With Class Ring He Lost More Than 60 Years Ago appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Did You Know That the Vibrant Red Spinel Is an Official Birthstone for August?

by Howard Cohen on Aug 09 2021

Back in 2016, the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and Jewelers of America (JA) announced that spinel would be joining peridot and sardonyx as an official birthstone for the month of August. It was only the third update to the modern birthstone list, which was created in 1912 by the American National Retail Jewelers Association,... The post Did You Know That the Vibrant Red Spinel Is an Official Birthstone for August? appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Lisa Lisa Sings About Her ’14-Karat Love’ in 1987’s #1 Hit, ‘Head to Toe’

by Howard Cohen on Aug 06 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam sing about a 14-karat love in their #1 hit from the summer of 1987, “Head to Toe.” Lisa Lisa (born Lisa Velez) uses jewelry metaphors, pop culture references... The post Music Friday: Lisa Lisa Sings About Her ’14-Karat Love’ in 1987’s #1 Hit, ‘Head to Toe’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Back-to-Back: Famous Diamond Mines Yield Two Stones With Combined Weight of 736 Carats

by Howard Cohen on Aug 05 2021

On back-to-back days last week, Lucara Diamonds and Petra Diamonds unveiled gem-quality white diamonds weighing a combined 736.42 carats. On July 29, Lucara announced the recovery of a 393.5-carat Type IIa gem-quality white diamond from its Karowe Diamond Mine in Botswana. Just one day earlier, Petra unveiled a 342.92-carat Type IIa exceptional white diamond discovered... The post Back-to-Back: Famous Diamond Mines Yield Two Stones With Combined Weight of 736 Carats appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Ancient Egyptians Weren’t Far Off When They Celebrated Peridot as the ‘Gem of the Sun’

by Howard Cohen on Aug 04 2021

The Ancient Egyptians mined peridot on the Red Sea island of Zabargad and celebrated the vibrant green stone as the “gem of the sun.” Thousands of years later, modern scientists have proven that August’s official birthstone is truly extraterrestrial, as it has been found embedded within meteorites and scattered across the surface of Mars. While... The post Ancient Egyptians Weren’t Far Off When They Celebrated Peridot as the ‘Gem of the Sun’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Tokyo Olympic Gold Medal Has a Melt Value of $832, But This One From 1936 Fetched $1.46MM

by Howard Cohen on Aug 02 2021

If the gold medals awarded at this summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo were made of pure gold, each would carry a precious metal value of $35,556. Unfortunately for the 339 athletes who will earn the ultimate symbol of athletic achievement at these Games, the gold medals are actually made of 500 grams of silver overlaid... The post Tokyo Olympic Gold Medal Has a Melt Value of $832, But This One From 1936 Fetched $1.46MM appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Lady A Sings, ‘You Shine Like Diamonds’ in 2008’s ‘Love’s Lookin’ Good on You’

by Howard Cohen on Jul 30 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today we have country music trio Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum) singing “Love’s Lookin’ Good on You” from the group's 2008 chart-topping album. The premise of the song is that a woman in love... The post Music Friday: Lady A Sings, ‘You Shine Like Diamonds’ in 2008’s ‘Love’s Lookin’ Good on You’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.