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Maryland Zoo Gives Gem Names to ‘Precious and Rare’ African Penguin Hatchlings

by Howard Cohen on Jan 25 2021

The Maryland Zoo has given gemstone names to the first four chicks from this year’s breeding class of endangered African penguins. On its Twitter page, zoo officials explained that the adorable hatchlings are being named for gems because they are also precious and rare. The zoo posted to its Twitter page individual graphics to represent... The post Maryland Zoo Gives Gem Names to ‘Precious and Rare’ African Penguin Hatchlings appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Huey Lewis Claims ‘The Power of Love’ Is ‘Tougher Than Diamonds’

by Howard Cohen on Jan 22 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today we have Huey Lewis and the News performing “The Power of Love” from the blockbuster film, Back to the Future. In the chart-topping 1985 hit, Lewis claims that the power of love is... The post Music Friday: Huey Lewis Claims ‘The Power of Love’ Is ‘Tougher Than Diamonds’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Survey: Natural Diamond Jewelry Is Most Desired Luxury Item Among Millennials

by Howard Cohen on Jan 21 2021

Millennials rank natural diamond jewelry as the most desirable luxury item, according to survey results just released by the Natural Diamond Council. When offered a list of nine luxury gifts and and asked to consider which they would most want to buy or receive if money were no object, millennials (currently aged 25–39) rated natural... The post Survey: Natural Diamond Jewelry Is Most Desired Luxury Item Among Millennials appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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With Tokyo Games in Jeopardy, Medal Design, Recycling Efforts May Have Been in Vain

by Howard Cohen on Jan 20 2021

With the fate of the rescheduled Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in serious jeopardy due to a surge of coronavirus cases in Japan, there’s a very real possibility that all the work that went into designing the medals and procuring the recycled precious metal to create them may have been in vain. The 2020 Summer Olympics... The post With Tokyo Games in Jeopardy, Medal Design, Recycling Efforts May Have Been in Vain appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Today’s Quiz: Can You Identify All Four English-Language Words That Are Pronounced ‘Keh·ruht’?

by Howard Cohen on Jan 19 2021

Some time long ago, your elementary school teacher introduced you to “homophones,” those fun words — such as so, sew and sow — that sound alike, but have very different meanings. Which brings us to today’s quiz: Can you identify all four words in the English language that are pronounced “keh·ruht”? Here’s a hint: Each... The post Today’s Quiz: Can You Identify All Four English-Language Words That Are Pronounced ‘Keh·ruht’? appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Packers’ Aaron Jones Scores TD and Celebrates by Showing Off Logo Necklace

by Howard Cohen on Jan 18 2021

With the help of 320-pound offensive guard Elgton Jenkins, Green Bay Packers star running back Aaron Jones showed the world a very special piece of jewelry he was wearing under his #33 jersey during his team’s 32-18 thumping of the Los Angeles Rams in Saturday’s divisional-round playoff game. On the very first play of the... The post Packers’ Aaron Jones Scores TD and Celebrates by Showing Off Logo Necklace appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: In ‘Willow,’ Taylor Swift Compares Elusive Lover to a Championship Ring

by Howard Cohen on Jan 15 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great, new songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, Taylor Swift compares an elusive lover to a championship ring in “Willow,” the chart-topping lead single from her 2020 album, Evermore. Written by Swift and Aaron Dessner, “Willow” follows the magical and... The post Music Friday: In ‘Willow,’ Taylor Swift Compares Elusive Lover to a Championship Ring appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Gemfields Forms Long-Term Partnership With Mozambique Wildlife Conservancy

by Howard Cohen on Jan 14 2021

London-based mining company Gemfields has formed a long-term partnership with Mozambique’s Luwire Wildlife Conservancy to preserve Luwire’s biodiversity and assist its local communities. Gemfields and Luwire share common interests in the pristine — and ruby-rich — wilderness of northern Mozambique, just this side of the border from Tanzania. The Luwire Wildife Conservancy is headquartered within... The post Gemfields Forms Long-Term Partnership With Mozambique Wildlife Conservancy appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Perth Mint Releases Year of the Ox Commemorative Coin Inlaid With Australian Opal

by Howard Cohen on Jan 13 2021

The Chinese Year of the Ox officially begins on February 12th, and The Perth Mint is celebrating with the release of a limited-edition silver coin that incorporates this year’s zodiac animal rendered in pure Australian opal. The coin’s reverse incorporates a round black panel inlaid with a mosaic of bluish-green opal. Irregular slices of the... The post Perth Mint Releases Year of the Ox Commemorative Coin Inlaid With Australian Opal appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Here’s the Fun Chinese Explanation for Why Bridal Jewelry Is Worn on the ‘Ring’ Finger

by Howard Cohen on Jan 12 2021

For thousands of years, wedding rings have been worn on the ring finger of the left hand, but do you know the origin of this worldwide tradition? Some give credit to the ancient Romans and Greeks, who believed that the vein in the fourth finger of the left hand (the vena amoris or vein of... The post Here’s the Fun Chinese Explanation for Why Bridal Jewelry Is Worn on the ‘Ring’ Finger appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Former Tennis Star Maria Sharapova Reveals Her Emerald-Cut Diamond Engagement Ring

by Howard Cohen on Jan 11 2021

Former tennis star Maria Sharapova kicked off the new year by finally revealing her stunning, emerald-cut diamond engagement ring from venture capitalist Alexander Gilkes. The couple had announced their engagement in December, but their choice of engagement ring had remained a mystery. The sizable, rectangular-shaped gem seems to be cradled in a bezel setting crafted... The post Former Tennis Star Maria Sharapova Reveals Her Emerald-Cut Diamond Engagement Ring appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Selena Gomez’s Suitors Are Wrapped Around Her Finger Like a ‘Ring’

by Howard Cohen on Jan 08 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, pop star Selena Gomez drives home a message of self-empowerment and self-worth in her Latin-infused 2020 release, “Ring.” In the song, the 28-year-old former Disney Channel actress turns up her nose at insincere... The post Music Friday: Selena Gomez’s Suitors Are Wrapped Around Her Finger Like a ‘Ring’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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New Agreement Signals Karowe Mine Will Be Generating High-Value Diamonds Until 2046

by Howard Cohen on Jan 07 2021

Botswana’s Karowe mine, the only mine in history to have yielded two 1,000-plus-carat diamonds, will be turning out high-value rough gems until 2046 under a renewed licensing agreement between Lucara Diamond Corp. and the Government of Botswana. The 25-year deal will pave the way for the underground expansion of the prolific Karowe mine, which has been... The post New Agreement Signals Karowe Mine Will Be Generating High-Value Diamonds Until 2046 appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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7-Year-Old Finds a Diamond and Inspires the Journalist Who Got It Back

by Howard Cohen on Jan 06 2021

Jessica Amis, an Emmy-winning digital journalist for CBS-affiliate THV11 in Little Rock, recently found herself at the center of a story about a lost diamond, a precocious 7-year-old and the significance of “things” that remind you of stuff you never want to forget. Amis had been enjoying a meal with two co-workers in the outdoor... The post 7-Year-Old Finds a Diamond and Inspires the Journalist Who Got It Back appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Hey, January Babies! Rhodolite Garnet Is the Pink Variety of Your Official Birthstone

by Howard Cohen on Jan 05 2021

Entombed with the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, garnets have been coveted by kings and commoners alike for thousands of years. The fabulous and versatile January birthstone comes in a wide array of natural colors, including deep red, purple, orange, yellow, violet, green, black, brown — and a vibrant raspberry pink. This ultra-feminine pink variety of... The post Hey, January Babies! Rhodolite Garnet Is the Pink Variety of Your Official Birthstone appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Leibish Wins 16 Stones at Penultimate 2020 Pink Argyle Diamonds Tender

by Howard Cohen on Jan 04 2021

Leibish, the New York-based colored diamond specialist, upped its bids this year by 20% to secure 16 of the 62 gems offered by Rio Tinto at the penultimate 2020 Pink Argyle Diamonds Tender. The company’s biggest prize was “The Argyle Sakura Diamond,” a 1.84-carat, pear-shaped fancy vivid purplish-pink stone that had been touted by the... The post Leibish Wins 16 Stones at Penultimate 2020 Pink Argyle Diamonds Tender appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Best for Last: Hope Diamond Is the Final Stop on 2020’s Gem Gallery Virtual Tour

by Howard Cohen on Dec 31 2020

More than 200 million visitors to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, have marveled at the beauty and majesty of the Hope Diamond since jeweler Harry Winston donated it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958. In yesterday’s column, we recounted how and why Winston decided to use the US Postal Service to... The post Best for Last: Hope Diamond Is the Final Stop on 2020’s Gem Gallery Virtual Tour appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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In 1958, Hope Diamond Was Sent From NY to DC Via Registered Mail for $2.44 in Postage

by Howard Cohen on Dec 30 2020

The Hope Diamond may be the most famous gemstone in the world, but when NBC’s Harry Smith recently visited the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, he highlighted the surprising story behind the parcel that ferried the priceless 45.52-carat gem in 1958 from Harry Winston’s New York headquarters to its new home in the US capital. In... The post In 1958, Hope Diamond Was Sent From NY to DC Via Registered Mail for $2.44 in Postage appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Fossicker’s Paradise: Queenslanders Seek Gold Nuggets, Sapphires, Emeralds and Opals

by Howard Cohen on Dec 29 2020

Queensland’s resource minister is encouraging residents to pursue a heart-stopping, Eureka moment in the Australian state’s hotspots known to bear precious metals and gems. All it takes is a AU$8.65 license, a few tools and a lot of luck. “Whether you’re hunting for gold in Charters Towers and Clermont, searching for sapphires around Emerald or... The post Fossicker’s Paradise: Queenslanders Seek Gold Nuggets, Sapphires, Emeralds and Opals appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’ Singalong Is Guaranteed to Bring a Smile to Your Face

by Howard Cohen on Dec 28 2020

Welcome to an unusual edition of Music Monday, as we bend the rules in an unconventional year to present a fabulous video that is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and might even make you cry. (We normally feature music on Fridays, but since Christmas Day came out on a Friday this year... The post Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’ Singalong Is Guaranteed to Bring a Smile to Your Face appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.