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FBI Recovers Stolen Ruby Slippers; Smithsonian’s Mismatched Pair Finds Its Mates

by Howard Cohen on Sep 06 2018

FBI agents announced Tuesday that they had recovered the pair of Ruby Slippers snatched 13 years ago from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minn. Considered one of the most iconic pieces of Hollywood memorabilia, the Ruby Slippers were made famous by the child star in her role as Dorothy in the 1939 MGM... The post FBI Recovers Stolen Ruby Slippers; Smithsonian’s Mismatched Pair Finds Its Mates appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Prehistoric Amber Lovers Traded the Gem Through a Vast Mediterranean Network, Scientists Claim

by Howard Cohen on Sep 05 2018

An international team of researchers has uncovered archaeological evidence suggesting that precious amber — the golden-colored translucent gemstone formed from fossilized tree resin — was prized by our prehistoric ancestors and traded throughout the Mediterranean region. Researchers used a sophisticated technique known as infrared spectroscopy to analyze amber jewelry and other amber ornaments found at... The post Prehistoric Amber Lovers Traded the Gem Through a Vast Mediterranean Network, Scientists Claim appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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330-Carat ‘Star of Asia’ Sapphire Is a Phenomenal Example of September’s Official Birthstone

by Howard Cohen on Sep 04 2018

Today we shine our spotlight on the 330-carat “Star of Asia,” one of the world’s finest star sapphires and a stunning representation of September’s official birthstone. Originating from the historic Mogok mines of Burma (now Myanmar), the blue-violet sapphire is said to have belonged to India’s Maharajah of Jodhpur and eventually obtained by famed mineral... The post 330-Carat ‘Star of Asia’ Sapphire Is a Phenomenal Example of September’s Official Birthstone appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: ‘Diamonds Are Invincible’ Mega-Mix Celebrates Michael Jackson’s 60th Birthday

by Howard Cohen on Aug 31 2018

Michael Jackson fans from around the world celebrated what would have been the King of Pop's 60th birthday on Wednesday by bopping to a mega-mix of his greatest hits weaved together by super-producer Mark Ronson. In honor of Jackson's "diamond" birthday, the five-minute audio track was titled "Michael Jackson x Mark Ronson: Diamonds Are Invincible."... The post Music Friday: ‘Diamonds Are Invincible’ Mega-Mix Celebrates Michael Jackson’s 60th Birthday appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Smithsonian’s ‘Good as Gold’ Exhibit Explores How Senegalese Women Embrace Concept of ‘Sañse’

by Howard Cohen on Aug 30 2018

Spectacular gold jewelry from the West African nation of Senegal will be the focus of a brand new exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, in Washington, D.C. “Good as Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Women” will explore the history of Senegal’s gold, from past to present, as well as the beauty and complexity of... The post Smithsonian’s ‘Good as Gold’ Exhibit Explores How Senegalese Women Embrace Concept of ‘Sañse’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Deserving Illinois Couple Receives Free Engagement Ring From Jilted Virginian With Big Heart

by Howard Cohen on Aug 29 2018

A Virginia man who had purchased a diamond engagement ring but was jilted before popping the question turned his heartbreak into hope by awarding the ring to a deserving Illinois couple. Steven Crocker was emotionally devastated last year when his girlfriend decided to break off their two-year relationship. "I didn't know what to do with... The post Deserving Illinois Couple Receives Free Engagement Ring From Jilted Virginian With Big Heart appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Immortalize Your Love Story and Name Your Gem at the Online Museum of Diamonds

by Howard Cohen on Aug 28 2018

The online Museum of Diamonds — a website dedicated to showcasing famous gems, such as the Hope, the Regent and the Kohinoor — is encouraging everyday people to share their engagement stories and name their diamonds so they can be immortalized for generations to come. “Every diamond has a story,” noted CEO Jacques Voorhees. “At... The post Immortalize Your Love Story and Name Your Gem at the Online Museum of Diamonds appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Double Proposal Affirms Disneyland Is the Happiest — and Most Romantic — Place on Earth

by Howard Cohen on Aug 27 2018

Jesse Tober and Kasey Donovan starred in their own fairytale last Monday when they popped the question simultaneously in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland in California. The video of the spontaneous double proposal made them Twittersphere sensations and affirmed, once again, that a Disney Park is not only “the happiest place on Earth,”... The post Double Proposal Affirms Disneyland Is the Happiest — and Most Romantic — Place on Earth appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Mick Jagger Sings About a High-Society Girl’s Diamonds in 1965’s ‘Play With Fire’

by Howard Cohen on Aug 24 2018

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you super throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones shine the spotlight on diamonds in their timeless tune, “Play With Fire.” A song that takes a critical look at the lifestyle of Jagger’s high-society girlfriend,... The post Music Friday: Mick Jagger Sings About a High-Society Girl’s Diamonds in 1965’s ‘Play With Fire’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Fine Feathered Friend Assists With Marriage Proposal at Utah’s Hogle Zoo

by Howard Cohen on Aug 23 2018

Utah resident Laura Forsling is one of the few people on the planet who can say that her marriage proposal was delivered by an African raven named Joe. Forsling was enjoying the bird show at the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City last week when the master of ceremonies invited her to participate in a... The post Fine Feathered Friend Assists With Marriage Proposal at Utah’s Hogle Zoo appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Did You Know That Spinel Is an Official Birthstone for the Month of August?

by Howard Cohen on Aug 22 2018

The modern birthstone list has been amended only three times in the past 106 years, so when the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and Jewelers of America (JA) announced in 2016 that spinel would be joining peridot as an official birthstone for the month of August, the news surprised jewelers and gem fans alike. Available... The post Did You Know That Spinel Is an Official Birthstone for the Month of August? appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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12th 100-Plus-Carat Diamond of 2018 Establishes New Record for Letšeng Mine in Lesotho

by Howard Cohen on Aug 21 2018

Back in January, Gem Diamonds announced the discovery of a gem-quality, 910-carat diamond at its Letšeng Mine. The D-color, Type IIa stone — which was later named the Lesotho Legend — was billed as the fifth-largest gem-quality diamond ever recovered. The rough gem sold in March for a whopping $40 million. Since then, Lesotho's Letšeng... The post 12th 100-Plus-Carat Diamond of 2018 Establishes New Record for Letšeng Mine in Lesotho appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday Tribute: Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin ‘Wouldn’t Mind a Little Diamond Ring’

by Howard Cohen on Aug 17 2018

In 1964, a 22-year-old Aretha Franklin declared in a song called “One Room Paradise” that she didn’t need to live in a castle or be showered with diamonds and pearls in order to be happy. A little one-room apartment would be totally fine as long as she could be with the man she loved. But,... The post Music Friday Tribute: Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin ‘Wouldn’t Mind a Little Diamond Ring’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Giddy Rob Gronkowski Dishes About His Brand New Diamond Chain: ‘I Love This Puppy’

by Howard Cohen on Aug 16 2018

Despite being one of the highest-paid players in the NFL, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski says he lives an "easy" and "normal" life. Gronk is famously frugal and claims he has never treated himself to a guilty pleasure — until now. While appearing on the internet show Kneading Dough, the 6' 6" 265-pound... The post Giddy Rob Gronkowski Dishes About His Brand New Diamond Chain: ‘I Love This Puppy’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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San Diego City Workers Help Couple Rescue $30K Diamond Ring From Landfill — in 4 Minutes

by Howard Cohen on Aug 15 2018

San Diego city workers helped a couple rescue an accidentally trashed $30,000 engagement ring from the Miramar Landfill — and the whole operation took just four minutes. Typically, the nasty process of digging through mountains of stinky trash bags in a hazmat suit could take many hours, and there's never a guarantee that the jewelry... The post San Diego City Workers Help Couple Rescue $30K Diamond Ring From Landfill — in 4 Minutes appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Wildfire Reduces His Family’s Home to Rubble, But His Grandma’s Ring Rises From the Ashes

by Howard Cohen on Aug 14 2018

With their family's home reduced to ashes in the aftermath of the deadly Carr wildfire, Jerry Ogle and his dad returned to their property off Iron Mountain Road in Redding, Calif., with the hopes of finding a very special heirloom amidst the devastation. It was Ogle's grandmother's engagement ring — a precious gift given to... The post Wildfire Reduces His Family’s Home to Rubble, But His Grandma’s Ring Rises From the Ashes appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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This Is How Fashionable Jerusalemites Were Accessorizing 2,200 Years Ago

by Howard Cohen on Aug 13 2018

A team of archeologists from Tel Aviv University and the Israel Antiquities Authority unearthed an elaborately worked 2,200-year-old golden earring bearing the likeness of a horned animal. The hoop earring was discovered during excavations just outside Jerusalem's walled Old City and was likely worn by a member of the elite class during a period of... The post This Is How Fashionable Jerusalemites Were Accessorizing 2,200 Years Ago appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Kids of the ‘One Voice’ Choir Inspire Their Peers to ‘Shine Bright Like a Diamond’

by Howard Cohen on Aug 10 2018

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you exceptional songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, the talented members of the One Voice Children’s Choir will dazzle you with their interpretation of Rihanna’s “Diamonds.” Their video at the end of this post has been viewed on YouTube nearly 24... The post Music Friday: Kids of the ‘One Voice’ Choir Inspire Their Peers to ‘Shine Bright Like a Diamond’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Flushed Engagement Ring Saved From ‘The Abyss’ by High-Tech Plumbing Crew in Memphis

by Howard Cohen on Aug 09 2018

A Memphis plumbing crew required a high-tech camera and a little bit of luck to successfully rescue a diamond engagement ring that a bride-to-be accidentally flushed down a second-floor toilet. The ring had traveled 21 feet through the waste line and was just 12 inches from dropping into what plumbers call “The Abyss” when it... The post Flushed Engagement Ring Saved From ‘The Abyss’ by High-Tech Plumbing Crew in Memphis appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Pitcher Joe Kelly Finds Tony La Russa’s World Series Ring in His Glove, Demands $1 Trillion Ransom

by Howard Cohen on Aug 08 2018

Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly said it was one of the “funniest, coolest and randomest” baseball stories he’s ever been part of. It all went down at Boston’s Fenway Park last week, and this is what happened… Tony La Russa, who owns three World Series rings and happened to be wearing one of them during Thursday... The post Pitcher Joe Kelly Finds Tony La Russa’s World Series Ring in His Glove, Demands $1 Trillion Ransom appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.