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Paralympic Medalist Swimmer Sophia Herzog Has Another Reason to Celebrate

by Howard Cohen on Sep 29 2021

Hot on the heels of her bronze medal performance at Tokyo's Paralympic Games, swimmer Sophia Herzog turned to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to announce her engagement to Para-cyclist boyfriend Nick Gibb. The 24-year-old athlete posted two photos that prominently displayed her engagement ring, which features a round, brilliant-cut diamond set with four prongs upon a... The post Paralympic Medalist Swimmer Sophia Herzog Has Another Reason to Celebrate appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Mastercard Survey: Shoppers Ready to Splurge on Jewelry This Holiday Season

by Howard Cohen on Sep 28 2021

Fueled in part by pent-up demand, pent-up savings and government stimulus, U.S. consumers are heading into the holiday season with the desire and means to purchase luxury items, especially fine jewelry, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse™. Jewelry sales from November 1 to December 24 are projected to rise 59% in 2021 vs. 2020. And when comparing... The post Mastercard Survey: Shoppers Ready to Splurge on Jewelry This Holiday Season appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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150,000-Year-Old Jewelry Represents Earliest Form of Widespread Human Communication

by Howard Cohen on Sep 27 2021

An international team of archaeologists believe the 33 shell beads recovered from a cave in western Morocco represent the earliest known evidence of a widespread form of nonverbal communication among humans. Measuring about a half-inch across and drilled to be hung on a necklace, the beads made from sea snail shells have been dated at 142,000... The post 150,000-Year-Old Jewelry Represents Earliest Form of Widespread Human Communication appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: ‘It’s Like Finding Out Your Diamond Is From Her Old Promise Ring’

by Howard Cohen on Sep 24 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today we feature The Band Perry performing “Postcard From Paris,” a song that uses jewelry metaphors to compare a new boyfriend to the one that got away. Frontwoman Kimberly Perry opens the song by... The post Music Friday: ‘It’s Like Finding Out Your Diamond Is From Her Old Promise Ring’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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TV Personality Christina Haack Is Rockin’ a 5-Carat, Radiant-Cut Diamond Engagement Ring

by Howard Cohen on Sep 23 2021

Flip or Flop star Christina Haack is rockin' a 5-carat, radiant-cut diamond engagement ring given to her by Austin-based realtor Joshua Hall during their romantic Mexican getaway. The 38-year-old TV personality announced the engagement to her 1.7 Instagram followers on Monday via a series of romantic photos and a minimalist caption comprising five emojis — a... The post TV Personality Christina Haack Is Rockin’ a 5-Carat, Radiant-Cut Diamond Engagement Ring appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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1,175-Carat Rough Diamond From Botswana’s Karowe Mine Makes Big Apple Debut

by Howard Cohen on Sep 22 2021

The 1,175-carat rough diamond unearthed in June at Botswana's Karowe Mine made its Big Apple debut on Monday as the owners of the stone — mining company Lucara Diamond Corp and manufacturer HB Antwerp — revealed it to the press at the Whitby Hotel in upper midtown Manhattan. Billed as the largest uncut diamond to... The post 1,175-Carat Rough Diamond From Botswana’s Karowe Mine Makes Big Apple Debut appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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NC Man Pops the Question After Pulling Engagement Ring From Fire-Ravaged Home

by Howard Cohen on Sep 21 2021

A devastating fire completely destroyed a North Carolina couple's dream house early this month, reducing all their possessions to a pile of ashes. But, despite the heart-breaking tragedy, the couple would have reason to celebrate. Just a short distance from the smoldering rubble, Sean Matthews went down on one knee and proposed to Kellie Stanley... The post NC Man Pops the Question After Pulling Engagement Ring From Fire-Ravaged Home appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Auction News: 17th Century Spectacles Feature Lenses Carved From Gemstones

by Howard Cohen on Sep 20 2021

Two entirely unique pairs of 17th century spectacles — one with lenses carved from an emerald and the other with lenses carved from a diamond — made their public debuts at Sotheby's New York showroom this past Friday. Believed to have belonged to royals of the Mughal Empire, the eyewear tells the story of royal... The post Auction News: 17th Century Spectacles Feature Lenses Carved From Gemstones appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Everything Petula Clark Touches Turns to Gold in 1966’s ‘Colour My World’

by Howard Cohen on Sep 17 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. In 1966's "Colour My World," Petula Clark sings about how much her life has changed since she's finally found her true love. She sings, "You'll never see a dark cloud hanging round me /... The post Music Friday: Everything Petula Clark Touches Turns to Gold in 1966’s ‘Colour My World’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Gemfields Announces the Publication of ‘Sapphire,’ the Third in the ‘Big Three’ Trilogy

by Howard Cohen on Sep 16 2021

The third, and final, installment in Gemfields' series of coffee-table books dedicated to the "big three" gemstones, is scheduled to be released on October 5. Titled Sapphire: A Celebration of Color, the lavishly illustrated, 328-page book by Joanna Hardy takes the reader on a journey from early trade along the Silk Route to the jewelry... The post Gemfields Announces the Publication of ‘Sapphire,’ the Third in the ‘Big Three’ Trilogy appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Restoration of Old Mansion on Coast of France Nets 239 Gold Coins Dating Back to 1638

by Howard Cohen on Sep 15 2021

Three stonemasons working on the restoration of an old mansion in northwestern France discovered a cache of 239 gold coins dating back to the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV. Minted from 1638 to 1692, the coins will hit the auction block at Ivoire Angers/Deloyes in Angers, France, on September 29. The proceeds, which... The post Restoration of Old Mansion on Coast of France Nets 239 Gold Coins Dating Back to 1638 appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Le Vian Donates Prime Examples of ‘Aquaprase’ to American Museum of Natural History

by Howard Cohen on Sep 14 2021

Back in February of 2016, the Gemological Institute of America identified a brand new variety of chalcedony — a fascinating gem that incorporated the colors of the sky, the sea and the earth. Dubbed “Aquaprase” by Greek gem explorer Yianni Melas, the translucent bluish-green specimens have been compared to the Aegean Sea when viewed from... The post Le Vian Donates Prime Examples of ‘Aquaprase’ to American Museum of Natural History appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Woman Loses Diamond Ring Behind Sink at Hawaiian Hotel and Ends Up With Two

by Howard Cohen on Sep 13 2021

A woman who lost her diamond ring in the bathroom of a Hawaiian Hotel — and ended up with two — said she is determined to locate the rightful owners of the second ring because "their love story doesn’t belong to me.” "If you think this is your ring, don't lose hope," Paula Ribeiro told... The post Woman Loses Diamond Ring Behind Sink at Hawaiian Hotel and Ends Up With Two appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: ‘Sapphire and Faded Jeans’ Star in 2006’s ‘Put Your Records On’

by Howard Cohen on Sep 10 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you sensational songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today we feature Corinne Bailey Rae’s quintessential summer singalong, “Put Your Records On,” a tune that urges the listener to “let your hair down” and references the September birthstone — sapphire. In this song... The post Music Friday: ‘Sapphire and Faded Jeans’ Star in 2006’s ‘Put Your Records On’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Actress Ana de Armas Reprises Her Starring Role in NDC’s Global Ad Campaign

by Howard Cohen on Sep 09 2021

Cuban-Spanish actress Ana de Armas is reprising her starring role in a series of visually striking ads for the Natural Diamond Council. Called “For Moments Like No Other,” the campaign embraces a brilliant, energetic return to adventure, wanderlust, new connections and romance while highlighting the integral role natural diamonds play in how we "Love Life."... The post Actress Ana de Armas Reprises Her Starring Role in NDC’s Global Ad Campaign appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Has There Ever Been Life on Mars? ‘Rochette’ Core Sample Could Hold the Answer

by Howard Cohen on Sep 08 2021

A core sample extracted on Monday from a flat, briefcase-size Mars rock nicknamed “Rochette” could hold the answer to the ever-vexing question of whether there has ever been life on the Red Planet. In February, the unmanned Perseverance rover completed its seven-month, 293 million-mile journey to Mars and landed safely in the Jezero crater, which... The post Has There Ever Been Life on Mars? ‘Rochette’ Core Sample Could Hold the Answer appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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2021 Edition of Miami Hurricanes’ ‘Turnover Chain’ Is Emblazoned With 2,754 Sapphires

by Howard Cohen on Sep 07 2021

The Miami Hurricanes unwrapped the 2021 edition of their famous "turnover chain" during the team's season opener against the #1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. Despite being behind at the time by 27 points, the defensive unit celebrated when Kamren Kinchens forced a fumble during the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. As... The post 2021 Edition of Miami Hurricanes’ ‘Turnover Chain’ Is Emblazoned With 2,754 Sapphires appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Her Face Shines Like ‘Two Sapphires and a Couple of Rows of Pearls’

by Howard Cohen on Sep 03 2021

Welcome to Music Friday when we love to revitalize long-forgotten tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. In Elvis Costello’s “The Element Within Her,” the singer-songwriter-poet uses precious gems to describe a girl who is radiant on the inside and out. He sings, “It’s the element within her / Something... The post Music Friday: Her Face Shines Like ‘Two Sapphires and a Couple of Rows of Pearls’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Australia’s Mothballed Ellendale Mine Could Be Producing Fancy Yellows This Month

by Howard Cohen on Sep 02 2021

Mothballed since 2015, the Ellendale mine in Western Australia's Kimberley region could be producing its famous fancy yellow diamonds as early as this month. Ellendale diamonds possess a signature pure yellow color and are regarded as the highest quality in the world. At one time, Ellendale produced about 50% of the world’s entire supply of... The post Australia’s Mothballed Ellendale Mine Could Be Producing Fancy Yellows This Month appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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‘Star of Bombay’ Sapphire Was Gifted by Douglas Fairbanks to Mary Pickford in the 1920s

by Howard Cohen on Sep 01 2021

About a century ago, the swashbuckling silent film star Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., gifted a 182-carat star sapphire to his equally famous wife, Mary Pickford. The violet-blue sapphire was a prized possession of "America's Sweetheart" until her death in 1979 at the age of 87. Upon her passing, a representative of the Smithsonian was invited by... The post ‘Star of Bombay’ Sapphire Was Gifted by Douglas Fairbanks to Mary Pickford in the 1920s appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.