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Study: Couples Leave Little to Chance When Choosing Engagement Rings

on Nov 06 2019
Couples are leaving very little to chance when it comes to choosing engagement rings, according to The Knot's 2019 Jewelry and Engagement Study, which synthesized the buying habits of more than 21,000 engaged or recently married couples. In the study, 7 of 10 "proposees" admit they were "somewhat involved" in selecting or purchasing their engagement... The post Study: Couples Leave Little to Chance When Choosing Engagement Rings appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Growing Purchasing Power of Women Drives De Beers’ 2019 Marketing Strategy

on Nov 05 2019
The demand for diamond jewelry in the U.S. rose 5% in 2018 to $36 billion, representing slightly less than half of worldwide sales for that category. But, beyond the strong sales gains, new research conducted by De Beers reveals that the demand for diamond jewelry as a gift to mark special occasions — including female... The post Growing Purchasing Power of Women Drives De Beers’ 2019 Marketing Strategy appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Did Neanderthals Share Eagle-Talon Styling With Homo Sapiens 40,000 Years Ago?

on Nov 04 2019
Researchers exploring an ancient cave in Spain have found what they believe is “the last necklace made by the Neanderthals.” The carved eagle talon was dated to 39,000 years ago, which is about the time when Neanderthals crossed paths with Homo sapiens and then became extinct. In the journal Science Advances, researcher Juan Ignacio Morales... The post Did Neanderthals Share Eagle-Talon Styling With Homo Sapiens 40,000 Years Ago? appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Psychic Delivers ‘Topaz’ Hook for B-52s’ Unfinished Song

on Nov 01 2019
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring your awesome tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we honor one of November’s two official birthstones by sharing the little-known backstory of the B-52s’ 1989 release, “Topaz.” Appearing as the ninth track on its blockbuster album, Cosmic Thing, “Topaz” is a... The post Music Friday: Psychic Delivers ‘Topaz’ Hook for B-52s’ Unfinished Song appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Tampa Man Digs Through 10 Tons of Trash to Rescue Wife’s Engagement Ring

on Oct 31 2019
A Tampa man successfully dug through 10 tons of rotting trash to rescue his wife's engagement ring that had been accidentally thrown away and carted off to the city landfill on Monday morning. Sara E. Petro took to Facebook to praise the efforts of her husband, Fadi, and a bunch of helpers from the city's... The post Tampa Man Digs Through 10 Tons of Trash to Rescue Wife’s Engagement Ring appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Newest Tournament of Roses Queen Wears Crown Adorned With 600 Akoya Pearls

on Oct 30 2019
When the newly crowned Rose Queen, Camille Kennedy, leads the 131st edition of the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, Calif., she will be wearing a special headpiece adorned with 600 Japanese Akoya cultured pearls, 10 Australian South Sea cultured pearls and six carats of diamonds. Designed by Mikimoto, the crown... The post Newest Tournament of Roses Queen Wears Crown Adorned With 600 Akoya Pearls appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Arkansas Woman Captures 3.29-Carat ‘Illusive Dream’ at Crater of Diamonds State Park

on Oct 29 2019
After many years of searching, 65-year-old Pat Choate finally captured her "Illusive Dream" last Tuesday at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Ark. The 3.29-carat brandy-colored gem is the third-largest diamond discovered this year at the 37½-acre search field, which is actually the eroded surface of an ancient diamond-bearing kimberlite pipe. Amateur miners... The post Arkansas Woman Captures 3.29-Carat ‘Illusive Dream’ at Crater of Diamonds State Park appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Smithsonian Adds 55-Carat ‘Kimberley Diamond’ to the National Gem Collection

on Oct 28 2019
The 55.08-carat, champagne-colored "Kimberley Diamond" is the newest member of the National Gem Collection. The emerald-cut gem was donated to the Smithsonian by philanthropist Bruce Stuart and went on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., this past Friday. The Kimberley Diamond has been a rock star throughout its history. The... The post Smithsonian Adds 55-Carat ‘Kimberley Diamond’ to the National Gem Collection appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Dean Martin Has a Band of Gold, But No ‘Wedding Bells’ in His Future

on Oct 25 2019
Welcome to Music Friday when we like to bring you throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, crooner Dean Martin sings about a little band of gold in his cover of “Wedding Bells,” a song first made famous by country legend Hank Williams exactly 70 years ago. In... The post Music Friday: Dean Martin Has a Band of Gold, But No ‘Wedding Bells’ in His Future appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Emblazoned With 650 Diamonds, Raptors’ NBA Championship Rings Are the Largest Ever

on Oct 24 2019
The Toronto Raptors celebrated their first-ever NBA championship Tuesday night with gigantic 14-karat yellow gold rings emblazoned with 650 diamonds weighing 14 carats. The number of diamonds and the total carat weight are records for a championship ring in any sport. The ring also set a new record for the largest single diamond in any... The post Emblazoned With 650 Diamonds, Raptors’ NBA Championship Rings Are the Largest Ever appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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GIA Commits $1.3 Million to Extend Reach of Artisanal Mining Education Project

on Oct 23 2019
Building on the success of a pilot project that gave small-scale miners in Tanzania new tools to evaluate the quality of rough gemstones, the GIA is committing $1.3 million to extend the program into Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zambia. Artisanal miners are provided with an innovative guide that illustrates how to examine and evaluate rough... The post GIA Commits $1.3 Million to Extend Reach of Artisanal Mining Education Project appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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8,000-Year-Old ‘Abu Dhabi Pearl’ to Make World Debut at UAE’s Louvre Outpost

on Oct 22 2019
The 8,000-year-old "Abu Dhabi Pearl" will be making its world debut on October 30 at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the new UAE outpost of the famous Paris museum. The natural pearl — which is said to be the world's oldest — will headline a special exhibition called “10,000 Years of Luxury.” The iridescent gem was... The post 8,000-Year-Old ‘Abu Dhabi Pearl’ to Make World Debut at UAE’s Louvre Outpost appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Bridal Jewelry Stored Away for 60 Years Finally Adorns College Sweetheart’s Finger

on Oct 21 2019
Eighty-seven-year-old Aussie Tom Susans finally got to marry his college sweetheart last weekend with bridal jewelry he had stored away for the past 60 years. Susans and Judith Beston met at a teacher's training college in Brisbane, Australia, in 1957 and agreed to tie to knot two years later when Susans graduated and landed a... The post Bridal Jewelry Stored Away for 60 Years Finally Adorns College Sweetheart’s Finger appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Dion’s ‘Prima Donna’ Wears Charms, Diamonds and Pearls Galore

on Oct 18 2019
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring nostalgic tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Dion’s 1963 hit, “Donna the Prima Donna,” shines the spotlight on a young woman who aspires to be a socialite and has an affection for the finer things in life, including jewelry and gemstones.... The post Music Friday: Dion’s ‘Prima Donna’ Wears Charms, Diamonds and Pearls Galore appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Midas Touch: Britain’s Royal Mint Just Unveiled an 18-Karat Gold Payment Card

on Oct 17 2019
Britain's Royal Mint just took the concept of a "gold card" to a whole new level with the unveiling of the first-ever payment card made from 18-karat gold. Developed in association with Mastercard and Accomplish Financial, the solid gold Raris card offers limitless spending, zero foreign exchange and no transaction fees. It also carries a... The post Midas Touch: Britain’s Royal Mint Just Unveiled an 18-Karat Gold Payment Card appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Why Princess Diana’s Engagement Ring Choice Irked the British Royal Family

on Oct 16 2019
Back in February of 1981, Prince Charles proposed to the 20-year-old Lady Diana with a big blue sapphire-and-diamond ring that the future princess got to pick out herself. According to the editors of Vogue, some members of the British royal family fumed at Diana’s choice — not because it featured an unconventional center stone, but... The post Why Princess Diana’s Engagement Ring Choice Irked the British Royal Family appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Birthstone Feature: Black Opals From Lightning Ridge Are the World’s Finest

on Oct 15 2019
Lightning Ridge, a small outback town in New South Wales, is the only place in Australia, and one of the few places in the world, where the highly prized black opal is found. Opals with a vivid play-of-color and a black or dark body color are classified as black opals. The beautiful 26.9-carat specimen, above,... The post Birthstone Feature: Black Opals From Lightning Ridge Are the World’s Finest appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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St. Louis Blues’ Stanley Cup Rings Sparkle With 282 Diamonds, 51 Sapphires

on Oct 14 2019
Sparkling with 282 diamonds and 51 sapphires, the St. Louis Blues’ first-ever Stanley Cup rings pay tribute to the strong bond between the players and their dedicated fans. The impressive 14-karat white and yellow gold rings — which boast a total gem weight of 10.6 carats — were recently presented to the players, coaches and... The post St. Louis Blues’ Stanley Cup Rings Sparkle With 282 Diamonds, 51 Sapphires appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Mario’s New Love Deserves a Fistful of Diamonds, Handful of Rings

on Oct 11 2019
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you hit songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Mario tells his new love interest why she deserves a fistful of diamonds and a handful of rings in his 2004 blockbuster hit, “Let Me Love You.” Written by Ne-Yo, Kameron Houff and... The post Music Friday: Mario’s New Love Deserves a Fistful of Diamonds, Handful of Rings appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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CNBC Documents the Re-Polishing of 5-Carat Pink Diamond, Doubling Its Value

on Oct 10 2019
L.J. West Diamonds recently granted CNBC unprecedented access to its New York City cutting facility to witness the re-polishing of a 5-carat pink diamond — a risky procedure that, if successful, would more than double the stone's value from $3.2 million to $7 million. The father-son team of Larry and Scott West were betting that the... The post CNBC Documents the Re-Polishing of 5-Carat Pink Diamond, Doubling Its Value appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.