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North America’s Largest Rough Diamond Makes Final Public Appearance — And We Were There

on Feb 04 2019
The largest rough diamond ever mined in North America — the fancy yellow "552" — made its final public appearance at Phillips auction house in New York City on Sunday. And we were there. Exhibiting a frosty surface and distinctive bi-color transition from intense yellow to nearly white, the 552-carat diamond seemed surreal in its... The post North America’s Largest Rough Diamond Makes Final Public Appearance — And We Were There appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: February’s Birthstone Makes Curious Appearance in Wang Chung’s ‘Dance Hall Days’

on Feb 01 2019
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. In 1984, British band Wang Chung helped define a generation with its international hit “Dance Hall Days.” The song put a New Wave timestamp on a slew of popular movies and is memorable for... The post Music Friday: February’s Birthstone Makes Curious Appearance in Wang Chung’s ‘Dance Hall Days’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Limited-Edition Super Bowl LIII Caps Are Embellished With Rubies and Sapphires

on Jan 31 2019
When the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII this Sunday, at least a handful of fans will be wearing a limited-edition, gemstone-adorned cap that might be worth thousands more than their ticket to the game. Carrying a price tag of $5,300, the New Era x Swarovski 9TWENTY hats feature... The post Limited-Edition Super Bowl LIII Caps Are Embellished With Rubies and Sapphires appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Ice Ice Baby! Frosty Gem Is the 54th 200+ Carat Diamond Discovered at Karowe Mine

on Jan 30 2019
Ice ice baby! No, we're not referring to the 1990 song or the mammoth Arctic blast that's breaking wind-chill records from the Dakotas to Long Island. What's got our attention is this 240-carat frosty white gem-quality diamond that was just unearthed at the red-hot Karowe mine in Botswana, where the mercury topped out at 91 degrees... The post Ice Ice Baby! Frosty Gem Is the 54th 200+ Carat Diamond Discovered at Karowe Mine appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Wow! GIA Gemologist Finds Fossilized Insect Trapped Within Indonesian Opal

on Jan 29 2019
On a trip to Indonesia last year, GIA Graduate Gemologist Brian Berger purchased an unusually striking opal originating from the island of Java. Boasting an exciting “play of color” throughout the stone ranging from pale yellow to dark blue, the gemstone was remarkable on its own. But now it has become a potentially significant scientific... The post Wow! GIA Gemologist Finds Fossilized Insect Trapped Within Indonesian Opal appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: ‘I’d Make You a Chain Out of Diamonds and Pearls,’ Sings Jim Croce

on Jan 25 2019
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, music legend Jim Croce tells his sad and lonely wife how things are going to change in the 1972 classic, “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be A Brighter Day.” He’d love to give her diamonds and... The post Music Friday: ‘I’d Make You a Chain Out of Diamonds and Pearls,’ Sings Jim Croce appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Blue Cabochon Gem Still Shines in 2,000-Year-Old Ring Unearthed at City of David Site

on Jan 24 2019
A blue gemstone ring that was lost in a ritual bath 2,000 years ago was recently unearthed by archaeologists at the City of David National Park in Jerusalem. The site is believed to be the original urban core of the ancient city. The wonderfully preserved, but still unidentified solitaire stone, appears to be an aquamarine,... The post Blue Cabochon Gem Still Shines in 2,000-Year-Old Ring Unearthed at City of David Site appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Canadian High Schooler Discovers Kinder, Gentler Way of Liberating Diamonds From Rock

on Jan 23 2019
A 17-year-old Canadian high school student participating in a research program at the University of Alberta surprised her mentors by discovering a new high-yield, less destructive way of electronically separating diamonds from rock. Using the new SELFRAG lab system, Hamdi Ali learned that pulsing diamond-rich ore with 200,000 volts of electricity effectively destroyed the rock... The post Canadian High Schooler Discovers Kinder, Gentler Way of Liberating Diamonds From Rock appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Tom Brady and the Pats Look to Test Boundaries of How Big a Super Bowl Ring Can Be

on Jan 22 2019
The New England Patriots have their eyes on a sixth Super Bowl ring after beating the Kansas City Chiefs in a thrilling AFC Championship game on Sunday. If quarterback Tom Brady and the favored Pats prevail against the powerful Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta on February 3, you can bet the... The post Tom Brady and the Pats Look to Test Boundaries of How Big a Super Bowl Ring Can Be appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Israel’s ‘Carmel Sapphire’ Contains Inclusions of Newly Recognized Mineral ‘Carmeltazite’

on Jan 21 2019
Israeli mining company Shefa Yamim has identified a remarkable new mineral trapped within the inclusions of the sapphires it recovers near Mount Carmel in northern Israel. The new material was named "carmeltazite" to honor the place of its discovery and its unique mix of chemical components — titanium, aluminum and zirconium (TAZ). Carmeltazite was officially... The post Israel’s ‘Carmel Sapphire’ Contains Inclusions of Newly Recognized Mineral ‘Carmeltazite’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: Anita Baker’s Darlin’ Is ‘Like a Precious Jewel’ in 1988’s ‘Priceless’

on Jan 18 2019
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, seven-time Grammy winner Anita Baker compares her darlin’ to a precious jewel in the dreamy 1988 ballad, “Priceless.” Released as the first track from her blockbuster album, Giving You the Best That I... The post Music Friday: Anita Baker’s Darlin’ Is ‘Like a Precious Jewel’ in 1988’s ‘Priceless’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Emerald Ring That Survived the Sinking of the Titanic Is Featured on BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’

on Jan 17 2019
An emerald engagement ring that survived the fateful final voyage of the Titanic in 1912 made a surprise appearance on BBC's Antiques Roadshow this past Sunday. The ring, which features an emerald center stone flanked by smaller emeralds and diamonds in a platinum setting, was owned by the guest's grandmother, who was newly married and... The post Emerald Ring That Survived the Sinking of the Titanic Is Featured on BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Officer Earns Bowl of Meatballs, High Praise for Finding Crossing Guard’s Engagement Diamond

on Jan 16 2019
An eagle-eyed New Jersey police officer earned a bowl of meatballs and high praise for finding a diamond that had popped out of a crossing guard's engagement ring at a Tenafly intersection. What made the find even more remarkable was that the diamond was mixed in with broken glass, gravel, ice and other reflective debris.... The post Officer Earns Bowl of Meatballs, High Praise for Finding Crossing Guard’s Engagement Diamond appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Lapis Lazuli Found in the Teeth of Medieval Nun Suggests She Was a Manuscript Painter

on Jan 15 2019
Archaeologists studying the skull of a nun who lived in a German monastery nearly 1,000 years ago were initially baffled by the presence of vivid blue flecks embedded in her teeth. Using X-ray spectroscopy, they were finally able to identify the blue pigment as the gemstone lapis lazuli. Why would a nun living in the... The post Lapis Lazuli Found in the Teeth of Medieval Nun Suggests She Was a Manuscript Painter appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Tim Tebow to 2017’s Miss Universe: ‘This Ring Is Internally Flawless… Just Like You’

on Jan 14 2019
Sports star Tim Tebow popped the question to 2017 Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters with a 7.25-carat diamond solitaire ring at his family's farm in Jacksonville, Fla., this past Wednesday. He reportedly got down on one knee and declared, "This ring is internally flawless… just like you." According to People magazine, the 31-year-old former NFL quarterback... The post Tim Tebow to 2017’s Miss Universe: ‘This Ring Is Internally Flawless… Just Like You’ appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Music Friday: ‘Loving You Is Like Finding a Diamond in a Rhinestone World,’ Sings Dallas Smith

on Jan 11 2019
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you new song with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Canadian country music star Dallas Smith finds the girl of his dreams in his brand new release, “Rhinestone World.” In the song, Smith admits that he was “lost on highway, a little dazed... The post Music Friday: ‘Loving You Is Like Finding a Diamond in a Rhinestone World,’ Sings Dallas Smith appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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‘Brides’ Survey: Average Spent on Engagement Ring Surges 56% in 2018 to $7,829

on Jan 10 2019
The amount bridal couples spent on their engagement rings surged nearly 56% in 2018, according to Brides‘ American Wedding Study. The surprising climb — from $5,023 in 2017 to $7,829 in 2018 — may reflect a demand for more ornate setting styles and larger center stones. The engagement ring stats were part of a broad-based... The post ‘Brides’ Survey: Average Spent on Engagement Ring Surges 56% in 2018 to $7,829 appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Michelle Yeoh Flashes Her ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Emerald Ring at the Golden Globes

on Jan 09 2019
The stunning emerald ring that Michelle Yeoh wore in her starring role as Eleanor in the hit movie Crazy Rich Asians made an appearance on the Golden Globes red carpet Sunday, and E!'s Giuliana Rancic was quick to take notice. The ring had generated a buzz this past August when Yeoh revealed it was from... The post Michelle Yeoh Flashes Her ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Emerald Ring at the Golden Globes appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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Not Again! NYPD Rescues Another Engagement Ring From Utility Grate in Midtown

on Jan 08 2019
For the second time in five weeks, the New York City Police Department has rescued a diamond engagement ring from a utility grate near Times Square. The metal grates, which were once famous for consuming spiked heels and small change, are now menacing bridal jewelry at an alarming rate. The NYPD went as far as... The post Not Again! NYPD Rescues Another Engagement Ring From Utility Grate in Midtown appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.

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‘InStyle’ Editor-in-Chief Laura Brown Raises the Bar for Engagement Ring Selfies

on Jan 07 2019
InStyle magazine's editor-in-chief Laura Brown raised the bar for engagement ring selfies last week when she posted to her Instagram page an impeccable close-up shot of her new Art Deco-inspired bling. The ring features a round center diamond surrounded by an unusual asymmetrical array of square and rectangular baguettes. Comedian and writer Brandon Borror-Chappell surprised... The post ‘InStyle’ Editor-in-Chief Laura Brown Raises the Bar for Engagement Ring Selfies appeared first on Diamond Designs | Orange, CT Jewelry Store.