Paraiba tourmaline is the most prized variety of October’s birthstone. The vivid teal, turquoise and neon blue stones caused a sensation when they were first discovered in Brazil's tropical, coastal state of Paraiba in 1987.



Worldwide demand sparked a mining frenzy and, within five years, the supply beneath "Paraiba Hill" was largely tapped out.

With the original mine depleted, gem lovers wondered if there would ever be another discovery of Paraiba tourmaline. Well, they didn't have to wait too long. In 2001, new Paraiba-like tourmalines were unearthed far across the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. Curiously, the African gems boasted the same color and chemistry as the South American-sourced originals.



Some gem experts believe that the uncanny connection can be attributed to continental drift, the theory that the Earth's continents have moved over geologic time and that South American and Africa were once connected. Paraiba, on the far eastern tip of Brazil, would have been adjacent to the west coast of Nigeria.

"Thus we may suppose that the radiant copper tourmalines from Nigeria came into being under the same conditions as those from Paraiba, at a time before the ancient continent drifted apart," writes the International Colored Gemstone Association on its Paraiba Tourmaline web page. "Is that the reason why it is so difficult to tell one from the other? This remains one of the great riddles in the fascinating world of gemstones."

Paraiba tourmalines are distinctly different from other varieties of tourmaline because they owe their intense blue color to trace impurities of copper. Others get their color from the presence of iron, manganese, chromium and vanadium. Gem dealers generally refer to copper-infused tourmaline as “Paraiba,” regardless of the origin.

Top-quality Paraiba tourmalines larger than a few carats are extraordinarily rare. The 1.22-carat pear-shaped gem, above, was mined in Paraiba and is now part of the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.

Tourmaline comes in a wide variety of fiery, vibrant hues, such as red, green, yellow, orange, brown, pink and purple. October’s birthstone is even available in bi-color and tri-color versions. The name “tourmaline” is, in fact, derived from the Singhalese words “tura mali,” which mean “stone with mixed colors.”

Tourmalines range from 7 to 7.5 on the Moh’s scale of hardness, which makes them durable enough to be used in any type of jewelry.

Both tourmaline and opal are the official birthstones for the month of October.

Credits: Gem photo by Greg Polley / Smithsonian. Continental drift illustration by SebM123 / CC0.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Lorde channels Hunger Games protagonist Katniss Everdeen in “Yellow Flicker Beat,” a dark jam that’s infused with references to gemstones and precious metals.

In the first verse, Lorde sings, “I’m a princess cut from marble, smoother than a storm / And the scars that mark my body, they’re silver and gold / My blood is a flood of rubies, precious stones / It keeps my veins hot, the fires found a home in me.”

“Yellow Flicker Beat” was released in 2014 as the lead single from the Lorde-curated soundtrack to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1, which starred Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen.

Lorde explained the inspiration behind “Yellow Flicker Beat” in an interview with radio station KROQ’s Kevin and Bean.

“I reread the books, and I just wanted to tap into everything that Katniss is feeling in that film,” she said. “I felt like Katniss was like, ‘OK, I’m taking names. I’m coming for blood. You don’t do these types of things to my friends and family and get away with it.’ I just wanted to make something kind of dark and haunting.”

Just before the song’s release, Lorde teased “Yellow Flicker Beat” on her Instagram by posting this photo of her hand marked with hand-written lyrics from the song.

On her own Tumblr, Lorde wrote at the time, “It’s my attempt at getting inside her head. I hope you like it.”

And a lot of music lovers did. The song was a huge hit for the New Zealand-born performer as it charted in 14 countries, including a #1 placement in her native country, #34 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #21 on the Canadian Hot 100. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards and Best Song at the 20th Critics' Choice Awards.

Lorde's performance video boasts 85.6 million views and the music video featuring clips from the movie has earned 18.6 million views. Kanye West remixed the song for the Hunger Games compilation album.

The 23-year-old singer-songwriter, who was born Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, is clearly enamored with gemstones. In her Grammy Award-winning debut single, “Royals,” she opened with the line, “I’ve never seen a diamond in the flesh.”

The daughter of an award-winning poet, Lorde, endured the names "Dusty" and "Casper" as a child because of her light complexion.

She got her big break as a 12-year-old when Universal Music NZ executive Scott Maclachlan saw a video of her performing at an intermediate school talent show. She signed with the label one year later and reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 as a 16-year-old with her song "Royals." With that feat, she became the youngest solo artist to write and perform a US chart-topper.

Please check out the video of Lorde performing “Yellow Flicker Beat.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along...

"Yellow Flicker Beat"
Written by Ella Yelich-O'Connor‎ and ‎Joel Little. Performed by Lorde.

I'm a princess cut from marble, smoother than a storm
And the scars that mark my body, they're silver and gold
My blood is a flood of rubies, precious stones
It keeps my veins hot, the fire's found a home in me
I move through town, I'm quiet like a fight
And my necklace is of rope, I tie it and untie

And the people talk to me, but nothing ever hits home
People talk to me, and all the voices just burn holes
I'm done with it (ooh)

This is the start of how it all ends
They used to shout my name, now they whisper it
I'm speeding up and this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart
We're at the start, the colors disappear
I never watch the stars, there's so much down here
So I just try to keep up with the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart

I dream all year, but they're not the sweet kinds
And the shivers move down my shoulder blades in double time

And now people talk to me, I'm slipping out of reach now
People talk to me, and all their faces blur
But I got my fingers laced together and I made a little prison
And I'm locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me
I'm done with it (ooh)

This is the start of how it all ends
They used to shout my name, now they whisper it
I'm speeding up and this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart
We're at the start, the colors disappear
I never watch the stars, there's so much down here
So I just try to keep up with the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart

And this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart
And this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat-beat-beat-beat

Credits: Screen capture via YouTube.com. Screen capture via Instagram.com.

 

 

Eighteen months ago, an unnamed Japanese private collector plunked down $13.7 million for a D-flawless, 88.22-carat oval diamond at Sotheby’s Hong Kong. He gifted it to his eldest daughter and named it “Manami Star” in her honor. Yesterday, it was deja vu all over again for the devoted dad, as his winning bid of $15.6 million secured a D-flawless, 102.39-carat oval diamond at Sotheby's Hong Kong. This time, he gifted it to his second daughter and named it "Maiko Star" in her honor.



Yesterday's single-lot auction was considered a landmark event for a number of reasons.

It was the first time a diamond of that importance and value was offered at auction without reserve. Usually, a high-value item would enter an auction with a reserve price, which is the confidential minimum selling price agreed upon between the auction house and the consigner. If the bidding failed to meet the reserve, the piece would be withdrawn from the sale. With no reserve, the top bidder is the winner, no matter what.

“Offering without reserve is really a way to let the market decide what the price is going to be for this diamond,” Quig Bruning, Sotheby’s head of jewelry in New York, told barrons.com in the lead-up to the sale.

Yesterday's auction also represented the first time a 100-plus-carat flawless diamond was sold via a combined online and live auction. Online bidding had started on September 15 and had reached $10.9 million. Yesterday's live sale ran for about 10 minutes with the bids slowly increasing in increments of HK$100,000 ($12,903).

The auction was also significant because this was only the eighth time a D-flawless diamond weighing more than 100 carats had been offered at auction and only the second time an oval-shaped, 100-plus-carat D-flawless diamond had been put on the auction block.

It looks like the Japanese collector got a great deal. Sotheby’s did not publish a presale estimate for the diamond, but based on previous sales of similar stones, some experts were anticipating a winning bid of $30 million.

In 2013, a 118.28-carat, D-flawless, oval diamond fetched $30.8 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.

The 102.39-carat gem was cut by Diacore from a rough diamond weighing 271 carats. That stone was sourced in 2018 at De Beers’ Victor Mine in Ontario, Canada. The exacting process of cutting and polishing the diamond took more than a year, according to Sotheby’s.

Credit: Image courtesy of Sotheby’s.

A previously unrecorded example of an ancient “Ides of March” gold coin commemorating the assassination of Roman dictator Julius Caesar in 44 BC has been confirmed by rare coin authenticators in the United States and the United Kingdom. Only three are known to exist.



One expert described the nickel-sized rarity as “a masterpiece of ancient coinage” and estimated that it could be worth millions.

“It was made in 42 BC, two years after the famous assassination, and is one of the most important and valuable coins of the ancient world,” explained Mark Salzberg, Chairman of the Sarasota, FL-based Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, the company whose experts confirmed the coin's authenticity.



The front of the coin features a portrait of Marcus Junius Brutus, one of Caesar’s assassins, and the other side dramatically depicts two daggers and the marking "EID • MAR." The initials represent the Latin abbreviation for the Ides of March, which corresponds to March 15 on the calendar and is the date Caesar was assassinated.

While nearly 100 Ides of March silver coins are known to still exist, this is only the third example known to be struck in gold. Of the other two, one is in the British Museum on loan from a private collector and the other is in the Deutsche Bundesbank collection.

“There were rumors of a third example, and NGC authenticators were excited when this coin was submitted at our London office and sent for evaluation at our headquarters in Sarasota,” said Salzberg.

The EID • MAR gold coin will be offered at public auction by Roma Numismatics Limited of London on October 29, 2020. According to the auction house, this previously unrecorded coin was closely held in a private European collection for many years.

"The conservative pre-auction estimate is £500,000 ($647,173), but considering the coin’s rarity, artistry and fabled place in history, I would not be surprised if it sold for several million,” predicted Salzberg.

Adding to its appeal, the coin is still in mint condition, according to NGC’s experts, despite its being more than 2,000 years old.

Between the two daggers on the back of the coin is a "pileus" — a cap of liberty traditionally given to Roman slaves when they were freed. The cap’s image was a symbolic statement that Rome was liberated after the assassination of the tyrant dictator.

“It’s a small gold coin with huge historical and collector value," added Salzberg. "It is the undisputed masterpiece of ancient coinage.”

Credits: Images courtesy of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.

There's an unusual nut from Queensland, Australia, that will never find its way into a candy bar or portable protein pack. That's because the Yowah nut is actually a naturally forming concretion — an inedible ironstone nodule that looks very much like a nut. What's even more fascinating about Yowah nuts is that when they're cracked open, a select few have gem-quality opal hidden inside.



Opal is one of two official gemstones for the month of October. The other is tourmaline.

In January of 2011, the extraordinary "Yowah Nut Opal" became a permanent resident of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. A gift of the Richard Ashley Foundation, the specimen was given the nickname the "OMG Opal," because people who saw it for the first time would say, "Oh, my gosh."



“It reminds you that the Earth is a pretty amazing place and we haven’t seen everything yet,” stated Jeffrey E. Post, Ph.D., curator of the National Gem and Mineral Collection, in a video posted to the Official GIA Channel on YouTube. “There’s always a surprise waiting for us in the Earth somewhere and this is just a great example of that kind of a surprise.”

The Yowah Nut Opal officially weighs 29.83 carats, but other "nuts" pulled from Australia's Southern Cross Mine have been as large as 20 centimeters (7.87 inches) wide.



The Yowah Nut Opal displays flashes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. One side of the Yowah Nut has a bluish body color while the other side is more milky in tone. Post explained that the difference in color is attributed to the thickness of each slice.

Rod Griffin, the miner who discovered this opal nut, told the Smithsonian it is the finest he had unearthed to date.

Since opal was first discovered in Australia circa 1850, the country has produced 95% of the world’s supply. Scientists believe that the abundance of opal can be traced to a vast inland sea that once covered a large portion of Australia.

As the sea regressed, a rare episode of acidic weather was taking place, exposing pyrite minerals and releasing sulphuric acid. As the surface of the basin dried further and cracked, silica-rich gel became trapped in the veins of the rock. Over time, the silica solidified to form opals.

An opal’s silica structure contains 3% to 20% water, according to the American Gem Society. The value of a fine opal is based on a number of factors, including brightness, color, pattern, body tone and consistency (how it looks from multiple angles).

While Australia remains the world leader in opal production, the October birthstone is also mined in Mexico, Brazil, Honduras, Ethiopia, the Czech Republic and parts of the U.S., including Nevada and Idaho.

Credits: Photos by Ken Larsen/Smithsonian.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, music legend Van Morrison serves up his 2006 interpretation of "Big Blue Diamonds," a frequently covered song that was first released 70 years ago.



Written by Earl J. "Kit" Carson, "Big Blue Diamonds" tells the story of a young woman who pursues material wealth instead of true love, but then regrets her terrible mistake.

Morrison sings, "Oh, she wanted more than I had money to buy / So she left me sad and lonely I am told / Big diamonds, big blue diamonds / Now she'll trade them / For a love behind the little band of gold."

Country singer Red Perkins introduced the song as a 78 rpm single in 1950. Since then, a cavalcade of performers across many music genres — including country, rhythm and blues, jazz and rock and roll — have put their signatures on the song.

Here's just a partial list of the artists who have covered "Big Blue Diamonds": Tex Ritter (1950); Jimmy Dean and his Texas Wildcats (1955); Jack Lionel (1961); Little Willie John (1962) Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs (1965); Tommy Tate (1966); Little Johnny Taylor (1967); Gene Summers (1971); Arthur Prysock (1971); Mel Street (1972); Ernest Tubb (1972); Jerry Lee Lewis (1974); Willy DeVille (1990); Don Walser (1996); Percy Sledge (2004) and Morrison (2006).

Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1945. His dad worked in a shipyard, but had previously lived in Detroit, where he amassed a huge, and diverse, record collection. Morrison grew up listening to blues, country and gospel. By the time he was 13, the boy was singing and playing the guitar and sax in several bands.

At 22 years old, Morrison became an international star with his timeless hit, "Brown Eyed Girl." That song was followed by a slew of chart-toppers, including 1970's "Moondance" and 1971's "Tupelo Honey."

Over the years, Morrison has been called one of the prolific recording artists and hardest working live performers of his era. The 75-year-old has been touring regularly since 1958 and, in 2017, released his 37th and 38th studio albums.

He was knighted in 2016 to honor his services to the music industry and to tourism in Northern Ireland. The six-time Grammy winner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Please check out the audio track of Morrison performing "Big Blue Diamonds." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Big Blue Diamonds"
Written by Earl J. "Kit" Carson. Performed by Van Morrison.

Blue diamonds, big blue diamonds on her finger
Instead of a little band of gold
Big diamonds, big blue diamonds tell the story
Of the love that no one man could hold

Oh, she wanted more than I had money to buy
So she left me sad and lonely I am told
Big diamonds, big blue diamonds
Now she'll trade them
For a love behind the little band of gold

Blue diamonds, big blue diamonds how they sparkle
But what can they do to warm your heart and soul?
When you're lonely in the moonlight and you want lovin'
Big blue diamonds don't they seem so reckless and bold

I'd gladly do my part, to mend a broken heart
But a love that's warmed over soon grows cold
Big diamonds, big blue diamonds
I don't want them, no
I just want a love behind the little band of gold


Credit: Image by Jarvin / CC BY-SA.

University of Alabama staffer Victoria Giattina defied all odds last week by locating a missing diamond in the cavernous confines of the 101,800-seat Bryant–Denny Stadium. Even more amazing is the fact that the assistant director of event management and external operations completed her impossible assignment in less than 30 minutes.



The drama unfolded after last week's contest between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Texas A&M. While the unnamed fan was celebrating her favorite team's 52-24 victory, her engagement diamond had come dislodged from its setting.

It wasn't until she arrived home that she realized the diamond was gone. She searched her house and her car with no success. Her next strategy was to call the University of Alabama GameDay number to report the loss.

On Monday morning, UA GameDay staffers contacted Red Leonard, the University of Alabama's assistant athletics director, event management. He, in turn, called Giattina at 7 a.m. with the assignment of checking the section where the woman had been seated.



It turns out that the fan had been in Section U4 NN, Row 29. In Bryant–Denny Stadium, that seat assignment put her one row from the very top of the seventh-largest college stadium in the US. (The largest is Ann Arbor's Michigan Stadium with a capacity of 107,601.)



“It was pretty high up there,” Giattina told AL.com. “I just started from Row 1 of that section, and I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to do what I hope someone would do for me. I know that’s so valuable. I just started looking row by row, and I was huffing and puffing up there. Once I got to (row) 29, I didn’t see it.”

Giattina was about to give up the search when she remembered what her boss had told her — “Be sure to look behind (the seat) in case she was cheering.”



”I got to the top row, and I looked down. I couldn’t believe it. It was just lying there,” she told AL.com.

High at the top of the stadium Giattina took photos of her discovery, which she forwarded to Leonard.

“I was like, ‘You are never going to believe this. I found it,’” Giattina said.

The photo was then tweeted by Jeff Purinton, the University of Alabama's deputy director of athletics. Purinton wrote, "This was on a message board but not anywhere else so wanted to post. One of our fans lost the diamond from an engagement ring at the @AlabamaFTBL game Sat, called our event management team and @VictoriaLeighG went to the top of Bryant-Denny and found the diamond and returned it!”

It had taken Giattina less than 30 minutes to locate the ring.

Later on Monday, the university's athletic department delivered the exciting news to the diamond's owner.

“They are so excited in having it back,” Giattina told AL.com.

Credits: Diamond images via Twitter/Jeff Purinton. Bryant-Denny Stadium photo by Lahti213 / CC BY-SA. Screen capture of stadium seating chart. 

Highlighted by a 396.30-carat pleochroic kunzite, the “Picasso Kunzite Necklace“ is the next stop on our virtual tour of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. Pleochroism is an optical phenomenon in which a gemstone presents multiple colors when observed at different angles.



The impressive cushion-cut kunzite is set in an 18-karat yellow gold and diamond ribbon motif pendant suspended from a necklace of 30 South Sea baroque pearls. The piece was designed by Paloma Picasso to commemorate Tiffany's 150th anniversary in 1986.

The Picasso Kunzite Necklace was donated to the Smithsonian in 1989 and is currently the featured item in a display that examines pleochroism at the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals.

Normally, Smithsonian visitors would be able to see the multi-color gemstones in person, but while most of the national museums remain temporarily closed in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, we continue to present these virtual tours of the National Gem Collection's most famous items.

Previous stops have included the “Marie Antoinette Earrings,” “Hall Sapphire Necklace,” “Victoria-Transvaal Diamond,” “Carmen Lúcia Ruby,“ “Chalk Emerald,“ “Gifts from Napoleon,“ “Stars and Cat’s Eyes,“ “Logan Sapphire,“ “Dom Pedro“ aquamarine, “Steamboat“ tourmaline and a grouping of enormous topaz.



Here’s how to navigate to the exhibit called “How Many Colors?”

— First, click on this link…

The resulting page will be a gallery called “Geology, Gems & Minerals: Precious Gems 1.”

— Next, click the double-right-arrow eight times to navigate to the gallery called “Geology, Gems & Minerals: Minerals 7.”

When you arrive, you will be face to face with an enormous example of Arkansas Quartz.

– Click and drag the screen 180 degrees to the left so you can see the case directly behind you. On the tallest platform of the corner exhibit is the Picasso Kunzite Necklace. Touch the Plus Sign to zoom in.

(You may touch the “X” to remove the map. This will give you a better view of the jewelry. You may restore the map by clicking the “Second” floor navigation on the top-right of the screen.)

All the crystals and faceted gems on the case share a characteristic called pleochroism. The phenomenon is described with a plaque titled “How Many Colors?“

“LOOK closely,“ commands the sign. “Can you find three colors in the large spodumene crystal below? As it turns, the crystal changes from pink to greenish-brown. Look down the length to see an intense lilac-pink. When a crystal shows different colors in different directions, it is called pleochroic, meaning 'several-colored.' In each direction, the crystal's atomic structure absorbs light differently, creating distinct colors.“

Mined in Afghanistan, the 396.30-carat kunzite owes its color to trace impurities of manganese in its chemical composition. In general, kunzite crystals may appear pale pink, colorless, greenish or intensely pink when viewed from different directions.

A variety of the mineral spodumene, kunzite was first found in Pala, CA, in 1902. It was later named for George F. Kunz, a gemologist who worked for Tiffany & Co. for 53 years, according to the Smithsonian.

The 71-year-old Picasso is the daughter of the famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, who passed away in 1973. Paloma Picasso is best known for her jewelry designs for Tiffany and her signature perfumes.

Credits: Jewelry photo by Chip Clark / Smithsonian. Screen capture via naturalhistory2.si.edu.

"The Spirit of the Rose" — a 14.83-carat fancy vivid purple-pink diamond that's so special it has its own website — is expected to fetch up to $38 million when it hits the auction block at Sotheby's Geneva on November 11.



Sourced in 2017 at Alrosa’s Ebelyakh deposit in Yakutia, Russia, the oval-shaped sparkler was cut from a rough stone that weighed 27.85 carats and remains the largest pink diamond ever mined in Russia. The smooth-surfaced alluvial stone measured 22.47 mm x 15.69 mm x 10.9 mm.



The rough diamond was named “Nijinsky” after the famed Russian ballet dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky. In keeping with the dance theme, Alrosa chose the name “The Spirit of the Rose” for the finished stone to honor the famous 1911 ballet of the same name. In French, it was called “Le Spectre de la Rose,” and its primary dancers were Tamara Karsavina and Nijinsky.

The Gemological Institute of America graded The Spirit of the Rose as internally flawless with excellent polish and very good symmetry. It’s the largest vivid purple-pink diamond ever graded by the GIA. Sotheby's has set the pre-sale estimate at $23 million to $38 million.

If it performs as expected, The Spirit of the Rose will join an elite group of high-profile pink diamonds, including the 59.60-carat “CTF Pink Star” ($71.2 million), the 18.96-carat "Winston Pink Legacy” ($50.3 million), the 14.93-carat “Pink Promise” ($32.4 million), the 15.38-carat “Unique Pink” ($31.5 million) and the 16.08-carat “Sweet Josephine” ($28.5 million).

“A large fancy vivid purple-pink, internally flawless, with perfect visual characteristics such as this one, enters the market, literally, once in a generation,” Eden Rachminov, chairman of the Fancy Color Research Foundation, told diamondworld.net in August 2019 after examining the gem. “The stone has the most desirable pink undertone dispersed perfectly, and looks much bigger in relation to its actual weight.”

“In the world of colored diamonds, pink diamonds are some of the most treasured, especially at larger sizes,” John King, GIA chief quality officer, said in a video that appears on a special website created for The Spirit of the Rose. “It’s unusual to see pink diamonds in the market over one carat today. Weighing more than 14 carats is exceptional. The color is an amazing specimen. Being also internally flawless makes it truly a unique stone.”

The Spirit of the Rose is currently on exhibit in Hong Kong, after which it will head to Singapore and Taipei before returning to Geneva ahead of the November 11 main event.

Already the world’s biggest diamond producer in terms of sheer output, Russian mining company Alrosa is looking to become a major player in the category of gem-quality colored diamonds. Alrosa’s push is coming at a time when Rio Tinto’s Argyle Mine in Western Australia — the world’s primary source for pink, red and blue diamonds — is scheduled to close.

Credits: Images courtesy of Sotheby's.

After a year of upheaval, holiday season 2020 will see a surge in demand for diamond gifts that symbolize hope, love and celebration, according to the Natural Diamond Council's 2020 “Holiday Trend Report.”



Compiled by the NDC's Style Collective, an international team of fashion experts and influencers, the report spotlights four themes that will be driving diamond-jewelry purchases.

They include “The Statement Earring,” “Precious & Personal,” “High-Octane Color” and “Organic & Earthy Engagement and Commitment Rings.”

The NDC has redefined traditional diamond moments by emphasizing how diamonds are not solely the purview of romantic interests or formal occasions. The NDC is promoting a more contemporary approach to the diamond dream, with diamond jewelry being an essential part of meaningful moments, both big and small.

The NDC influencers believe contemporary women want gifts with lasting value and significance, but they also want what’s new, fun and fashionable. The Council has been targeting its advertising to 21- to 45-year-olds with household incomes of $75,000 or more.

The Statement Earring is the season’s style signifier, claims the NDC.

“Everyone needs one statement diamond design in their wardrobe,” the report states. “It should be a feel-good jewel and a power piece, and something that makes you feel totally glamorous and beautiful. This season, that jewel is the diamond statement earring.”

The NDC notes that statement earrings should no longer be reserved for big events. Instead, the diamond earring is a fashionable jewel that can be worn every day.

“A good earring can transform any look – and never more so than in the age of Zoom when the world sees you in a tiny on-screen box,” says NDC influencer Rachel Garrahan, who is the Jewelry and Watch Director at British Vogue.

The theme Precious & Personal is perfectly represented by diamond-studded letters or words in a range of shapes and sizes. Each letter or phrase holds a sentimental quality that makes for highly personalized gifting.

“The sentimental jewels express love, friendship or emotion,” writes the NDC. “The jewelry may symbolize a moment, a memory or a bond. It’s a lasting gift that will never go out of style.”

High-Octane Color adds a youthful, whimsical element to traditional diamond jewelry. Diamonds set in vibrant enamel and ceramic designs are playful, contemporary and stylish.

“The bright colors and shiny smooth surfaces give the stones a contemporary edge and vibrant new energy,” notes the NDC. “These are diamonds like you have never seen them before.”

“The new colorful styles range from super sophisticated designs with important diamonds to fun and fashionable jewels with smaller stones for a hint of sparkle,“ adds influencer Jill Newman, a contributing editor at Town & Country.

Organic & Earthy Engagement and Commitment Rings are presented as alternatives to classic, white diamond rings. Consisting of rough stones that are understated and unique, these items reveal the natural side of precious diamonds.

“This season’s trends offer something for everyone, but are particularly appealing to young, first-time diamond buyers,” says Jill Newman, NDC’s editor-at-large. “It’s a modern, contemporary mix that we hope will inspire consumers to think outside the box when it comes to diamond jewelry.”

The complete 2020 Holiday Trend Report can be found here…

Credit: Image courtesy of the Natural Diamond Council. Diamond earrings by Boucheron.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Bobbie Gentry's autobiographical "Chickasaw County Child" tells the story of the four-time Grammy winner's unlikely rise to fame despite her hardscrabble upbringing in rural Mississippi.



In the song, Gentry's mom assures the young girl that she's gonna be somebody someday. There's nothing in the world can hold her back because she's got style. The pretty girl radiates confidence and proudly wears her favorite accessory, a faux ruby ring.

Gentry sings, "Sportin' her checkered feedsack dress / A ruby ring from a Cracker Jack box / Shufflin' on down that gravel road / Barefooted and chunkin' rocks."

Later in the song, we learn that her mom's assessment was right on the mark, as the young woman — supplied with a tin can of blackstrap sorghum molasses and a Farmers' Almanac — heads to California to pursue her dreams.

The song opens a window into the life of Gentry, who was actually raised — not by her mother — but by her paternal grandparents in a home without electricity or plumbing. Gentry's parents were divorced shortly after she was born, and her mom had moved to California. Legend has it that her grandmother traded one of the family's milk cows for a neighbor's piano so the youngster could study music. Later, Gentry lived with her dad in Greenwood, MS, and learned to play the guitar and banjo.

At age 13, Gentry reunited with her mom in California. For a short time, they performed as a duo. Gentry attended UCLA as a philosophy major and supported herself by performing at nightclubs and country clubs. Later, she transferred to the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, where she took classes in composition, music theory and arranging. In 1967, at the age of 25, Gentry recorded a demo of "Ode to Billie Joe," which she took to Capitol Records. The song would top the charts and become an international hit.

Released in 1967 as the third track of Gentry's debut studio album, Ode to Billie Joe, "Chickasaw County Child" became the signature song for the artist who would continue to celebrate her Mississippi heritage.

Trivia: When the album Ode to Billie Joe peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Top LP's chart, the album it displaced for the top position was the Beatles’ iconic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Please check out the audio track of Gentry singing "Chickasaw County Child." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Chickasaw County Child"
Written and performed by Bobbie Gentry.

Just outside of Delta country
Where the bitter weeds growin' wild
Born seven miles outside o' Woodland
Was a Chickasaw County child

An' Poppa done brung us some peppermint candy
Momma fixed a custard pie
Bought her a store-bought doll from Jackson
She's an apple of everyone's eye

Chickasaw County child
Is gonna be okay
Chickasaw County child
You gonna be somebody someday

Sportin' her checkered feedsack dress
A ruby ring from a Cracker Jack box
Shufflin' on down that gravel road
Barefooted and chunkin' rocks

Momma said "Look-a here, Dumplin'
You'll go far 'cause you got style"
Ain't nothin' in this world gonna hold her back
Her pretty Chickasaw County child

Chickasaw County child
Is gonna be okay
Chickasaw County child
You gonna be somebody someday

Leavin' the county a week from Monday
Ain't got much to pack
A tin can of blackstrap sorghum molasses
And a Farmers' Almanac

Momma done made her a brand new dress
Made of blue polka dotted silk
Two postcards from California
An' a gallon of buttermilk

Chickasaw County child
Is gonna be okay
Chickasaw County child
You gonna be somebody someday

You gonna be somebody someday
You gonna be somebody someday
You gonna be somebody someday


Credit: Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Queen Elizabeth II is wearing a spectacular sapphire ensemble in an official portrait released by the Government of Canada. The 94-year-old monarch, who was separately proclaimed the Queen of Canada when she ascended to the British throne in 1953, is bedecked in a famous series of pieces called “The King George VI Victorian Suite.”



Included in the suite is a necklace, earrings, bracelet and tiara. Dangling from her ears and neckline is glittering sapphire jewelry gifted to Elizabeth by her father, King George VI, as a wedding day gift nearly 73 years ago.

The mid-19th century necklace was originally designed with 18 sapphire clusters, framed by round diamonds and spaced by an individually diamond. In 1952, the necklace was shortened by four links.

Seven years later, the Queen took the largest cluster and had it transformed into a hanging pendant, which doubles as a brooch. Each pendant earring highlights a large teardrop-shaped sapphire surrounded by smaller round diamonds. All the gemstones are set in gold.

In the early 1960s, the Queen added a matching sapphire bracelet to the ensemble.



On her head is the "Belgian Sapphire Tiara," which the Queen purchased in 1963. The headpiece, which is sometimes called the “Victorian Sapphire Tiara,” had been refashioned from a 19th century necklace once owned by Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born Princess Louise of Belgium).



In the photo, the Queen's white dress is adorned with two important pieces of Canadian insignia: the Sovereign of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit. The Order of Canada is Canada's highest civilian honor and The Order of Military Merit recognizes distinctive merit and exceptional service displayed by the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Queen is its highest-ranking member.

The new portrait of the Queen will be displayed in government buildings, schools and embassies in tribute to Canada's ties to the Queen through the Commonwealth.

The official photo was taken at Windsor Castle in the UK by photographer Chris Jackson, who proudly shared it on his Instagram account along with this caption: "It was an incredible honor to have the opportunity to photograph HM Queen Elizabeth II on behalf of the Canadian Government for her official Canadian Portrait that has been released today. I’ve been lucky enough to have visited Canada many times now with members of the Royal Family and have the fondest memories of the people I’ve met and the incredible, vast and beautiful country that I’ve been privileged to get to know a small part of over the years."

The Queen broke the record as the longest-reigning British monarch in September 2015. She had ascended to the throne on February 6, 1952, upon her father's death at the age of 56. The Queen received the sapphire suite when she wed Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on November 20, 1947. The Prince turned 99 on June 10.

Credits: Photo of Her Majestic Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, by Chris Jackson/Getty Images, courtesy of the Government of Canada. Official Canadian Portrait 2019 © All Rights Reserved.

Located in North Carolina's Cabarrus County, the Reed Gold Mine is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States. It was 1799 when a young Conrad Reed scooped up an unusual yellow rock near his family's farm at Little Meadow Creek. For three years, the glittery 17-pound oddity served as a doorstop at the Reed house.



Conrad's father, John, finally decided to take the stone to a Fayetteville jeweler in 1802 and learned that his son's find was actually a giant gold nugget. In today's dollars, the stone was worth more than $517,000.

News of Reed's discovery soon led to a rush of gold production on the Reed property, in nearby counties and in other southern states. At its peak, gold mining was second only to farming as the top employer in North Carolina.

Today, the Reed Gold Mine is a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The site is managed by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which offers guided tours of restored underground tunnels that date back to the 1830s. A reconstructed stamp mill — a machine that crushes ore to extract metal from rock — is demonstrated daily. The stamp mill technology dates back to the 1890s.

In addition, visitors get learn how to pan for gold. The last two panning days of the fall season are October 24 and October 31. Tickets may be obtained at the site's gift shop and are sold on a first come, first served basis on the day of the event.

The visitor center features exhibits on gold, the geology of gold, mining technology and equipment. An orientation film describes North Carolina’s gold mining industry, and a library features materials on gold mining and the Reed family genealogy.

According to the mine's website, John Reed had been a Hessian soldier, who left the British army near the conclusion of the Revolutionary War. Reed and his family decided to settle in the lower Piedmont of North Carolina, where they raised corn and wheat. Reed's humble lifestyle would change dramatically with the discovery of gold on his property.

Reed formed a partnership with three local men, who supplied the equipment and manpower to dig for gold in the creek bed near his home. The men mined mainly during the off-season when they were not farming. Before the end of their first year of operation, a slave named Peter had unearthed a 28-pound nugget.

"Placer," or creek, gold mining soon led to underground mining. The locals learned that gold was often present in the veins of white quartz rock. A very wealthy John Reed passed away in 1845 at the age of 88. The last underground mining at Reed's property took place in 1912.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the historic site is operating at 50% occupancy. All visitors are required to wear face coverings and respect social distancing and hand-washing requirements.

Underground mining tours cost $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 5-12 and seniors. Panning enthusiasts will pay $3 per pan. The panning season runs from April 1 to October 31. Hours of operation are 9 a.m to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The Reed Gold Mine is located at 9621 Reed Mine Road, Midland, NC 28107; (704) 721-4653. See the website here.

Credit: Image via North Carolina Historic Sites website.

Bachelorette Clare Crawley sparked engagement rumors when she was spotted by the paparazzi wearing a diamond ring in her hometown of Sacramento, CA, this past week — only days after the airing of the Season 16 premiere.



The intrigue surrounding Crawley's journey to find true love shook the Bachelorette Nation in early August, when a number of celebrity news outlets reported that the 39-year-old, four-time contestant had been smitten by former football player Dale Moss during the first two weeks of shooting. Insiders claimed that she had fallen in love, left the show and had to be replaced by Tayshia Adams.

Shortly after the paparazzi shots surfaced on Monday, Crawley took to her Instagram page to explain to her 660,000 followers that the diamond ring was not an engagement ring, but instead, a symbol of self-love and empowerment.

Alongside an animated selfie, she wrote: "People have noticed I wear this ring on my wedding finger, and have asked why! The truth is because it is a commitment to myself first and foremost, to embody self-love."

She went on to explain that in the past she had found herself in relationships where there was little or no reciprocity.

"And in the end would feel depleted and empty," she wrote. "This is my promise to myself, to make sure I always had enough self-love that no matter what happened, I was committed to loving myself unconditionally, and that is something no man could take away from me. @missdiamondring." She punctuated the post with a red heart emoji.

Earlier in October, Crawley spoke about the same diamond ring during an episode of Bachelor Happy Hour, a Bachelor Nation podcast.

“I wanted to get something for myself that I never have to give back to anybody, that nobody can ever take away from me, that will always be mine and that comes first over anything. So self-love and you know what? I will never ask anything of a man that I can’t get for myself.”

The Bachelorette returned to ABC on Tuesday, October 13, and it was immediately apparent that Crawley was captivated by Moss, a 32-year-old pro athlete-turned model.

“I definitely feel like I just met my husband, I’m shaking,” Crawley said during Episode 1. Not surprisingly, she gave Moss the coveted first impression rose.

She told Us Weekly that her first encounter with Moss was "breathtaking."

Crawley's odyssey continued to play out in last night's episode and viewers came away from it sensing that something big was about to go down.

Credit: Screen capture via Instagram/clarecrawley.

Back in 2007, actor Dan Aykroyd and artist John Alexander developed a unique vodka that was triple filtered through "Herkimer Diamonds." The proprietary process for making Crystal Head vodka used layers of these stones to extract the impurities that conventional filters could not — delivering a clean, ultra-smooth vodka that was intended to be enjoyed chilled and straight up.



(In an interesting side note, Herkimer Diamonds are not diamonds at all. They're actually double-terminated quartz crystals found in Upstate New York.)

Over the years, premium vodka makers, such as Three Sixty Vodka, Diamond Glacier 33 and Carbonadi, have upped the filtration game to include actual diamonds in the process.

In a 1,500-word essay published a few days ago at The Daily Beast, author Wayne Curtis took on the question of whether diamond filtration could actually change the taste of premium vodka or if the concept was just a clever marketing gimmick.

His conclusion was a resounding "Maybe."

The experts at Liquor.com explained that the process of making vodka has many variables, including the ingredients used to make the mash, the purity of the water, the type of still used to make the alcohol and the container in which the end-product is collected. Vodka that is intended to be sipped straight often requires a certain amount of filtration. Some vodkas are filtered again and again, while others are not filtered at all.

Filters can be made from charcoal, metal, micron paper, lava rocks, coconut carbon or any combination thereof.

According to Curtis, the most luxurious vodkas in the world have one thing in common — diamond filtration.



Three Sixty Vodka, for example, is distilled four times, with suspended particles removed from the distillate using diamond dust.

Diamond Glacier 33 combines premium ingredients, such as glacier water, gluten-free corn mash and a diamond filtration process that passes the vodka over the gemstones eight times.

Carbonadi Vodka is made from organic Italian wheat, Alpine water and a filtration process that passes the vodka five times through activated charcoal. The material is then micro-oxygenated and filtered through carbonados, which are porous black diamonds.

Curtis posed the question, "So can diamonds capture some of those impurities and prevent them from going into the bottle?"

Stephen Haggerty, a distinguished research professor of geophysics at Florida International University, told Curtis that the answer is both "Yes" and "No."

“Here’s the thing,” he told Curtis. “If the filtration is carried out prior to distillation, then all of these non-essential alcohol components — all the oily components — would stick to the diamonds.”

The professor also clarified that, for various scientific reasons, diamond filtration wouldn’t be as effective after distillation.

Ricky Miller III, the co-founder and creative director of Carbonadi Vodka, told Curtis that the carbonados in his filtration system pick up and absorb impurities that aren’t caught in a conventional process.

Curtis reported that Miller is working on a portable diamond filtration device that he will be bringing to bars and trade shows. This will give him an opportunity to win over skeptics with before-and-after tastings.

Credits: Crystal Head Vodka bottle by Globefill Inc., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Crystal Head Vodka filtration photo by Dustintitus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Three Sixty Vodka photo by Willibald11, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Diamond Glacier Vodka screen capture via https://33belowspirits.com/. Carbonadi Vodka screen capture via https://houseofcarbonadi.privateclubs.co/.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Pink shows off her style in the 2001 international blockbuster, “Get the Party Started.” In the first verse of her good-time, signature anthem, Pink gives a nod to her fashionable jewelry.



She sings, “I got lots of style, check my gold diamond rings / I can go for miles if you know what I mean / I'm comin' up so you better get this party started.”

Released as the first single from Pink's wildly popular second album called Missundaztood, “Get the Party Started” charted in 24 countries, including an ascent to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #14 on the Canadian chart. The album sold more than 13 million copies and is her most successful to date. In 2019, digital media company About.com (currently dotdash.com) placed "Get the Party Started" #1 on its list of "The Top 100 Best Party Songs of All Time."

Although “Get the Party Started” is considered Pink’s signature song, songwriter Linda Perry revealed in 2019 that she had originally offered the song to Madonna, who turned it down.

Perry also described how the song quickly came together while she was trying out her new Pro Tools recording equipment, which included numerous virtual instruments, sound effects and mixing capabilities.

"'Get the Party Started' was just me figuring out what all this stuff does," Perry told Rolling Stone magazine. "I came up with that beat, laid it down, found all these weird chords and sounds and put in the horns. Then I went back to my guitar for the wah-wahs. I was just having fun."

"I literally came up with the song in 30 minutes," she told Mix magazine in 2019.

Alecia Beth Moore (better known as Pink) was born in Doylestown, PA, in 1979. Originally a member of the girl group Choice, Pink launched her solo career in 2000 with the single, “There You Go.” The rest is history, as she has gone on to become one of the most successful and influential artists of her generation.

"When Alecia Moore debuted in 2000, pop was dominated by long-locked blonds like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson,” wrote Glamour Magazine. “Pink changed the game."

Pink has earned three Grammy Awards, seven MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards and one Emmy Award. She has sold more than 90 million records worldwide.

We invite you to put on your dancing shoes and rock out with Pink as she sings “Get the Party Started.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along. And, yes, this is the family-friendly version of the song…

"Get The Party Started"
Written by Linda Perry. Performed by Pink.

I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started

Get this party started on a Saturday night
Everybody's waiting for me to arrive
Sendin' out the message to all of my friends
We'll be looking flashy in my Mercedes Benz
I got lots of style, check my gold diamond rings
I can go for miles if you know what I mean
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started

Pumping up the volume, breaking down to the beat
Cruisin' through the west side
We'll be checkin' the scene
Boulevard is freakin' as I'm comin' up fast
I'll be burnin' rubber, you'll be kissin' my ends
Pull up to the bumper, get out of the car
License plate says Stunner #1 Superstar

I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
Get this party started

Making my connection as I enter the room
Everybody's chilling as I set up the groove
Pumpin' up the volume with this brand new beat
Everybody's dancing and they're dancing for me
I'm your operator, you can call anytime
I'll be your connection to the party line

I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
Get this party started
Get this party started right now
Get this party started
Get this party started
Get this party started right now


Credits: Image by Andemaya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The men and women of the New York City Fire Department are known for their harrowing rescues, world-class heroics and bravery. This time, instead of saving New Yorkers from a burning building, the firefighters were tasked with pulling a pair of precious rings from the darkness of a dirty utility grate.



Sue Durham had stowed her bridal jewelry in her handbag as she headed to the subway. But when she reached into the bag for her MetroCard, the engagement ring and wedding band got jostled from the compartment and went tumbling into the 9th Avenue grate in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.

A panicked Durham immediately called Channel 7 Eyewitness News, who summoned the fire department. The TV station has a long-standing reputation for helping New Yorkers in need.



After surveying the situation, a team of seven firefighters concocted a “fishing” device using a ball of sticky tape dangling from a rope to “catch” the two rings. A small crowd that had gathered at the site clapped when the rings were recovered and returned to Durham.



"I said, 'Let me call Channel 7,'” Durham explained. “And thank God, I got my rings back. I got my rings back."



In this space, we have previously reported on similar incidents regarding lost jewelry in NYC – such as the tourist couple whose romantic engagement went awry when, during the proposal, the man dropped the engagement ring down a subway grate in Times Square. Why was he proposing on a subway grate? Sometimes love makes you do strange things. There was a happy ending – the couple reunited on the Ellen show with the policeman who recovered their ring.

Back in January of 2019, after a spate these incidents, the NYPD went as far as to send out this tongue-in-cheek public service announcement via its Twitter page: “PSA: Attention all newly engaged! Please avoid sewer grates at all cost! Thank you.”

With her two precious rings safely back on her finger, Durham cried tears of joy.

"You guys are going to get the biggest gift basket I can get," she promised.

Credits: Screen captures via abc7ny.com.

By the slimmest of margins, the 7,801-diamond “Divine” ring recently captured a Guinness World Record for the most diamonds set in a single ring, overtaking the 7,777-diamond “Lotus Temple Ring,” which held the honor for 14 months.



Officially called "The Divine - 7801 Brahma Vajra Kamalam," the ring conceived by India-based jeweler Kotti Srikanth was inspired by the rare Brahma Kamalam flower, which is native to the Himalayas.

"In India we have a tradition of respecting our Gods with garlands of flowers, and individual flowers are used as an offering," noted Srikanth. "The flowers signify the essence of purity."



As seen with the previous record holder, the secret to getting that many diamonds onto a single ring is the layering of diamond-encrusted petals. Srikanth's award winner is composed of six layers of petals, the first five of which have eight petals each, and the last with six petals.

Srikanth, who is owner of Hallmark Jewellers in Hyderabad, began the design process in September 2018. What started as a pencil drawing evolved into CAD rendering by the early part of 2019. The computer-aided design helped confirm the exact number of diamonds that would be needed to complete the piece. It also ensured that the final result would surpass the previous record holder. In May 2019, Srikanth and his team started the tedious process of procuring diamonds for the final piece.

"We have had a great learning experience here and it will encourage us to create new jewelry masterpieces in the future," Srikanth said. "Jewelry is my passion. I simply love creating new concepts and converting them into wearable jewelry."



Valued at $4.9 million, the previous record holder was designed by Mumbai-based Lakshikaa Jewels and inspired by the famous Lotus Temple in Delhi. A team of 12 crafters and one jeweler/designer worked 18 months to complete the project.

Credits: Divine Ring and Lotus Temple Ring images courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Back in 2016, Gwen Stefani musically declared her love for boyfriend and country star Blake Shelton by comparing him to a sapphire in her sweetly smitten confessional, “Rare.”



She sang, “You’re a sapphire, you’re a rolling stone / You’re a sparkle in a deep black hole / You’re like moon shine, when the curtains close / You’re my answer, one that no one knows.”

Now four years later, Shelton has returned the sentiment in a big way by popping the question with a head-turning diamond ring. Jewelry-industry experts placed the diamond weight at somewhere between 6 and 10 carats, and the ring's value in the range of $500,000 to $800,000. The white metal is likely platinum, and the stone shape seems to be either round or oval.



On Tuesday, Stefani's 10.6 million Instagram followers were the first to learn about her engagement via a photo showing her and Shelton sharing a kiss. By zooming in, we can see that the diamond is nearly the width of her finger.

Punctuated by two emojis — a diamond ring and praying hands — her caption simply read, "@blakeshelton yes please!" The post already has earned more than 1.3 million likes.

On Shelton's Instagram page, which has a following of four million fans, the 44-year-old posted the exact same photo and added this sweet message, "Hey @gwenstefani thanks for saving my 2020… And the rest of my life.. I love you. I heard a YES!"

Hopefully, the social-media-savvy couple will be following up their announcement with clearer, closeup shots of Stefani's new bridal jewelry.

Stefani, 51, and Shelton, 44, began dating in 2015 while they were judges on NBC’s The Voice. Throughout the next five years, the rumor mill buzzed with news of a pending engagement.

On Tuesday, the couple's followers finally got their wish. According to US Weekly, Shelton asked Stefani's dad for his blessing before popping the question to his daughter. An insider told the magazine that "it meant so much to Gwen that Blake was so traditional about it."

The Voice coaches have yet to announce a wedding date.

Credit: Image via Instagram/gwenstefani.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, British sensation Adele “turns her sorrow into treasured gold” in one of the most popular tunes of all time, the 2010 international mega-hit, “Rolling in the Deep.” The official music video has been viewed more than 1.74 billion times.



In this powerful song about a scorned woman seeking to turn the tables on a lover who has done her wrong, Adele promises revenge. In the end, she knows her anguish will pale in comparison to the torment he’s about to suffer. She takes great pleasure in plunging him into the depths of despair, and this is where our precious metal reference comes into focus.

She sings, “Turn my sorrow into treasured gold / You’ll pay me back in kind and reap just what you’ve sown.”

Not surprisingly, the song was inspired by the real-life breakup of Adele and her then-boyfriend. It’s been reported that Adele co-wrote the song with Paul Epworth in a single afternoon.

“Rolling in the Deep,” which was the lead single from Adele’s breakthrough album 21, quickly became an international sensation. It reached #1 in 12 countries, including the U.S. and Canada. As of 2019, "Rolling in the Deep" has sold 20.6 million copies, making it the best-selling digital single of all-time.

The song won three Grammy Awards in 2012 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Short Form Music Video. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #8 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century."

Born in London in 1988, Adele Laurie Blue Adkins began singing at the age of four and eventually attended the prestigious — and free — BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology.

Four months after graduation, a friend posted a few of Adele's demo songs on Myspace, which led to a meeting with an executive from XL Recordings. She signed a record deal with the company in 2006 at the age of 18.

During her 14-year career, Adele has sold 120 million singles and secured her reputation as one of the most successful recording artists of all time.

Trivia: The mind-boggling viewer count for "Rolling in the Deep" (1.74 billion) fails to crack the list of the Top 30 most-viewed YouTube music videos of all time. The #1 spot is held by "Despacito" with 7.03 billion views. "Baby Shark Dance" is close behind at 7.00 billion views.

We invite you to watch the official music video of Adele's “Rolling in the Deep.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along...

“Rolling in the Deep”
Written by Adele Laurie Blue Adkins and Paul Richard Epworth. Performed by Adele.

There’s a fire starting in my heart,
Reaching a fever pitch and it’s bringing me out the dark.
Finally, I can see you crystal clear,
Go ahead and sell me out and I’ll lay your ship bare,
See how I’ll leave with every piece of you,
Don’t underestimate the things that I will do.

There’s a fire starting in my heart,
Reaching a fever pitch and it’s bringing me out the dark.
The scars of your love remind me of us,
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all.
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless,
I can’t help feeling,

We could have had it all,
(Your gonna wish you, never had met me)
Rolling in the deep,
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside your hand,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Baby, I have no story to be told,
But I’ve heard one on you and I’m gonna make your head burn,
Think of me in the depths of your despair
Making a home down there as mine sure won’t be shared,

The scars of your love remind me of us,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
I can’t help feeling,
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside your hand,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Could have had it all,
Rolling in the deep,
You had my heart inside of your hands,
But you played it with a beating.

Throw your soul through every open door,
Count your blessings to find what you look for.
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold,
You’ll pay me back in kind and reap just what you’ve sown.

(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
We could have had it all,
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all.
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me),
It all, it all, it all.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Could have had it all,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hands,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me

But you played it,
You played it,
You played it,
You played it to the beat.


Credit: Photo by Kristopher Harris from Charlotte, NC, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.