While the Hope Diamond is the most popular exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History, tucked away at the National Postal Museum just a mile away is the post-stamped plain brown mailing wrapper that represents an aspect of the gem's history that's been largely untold and that few people have ever seen.



New York-based luxury jeweler Harry Winston owned the Hope Diamond from 1948 to 1957, and over that time, the gem traveled throughout America as part of Winston's Court of Jewels exhibition. In 1958, Winston donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian and used his surefire way to get it there.



It may seem surprising, but Winston delivered the priceless gem — not by armored vehicle — but by the US Postal Service.

“It’s the safest way to mail gems,” Winston told The Evening Star (Washington, DC) at the time. “I’ve sent gems all over the world that way.”



The registered First-Class postage cost him just $2.44, but he also paid $142.85 for $1 million worth of insurance. The total payment of $145.29 is equivalent to $1,582 today.

This past Friday, we got a chance to see the actual postal wrapper, up close and personal, at the National Postal Museum, which is located across the street from Union Station, just north of the Capitol building.

If you're planning to visit this off-the-path Smithsonian (the Postal Museum attracts just 200,000 visitors a year vs. 4.4 million for the National Museum of Natural History), be sure to ask a Smithsonian staffer to point out where the Harry Winston wrapper is located.



Just inside the gallery, you will see a seven-foot-high case that looks like a travel steamer trunk standing on its end. Built into the side of the trunk are six numbered drawers. If you slide out drawer number 3, you will be a glass pane away from a mailing wrapper plastered with 16 $9.00 postage stamps, one $1.29 stamp, and a "Fragile" marking.



The face of the wrapper includes a Harry Winston Inc. shipping label, and a simple typewritten address (Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.) Hand-written, as if it were an afterthought, is the addressee, Dr. Leonard Carmichael.



In Washington, on November 10, 1958, the package was delivered to the Natural History Museum by local letter carrier James G. Todd. Reporters were on hand to witness Todd plucking the valuable package from his mail satchel and presenting it to Smithsonian's Secretary Carmichael and Smithsonian Curator George Switzer.

In a piece that aired in December 2020, Dan Piazza, Curator of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, told Harry Smith of NBC's Today show, “The National History Museum can have the diamond. I want the box it came in. I kind of think we got the better end of the deal.”

Credits: Hope Diamond mail wrapper and display shots by Bruce Carter/The Jeweler Blog.

A California couple who traveled to picturesque Park City, UT, for a snowy post-engagement photoshoot learned a tough lesson about how fingers can shrink in the cold weather.



The couple's photographer started off the shoot by encouraging Kim Saw, 33, to use snow as a prop in a series of fun shots where she is throwing it in the air or blowing it at the camera. But when the photographer was ready to shoot a closeup of Saw's hand on her new fiancé's chest, she noticed the ring was gone.

“Ten minutes into the shoot, we lose the ring,” Phil Mui, 34, told fox13now. “Hearts are sinking, we’re kinda freaking out a little bit.”

The couple frantically looked for the ring, but came up empty. Passersby assisted, and the couple even enlisted the help of the Park City Ski Patrol, which brought along a metal detector. Still no luck.

At one point, a member of the ski patrol half-joked that the couple should resume the search after the spring thaw.

“We thought it would take only a few minutes to find because we were in such a small area and so many people were helping us look for it, but it ended up taking us two hours,” Mui said.

Yes, after two full hours, just when they were about to give up hope, Mui spotted the diamond ring glistening atop a patch of snow-covered grass.

“As soon as Phil was like, ‘I found it!’ I was like jumping up and down, and I just started crying because I was so excited that we found it,” Zaw said.

Mui was in a kneeling position when he found the ring and remained that way when he spontaneously re-proposed to Saw — to the delight of the nearby helpers and the folks on the ski lift that was passing overhead.

Zaw believes she remembers the exact moment the ring flew off her finger.

"We did a pose where we picked up snow and threw it in the air and then we did another pose where we picked up snow and blew it at the camera at our photographer and I think it was that moment where it was so cold that I shook my hands to kind of just warm up and it fell off," she said.

It is very common for fingers to swell in the summer and shrink in the winter. Scientifically, it has to do with expanding or contracting capillaries.

Many a bride has experienced her engagement ring or wedding band feeling a little snug in the hot weather and then spin freely in the cold. These effects can be compounded if the rings are already a bit tight or loose under normal conditions.

This is why it's so important to have your precious jewelry professionally sized. It's also wise to wear gloves to protect your rings when encountering frigid weather.

Credit: Screen capture via fox13now.com.

In its preliminary holiday season report, Mastercard SpendingPulse singled out “jewelry” as the top-performing gift-giving category.



Overall retail sales during the period from November 1 through December 24 saw a 3.8% increase compared to 2023, with the last five days of the holiday season accounting for 10% of all holiday spending. The actual 3.8% growth blew by Mastercard's early-season forecast of 3.2%, as well as last year's growth rate of 3.1%.



Jewelry sales during the holiday season surged 4.0% compared to 2023, while electronics saw an increase of 3.7% and apparel grew 3.6%.

According to the credit card company, empowered consumers sought value at every turn this year, responding to promotions during the November and Black Friday shopping period, and filling their baskets in the run-up to December 24.

"This holiday season, we saw consumers motivated by deals, and retailers responded with promotions to meet the demand,” said Steve Sadove, senior advisor for Mastercard and former CEO and chairman of Saks Incorporated. “The value-minded consumer showed up to shop at brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce platforms, with retailers managing across both to capture attention throughout the season."

Mastercard also reported that consumer demand for experiences, such as dining out, strengthened during the holiday season, with restaurant spending up 6.3% compared to last year.

“Solid spending during this holiday season underscores the strength we observed from the consumer all year, supported by the healthy labor market and household wealth gains," noted Michelle Meyer, chief economist, Mastercard Economics Institute.

Another key takeaway from the Mastercard report is that consumers are increasingly embracing digital-first shopping, with e-commerce, curbside pick-up and delivery being top-of-mind during this year's festive season. Online retail sales grew 6.7% year-over-year, whereas in-store sales increased 2.9%.

Mastercard SpendingPulse™ reports on US retail sales across all payment types. It measures both in-store and online retail sales and is not adjusted for inflation. The findings are based on aggregate sales activity in the Mastercard payments network.

Credits: Photo by BigStockPhoto.com; Graphic courtesy of Business Wire.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepsen plays the role of a jilted girlfriend who just won't let go in her 2012 release, "Wedding Ring/Guitar String."



In the song, Jepsen tells her ex that if he agrees to come back to her, she's willing to seal the deal with a makeshift wedding ring.

Jepsen sings, "But if you cut a piece of guitar string / I would wear it like it's a wedding ring / Wrapped around my finger / You know what I mean / You play my heart strings."

Written by Jepsen and two collaborators, "Wedding Ring/Guitar String" appeared as the 11th track of Jepsen's second studio album, Kiss.

Jepsen is best known for "Call Me Maybe," the third track on that same album. That song's worldwide success has been partly attributed to the complimentary words of fellow Canadian Justin Bieber, who tweeted that "'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jepsen is possibly the catchiest song I've ever heard lol." Jepsen's hit went on to sell 20 million copies while charting in 34 countries. The song also led to major record deals.

While a guitar string wedding ring is unconventional, it's not unheard of. A quick TikTok search will yield many videos of amateur jewelry makers offering tips on how to best weave guitars strings into a ring. Other commercial companies have guitar strings worked into the motif of alternative-metal wedding bands.

Back in September, Jepsen took to Instagram to reveal to her 2.6 million followers the non-traditional ring marking her engagement to Grammy Award-winning music producer Cole M.G.N. The ring featured a smoky-grey-blue gem — possibly a sapphire or spinel — prong set on a simple yellow gold band.

Born in Mission, British Columbia, in 1985, Jepsen developed a passion for musical theatre while in secondary school and was accepted at the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria, British Columbia.

After graduating, she had a tough time landing a job in theater so she made ends meet as a pastry shop assistant, barista and bartender.

Inspired by Sinead O'Connor's rendition of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U," Jepsen pursued a singing career.

She got her big break after placing third during Season 5 of Canadian Idol. The third-place finish earned her a spot on the Canadian Idol Top 3 concert tour and the rest is history.

Please check out the audio track of Jepsen performing "Wedding Ring/Guitar String." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Wedding Ring/Guitar String"
Written by Carly Rae Jepsen, Tavish Crowe and Josh Ramsay. Performed by Carly Rae Jepsen.

You were here
And then you left
Now there's nobody, nobody

Now they're all
Just second best
There's nobody, nobody

So if you want me
I'll be around
You're a bird on the water
I'm a fish on the ground

Just hold me closer
Oh won't you hold me down tonight

But if you cut a piece of guitar string
I would wear it like it's a wedding ring
Wrapped around my finger
You know what I mean
You play my heart strings

If you cut a piece of guitar string
I would wear it
This is the real thing
Wrapped around my finger
You know what I mean
You play my heart strings

When you're near
I feel the best
I'm somebody, somebody

It's in my pulse
It's in my chest
My whole body, whole body

So if you want me
I'll be around
You're a bird on the water
I'm a fish on the ground

Just hold me closer
Oh won't you hold me down tonight

But if you cut a piece of guitar string
I would wear it like it's a wedding ring
Wrapped around my finger
You know what I mean
You play my heart strings

If you cut a piece of guitar string
I would wear it
This is the real thing
Wrapped around my finger
You know what I mean
You play my heart strings

You're in the country
While I'm in the town
You're a bird in the water
I'm a fish on the ground

And I want to be there
For you tonight
And I hope you hear me
Baby hold on tight
Hold on tight, yeah

If you cut a piece of guitar string
I would wear it like it's a wedding ring
Wrapped around my finger
You know what I mean

If you cut a piece of guitar string
I would wear it like it's a wedding ring
Wrapped around my finger
You know what I mean
You play my heart strings

If you cut a piece of guitar string
I would wear it
This is the real thing
Wrapped around my finger
You know what I mean
You play my heart strings



Credit: Photo by Andy Witchger, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Hailey Bieber turned to her Instagram Stories on Saturday to show off another heartfelt tribute to her four-month-old son, Jack Blues Bieber — a special "toi et moi" ring featuring their two birthstones.



The proud mom added helpful labels to the gems seen nestled in the photo: On the "Jack" side of the ring is an emerald-cut peridot, the birthstone for August. On the "Mama" side is a slightly angled pear-shaped citrine, one of the official birthstones for November.

Traditionally, the “toi et moi” ring symbolizes two souls becoming one and is predominantly used for bridal jewelry. (The French phrase “toi et moi” means “you and me” in English.)

The concept is attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, who, in 1796, was a 26-year-old officer and still eight years removed from the French throne when he presented a “toi et moi” ring to his beloved Josephine on the occasion of their marriage. Josephine's bypass-style ring featured two pear-shaped gemstones, one diamond and one sapphire, set in opposite directions.

Over time, the emperor's concept has been reinvented in a number of ways. For instance, in one variation, the stones aren't the same shape and in another they're not oriented in opposite directions. In Bieber's interpretation, it represents her special bond with baby Jack.

This is not the first time Bieber has embraced mom-themed jewelry.



In an early September post on Instagram, Bieber revealed to her 54 million followers a dimensional, diamond-embellished “MOM” ring on the index finger of her left hand.



On the ring finger of the same hand was her upgraded 18-carat oval-cut diamond engagement ring that she received in late spring. The ring commemorated the renewal of her and Justin Bieber’s wedding vows after five years of marriage, as well as the exciting news that they were expecting their first child.

Her previous engagement ring — with an oval-cut diamond said to weigh between 6 and 10 carats — can be seen on the pinky of her right hand.

Then, in October, the model and cosmetics entrepreneur was photographed wearing a necklace that featured the bubble letters "JBB"— Jack's initials — as well as a gold bracelet with Jack's name spelled out in black text.

Credits: Images via Instagram / haileybieber; Instagram / justinbieber.>

A teenage beluga whale's very human-like reaction to a marriage proposal taking place just outside her tank at the Georgia Aquarium has the internet buzzing. The TikTok video capturing last Wednesday's special moment has earned 6.9 million views, 2.7 million likes and 5,500 comments.



Qinu, a 16-year-old female beluga, at first seemed spellbound by the young couple posing for pics, but the whale's upturned smile turned into an open-mouthed expression of excitement when Gavin Hulberg went down on one knee and proposed to Olivia Walsh with a diamond engagement ring.



In the background audio, a crowd of aquarium onlookers can be heard cheering and applauding the couple. A few seconds later, a trainer comes into frame, gains Qinu's attention through the glass and directs her out of the scene.



Walsh, who has been interning with the beluga training team for the past three months, wrote in a TikTok comment that the aquarium proposal was the most thoughtful way Hulberg could have proposed.

She captioned the video, "The most perfect proposal I could've asked for" and punctuated the phrase with a Holding Back Tears emoji and a pink heart emoji.

According to people.com, Hulberg had reached out to the beluga whale training team at the aquarium to get "something special figured out" to make the proposal memorable.

Katie Lorenz, associate curator of mammals and birds, told people.com that Qinu's reaction at the tank window what not a taught behavior — it was her own.

TikTok commenters — there are 5,500 and counting — had a lot of fun adding clever quips about Qinu and her seeming affection for the newly engaged couple.

Wrote Keesh: "Beluga literally said 'aww.'"

Added Autumn Zhané : "The Beluga has to be a bridesmaid at this point."

Please check out the 38-second TikTok video here...

Credits: Screen captures via TikTok / withlovebyliv.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you festive songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we celebrate the holiday season with a contemporary take on Eartha Kitt’s 1953 classic, "Santa Baby," performed by pop phenomenon Sabrina Carpenter and best-selling country artist Shania Twain.



A song that echoes the sentiments of 1949’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” “Santa Baby” tells the story of girls appealing directly to Santa Claus for some of the finer things in life — a sable coat, a blue convertible, a yacht, a deed to a platinum mine and, finally, “a ring.” Carpenter and Twain claim to have been angels all year, so they don't think they're asking for a lot.

They sing, “Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring / I don’t mean on the phone / Santa cutie, hurry down the chimney tonight.”

The duo performed “Santa Baby” during the Netflix variety special, "A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter," which premiered on December 6.

A blockbuster hit for Kitt in 1953, “Santa Baby” has been covered by dozens of artists over the past 71 years. They include Madonna, Taylor Swift, Natalie Merchant, Kylie Minogue, The Pussycat Dolls, LeAnn Rimes, Faith Evans, Kellie Pickler, Gwen Stefani, Miss Piggy, and even Michael Bublé, who chose to address his benefactor as “Santa Buddy.”

Written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer, “Santa Baby” is reportedly one of the few Christmas hits penned by a woman.

Born in Quakertown, PA, in 1999, Carpenter earned her first acting gig as an 11-year-old on an episode of Law & Order. She gained stardom on the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World (2014–2017), which eventually led to her rapid ascent as a singer, songwriter, actress and style icon. She is currently nominated for six Grammy awards, including Best Album, Best Song, Best New Artist, Best Record, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance.

A native of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, the 59-year-old Eilleen Regina (Shania) Twain is one of the best-selling music artists of all time and the top-selling female artist in country music history. She has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and earned the moniker, the "Queen of Country Pop." She's claimed five Grammy Awards from 18 nominations.

Please check out the video of Carpenter and Twain performing “Santa Baby” during the Netflix special. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Santa Baby”
Written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer. Performed by Sabrina Carpenter and Shania Twain.

Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree for me
Been an awful good girl
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, a '54 convertible too, light blue
I’ll wait up for you, dear
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Think of all the fun I’ve missed
Think of all the fellas that I haven’t kissed
Next year I could be as good
If you’ll check off my Christmas list

Santa baby, I want a yacht and really that’s not a lot
Been an angel all year
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa honey, one little thing I really need, the deed
To a platinum mine
Santa baby, hurry down the chimney tonight

Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany
I really do believe in you
And let’s see if you believe in me

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring
I don’t mean on the phone
Santa baby, hurry down the chimney tonight

Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / LetsGoShania.

The second- and seventh-largest rough diamonds ever recovered finally have official names, according to Lucara Diamond Corp., which sponsored a two-week Legacy National Diamond Naming Competition and received more than 39,000 entries from the citizens of Botswana.



The winning name for the epic 2,488-carat diamond unearthed at its famous Karowe Mine in August 2024 is "Motswedi," which in Setswana, the local language in Botswana, means a flow of underground water that emerges to the surface offering life and vitality.



The 1,094-carat diamond — discovered at the same mine one month later — will be known as "Seriti," which means aura or presence in Setswana and has deep cultural significance related to identity and legacy.

The submitted names were evaluated by a panel of judges based on creativity, originality, Botswana cultural significance, as well as relevance to the diamonds themselves.

The contestant who submitted Motswedi will receive a 100,000 Pula prize ($7,325), and the citizen who came up with Seriti will receive a 50,000 Pula ($3,662) prize. Both winners will enjoy an exclusive tour of the Karowe Mine.

“We are incredibly proud to announce the naming of two extraordinary diamonds recovered from our Karowe Mine in Botswana," commented William Lamb, Lucara’s President and CEO. "[They] represent pivotal moments in Lucara's commitment to discovering and preserving extraordinary geological treasures."

Lamb added that these diamonds are not just geological phenomena. They are a testament to the incredible potential of the Karowe Mine and Lucara's innovative approach to diamond recovery.

"Each stone tells a story millions of years in the making," he said, "and we are humbled to be the custodians of these remarkable gems as they prepare to enter the global market. We look forward to the next stages of their journey, confident that the Motswedi and Seriti will continue to inspire wonder and admiration around the world.”

Of the top nine diamonds ever unearthed, the Karowe Mine has been the source of seven of them.

Sitting at #2, the newly named Motswedi has a rugged silvery-white appearance and weighs in at 17.58 ounces (1.1 pounds). Maintaining the top spot is the 3,106-carat Cullinan, which was found at South Africa’s Premier Mine 2 in 1905.

Currently ranked #7, Seriti was discovered in Karowe’s south lobe, which has historically produced large, high-value diamonds. The stone bears striking similarities to the 692-carat diamond the company unearthed in August 2023. That stone, which ranks #23, was polished by HB Antwerp and yielded diamonds that sold for more than $13 million.

Lucara’s newest treasures remained unscathed during the recovery process thanks to the company’s state-of-the-art Mega Diamond Recovery (“MDR”) X-ray Transmission (“XRT”) technology, installed in 2017 to identify and preserve large, high-value diamonds.

Lucara’s $683 million underground expansion at Karowe aims to extend the life of the mine beyond 2040.

Credits: Photos courtesy of CNW Group/Lucara Diamond Corp.

In her new book titled The History of Diamond Engagement Rings: A True Romance, author and historian Marion Fasel explores the true narrative behind the origin of one of the most universally accepted symbols of love and marriage.



Within the 128 illustrated pages, Fasel exposes several misconceptions, such as the notion that diamond engagement rings only became popular after the “A Diamond Is Forever” DeBeers advertising campaign launched in 1947 or that the first diamond engagement ring was given to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.

"Researching the true narrative involved a deep dive into the archives of museums and libraries in Europe and New York, where I found diamond engagement rings depicted in Renaissance masterpieces and documented in original manuscripts," she noted. "Experts also guided me to historic examples of rings, beginning with the first styles featuring point-cut diamonds."

Fasel added that bringing this story to light has been one of the most fascinating experiences of her career.

The book's cover art reflects the long history of engagement rings. There is a Renaissance-period design with the Latin inscription “I am a token of love,” a 1920 Tiffany setting and an early Asscher cut diamond (circa 1915) in an ornate platinum ring. Also featured is a mid-20th century emerald-cut diamond ring, contemporary cushion-cut diamond and gold ring, and an oval diamond in a platinum design.

Fasel reviews the engagement ring selections of luminaries from the past and present. They include Britain’s Queen Charlotte, poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Grace Kelly, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lawrence and Blake Lively.

The author includes style guides, which review the vocabulary of diamonds and break down the technical parts of a ring. Her "ring timeline" chronicles diamond-cutting techniques and trends through the ages.

“Marion’s been an invaluable contributor to Only Natural Diamonds since its inception, and we couldn’t be more excited to join forces in celebration of this extraordinary new book," stated the website's Editor-in-Chief Sam Broekema. "Her expertise and passion shine through on every page, making this volume on the brilliant, yet not fully told, history of natural diamond engagement rings — and the eclectic styles and stories that reflected significant cultural moments over time — a must-read.”

Fasel is the founder of the online fine jewelry magazine, The Adventurine. Her new hardcover book, published by The Adventurine Limited Editions in partnership with Only Natural Diamonds, is available at naturaldiamonds.com, amazon.com and independent bookstores across the US.

Credit: Cover image courtesy of Only Natural Diamonds.

Scientists and engineers from the University of Bristol and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) have successfully created the world’s first carbon-14 diamond battery with the potential to power devices for thousands of years.



Several game-changing applications are possible. Bio-compatible diamond batteries can be used in medical devices, such as ocular implants, hearing aids and pacemakers, minimizing the need for replacements and distress to patients.

The batteries could power active radio frequency (RF) tags where there is a need to identify and track devices either on earth or in space, such as spacecraft or payloads, for decades at a time, thus reducing costs and extending operational lifespan.

The battery leverages the radioactive isotope, carbon-14, known for its use in radiocarbon dating, to produce a diamond battery.

The carbon-14 diamond battery works by using the radioactive decay of carbon-14, which has a half-life of 5,700 years, to generate low levels of power. It functions similarly to solar panels, which convert light into electricity, but instead of using light particles (photons), they capture fast-moving electrons from within the diamond structure.

“Our micropower technology can support a whole range of important applications from space technologies and security devices through to medical implants," commented Tom Scott, Professor in Materials at the University of Bristol. "We're excited to be able to explore all of these possibilities, working with partners in industry and research, over the next few years.”



Sarah Clark, Director of Tritium Fuel Cycle at UKAEA, described how diamond batteries offer a safe, sustainable way to provide continuous microwatt levels of power.

"They are an emerging technology that use a manufactured diamond to safely encase small amounts of carbon-14,” she said.

Fatimah Sanni, a Senior Process Engineer at UKAEA, told gizmodo.com that researchers can imagine a future in which diamond batteries are used in almost everything. She listed small satellites, computer chips, remote controls and wrist watches as some day-to-day examples.

Diamond batteries, which have no moving parts and require no maintenance, could potentially replace lithium ion batteries, which are taxing on the environment.

Credits: Diamond battery and diamond battery team images courtesy of University of Bristol.