Rinehart Jewelry Blog

Welcome to Music Friday, when we celebrate songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we're revisiting Meat Loaf's 1977 hit, “Two Out of Three Ain't Bad,” a dramatic rock ballad that uses gold and rubies to illustrate a young man's inability to offer a woman the one thing she wants most: his love.



Written by Jim Steinman, the song features Meat Loaf portraying a man who is emotionally unavailable despite his obvious attraction to his girlfriend. He wants her and needs her, but, as he repeatedly confesses, “there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you.” His explanation? His heart was broken many years earlier by the only woman he ever truly loved, and he has never recovered.

Steinman uses the language of precious treasures to explain the emotional mismatch. “You'll never find your gold on a sandy beach,” Meat Loaf sings, before adding, “I know you're looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks.” The imagery suggests that the woman is searching for something exceptionally rare and valuable — the idealized, all-encompassing love he simply cannot provide.

The song's other comparisons, including drilling for oil on a city street and expecting to find a Cadillac Coupe de Ville at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box, reinforce the point. Gold and rubies represent elusive perfection, while the singer insists that his limited emotional offerings are the best she can expect.

According to Steinman, his creative inspiration came after a friend challenged him to write a simple song. While Elvis Presley's “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” was playing on the radio, Steinman recognized an opportunity to turn those three declarations into a bittersweet confession. The result became one of the standout tracks on Meat Loaf's landmark 1977 album, Bat Out of Hell.

“Two Out of Three Ain't Bad” was a major commercial success, spending 23 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaking at #11. It earned Platinum certification in the United States and helped establish Meat Loaf as one of rock's most distinctive voices.

Born Marvin Lee Aday in Dallas in 1947, Meat Loaf got his professional start in Los Angeles theater productions during the late 1960s before moving into recording and touring. His breakthrough came with Bat Out of Hell, produced by Todd Rundgren and featuring Steinman's theatrical, larger-than-life compositions. The album ultimately sold more than 40 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums in music history.

Meat Loaf enjoyed another enormous resurgence with 1993's Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. Its blockbuster single, “I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That),” earned him a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo, in 1994. His career also included memorable film appearances in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Fight Club.

Meat Loaf died on January 20, 2022, at age 74. His powerful performances and unforgettable rock anthems remain part of his enduring legacy.

Please check out the audio track of Meat Loaf performing “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along.

“Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”
Written by Jim Steinman. Performed by Meat Loaf.

Baby we can talk all night
But that ain’t gettin’ us nowhere
I told you everything I possibly can
There’s nothing left inside of here

And maybe you can cry all night
But that’ll never change the way that I feel
The snow is really piling up outside
I wish you wouldn’t make me leave here

I poured it on and I poured it out
I tried to show you just how much I care
I’m tired of words and I’m too hoarse to shout

But you’ve been cold to me so long
I’m cryin' icicles instead of tears
And all I can do is keep on telling you

I want you, I need you
But there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you
Now don’t be sad (Don’t be sad)
’Cause two out of three ain’t bad

Now don’t be sad
’Cause two out of three ain’t bad

You’ll never find your gold on a sandy beach
You’ll never drill for oil on a city street
I know you’re looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks
But there ain’t no Coupe de Ville hiding at the bottom
Of a Cracker Jack box

I can’t lie, I can’t tell you that I’m something I’m not
No matter how I try
I’ll never be able to give you something
Something that I just haven’t got

Well, there’s only one girl I’ll ever love
And that was so many years ago
And though I know I’ll never get her out of my heart
She never loved me back
Ooh I know

I remember how she left me on a stormy night
Oh, she kissed me and got out of our bed
And though I pleaded and I begged her not to walk out that door
She packed her bags and turned right away

And she kept on telling me
She kept on telling me
She kept on telling me
I want you (I want you), I need you (I need you)

But there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you
Now don’t be sad (Don’t be sad)
’Cause two out of three ain’t bad

I want you, (I want you), I need you (I need you)
But there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you
Now don’t be sad (Don’t be sad)
’Cause two out of three ain’t bad
Now don’t be sad
’Cause two out of three ain’t bad

Baby, we can talk all night
But that ain’t getting us nowhere



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / SRF Unterhaltung.

More than 2,100 years ago, an ancient gemstone engraver accomplished something remarkable. The artisan fit an elaborate theatrical scene, complete with multiple characters and intricate details, onto a carnelian surface barely larger than a human fingernail. The extraordinary miniature, recently analyzed by researchers, offers a fascinating glimpse into ancient Greek theater while demonstrating the astonishing precision and artistry of early gemstone carving.



The reddish-caramel carnelian, measuring just 13 by 11 millimeters (approximately half an inch by a little under half an inch), is set in what remains of a heavily corroded iron ring. Despite its diminutive size, the stone accommodates five principal figures, a representation of the god Dionysus and a small female figure tucked into the background.



The central figure is a seated man wearing a long garment and studying a two-leaf tablet. Researchers Melih Arslan and Ahmet Emirhan Bulut believe he may represent a poet or playwright reviewing his work. Facing him is another figure with one foot resting on a stone, possibly the leader of the theatrical chorus.

Surrounding them are figures with horns, animal tails and curved staffs, identifying them as satyrs — the half-human, half-animal companions of Dionysus, the Greek god associated with wine, revelry and theater. At the far left is a bearded herm, a sculpture consisting of a head or bust atop a square pillar, representing Dionysus. Behind it, the researchers spotted an especially intriguing detail: a tiny female figure with flowing hair. They suggest she may represent Thalia, the Muse of comedy, although that identification remains tentative.

The findings were published recently in Cedrus: The Journal of Mediterranean Civilizations Studies. Arslan and Bulut's examination revealed how the ancient artisan achieved such remarkable detail. Using the intaglio technique, which involves engraving designs into a gemstone's surface, the craftsperson employed round-tipped drills to outline the figures and rotary abrasives of varying thicknesses to create the folds in their clothing. Tiny perforations helped form facial features, including the noses.

The accomplishment is especially impressive considering that the artisan had none of the magnification, precision instruments or modern machinery available to today's gem engravers. Every figure, gesture and minute detail had to be planned and executed through extraordinary hand-eye coordination and an intimate understanding of how the hard gemstone would respond to each tool. A misplaced cut could have ruined the entire composition.

What makes this ring stone particularly significant is not just its size and craftsmanship, but the way the theatrical scene is presented. Comparable ancient gemstone engravings, including examples in the British Museum, typically show actors holding theatrical masks in their hands or wearing them tilted above their foreheads. Those details indicate that the scenes depict rehearsals, with performers preparing to assume their characters.

The newly analyzed gemstone takes a different approach. Its figures are shown fully transformed into satyrs, with no masks visible. Arslan and Bulut believe this may indicate that the engraving depicts the actual theatrical performance or the mythological story being portrayed, rather than actors rehearsing. This makes the piece an unusual addition to the relatively small number of surviving ancient gemstones illustrating theatrical subjects.

The ring's original owner remains unknown. The gemstone is part of the Gaye Çarmıklı Collection, affiliated with the Ankara Ethnography Museum in Türkiye. Because it was not recovered through a controlled archaeological excavation, its precise origin cannot be established. Museum records, however, suggest it may have been found near the ancient city of Sardis in western Türkiye.

Arslan and Bulut speculate that the ring may have belonged to someone closely connected to the performing arts, perhaps a theater professional, or an individual with a particular passion for drama.

Although the iron ring setting has deteriorated considerably and the carnelian shows some wear and fine cracks, the miniature theatrical composition remains remarkably legible — more than two millennia after its creation.

Credits: Photo by Arslan & Bulut (2026), Cedrus, Fig. 1; Illustration by R. Selim, from Arslan & Bulut (2026), Cedrus, Fig. 2.

For more than six decades, gemologist John Koivula has been searching for the extraordinary secrets hidden inside gemstones. That lifelong passion has resulted in a remarkable collection of 2,665 crystals, gems and minerals, now acquired by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to preserve and share with future generations.



The collection features an astonishing range of inclusions — tiny foreign minerals, trapped fluids and unusual internal structures preserved within crystals. Among its remarkable specimens are a fan-shaped arrangement of tourmaline crystals in mica and an almost otherworldly pocket of fluorescent petroleum fluid trapped inside quartz.



GIA describes the assemblage as unsurpassed in both breadth and quality, noting that a collection of comparable specimens would be extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible, to recreate today. Many of the pieces are unique, and Koivula's ability to recognize exceptional specimens was a major part of what made the collection so special.

“He possesses an extraordinary eye for rarity, often examining hundreds of specimens before selecting a single piece,” said Terri Ottaway, curator of the GIA Museum in Carlsbad, Calif.

The acquisition represents far more than an impressive addition to the museum's holdings. Carefully documented in a custom database, the collection will expand GIA's reference resources and provide valuable material for gemological research, gemstone identification and origin services, and the education of future generations of gemologists. Students will have an opportunity to study unusual inclusions firsthand, gaining a deeper understanding of how gemstones form and the clues their internal features can reveal.



Koivula, who joined GIA in 1976, is widely regarded as the world's foremost authority on gemstone inclusions. His pioneering work in photomicrography transformed the way gemologists examine and document the microscopic worlds inside gemstones. Among his most influential technical contributions was introducing fiber-optic illumination into gem research, a technique that became standard practice in gem laboratories worldwide.

His accomplishments also include groundbreaking research with GIA colleague Robert C. Kammerling during the late 1980s and early 1990s that helped the diamond industry understand glass-filled diamonds, an unstable clarity enhancement. Koivula is also co-author, with legendary Swiss gemologist Dr. Edward J. Gübelin, of the three-volume Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, an essential reference work for the field. His own book, The MicroWorld of Diamonds, explores natural and synthetic diamonds, simulants and treatments.

A prolific contributor to gemological literature, Koivula has written or co-written more than 800 articles. Sixty-four appeared in GIA's Gems & Gemology journal, with 16 earning its Most Valuable Article award. His photomicrographs have also earned recognition in the prestigious Nikon Small World competition, including first place in 1984.

Among his many industry honors are GIA's Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement, the American Gem Society's Robert M. Shipley Award and the Accredited Gemologists Association's Antonio C. Bonanno Award. In another lasting tribute, a rare mineral discovered in Myanmar was named johnkoivulaite in his honor.

“Preserving the collection at GIA perpetuates the legacy of John Koivula's skill, expertise and artistry,” said Cathryn Ramirez, GIA senior vice president and chief learning officer.

GIA and Koivula are also preparing a large-format book featuring photomicrographs of the specimens, ensuring that these extraordinary miniature worlds can be appreciated by an even wider audience.

Credits: Tourmaline inclusion in muscovite mica seen in polarized light. ©GIA, photomicrograph by Nathan Renfro; Negative crystal in quartz containing a methane bubble, dark spots of a solid hydrocarbon, water and fluorescent petroleum. ©GIA, photomicrograph by Nathan Renfro; John Koivula in his photomicrography lab. ©GIA.

In 1872, a group of prominent San Francisco businessmen was presented with an opportunity to invest in a secret gem field reportedly teeming with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. The promised treasure seemed almost too good to be true — and, as it turned out, it was.



The spectacular gemstone bonanza was a carefully staged fraud, and it took the cunning of a Yale-educated geologist named Clarence King to expose it. His detective work helped save investors from a financial disaster and made him a national celebrity.

The scheme was the brainchild of two Kentucky prospectors, Philip Arnold and John Slack, who understood the get-rich-quick mentality gripping America in the decades after the California Gold Rush. With fortunes being made seemingly overnight from gold, silver and other mineral discoveries, the promise of a vast American diamond field was almost irresistible.

Arnold and Slack began by showing small bags of rough diamonds and other gemstones to San Francisco businessmen, claiming they had found a secret deposit in the West. They carefully guarded the location, encouraging curiosity while building excitement. Their growing circle of investors and collaborators included William C. Ralston, founder of the Bank of California, prominent mining entrepreneurs, former Union Army commander George B. McClellan and even Charles Lewis Tiffany, founder of the famous jewelry house. Sample gemstones were presented to Tiffany for appraisal, and his favorable assessment helped give the supposed discovery an aura of legitimacy.

The con men had a simple but effective trick: They bought thousands of inexpensive, rough industrial-grade diamonds, rubies and other stones in Europe, then secretly scattered them across a remote site near the Wyoming-Colorado border. When investors and a respected mining engineer visited, they were led to the planted gems and encouraged to believe they had uncovered an extraordinary natural deposit. The investors were so convinced that they organized a company and prepared to sell $10 million in stock.



Enter Clarence King.

Since the late 1860s, King had been leading the US government's Fortieth Parallel Survey, a team that was meticulously mapping the region. Reports of an enormous diamond discovery in territory his team had examined immediately raised suspicions. He sent fellow geologists Samuel F. Emmons and A.D. Wilson ahead to investigate, then joined them in the field.

What they found was a geological detective story waiting to be solved. Diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires were clustered together in ways that made no natural sense. King knew that these different gemstones formed under vastly different geological conditions and would not occur together in such an arrangement. He also noticed that the stones appeared only in disturbed ground. Some rubies were tucked into anthills, where closer inspection revealed suspiciously broken soil and holes that appeared to have been made deliberately.

King and his team dug deeper — literally — and found no evidence of a genuine deposit. The area had been salted with gems.

Rather than quietly share his discovery, King rushed to San Francisco to warn the investors and stop the planned stock sale. His report exposed the gem field as worthless and helped bring the company down. Newspapers celebrated the young geologist for preventing a potentially enormous financial calamity. The San Francisco Chronicle declared that the public had escaped disaster thanks to King.

The Great Diamond Hoax made King an international celebrity. His reputation for scientific rigor and integrity helped lead to his appointment in 1879 as the first director of the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Credits: Clarence King photo by USGS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. King and the Field Party of 1864 by Silas Selleck Silas Selleck, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

When music's biggest stars gathered in a Los Angeles recording studio on January 28, 1985, to make history with “We Are the World,” they expected a long night of singing, not an unexpected jewelry-related sound check. But Cyndi Lauper's love of bold, attention-grabbing accessories created an amusing interruption during the marathon session, proving that even the most fabulous statement jewelry sometimes needs to know when to be quiet.



Lauper, whose colorful New Wave style was as distinctive as her voice, arrived wearing an assortment of layered necklaces, heavy bracelets and dangling earrings. The problem? Her accessories were making themselves heard. As she moved near the sensitive recording microphones, the jewelry produced enough rattling and clinking to register as unwanted background noise — or “chatter” — in the control room.



The moment was captured on camera, and the exchange between Lauper and producer Quincy Jones remains a delightful behind-the-scenes memory. Jones gently brought the issue to her attention: “Cyndi, we had a lot of, uh, bracelets.”

Lauper quickly realized what was happening. “Oh, my earrings. Oh, sorry. Oh, I'm loaded,” she responded, acknowledging the considerable amount of jewelry she was wearing. Jones, keeping his cool, asked, “Should we take a break?”

“No, I'm sorry. That's the chatter. OK,” Lauper replied.

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The singer was clearly apologetic as she tried to disentangle herself from her layers of jewelry and quiet the noisy accessories. For someone whose signature look celebrated piling on the color, sparkle and personality, this was an unusual request: less is more, at least when it comes to recording a vocal take! Jones later joked that Lauper was the "bane of his existence" during the session, a good-natured reminder of just how many moving parts had to come together that night.

Lauper revisited the amusing episode nearly four decades later in the 2024 Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, which tells the story of the making of “We Are the World.” The film offers a fascinating look at the personalities, pressure and spontaneous moments behind one of pop music's most ambitious collaborations.

The project was organized to raise money for famine relief in Africa, particularly Ethiopia, after devastating images of hunger and suffering galvanized musicians and humanitarian activists. Inspired by activist Harry Belafonte, the all-star recording brought together more than 45 major performers under the banner USA for Africa. Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote the song, while Jones produced the session and famously posted a sign instructing the assembled stars to “check your egos at the door.”

The lineup was extraordinary: Jackson, Richie, Lauper, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Billy Joel, Kenny Rogers and many more shared the microphone. Released March 7, 1985, “We Are the World” became the fastest-selling US pop single in history at the time. It sold more than 20 million physical copies, won four Grammy Awards and generated tens of millions of dollars for humanitarian aid.

The song's legacy is a reminder of what can happen when artists unite for a cause. And Lauper's little jewelry mishap adds a sparkling footnote to the story. Check out the clip, below. The fun starts at the 25:25 mark and runs about one minute.



Credits: Screen captures via YouTube.com / MusicVideos.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we celebrate songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today’s musical gem is U2’s timeless 1989 love song, “All I Want Is You,” a beautifully layered ballad that opens with one of rock music’s most memorable jewelry references: “You say you want / Diamonds on a ring of gold.”



At first listen, the lyric seems to set the stage for a traditional romantic promise. Diamonds symbolize enduring love, while a gold ring represents commitment and the pledge of a shared future. Together, they evoke the treasured engagement and wedding jewelry that can mark life’s most meaningful milestones. But Bono gives the image a more surprising twist: The song isn't really about a man promising his wife bridal jewelry. It's about discovering that the most valuable gift he can offer is himself.

In his 2022 memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, Bono revealed a fascinating detail about the song's origins. He wrote it from the perspective of his wife of more than four decades, Ali Hewson, after learning she was pregnant. At the time, Bono was wrestling with anxieties about fatherhood and his career. Rather than writing a straightforward declaration of his devotion to Ali, he imagined her voice reassuring him. No matter how many diamonds, treasures or extravagant promises he might offer, what she wanted most was him.

That perspective transforms the jewelry reference. The diamonds and gold represent the beautiful things couples may give each other to celebrate their commitment. But even the finest jewelry takes on its deepest meaning because of the love behind it.

Released as the fourth single from U2's 1988 album Rattle and Hum, “All I Want Is You” arrived in June 1989. It reached #4 on the UK singles chart and #83 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its American profile received another boost in 1994 when the song appeared in the closing credits of the film Reality Bites. It has since become a popular wedding selection, and Bono even performed it as a toast at the 2003 wedding of opera legend Luciano Pavarotti and Nicoletta Mantovani.

U2 began in Dublin in September 1976, when 14-year-old drummer Larry Mullen Jr. posted a notice at Mount Temple Comprehensive School seeking musicians. The teenagers who answered were Bono, guitarist The Edge and bassist Adam Clayton. More than 50 years later, the four original members are still making music together and preparing for their 2027 "Greatest Show on Earth" world tour.

Along the way, U2 became one of rock's most successful and influential bands, selling more than 170 million records and earning a record 22 Grammy Awards for a group. Their signature songs include “With or Without You,” “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “One,” “Beautiful Day,” “I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For” and “Pride (In the Name of Love).” The band entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

Please check out the video of U2’s 2005 live performance of “All I Want Is You.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along...

“All I Want Is You”
Written by Bono. Performed by U2.

You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
You say you want
Your story to remain untold

But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you

You say you’ll give me
A highway with no one on it
You treasure just to look upon it
All the riches in the night

You say you’ll give me
Eyes in a moon of blindness
A river in a time of dryness
A harbor in the tempest

All the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
All I want is you

You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold

All the promises we break
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
All I want is you
All I want is you

All I want is… You…
All I want is… You…
All I want is… You…

All I want is… You…
All I want is… You…
All I want is… You…

All I want is… You…
All I want is… You…
All I want is… You…

You…



Credit: Photo by Paul Jones, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Imagine two colossal topaz crystals, weighing a combined 181 pounds, being sliced into pieces for scientific equipment. It nearly happened in the early 1960s. Today, the towering crystals are among the star attractions of the Gems and Minerals Gallery at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.



We recently viewed these remarkable specimens in person, and their sheer majesty is difficult to convey. The larger crystal, shown above, weighs 50.4 kilograms (111 pounds), equivalent to an astonishing 252,000 carats. Its companion weighs 31.8 kilograms (70 pounds). Both are among the world's finest examples of November's official birthstone, and they share a backstory nearly as impressive as their size.

The story is recounted by Jeffrey Edward Post, former curator-in-charge of the Smithsonian’s National Gem and Mineral Collection, in his book Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewels.

It began in the late 1950s, when Andy Kulin of Manlabs, a metallurgical research laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, spotted nine enormous topaz crystals displayed in a Los Angeles store window. A sign identified them as being on loan from their owner, Alan Caplan of New York. Kulin and his brother, Phil, recognized that the crystals could be useful in their work with X-ray fluorescence analysis. Andy tracked down Caplan and quickly arranged to buy all nine.

Most of the crystals were eventually sent to a subsidiary company, Crymet, where they were sliced into pieces to make monochromators, optical devices used in scientific measuring instruments. Fortunately, the two largest and most perfect specimens were kept at Manlabs.

Their reprieve was set to be short lived. On the same day the crystals were scheduled to be transported to Crymet for cutting, MIT graduate student Gene Meiran noticed the magnificent crystals in the company president's office. Meiran, an avid mineral collector, immediately understood what was at stake. According to Post's account, he made an emphatic case to company officials that the crystals were extraordinary natural treasures and should not be destroyed. His intervention worked, saving the pair just in time.

The crystals were subsequently loaned to the Smithsonian for exhibition. In 1981, they were donated to the institution by Howard G. Freeman and Joseph M. Linsey, securing their place in the National Gem and Mineral Collection.

Both specimens originated in Minas Gerais, Brazil, a region celebrated worldwide for its remarkable mineral wealth. The historic area around Ouro Preto is particularly famous for Imperial Topaz, a rare and highly prized variety displaying rich golden-yellow, orange, peach and reddish hues. Its distinctive natural colors make it especially desirable to collectors and jewelry lovers. Brazil is a leading source of fine topaz, although the gemstone is also found in countries including Mexico, Sri Lanka, China, Pakistan and Nigeria.

Topaz itself is far more colorful than many people realize. Natural varieties range from colorless and pale green to yellow, pink, reddish brown and the coveted Imperial shades. Much of the vivid blue topaz commonly seen in jewelry today begins as colorless or pale material that is treated with radiation and heat to produce its blue color. With a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale, topaz is also a durable choice for everyday jewelry, although care should be taken to protect it from hard knocks.

Topaz is one of November's two official birthstones, sharing the distinction with citrine. For those celebrating a November birthday, the Smithsonian's giant crystals offer a brilliant reminder that this beloved gemstone's intrigue extends far beyond its beauty.

Credit: Photo of the 111-pound Freeman Uncut Topaz by The Jeweler Blog.

A spectacular 197.80-carat sapphire with a history that reaches back to the final glittering years of Imperial Russia will take center stage at Sotheby’s upcoming Royal & Noble Jewels sale in Geneva. Known as the "Romanov Sapphire," the extraordinary unheated Ceylon gem is one of the few remaining jewels directly connected to Russia’s Romanov Dynasty and the fabled Russian Crown Jewels.



Sotheby’s has assigned the cushion-shaped sapphire a presale estimate of 850,000 to 1.7 million Swiss francs, approximately $1 million to $2 million. The auction is scheduled for November 11, 2026, and will feature about 80 treasures associated with some of Europe’s most important royal and noble families.



The sapphire’s most celebrated moment came in 1903, when Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, mother of Russia’s last emperor, Nicholas II, wore it to the legendary Winter Palace Costume Ball. The lavish event brought the imperial court together in elaborate 17th-century Russian dress, adorned with extraordinary quantities of jewels. It is often described as the last great spectacle of Imperial Russia.

Feodorovna wore the sapphire alongside a matching stone, with both mounted in a diamond setting created by the celebrated House of Fabergé and attached to the front of her skirt. The companion sapphire was recorded as weighing 249.25 carats. Its whereabouts today are unknown, making the 197.80-carat survivor all the more remarkable.

Following the Russian Revolution, the new Soviet government commissioned an illustrated inventory of the imperial treasures. The Romanov Sapphire appeared in the resulting four-volume Fersman catalog, named for mineralogist Alexander Fersman, who helped lead the effort. The collection was divided into categories, with some historically important pieces preserved and others sold abroad. The sapphire was among the jewels eventually dispersed by the Soviet government.

In 1927, the gem was acquired by Ganna Walska, a Polish opera singer, socialite and famously extravagant jewelry collector. Walska initially purchased it from Cartier, where it was mounted as the centerpiece of a sautoir necklace. Over the years, she had the sapphire reset in several dramatic designs, reflecting her fondness for colossal gemstones and bold, exotic jewelry.

The sapphire eventually returned to auction, appearing at Sotheby’s Geneva in 1992. In 2015, Cartier gave the historic gem its present-day iteration: an impressive platinum and diamond bracelet.

The piece features the cushion-shaped sapphire at its center, surrounded by brilliant-cut diamonds and accented with modified shield-shaped step-cut diamonds. Its most intriguing feature is an interchangeable centerpiece: the sapphire can be removed and replaced with an engraved rock crystal element embellished with triangular-cut diamonds. The two dramatically different centerpieces allow the bracelet to shift between the deep blue grandeur of the Romanov treasure and the luminous, sculptural appeal of rock crystal.

More than a century after Maria Feodorovna wore it at the Winter Palace, the Romanov Sapphire remains a remarkable survivor of an opulent bygone era.

Credits: Romanov Sapphire bracelet image courtesy of Sotheby's. Empress Maria Feodorovna image (cropped) by Пазетти Анаклет, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Remember the bizarre concept of turning plastic soda bottles into diamonds? Back in September 2022, we reported on a fascinating experiment in which German scientists used powerful lasers to transform ordinary bottle plastic into microscopic diamonds. Now the researchers have reached another milestone: for the first time, they have successfully captured the tiny diamonds intact, using a special gel.



Unfortunately, these aren't the kind of diamonds we will be setting into an engagement ring. Each one measures just three nanometers across — about three billionths of a meter — and contains roughly 3,000 carbon atoms. They're so small that even a trillion of them would barely make a visible impression. But what they lack in size, they make up for in scientific potential.

The original discovery was actually a byproduct of research into the interiors of icy giant planets, such as Neptune and Uranus. Scientists wanted to recreate the extraordinary conditions found deep inside these distant worlds, where temperatures reach several thousand degrees Celsius and pressure is millions of times greater than Earth's atmospheric pressure.

To do that, researchers at Germany's Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and the University of Rostock fired high-powered laser pulses at an ultrathin film of polyethylene terephthalate, better known as PET — the everyday plastic used in water and soda bottles. The laser generated intense heat and shock waves, compressing the material so dramatically that its carbon atoms rearranged themselves into diamonds. The process also helps explain why scientists believe it literally rains diamonds inside Neptune and Uranus.

There was just one problem. The newly formed nanodiamonds were blasted out of the plastic at speeds exceeding 22,000 miles per hour. Trying to collect them was a little like attempting to catch a meteorite with a butterfly net. Until now, researchers could demonstrate that the diamonds formed, but couldn't recover them for closer examination.

The breakthrough came with a specially developed, water-soluble ionic gel. Acting as a soft cushion, the gel slowed the microscopic projectiles without destroying them. After extracting and purifying the particles, the team was finally able to examine individual nanodiamonds under an advanced electron microscope.

The results, recently published in the journal Diamond and Related Materials, could have implications far beyond planetary science. Nanodiamonds are exceptionally hard, stable and heat-resistant, making them useful in industrial grinding and polishing. Their potential future applications include highly sensitive quantum sensors, improved medical imaging and targeted drug delivery. They may also help speed up chemical reactions, including processes that use sunlight to break down carbon dioxide.

The researchers say the laser technique could eventually provide a cleaner, more controlled way to manufacture uniform, high-purity nanodiamonds than conventional methods. For now, they're working to increase production.

It's remarkable to think that yesterday's soda container could become tomorrow's high-tech diamond. That's quite a recycling story!

Credit: Conceptual image by The Jeweler Blog using aichatapp.ai.

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you wonderful tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. In The Temptations’ soulful 2010 song “Let Me Catch Your Diamonds,” the precious gemstone becomes a powerful symbol of devotion and redemption. The song is an especially fitting choice for Music Friday as founding member Otis Williams celebrates his 85th birthday today, October 30.



Featured on the group’s album Still Here, the mid-tempo love song follows a man desperate to rekindle a relationship he damaged. He acknowledges the hurt he caused and wants to make amends, restore their passion and prove that he can be the partner she deserves.

The song’s recurring plea captures that determination: “Let me catch your diamonds / I’ll be there for you baby / I’ll be there for you baby, this time around.”

Here, diamonds are more than symbols of romance or luxury. They represent the tears his former partner has shed because of his mistakes. By asking to “catch” those diamonds, he promises to be present when she hurts, offering comfort instead of adding to her sadness. The image also suggests a deeper commitment: he wants to protect what remains of their shared history and create a future in which painful memories give way to happier ones.

That layered symbolism makes the song’s title particularly effective. Diamonds are enduring, just as memories can be, but the protagonist understands that lasting love requires more than beautiful promises. His appeal for another chance is an acknowledgment that devotion must be demonstrated through changed behavior.

“Let Me Catch Your Diamonds” was co-written by Williams and musician, producer and songwriter Johnny Britt. Britt also contributed trumpet and flugelhorn to the track, while Williams handled the vocal arrangement. The song appears as the fourth track on Still Here.

Williams’ birthday offers a moment to celebrate a remarkable musical legacy. Born in Texarkana, TX, in 1941, he helped form The Temptations in Detroit in 1960, bringing together members of two local vocal groups. The quintet soon signed with Motown Records and rose to international fame with such enduring hits as “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Get Ready,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.”

The group broke new ground at Motown, becoming the label’s first act to win a Grammy. The Temptations' song "Cloud Nine" was voted the Best Rhythm & Blues Performance of 1969. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and later received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

More than 65 years after their formation, The Temptations are still touring, with Williams remaining the last surviving original member and guiding the group’s continuing performances. Their longevity gives “Let Me Catch Your Diamonds” an added resonance: like a treasured jewel, a great song can carry its meaning across generations.

Please check out the audio track of The Temptations performing "Let Me Catch Your Diamonds." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Let Me Catch Your Diamonds"
Written by Johnny Britt and Otis Williams.

Diamonds. Diamonds.

For so long I wanted to call
Just to say "I'm sorry"
I can't forget how we first met
Such a wonderful story

I shoulda' known then
I hada' make amends for everything I did that was wrong
Tickle my nerve, I must confess just how much I miss you

What did you do?
Waiting alone here by the phone to hear you

What did you say?
All that I do is think of you, I miss you

Gotta let her know.
Girl, it's alright you gotta know, I need you

I'm here to stay
I need to have you near me
I need you in every way

Darling, I'm sorry for all the wrong that I have done

Let me catch your diamonds
Oh baby I'll be good to you
I'll be there for you baby

Let me catch your diamonds
I'll be there for you baby
I'll be there for you baby, this time around

Never again like that way I used to see you cryin'
A man of my word, I'll honor you until the day I die
Let's go away, far away, restore our joy and passion
Me and you, the love we knew, what a physical attraction

What did you do?
I gave her my hand, I promised to be faithful
What did she say?
That I was a man, for that I am so grateful

What'd you let her know?
I don't need nobody. It's all about you
I'm here to stay
I'm so happy that I am back with you

Let me catch your diamonds
I'll be good to you. I'll be good to you, baby
Let me catch your diamonds
This time around

Don't try to hold back the tears
Yes, I did, baby
Try to hold back the tears
I'll be good this time

I'll be good, better than ever, baby
I'll be good to you, baby
Yes I will

Let me catch your diamonds
Let me catch your diamonds
All of me, all of you, let me show you my love

Let me catch your diamonds
Better believe it, baby
All of me, all of you, let me show you my love

Let me catch your diamonds
Let me catch your diamonds, yeah
Let me catch your diamonds

Let me catch your diamonds



Credits: Image by Foto: Stefan Brending, Lizenz: Creative Commons by-sa-3.0 de, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons.