Royal Fine Jewelers Blog

Bumbleheaded Brain Surgeon Bungles Proposal, Nearly Loses Engagement Ring

Under the headline “FloriDUH,” the SunSentinal.com ran this little ditty about brain surgeon Dr. Steve Carr, who thought it was a good idea to bury a diamond engagement ring in the sand at a Naples, Fla., beach and have his future fiancée, Mary Naam, dig it out like a buried treasure as part of a surprise marriage proposal.

But the good doctor’s plan took a turn for the worse when his girlfriend dug and dug and came up with no ring. Now the story gets complicated…

The Denver, Colo., native didn’t count on three things: 1) how difficult it would be to find the ring once he lost track of its exact location, 2) how the rising tide would soon inundate the beach, and 3) how an impending rain storm would make searching for the ring nearly impossible.

Undeterred, Dr. Carr recruited a dozen beachgoers and resort workers to help find the engagement ring. But, after two hours of searching, that plan proved fruitless.

Then Naam suggested that they call a metal detecting expert, who promptly showed up with high-tech equipment in hand. Larry Spearing, a member of the nationwide Ring Finder network, was able to pinpoint the bauble within minutes, despite the high tide and a rainstorm.

“We were digging and digging and I thought there was no way we were gonna find it,” Naam explained to WZVN ABC News-7. Finally, with ring in hand, Dr. Carr was able to pop the question. Despite the drama, Naam said, “Yes.”

In retrospect, the doctor had second thoughts about his ambitious marring proposal: “It wasn’t very smart,” he said. “I wouldn’t recommend doing something so risky.”

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48 Real Diamonds Adorn Diminutive Crown of Queen Elizabeth’s Lego Incarnation

A Lego model of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, complete with a real diamond-encrusted crown, has gone on display in time for her Diamond Jubilee. It’s not clear whether the diminutive crown will be destined for the Jewel House in the Tower of London, where the rest of the British Crown Jewels have been protected since 1303.

The four-inch-tall mini-monarch was officially unveiled on Thursday at the Legoland theme park in Windsor, England, not far from the Queen’s Windsor Palace residence. The plastic queen is the centerpiece of a Lego model of Buckingham Palace, where she stands on the balcony with the rest of the royal family. 

According to the International Business Times, the 1/2-inch-tall crown was designed by jeweler Dinny Hall, who has created baubles for the likes of actress Kate Winslet and Samantha Cameron, wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron. The crown is made from rhodium-plated sterling silver and features 48 round diamonds.

Due to the value of the crown, the theme park employed a security guard to protect the teeny queen and crown during viewing hours. At night, the crown will be locked away.

The Lego monarch is joined on the Lego Buckingham Palace balcony by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (right), the Duke of Edinburgh (center right) and the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (left).

A series of celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will take place from June 2-5 in London. Those festivities will include a festival of boats on the River Thames, the lighting of more than 4,000 beacons across the U.K. and a concert at (the real) Buckingham Palace.

The Lego queen can be viewed by the public until June 10, when she will put up for bid at a charity auction.

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Soldier Surprises Girlfriend With On-Field Proposal in Front of 43,000 Cardinals Fans

Happy Memorial Day. To honor the men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, we bring you this special marriage proposal that took place during the pre-game ceremonies of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball game on Friday.

Specialist Will Johanson, a military policeman assigned to the 463rd Military Police Company in Afghanistan, surprised his girlfriend, Shelby Fetsch, during the FOX Sports Midwest “This One’s For You” military appreciation pre-game show on Friday.

An elaborate ruse was required to pull this off. First, it required Johanson to secretly take his two-week leave ahead of schedule and, second, to have Fetsch throw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch.

Fetsch was convinced that she was selected to throw out the first pitch because her boyfriend was stationed in Afghanistan. Little did she know that the masked, camouflage-clad catcher behind the plate was her boyfriend, Will, who she hadn’t seen in six months.

After Fetsch tossed the first pitch, Johanson took off his catcher’s mask and walked toward the pitcher’s mound. After of few seconds, Fetsch recognized the catcher as her boyfriend and ran into his arms.

At that point, in front of 43,000 baseball fans, Johanson went down to one knee and proposed to Fetsch to the delight of cheering crowd.

“I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” said Johanson. Of course, she said, “Yes.”

“I was freaking out when I saw him. I was like there’s no way that’s him,” Fetsch told KSDK.com. “I was in complete shock that he would do that in front of 43,375 people.”

Johanson explained to KSDK.com, “I didn’t think it was going to be on the field, with live TV in front of everybody. I thought maybe it was going to be in the stands. But since it happened the way it did it was more than I could have even planned or imagined.”

“He did it big and it will be the most memorable moment of my life,” said Fetsch.

Johanson and Fetsch met 18 months ago and had been dating for six months, most of that time a half a world apart. They’ve shared thousands of emails and spoke via Skype.

Johanson flies back to Afghanistan in two weeks.  Johanson and his company are currently stationed at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During the Cardinals broadcast, soldiers of the 463rd Military Police Company witnessed the Johanson proposal and were seen waving a “GO Cardinals” poster from their operating base in Afghanistan. With the time difference, the game started at 4:30 a.m. Afghan time.

Check out the video of the momentous event. Link will open in new window… Click here.

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Here’s a Music Friday Tribute to Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees

Welcome to Music Friday. Today’s blog posting is dedicated to Robin Gibb, a music-industry giant, who sadly passed away on May 20 at the age of 62. The singer-songwriter is best known for his plaintive, quavering vocal style that added a unique and distinctive texture to the harmonies of the Bee Gees.

Along with brothers Maurice and Barry, Robin enjoyed a four-decade pop career that included nine No. 1 U.S. singles, six Grammy Awards and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. The Bee Gees are remembered for defining the sound of the disco era with their best-selling 1977 soundtrack to “Saturday Night Fever.”

The Bee Gees have sold more than 200 million records worldwide and at least 2,500 artists have recorded their songs. “How Deep Is Your Love,” a song was ranked #366 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, has been covered by 400 artists.

With Robin’s death, Barry became the last surviving Gibb brother. Brother Maurice passed away in 2003. Their youngest brother, Andy, who had a solo career, died in 1988 at the age of 30 after struggling with an addiction.

Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb began honing their three-part vocal harmonies at a very young age and took the stage in minor venues in both England and Australia, where they lived from 1958 to 1967.

Below we present two videos. The first features the Bee Gees performing “Wedding Day” live in 2001. The second video shows rare footage of the brothers as teenagers performing “Little Band of Gold.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Wedding Day”

Written and performed by Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb.

We both acknowledge what we came here for
We take each other and walk through the open door
From the first time that I saw you
To the way you look tonight
I was shaken by your spirit
I was blinded by your light

And the world that I used to see is gone without a trace
Replaced by your eyes and the smile upon your face
And I will not turn away
‘Cause you might disappear
I was haunted by your heart
And I felt that you were here

And funny when the time is right
When lightning strikes
You’re not alone
Baby, I will pray for you my whole life through
This day

We’ll be together
Husband and wife
Now and forever
The rest of our lives
Well, take me to Heaven
Take me tonight
There is nothing words can say
On this our wedding day

Oh, now is the hour, now is the sowing of the seed
I will take tomorrow
I will lay it at your feet
And the two of us escape from the sadness of the world
From the thunder and the darkness
From the hunger and the hurt

You know I will remember well the mission bell
That rings your name
And baby there could never be
A memory like you

We’ll be together
Husband and wife
Now and forever
Lovers for life
Well, take me to Heaven
Take me tonight
There is nothing words can say
On this our wedding day

This is my pledge to you
I will follow through to the end
And we will find another plane
We’ll be home again
And tonight I’m going to find true love, true love

We’ll be together
Husband and wife
Now and forever
Lovers for life
Well, take me to Heaven
Take me tonight
There is nothing words can say
On this our wedding day
This our wedding day

Robin and Maurice, 14, perform with brother Barry, 17, in this rare clip.

“Little Band of Gold”

Written by James Gilreath. Performed by the Bee Gees.

There you were, standing there, smiling as you made your plan
You were going to leave me and go with him
You said you loved him so and your love would always be
And that’s the very same thing you once told to me

And you still had my little golden band on your hand
Does my little band of gold mean nothing to you?
To me it means the world but you’ve torn my world apart
You’re leaving me alone with my broken heart

There you were, standing there, smiling as you made your plan
You were going to leave me and go with him
You said you loved him so and your love would always be
And that’s the very same thing you once told to me

And you still had my little golden band on your hand
Does my little band of gold mean nothing to you?
To me it means the world but you’ve torn my world apart
You’re leaving me alone with my broken heart

So take my little golden band from your hand
My little band of gold means nothing to you
To me it meant the world but you’ve torn my world apart
You’re leaving me alone with my broken heart
You’re leaving me alone with my broken heart

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Flashy Multi-Finger DOPE Ring Spells Jail Time for Rap Star in NYC

Seems like the officials at the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) haven’t been keeping up with hip hop style, especially the recent craze for two-, three- and four-finger rings. Rapper 2 Chainz was recently arrested at La Guardia Airport in New York for traveling with his bold gold four-finger Dope Couture ring that authorities mistook for brass knuckles, according to TMZ.

Sources close to the rapper told TMZ that 2 Chainz performed in Atlanta wearing the DOPE ring and then flew to New York City without incident (he had the ring packed in his luggage). But when he tried to leave the city, the jewelry was found in his carry-on and identified as a dangerous weapon.

The Kanye West protégé was charged with misdemeanor possession of a weapon in the 4th degree and was taken into custody by TSA officials. The rapper spent a few hours in jail and the police confiscated his jewelry.

“They tried to assassinate my character; they tried to assassinate my swag,” 2 Chainz told MTV News. “It was just a negative dilemma… where [they] misconstrued a piece of jewelry for a weapon and stuff.”

According to Gothamist.com, the DOPE website warns that its signature ring is considered a weapon by some law enforcement. Specifically, the alert says, “Do not attempt to take this with you through any security terminals. Use caution.” It’s unclear when the warning was put up.

2 Chainz is one of many celebrities who have jumped on the multi-finger ring craze. Rihanna, Megan Fox, Alicia Keys, Fergie, Lauren Conrad and Christina Aguilera all have been seen wearing this flashy and dramatic hip hop style.

The hottest multi-finger rings include statement slogans (such as Love or Bad), nameplates, fancy shapes and unusual motifs. For example, the ring above is a four-finger “divorce” ring by designer Gisele Ganne.

We can’t imaging the TSA putting these famous ladies behind bars for flashing a little multi-finger bling.

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Facebook Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg Opts for Ruby Engagement Ring

So what does your average 20-something billionaire choose as the center stone of the perfect engagement ring? Well, if you’re the founder of Facebook, worth $15.5 billion and your name is Mark Zuckerberg, the answer is the ever-romantic ruby.

On Saturday - only one day after Facebook started to trade publicly with an initial valuation of $104 billion – Zuckerberg married his long-term girlfriend, Priscilla Chan, in a surprising backyard ceremony. Apparently, none of the guests even knew the couple was engaged. The 100 people in attendance thought they were attending a party to celebrate the bride’s recent med school graduation.

Zuckerberg announced his marriage to Chan in the classic Facebook manner. He changed his status from “In a relationship” to “Married to Priscilla Chan,” and the status earned 1.36 million “likes” by Wednesday morning.

Although no photos have been released of the Zuckerberg/Chan ring, it was described by a Zuckerberg publicist as a “very simple custom-made ruby engagement ring that was especially designed by Mark.”

Due to their rich red hue, rubies have always symbolized passion, romance and happiness. Other celebrities to have flaunted their ruby engagement rings include the likes of Princess Fergie and Jessica Simpson.

Zuckerberg and Chan met at a Harvard party nine years ago when both were waiting in line to use the bathroom. They started dating shortly thereafter and Chan has been at Zuckerberg’s side during his epic journey from inventing Facebook to dropping out of college to rising to billionaire status and beyond.

The Zuckerberg/Chan ruby ring was not the only one to make news recently. The fine jewelry of fellow billionaire Lily Safra set auction records at Christie’s Geneva last week. The auction’s top lot was a 32.08 carat Burmese ruby and diamond ring by Chaumet, which sold for $6.7 million, a new world record price for any ruby sold at auction.

The socialite and philanthropist’s complete collection, called “Jewels for Hope,” fetched an impressive $37.9 million with the proceeds going to dozens of charities.

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Honoring Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, De Beers Unveils Talisman Crown Featuring 974 Diamonds

The De Beers Talisman Crown is now on display in the world famous Harrods department store in London. The crown, which features 974 diamonds, was designed to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, the 60th anniversary of her ascension to the British throne.

According to De Beers, rough diamonds were the exclusive privilege of Kings and Queens, said to protect, and bring good luck and prosperity. So sitting atop the Talisman Crown is a beautiful 73-carat rough diamond.

“We could have used a bigger diamond,” a De Beers employee told the Telegraph at the unveiling in the flagship store on Old Bond Street, “but this one just felt perfect. The uncut diamond wields a unique power and brings luck. Napoleon carried one in his pocket every time he went into battle.”

The 73-carat rough diamond is suspended above a sphere studded with a mix of yellow and brown diamonds of varying size.

The royal blue crown has an unusual design, with a mix of 797 faceted diamonds and 177 rough diamonds. Oddly, there are areas on the crown that seem to be missing gemstones.

The De Beers website explains that “the set diamonds signify achievements of the past whilst the negative spaces of the unset crown signify future aspirations and accomplishments to come.” Apparently, this presents a symbolic opportunity for future generations to insert their own gemstones into the metalwork.

The Talisman Crown can be seen at Harrods until June 15, at which time it will start a tour that will include appearances in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and New York.

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Five Precious Rings Saved From Incineration After Waste Management Workers Come to the Rescue

Imagine the horror of discovering that you accidentally threw away five of your most precious possessions – including your wedding band and engagement ring – and they’re all heading to the local incinerator in the back of a garbage truck loaded with 15 tons of trash.

This was the reality for Deb Kirby, a resident of Attleboro, Mass., whose normal dinner last week morphed into a horror show. Kirby had innocently taken off the rings while washing her hands for dinner, and left the jewelry drying in a paper towel.

The next morning, Kirby couldn’t locate her rings, which included her bridal jewelry and a ring from her father. She left for work, but returned during her lunch break to carry out a more thorough search. Finally, she realized that she must have accidentally trashed the rings along with the paper towels when she was cleaning up after dinner.

“I just could not figure out where I put those rings,” she told the Boston Globe. “As I was driving back to the office, I had a wave of panic as I remembered the paper towels, and I knew in my heart that I threw those rings away.”

Frantically, she called Aaron Smith, the district manager of Waste Management, the company contracted to haul trash in Attleboro. Smith was moved by Kirby’s story and was “compelled…to make every effort to recover the items,” according to the Boston Globe.

Smith learned that the garbage truck carrying Kirby’s rings was en route to the town’s incinerator. “It was close, very close to getting there,” he said. Instead, Smith ordered the truck to be diverted to a transfer station where its contents – 15 tons of smelly trash – were dumped on the ground.

Kirby feared that she’d be on her own to sift through the mess, but to her surprise eight Waste Management workers came to her rescue. Kirby recalled the type of trash bag she used, so the workers were able to narrow the search to about 200 bags.

Soon, one of the workers found Kirby’s jewelry.

“I just ran over to him sliding through the trash, and I hugged him and I hugged them all,” she told the Boston Globe. “I was so happy.”

“They could have very easily said there’s no way you’re going to find those rings. But they took the extra steps and they made the effort and it paid off,” she said.

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Anonymous Bidder Lands Legendary ‘Beau Sancy’ Diamond for $9.57 Million

The 35-carat “Beau Sancy,” a diamond coveted by kings, queens and princes for more than 400 years, was sold on Tuesday night to an anonymous bidder for $9.57 million after an animated eight-minute battle among five interested parties at Sotheby’s in Geneva. The aggressive bidding drove the price to more than double the pre-auction estimate of $4 million.

Called “one of the most important historic diamonds ever to come to auction,” the Beau Sancy has a lineage that links the royal families of France, England, the Dutch Republic and Prussia. The diamond chronicles the history of their fluctuating fortunes for more than four centuries, as it was used to reinforce alliances between nations and pawned to pay off royal debts.

Originally acquired during the 1500s by Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy, the diamond was subsequently purchased by French King Henri IV and gifted to his second wife, Marie de Medici. Legend states that as soon as Marie set eyes on the Beau Sancy diamond she had to have it, and nagged her wayward husband until he bought it for her.

The modified “pear double rose cut” diamond failed to bring good fortune to either of them. Famously, she had the Beau Sancy set in her crown for her coronation as the Queen Consort on May 13, 1610. Just a day later Henri was assassinated, leaving her with six children under the age of nine.

After she was exiled in disgrace in 1631, she sold the diamond to settle her debts.

And this was just the first leg in the Beau Sancy’s 400-year journey through European royal history as it passed through the hands of warring and peacemaking monarchs.

“The legendary Beau Sancy is a truly magical stone that has entranced generations of royal owners and continues to exert a powerful influence over all who see it,” said David Bennett, Sotheby’s chairman of jewelry in Europe and the Middle East, in a statement.

“Its supreme historical importance was reflected tonight in the strength of the bidding and the remarkable result realized,” he said.

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