102-year old lady gets her stolen ring back…

Larry Rowell, from R&R Estate Jewelers returned a stolen ring that he brought to Edna Levy, a 102-year old woman who lost it.

The ring was actually a Christmas gift in 1976 from her husband. Unfortunately it was stolen last month by a nurse’s aide and another accomplice, who was later arrested.

Once Roswell heard the description of the ring he immediately knew that it was hers and called the police to set things right.

Prior to this incident, Levy wore the ring everyday. I’m sure that she’ll do the same this time, only with a closer eye.

$108 million of jewelry stolen….by drag queens….

Nearly $108 million worth of jewelry was stolen from the Harry Winston store in Paris. This robbery is the second most expensive example of diamond theft ever.

Just as the title states, four of the gunmen, dressed in drag, robbed the store in broad daylight only taking 20 minutes to take all forms of jewelry and money from the safes.

A witness stated that all four of the robbers walked out of the store as if nothing happened, and exited the vicinity without speeding or screeching of their tires.

The Blue/Hope Diamond

There has been recent evidence in the National Museum of Natural History in France that the Hope Diamond is the same stone worn by the Sun King, Louis XIV. The Blue Diamond originated from a huge 115.6 carat blue-tinged stone that was mined in Golconda.

After the diamond was given to Louis XV in 1749, the Blue Diamond was reworked as a centerpiece as one of the most brilliant pieces of jewelry ever made.

After Louis XVI tried to escape revolutionary France, the jewels were held in Paris until they were stolen in 1792. The diamond wasn’t seen again until 1812 with Daniel Eliason, a London diamond merchant.

It made its way into the Smithsonian in 1958. After researching historical records, especially the court testimonies involving the thieves, researchers believe that the Hope Diamond and the Blue Diamond are one in the same.

(Artificial) Diamonds are Forever!

You read it right! A team from the United States has created an improvement to synthetic diamonds; they have no limit to size!

The diamonds are created by chemical vapor deposition ( or simply CVD).  This is where carbon atoms are deposited on a surface which, in the end, produced diamond crystals.

This produces diamond growth, however, the  impurities from the gas will give the diamonds a brownish tint. The impurities can be treated by annealing, which is a high-pressure, high temperature treatment.

The team was led by Russel Hemley, from the Carnegie Institute of Washington.

Laseli la Letseng!

Try saying that 3 times in a row!

Gem Diamonds revealed the ‘Laseli la Letseng’ diamond this past Saturday in Dubai. This is the first time the public received an opportunity to view the 20^th largest rough diamond found.

The diamond, weighing in at 478 carats, was found at the Lesotho located Letseng mine in September. It was named by the government and the name translates to mean the “Light of Letseng,” mostly because of its high color and clarity.

*sighs* Diamond Phones?

I really thought the diamond earphone covers would be the last expensive *coughs* useless * coughs* product on market these days. I guess I was wrong.  A Japanese company has a new line of mobile phones–all diamond encrusted!

Japan plans on selling 10 of the phones. All of them have 537 diamonds of 18.34 carats. Each phone will sell for 1.3 million yen ($13,265 US dollars).

Ridiculous…I know!

Nature of Diamonds

The third-largest cut diamond ever recorded will be the highlight in Royal Ontario Museum’s exhibition “The Nature of Diamonds.”

This diamond, which is called the “Incomparable Diamond” weights 407.48 carats, is kite-shaped, and is golden colored.

The diamond was found by a young girl, Mbuji-Maya in the Republic of Congo in the 1980s. It was then 890 carats. She gave it to her uncle who then sold it to the local diamond dealers.

The exhibition will run from October 25th to March 22nd.

The Falling Economy and Ponahalo Diamonds

With the economy being in terrible shape, many people are holding onto their money as much as they can and it’s hurting sales, even the diamond market. About 40 percent of the consumers in the United States are thinking that buying jewelry at the moment is not such a good idea, compared to 14 percent who had the same thoughts last year.

However, that still doesn’t end the sale of diamonds. There were two giant diamonds sold for more than six million dollars at an auction a bit earlier this week. The diamonds are from South Africa called “Ponahalo” which means “vision.”

The diamonds were discovered in 2005 and weighed in at 316 carats. They were eventually cut into two diamonds. They weighed in at 70.87 and 102.11 carats.

Wow…diamond-encrusted earphone covers?

With the stock market crashing and the global financial crisis biting at our heels, frivolous spending would be the last thing you would probably think of doing (especially on a set of earphone covers…NOT the earphones themselves). Nonetheless, they are still out there on market.

There are three types available: the first is the more expensive cover (from $60k) with yellow, pink or black diamonds. The second use only white and black diamonds and are a complete steal at $4500.

For those who are strapped of cash but really are in need for a set of these headphone covers, the cheapest start at $110. They are partially covered with different coloured Swarovski crystals.

…talk about a terrible time for marketing these, eh?

Go Get Me Spielberg!

After being wanted for one of the biggest diamond heists in the whole history of Sidney, Australia, Moshe Tsitsaushivili has but one request to get him out of his troubles; contact Steven Spielberg!

You heard it right. The jewel thief not only wants Mr. Spielberg to make a movie about his escapades, but he also wants to star in it to pay back his victims.

The 41-year-old jeweler has stolen jewelry in Australia, Israel, and five US states. He had been a fugitive since the late 1980s, and he now faces arrest for scamming jewelry dealers out of tens of thousands of dollars.