Music Friday: ‘What About That Brand New Ring?’ Asks a Jilted Man in ‘Don’t Pull Your Love’

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. In 1971, frontman Dan Hamilton of the soft-rock group Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds threatened to “cry for a hundred years” in the chart-topping hit, “Don’t Pull Your Love.”

In his plea to keep his girlfriend from taking off on “that big white bird,” the jilted Hamilton makes a last-ditch effort to win her back by referencing a very special and sentimental piece of jewelry.

He sings, “Haven’t I been good to you? / What about that brand new ring? / Doesn’t that mean love to you? / Doesn’t that mean anything?”

By the end of the song, Hamilton is a desperate man: “Don’t pull your love out on me honey / Take my heart, my soul, my money / But don’t leave me drownin’ in my tears.”

Written by Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert, “Don’t Pull Your Love” was an international hit for the trio and reached #1 on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100.

Recorded nearly five decades ago, this song has stood the test of time. Glen Campbell recorded it as a medley in 1976, and it got new life when Sean MacGuire covered it in 1996. But neither of those outpaced the original, which is still heard regularly on soft rock and easy listening stations. Many critics consider it a rock classic.

Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds was formed in Los Angeles in 1970. The original members were Dan Hamilton (guitar/lead vocal), Joe Frank Carollo (bass/vocal), and Tommy Reynolds (multi-instrumentalist/vocal), all of whom had previously played in The T-Bones, a 1960s band noted for the instrumental hit “No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach’s In).” The song was inspired by a then-popular Alka-Seltzer commercial.

Only a year after the group first hit the charts with “Don’t Pull Your Love,” Reynolds was replaced by keyboardist Alan Dennison. This revised line-up performed the group’s biggest hit, 1975’s “Fallin’ in Love.” The group permanently disbanded in 1980.

Please check out the throwback video of Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds performing “Don’t Pull Your Love.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Don’t Pull Your Love”
Written by Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert. Performed by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds.

Don’t pull your love out on me baby
If you do then I think that maybe
I’ll just lay me down and cry for a hundred years
Don’t pull your love out on me honey
Take my heart, my soul, my money
But don’t leave me drownin’ in my tears

You say you’re gonna leave
Gonna take that big white bird
Gonna fly right out of here
Without a single word
Don’t you know you’ll break my heart
When I watch you close that door
‘Cause I know I won’t see you anymore

Don’t pull your love out on me baby
If you do then I think that maybe
I’ll just lay me down and cry for a hundred years
Don’t pull your love out on me honey
Take my heart, my soul, my money
But don’t leave me drownin’ in my tears

Haven’t I been good to you?
What about that brand new ring?
Doesn’t that mean love to you?
Doesn’t that mean anything?
If I threw away my pride
And I got down on my knees
Would I have to beg you, “Pretty please?”

Don’t pull your love out on me baby
If you do then I think that maybe
I’ll just lay me down and cry for a hundred years
Don’t pull your love out on me honey
Take my heart, my soul, my money
But don’t leave me drownin’ in my tears

There’s so much I wanna do
I’ve got love enough for two
But I’ll never use it girl if I don’t have you

Don’t pull your love out on me baby
If you do then I think that maybe
I’ll just lay me down and cry for a hundred years
Don’t pull your love out on me honey
Take my heart, my soul, my money
But don’t leave me drownin’ in my tears

Credit: Image by ABC / Dunhill Records [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Scientist Employs RFID Technology to Revive Cultured Pearl Farming in Hong Kong

A former investment banker-turned-scientist is trying to revive Hong Kong’s once-thriving pearl farming industry by merging traditional methods with RFID tracking technology.

For more than 1,000 years, natural pearl farming had been a vital part of Hong Kong’s culture. Colonists called Hong Kong the “Pearl of the Orient.”

Eventually, overfishing in the waters off southern China made it impossible for natural pearl farmers to earn a living. In the 1950s, Hong Kong pearl farmers made a valiant, but unsuccessful, attempt to compete with their powerful Japanese counterparts in the cultured pearl trade. The region’s last pearl farmers called it quits in 1981.

But now, a 58-year-old scientist named Yan Wa-tat is convinced that Hong Kong’s pearl industry can make a comeback. A few years ago, Yan abandoned his career in Hong Kong’s banking sector to try something “more interesting and also more productive for our society,” he told the Hong Kong Free Press.

He pursued a PhD at Hong Kong University’s School of Biological Sciences and began looking at ways to introduce RFID technology into the pearl cultivation process. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips are commonly used to track and identify objects, from automobiles to livestock. More recently, miniaturized RFID chips had been affixed to live ants in order to study their behavior.

Yan found that tiny RFID chips could be inserted into the bead that serves as the nucleus of a cultured pearl. The benefits, Yan explained, are twofold.

First, it’s common for 10% to 20% of bead nuclei to be expelled by the oyster. Normally, farmers wouldn’t know if the oyster contained a cultured pearl until it was opened during the harvesting process. Now, farmers can get a definitive answer with a simple swipe of a smartphone-based RFID reader.

Second, the RFID chip is a surefire way to confirm the origin of a cultured pearl, reducing the risk of misidentification or fraud.

Currently, only 10% of Hong Kong’s 1,000 fishing rafts are in use. The rafts typically hold baskets of nucleated oysters that are regularly pulled from the water to be cleaned of barnacles and other parasites. There is plenty of unused raft capacity, but many young entrepreneurs are hesitant to join the fishing trade, according to Yan.

This past March, a small group of local pearl farmers inspired by Yan showed off their first harvest of Akoya cultured pearls. Based on that success, Yan is hoping that others will be convinced that cultured pearl production in Hong Kong can be viable and profitable.

“If I can show to the fishermen that they can make a living, diversify their income sources, then I think they will be interested in doing this,” Yan told the Hong Kong Free Press.

Credit: Photo by MASAYUKI KATO [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.

Los Alamos Particle Accelerator Helps Unravel the Mystery of the Golden ‘Ram’s Horn’

Harnessing the power of a half-mile-long particle accelerator, scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory were finally able to peer inside the “Ram’s Horn,” a super-rare and natural formation of wire gold. What they found was truly unexpected.

Unearthed more than 130 years ago at the Ground Hog Mine in Red Cliff, Colo., the Ram’s Horn is mysteriously shaped like a curly bunch of tendrils instead of the more recognizable golden nugget.

Mineralogists scratched their heads, wondering about its fundamental structure. The specimen is 12 centimeters (4.72 inches) tall and weighs 263 grams (9.28 ounces), but because of its extreme rarity, researchers didn’t want to cut into it or break it open.

Low-energy X-rays and other diagnostics could only evaluate the exterior surfaces due to gold’s high density. The internal nature of this specimen remained a mystery, until now.

Surprisingly, the Ram’s Horn was found to be composed of only a few single crystals, according to John Rakovan, Professor of Mineralogy at Miami University in Ohio. This differs wildly from the formation of silver wire, which is a mosaic-like polycrystalline aggregate with many hundreds to thousands of crystals in a single wire.

“Furthermore, we discovered that these samples are not pure gold, but rather gold-silver alloys with as much as 30 percent silver substituting for gold in the atomic structure,” noted Sven Vogel, a physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory’s neutron science center (LANSCE).

Using neutron techniques at LANSCE, scientists can “look” inside these large gold specimens, nondestructively, and learn about their texture, atomic structure, and element and isotope chemistry.

The Ram’s Horn belongs to the collection of the Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University. It had been bequeathed to Harvard in 1947 by Harvard alumnus Albert C. Burrage as part of the A. C. Burrage Collection.

The fascinating gold specimen will headline “The Rare and Beautiful” exhibition at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, with the grand opening slated for the spring of 2020.

Credit: Image by Harvard University.

Stay Cool This Summer With Frozen Treats That Resemble Colorful Gemstones

Here’s a super-fun product for gemstone lovers looking to stay cool this summer. The “Koji Ring Popsicle Mold” allows you to create frosty faceted confections from your favorite fruit juice, yogurt, smoothie, pudding or even chocolate.

Imagine how much a youngster would enjoy a Koji Ring glistening with a super-sized purple “amethyst” made from grape juice or a vivid “yellow diamond” that tastes so much like a mango smoothie. And for those of us who are young at heart, how about a green tea-flavored frozen “peridot” or a hazelnut coffee “topaz.” The possibilities are as vast as one’s imagination.

The wearable pops are the frosty cousin of the popular Ring Pop, a jewel-shaped candy ring that has been employed by more than one future groom as a temporary stand-in for an actual engagement ring.

The “Koji Ring Popsicle Mold” kit, which has a list price of US$14.99, comes with a mold base, eight Jewel Pops in four unique shapes, and eight “ring” handles with drip guards.

Each frozen pop can be easily removed by simply pulling on the ring. The silicone mold inverts and then “pop” — the frozen treat releases from the mold. The kit is currently on sale at Target.com for US$9.99.

This fun product has been racking up an impressive number of five-star reviews.

Wrote one satisfied grandmother, “I bought this for my daughter and grandchildren. They love them. Easy to make healthy fruit popsicles for the kids. We try all different healthy varieties and flavors. The ring pop concept is so cute and is the reason I actually purchased them. As a child, my daughter loved on special occasions getting a Ring Pop treat. Now, instead of the Ring Pop being a sugary snack, she makes a delicious, healthful treat. Also the pops remove easily from the form. We love these!!!”

The Koji product also seem to be a hit with new moms challenged with teething tots.

Wrote Jollymommy: “This is perfect for baby!! I was looking for a way to make homemade pops for baby, but most molds are too big! When I saw this it looked perfect. It works for babies and for kids, because they look just like Ring Pops! The pop comes out easily after being frozen, and clean up is super easy. I was so happy to get this, especially at the price!

Credits: Images via Target/Koji.

Panthers’ Greg Olsen Films In-Progress Marriage Proposal: ‘Best Thing I’ve Ever Witnessed’

Carolina Panthers’ Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen was in Nashville last week to deliver a keynote speech at a healthcare conference. As the 6′ 5″, 255 lb. former first round draft pick was walking back to his hotel, he happened upon something that he would call the “best thing I’ve ever witnessed.”

What Olsen was describing was an in-progress marriage proposal. With a ring box in hand, Max Harvat was on bended knee just about to pop the question to his girlfriend Brooke Hartranft.

Olsen pulled out his phone and started filming.

“So I’m thinking, ‘I would imagine that this guy would love to have this on film.’ He was literally five feet from us. It was amazing,” Olsen told panthers.com.

After the proposal, Harvat got back to his feet and joyfully lifted Hartranft into the air.

“What did she say? Did she say, Yes? Olsen asked.

“She said, “Yes,” Harvat screamed back, his voice echoing through the hotel complex.

“I’ve got it on video, dude,” Olsen said. “I’m going to send it to you.”

“You’re my hero,” said Harvat, not knowing at the time that he was speaking with the three-time Pro Bowler who happens to play for his favorite team.

“That was the best thing I’ve ever witnessed,” Olsen said.

“When I stood up, I looked over and I started having a mini heart attack,” Harvat told panthers.com. “I was like, ‘I’m 90 percent sure that’s Greg Olsen from the Panthers!’”

“Brooke looked at me and didn’t believe me,” Harvat said. “She just thought I was too excited and wasn’t seeing straight. But I’m like, ‘No, that’s him. I’ve seen him on TV and in interviews. That’s him!’”

On his Instagram page, Olsen explained that his instinct was to film the precious moment because he had wished he had a video of his own marriage proposal.

“He was really respectful,” Harvat told panthers.com. “He didn’t want to steal any of the moment from us. He sent me the video and said congratulations and wished us the best.”

Check out the video on Olsen’s Instagram page. It has been viewed more than 135,000 times and earned more than 36,000 Likes since it was posted three days ago.

Credits: Screen captures via Instagram.com/gregolsen88. Split frame: Greg Olsen (left) by Jeffrey Beall [CC BY 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Greg Olsen (right) by original: U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. Leticia Samuels, North Carolina National Guard Public Affairs/Released North Carolina National Guardderivative: Diddykong1130 and XxSuguSxX [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Music Friday: Meghan Trainor Knows She’s a Gem in Empowerment Anthem, ‘I’m a Lady’

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, pop star Meghan Trainor knows she’s a gem in the female empowerment anthem, “I’m a Lady.”

Co-written by Trainor and Martin René to promote the 2017 film Smurfs: The Lost Village, the song drives home the message that there are no limitations to what a young woman can achieve. Trainer tells her listeners that it’s OK to be different, to love themselves, and aspire to be whatever they want to be.

Trainor sings, “And I don’t look like them (But I ain’t worried about it) / I don’t talk like them (But I ain’t worried about it) / I know I’m a gem / I ain’t worried about it, I ain’t worried about it / ‘Cause I’m a lady.”

The official video shows scenes of young women engaged in what some may see as non-traditional sporting activities, such as playing football, shooting a compound bow, boxing and lifting weights. There is also a scene of an all-female boardroom.

“I’m a Lady” was released as a single on February 21, 2017, and the official video — which includes cameos by the Smurfs — premiered a week later. The single barely snuck onto the U.S. Billboard Top 40 list, but the video gained a huge audience. To date, the video has been viewed on YouTube more than 53 million times.

Born on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket to retail jewelers Kelli and Gary Trainor, Meghan started singing at age six and wrote her first song at age 11. She attended Berklee College of Music and released two acoustic albums in 2011.

The 25-year-old’s big break came in February 2014, when she performed “All About the Bass” on ukulele for L.A. Reid, the chairman and CEO of Epic Records. That resulted in a recording contract and a monumental rise to stardom. “All About the Bass” topped the charts in 58 countries and resulted in a Grammy nomination for “Song of the Year.” She has also earned a Grammy Award, four ASCAP Pop Music Awards and two Billboard Music Awards.

Trivia: Trainor didn’t only provided the promotional track for Smurfs: The Lost Village, she also voiced the role of Smurfmelody.

Please check out Trainor’s official video of “I’m a Lady.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along.

“I’m a Lady”
Written by Meghan Trainor and Martin René. Performed by Meghan Trainor.

I talk with a mouth full (uh-huh)
But I couldn’t be sweeter
Yep, I’m a cutie in my own way
I won’t play follow the leader

And I don’t look like them (But I ain’t worried about it)
I don’t talk like them (But I ain’t worried about it)
I know I’m a gem
I ain’t worried about it, I ain’t worried about it
‘Cause I’m a lady

‘Cause I’m a lady
Come on! I’m a, I’m a lady
All my girls, show them you’re a lady
Tell the world, say that you’re proud to be a lady

I know I laugh too loud
And I might cry too much
To all those judgy eyes
I got a whole lotta love

‘Cause I don’t look like them (But I ain’t worried about it)
I don’t move like them (But I ain’t worried about it)
I know I’m a gem
I ain’t worried about it, I ain’t worried about it
‘Cause I’m a lady

‘Cause I’m a lady
Yeah, I’m a, I’m a lady
All my girls, show them you’re a lady
Tell the world, say that you’re proud to be a lady
All my girls, show them you’re a lady
Tell the world, say that you’re proud to be a lady

And I’m pretty, pretty cute and I’m pretty smart
And when I break it down, it’s a work of art
And if you feel the same, can you participate?
I wanna see you shake, I wanna hear you say
And I’m pretty, pretty cute and I’m pretty smart
And when I break it down, it’s a work of art
And if you feel the same, can you participate?
I wanna see you shake, I wanna hear you say

And I don’t look like them
I don’t talk like them
But I know I’m a gem
I ain’t worried about it, I ain’t worried about it
‘Cause I’m a lady
And I don’t move like them (But I ain’t worried about it)
I don’t move like them (But I ain’t worried about it)
I know I’m a gem
I ain’t worried about it, I ain’t worried about it
‘Cause I’m a lady

(Yeah) ’cause I’m a lady
(Hey yeah, hey yeah)
I’m a, I’m a lady
All my girls, show them you’re a lady
Tell the world, say that you’re proud to be a lady
All my girls, show them you’re a lady
Tell the world, say that you’re proud to be a lady

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com/Meghan Trainor.

Survey Reveals Why Travelers Should Take Extra Precautions With Fine Jewelry

The number of travelers reporting lost or stolen jewelry has doubled over the past four years, according to a national survey conducted by Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group. The survey revealed that 20% of respondents suffered a jewelry loss while on vacation. That’s up from 10% just four years ago.

Jewelers Mutual reports the most risky place for travelers to wear fine jewelry is at the beach. And while the insurance company advises sun worshippers to protect their jewelry in a room safe or hotel vault before heading to the water’s edge, too many are choosing to tempt fate. The result: 27% of all travel-jewelry losses can be traced to where the surf meets the sand.

Still another pain point is that only 1% of the lost or stolen jewelry is ever recovered by their owners.

“Travel continues to be a vulnerable time to misplace or have jewelry stolen,” noted Don Elliott, Director of Claims at Jewelers Mutual. “Travelers can and should insure their jewelry, and there also are steps they can take to minimize risk.”

Elliot outlined these important tips…

• Document: As you’re packing, take a photo of the pieces you’re taking with you. If you need to file a police report for any reason, this proof of ownership will be very helpful.

• Carry It: Never put jewelry in a checked bag. Wear it or stow it in your carry-on bag and keep that bag in sight at all times.

• Don’t Post It: Avoid being an easy target. Don’t share photos of your jewelry or where you are staying on social media.

• Wear Wisely: Avoid wearing jewelry while swimming, especially in cold water where finger sizes can temporarily shrink.

• Tuck Away: Never leave jewelry out in the open. Use the safe in your room or hotel vault.

• Conceal Don’t Reveal: Tuck necklaces inside your shirt, turn your engagement ring to the inside of your hand and cover any bracelets or watches with a sleeve when in dangerous areas.

• Button Up: If you’re packing earrings, fasten them to an extra button to avoid them being separated or misplaced.

• Suck It Up: Thread necklaces through a paper straw. This will prevent them from being easily misplaced or lost, with the added benefit of avoiding a tangled mess.

Jewelers Mutual also introduced its new digital publication called “Your Guide For Traveling With Jewelry.” It covers packing, time away, and upon-return tips, as well as advice for buying jewelry on vacation and what to do if your jewelry is lost or stolen while traveling. Click this link for more info…

Conducted in May 2019 by Kantar Group, the Jewelers Mutual survey reflects the experiences of 1,044 adults, ages 18 to 64.

Credit: Image courtesy of Jewelers Mutual.

1,700-Year-Old ‘Allectus’ Gold Coin Crushes Auction Estimates, Sells for $695K

A tiny gold coin depicting the Roman ruler Allectus crushed pre-sale estimates as fierce bidding at the headquarters of London auctioneer Dix Noonan Webb (DNW) catapulted the price to $695,000. DNW had predicted the coin would fetch between $90,000 and $127,000.

The news came as a sweet surprise to the 30-year-old amateur metal detectorist, who discovered the 1,700-year-old coin in a plowed field near Dover, England, back in March. The field is adjacent to the site of an ancient Roman road.

“I cannot believe it, we are ecstatic!” exclaimed the detectorist, who wished to remain anonymous. “We expected it to sell for a little over estimate, but not five times the estimate! We are sharing the money with the farmer, who is also thrilled!”

The solid gold coin, known as an aureus, is just slightly larger than a penny and weighs a mere 4.31 grams (0.15 ounces). The obverse features a portrait of Allectus and the reverse depicts two kneeling captives at the feet of the god Apollo.

Based on today’s spot price for gold, the intrinsic value of the coin is about $200, but the hammer price reflects its extreme rarity.

There is only one other coin in existence that was struck with the exact die that produced the Allectus coin sold at auction — and that specimen resides in the British Museum. Allectus ruled Briton and Northern Gaul from 293 AD to 296 AD and it is believed the coinage bearing his image was demonetized and melted down after his untimely death in battle. Today, only 24 aurei of Allectus are known to exist worldwide.

Recognizing the extreme rarity of the Allectus coin, eager bidders at the Dix Noonan Webb venue, on the internet and via telephone challenged each other for the prize. An anonymous private collector bidding by phone was the eventual winner.

“I am delighted with the phenomenal price achieved in today’s sale,” said Christopher Webb, Director and Head of DNW’s Coin Department. “This is the most expensive coin that we have ever sold at Dix Noonan Webb. It is the most money ever paid for a coin of Allectus and it is now the most valuable Roman coin minted in Britain to have been sold at auction.”

At first, the detectorist believed he had found a fairly common gold sovereign, but after bringing his discovery to the attention of British authorities, which is demanded by law, he learned that his coin was truly extraordinary. The British Museum compared it to its own specimen, which had been unearthed in the 1800s in Hampshire. The museum’s Allectus coin and the newly found treasure matched exactly.

Credits: Images courtesy of Dix Noonan Webb.

‘Whitney Alexandrite’ Is a Superb Example of June’s Color-Change Birthstone

A fascinating phenomenon in the world of precious gemstones is the way alexandrite changes color under various light sources. The “Whitney Alexandrite,” which is on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., is one of the world’s largest and finest examples of the color-change mineral from the chrysoberyl family. Alexandrite is also one of the three official birthstones for the month of June. The others are pearl and moonstone.

A 2009 gift from Smithsonian benefactor Coralyn Whitney, the beautiful modified cushion cut gemstone exhibits a raspberry color under incandescent light and a teal (green-blue) color when illuminated by daylight. The color-changing property of alexandrite has been attributed to the presence of chromium in the gem’s chemical makeup. The chromium allows the gem to absorb light in the yellow and blue parts of the spectrum.

While this 17.08-carat gem was sourced at the Hematita Mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil, alexandrite was originally discovered in 1830 in the Ural Mountains of Russia. Gem legend states that Finnish mineralogist Nils Gustaf Nordenskiöld (1792-1865) received a mineral sample from Count Lev Alekseevich Perovskii (1792-1856) that seemed very much like an emerald. But when the mineralogist inspected the gem under candlelight, the green gem had turned raspberry red.

The Smithsonian noted that Nordenskiöld had intended to name the new variety of chrysoberyl “diaphanite,” but the Count renamed it “alexandrite” to curry favor with the Russian royal family and Czar Alexander II. (The gem was allegedly discovered on the Czar’s birthday.)

The Whitney Alexandrite is particularly rare because specimens of larger than 2 carats are considered rare and those weighing more than 5 carat are extremely rare. A cut and polished alexandrite of 17.08 carats is virtually unheard of.

In addition to Russia and Brazil, alexandrite has been sourced in Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, India and Burma. Alexandrite has a hardness rating of 8.5, which makes it suitable for everyday wear.

The color-change gem wasn’t listed on the original modern birthstone list, which was published in 1912 by the American National Retail Jewelers Association, now known as Jewelers of America. The official list was updated in 1952 to add alexandrite, citrine, tourmaline and zircon. In 2002, tanzanite was added as a birthstone for December and, in 2016, spinel joined peridot as a birthstone for August.

In 2013, Whitney provided the National Museum of Natural History with its largest education donation to date: a $13 million gift in support of Q?rius (pronounced “curious”), which established the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center.

Credit: Photo by Chip Clark/Smithsonian.

Christie’s ‘Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence’ Auction Brings History to Life

Spotlighting more than 500 years of opulence on the Indian subcontinent, Christie’s auction in New York this Wednesday is aptly titled “Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence.” The sale will celebrate the illustrious culture of Indian jeweled art from the Mughal period and the age of the Maharajas through the present day.

“This is living history in your hand,” noted Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry.

India’s rich ties to fine jewelry and gemstones, he explained, is partly the result of natural circumstances. The mines of Golconda yielded the highest grade of diamonds. Kashmir produced the rarest and most beautiful sapphires. And the greatest emeralds arrived in India from Colombia through commercial exchange via the Portuguese-controlled ports of Goa.

Jewelry in the Mughal tradition articulated authority, and the empire’s rulers valued gems for their rarity, physical properties and provenance.

On the cover of the Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence catalog is a Belle Époque “jigha” (turban ornament) dripping with old-cut, baguette and pear-shaped diamonds. The Indian royal treasure (photo above), which was originally designed in 1907 and remodeled circa 1935, would have been worn on formal occasions by a Maharaja, explained Kadakia. The ornament is estimated to sell in the range of $1.2 million to $2.2 million.

Christie’s sale includes two spectacular diamonds sourced at India’s Golconda mine.

The first is called the “Mirror of Paradise,” a 52.58-carat internally flawless rectangular-cut diamond that’s expected to sell in the range of $7 million to $10 million. The D-color gem is set in a platinum ring and accented with tapered baguettes.

The second is called the “Arcot II Diamond.” Weighing 17.21 carats, the brilliant-cut, pear-shaped, D-color stone was one of two earring drops sent as a gift to Britain’s Queen Charlotte (1744-1818) by the Nawab of Arcot. The diamond drops were later purchased at auction by the Marquess of Westminster and mounted in the “Westminster Tiara,” which was worn by the Marquess at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The historic stone is expected to fetch between $2 million and $4 million.

The lot with the highest pre-sale estimated price is a belle epoque devant-de-corsage brooch highlighted by four impressive diamonds of differing shapes: a pear-shaped brilliant cut (34.08 carats), oval brilliant cut (23.55 carats), marquise brilliant cut (6.51 carats) and heart modified brilliant cut (3.54 carats). The piece was designed by Cartier in 1912 for Solomon Barnato Joel, who made his fortune in the South African diamond mines. Christie’s set the pre-sale estimate of this piece at $10 million to $15 million.

One of the most unusual items in the auction is an octagonal-shaped tabular carved emerald of 84.63 carats. The gem’s origin can be traced to 17th century Colombia. Christie’s experts are expecting it to sell in the range of $3 million and $5 million.

Credits: Images courtesy of Christie’s.