Singer and actress Hilary Duff recently became engaged to Edmonton Oilers center Mike Comrie. Various sources are reporting that the ring cost the NHL player around $1 million. He bought the 14-carat princess cut diamond ring while in Las Vegas and then proposed to Duff at the Four Seasons in Hawaii while they were on vacation. The pair are also shopping for a home in Beverly Hills.

Think $1 million is a lot for a hockey player to spend? Last year Comrie signed a one-year contract worth $1.125 million to return to the Oilers, the team he began his NHL career with but he also has a family business to fall back on. His family owns The Brick, one of Canada’s biggest sellers of furniture, mattresses, appliances and home electronics.

Filed under: Jewelry, Celebrity Shopping

Hilary Duff’s Million Dollar Diamond Ring originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The fifth graders sat cross-legged on the floor of the Keyser Primary-Middle School library, listening intently as the mother of one of America’s greatest Olympic athletes talked about her son, his dreams, and how they could reach their own dreams if they’re only willing to work at it.
Walking easily in and among the students — only a year or two younger than the students who attend the school where she serves as principal in Baltimore County — Debbie Phelps, mother of gold-medal record holder Michael Phelps, asked the youngsters to name some of the things which they can do to succeed as students.
“Be a good sport.”
“Never give up.”
“Try to work hard.”
“Stay in school.”
“Do your best.”
“Be grateful for family and friends.”
“Stay out of trouble.”
As each student contributed, Hilary Phelps, Debbie’s daughter and Michael’s oldest sister, gave him or her an autographed photo of Michael taken during one of his historic races.
Phelps, who is a motivational speaker and author of “A Mother for All Seasons,” was in Mineral County Friday for the Mineral Daily News-Tribune’s Warm the Children campaign.
She spent most of the morning visiting and speaking with the students at
Keyser Primary-Middle and New Creek Primary schools.
Having been born in Potomac Valley Hospital and attended Westernport Elementary and Bruce High School, Phelps said she felt right at home as some of the students Friday morning even asked if she had known one of their relatives.
“There are children here today that I knew their parents and grandparents; some of them I went to school with,” she said.
One young lady at KPMS even brought her own swimming trophy to show Phelps, who told the youngsters that all three of her children — Hilary, Whitney and Michael — have been active in the sport of swimming since they were young.
The children at the schools also had an opportunity to ask Debbie questions, which ranged from “Does Michael have any pets?” (a bulldog named Herman) to “What is your favorite color?”
“I used to like red,” she quipped, “but I have to say after the 2008 Olympics, gold is the best!”
After lunch at the Stray Cat Wing Shack with representatives of Warm the Children and the Mineral Daily News-Tribune, Phelps participated in a book signing at Main Street Books, then went to Peedbles for the annual WTC Open House.
There, she was joined by Santa Claus in greeting the public and walking about the importance WTC plays in helping to provide warm winter clothing to area needy children.
Although Phelps could not stay over, the WTC weekend will continue tonight with a bluegrass benefit concert at 7 p.m. in the theater at Keyser High School.
Highland Grass, Black Diamond, Gene & Joe and the Valley Troubadours, and Delmas Evans are slated to perform.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
All proceeds will benefit Warm the Children.

Head of the Geological Survey Bureau of Mines, Geological Science and Technology in China, Hai-Tao Fu, said over the weekend that the newly discovered diamond deposit in Wafangdian, in the Liaoning province, is unlikely to affect the global market significantly despite its substantial size, Rough&Polished reported.

The website quoted Xiong Xianzheng, chairman of the Dalian Jewelry Association as saying that, “Global diamond output amounts to approximately 100M carats annually while China accounts for 200,000 carats of the above output. Rough output from new mines in Wafangdian might account for 50% of China’s diamond output. Volumes of diamond production in China, even taking into account the new mines, will achieve merely 0.21% of the global output therefore the deposit will not affect global rough prices.”

The deposit discovered in Wafangdian is said to be the largest scale discovery made by Chinese geologists in the past 30 years. The mine’s reserves are estimated at 210,000 carats of gems including diamonds.

A blue strobe flashing on downtown Bozeman’s tallest building means snow. The beacon - which lights up when Bridger Bowl receives two inches of snow - signals skiers to check the snow report for the powder depth. Bozeman, located in Montana north of Yellowstone National Park, is the type of ski town where the snow isn’t hype, but real.

Bozeman serves as the gateway to three ski resorts: Bridger Bowl, Big Sky, and Moonlight Basin. Bridger Bowl sits about 20 minutes from downtown hotels while Big Sky and Moonlight Basin flank Lone Peak about an hour’s drive south.

Bridger Bowl, Bozeman’s hometown ski area, is a day resort, with lodging, nightlife, and restaurants aplenty in the college town. Moonlight Basin and Big Sky, which neighbor each other, border with hotels, lodges, condominiums, cabins, and vacation homes. Economy hotels line the highway less than a 10-minute drive from the ski areas while luxury lodging claims ski-in-ski out ease. Big Sky, the largest resort, offers more restaurants, nightlife, and shopping in Mountain Mall, while smaller Moonlight garners raves for fine dining in Moonlight Lodge. Both resorts include spas.

All three resorts offer gentle beginner slopes, learn to ski or snowboard programs, and terrain parks. But they excel at buffing out long blue runs for intermediate skiers and corralling steep slopes inbounds for experts.

Bridger Bowl, sprawling across Bridger Mountain north slopes, rolls blue groomers down the Thunder Road ridge and across Wolverine’s undulating meadows, while Powderhorn slices through the area’s belly with an even-pitched swath for arcing wide GS turns. Most beginner runs concentrate in the base area, with upper lifts dropping on to a mix of groomers, mogul fields, and powder stashes. Two lodges in the base area and one mid-mountain provide places to grab a burgers, chili, and homemade baked goodies.

Big Sky and Moonlight Basin flank 11,166-foot Lone Peak, offering the highest elevation skiing in Montana and shared boundaries. Each sell individual resort tickets, but also a single lift ticket valid at both resorts.

Big Sky, enveloping the most terrain and granting the only access to Lone Peak’s summit via the tram, stretches lifts across two faces of Lone Peak and two sides of Andesite Mountain. Blue cruisers ramble off Andesite and zig-zag through Lone Peak’s lower ridges and ravines.

The longest run, which hops across black diamonds to reach groomers, stretches to six miles from Liberty Bowl to Mountain Mall. Lone Peak’s expert upper elevations dish up the A to Z Chutes, wind-scoured cliffs, broad powder bowls, and glade skiing in Dakota Territory. Pinnacles Restaurant atop Andesite serves as the only on-mountain eatery while multiple restaurants rim the base area.

Moonlight Basin tucks under the north side of Lone Peak, its lengthy blue runs sporting seamless grooming on rolling fall line plunges through firs. Horseshoe, the longest run, circles 2.8 miles along the resort’s western perimeter while black diamond runs hide powder and moguls off Lookout Ridge. Experts aim straight for The Headwaters-a line-up of steep chutes cutting a rocky bowl. Dining is available at three base areas-two with temporary facilities and one home to elegant Moonlight Lodge.

All three Bozeman resorts offer a unique steep inbounds backcountry-like experience that requires avalanche beacons. Bridger corrals two immense bowls and ridge hiking from its new experts-only Schlasman’s lift. Experts with tickets valid for Big Sky and Moonlight can catch the Big Sky Tram to Lone Peak’s Summit to descend Moonlight’s several-thousand-foot North Summit Snowfield.

Is it just me or does every jewelry lover have a little bit of a warm spot in their heart for Doris Payne, the jewel thief with the elegant manner? Payne, who will be played by Halle Berry in an upcoming movie, is a graceful beauty with a regal style. That style helped her charm her way into stores, try on whatever she liked and then manage to distract the clerk and tuck a few baubles in her pockets. This was probably not an easy feat for an African-American woman 50 years ago. Payne’s career of crime took her all around the world. But although her glamorous life of crime makes a great movie the reality is a little less cinematic. Last week she was arrested in Orange County, California, accused of taking the tags off a Burberry trench coat and walking out without paying. Payne has proved before that she can’t stay away from stealing. She was sent to prison in 1999 but then while on parole in 2005 she stole two more rings and was sentenced to more time in jail. She finally was out and on parole in 2008 but whether she hasn’t stolen since then or simply hasn’t gotten caught is anyone’s guess. All I know is that 79 years old she’s not ready to stop and for that alone, I’m a little in love with Doris Payne.

A few days ago I saw this story that supermodel Naomi Campbell may have received a “blood diamond” from former Liberian president/dictator Charles Taylor. Taylor is currently  trial in an international court in the Netherlands for his many crimes including his contributions to the atrocities in Sierra Leone by trading guns for diamonds. A prosecutor alleged that Taylor had given a large diamond to Campbell that may have been a stone that he had been given along with others to purchase weapons for  Sierra Leone rebels from South African gun dealers. The alleged transaction took place at a  dinner in South Africa in 1997 attended by Nelson Mandela, Campbell, Quincy Jones, and Mia Farrow. Taylor denied the claim. Campbell has supposedly “cooperated with the prosecution” but there’s no word on whether or not she corroborated the story.

It’s a strange twist in a long trial against a man who deserves every condemnation but I wonder why they are bringing Ms. Campbell into this. The idea that a diamond is only a “blood diamond” if it passes from the hands of an African dictator is pretty laughable. Most of the conflict stones passed nimbly through Africa and right into some of the world’s top jewelry stores. I’d wager that Ms. Campbell wore more conflict stones in her modeling days than she ever got from the hands of one evil man trying to impress a beautiful woman. Terrible things happened in Sierra Leone, Taylor played his part but I don’t think splashing the words Naomi Campbell and blood diamond across the news does anything to bring attention to the trials in any positive way.

Last fall we speculated that a huge 507-carat piece of rough diamond might sell for $30 million. The result was even bigger than anticipated. Petra Diamonds announced that the stone sold for $35.3 million which was the highest sale price ever for a rough stone, an impressive $69,557 per carat. Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Company Ltd. bought the rock which has been given the preliminary name “Cullinan Heritage,” at a tender in South Africa. The stone is the 19th largest piece of rough unearthed in history and is exceptional both in terms of size and color and clarity.

It is believed that the buyers will seek to sell the stone in China. The rough stone could yield a “D-flawless” clear polished stone of 170-180 carats, a stone which could sell at a huge price. The diamond will be doubtlessly be scrutinized by teams of expert cutters and all possible strategies will be mapped and modeled before the first cut is made.

Filed under: Jewelry

Huge Diamond Sells For Over $35 Million originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.blogher.com/photo-gallery?iid=4242959amp;term=rough+diamondsimg src=http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/8/d/c/1/Diamond_Trader_Examines_13a0.jpg?WLSource=WLBlogher.pgamp;adImageId=8866919amp;imageId=4242959 alt=Diamond Trader Examines Diamond border=0 height=328 width=500//abr /When the Kimberley Process decided not to suspend Zimbabwe many people including Rapaport Diamond’s Martin Rapaport and the heads of many NGOs decried the decision. Now it seems that diamonds from the Marange field are the subject of controversy yet again. This week, Mbada Investments, a joint-venture between the government’s Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation and the South African company Core Mining a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=5573planned a three-day diamond sale. /abr /br /The government blocked the sale of the diamonds and Mines Ministry secretary Thankful Musukutwa a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=5573told journalists /athat the firm had a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=29311failed to follow the proper procedures,/a arranging for the auction before Kimberley Process Certification had been obtained. Is anyone really surprised that shady things are going on in Zimbabwe at this point? While it’s all very well and good for Zimbabwe and the Kimberley Process to make a grand show of blocking the sale, the truth is that most of the profits of the sale might havea rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8448335.stm gone back to the government anyway/a. The idea that was happening without government awareness seems at the very least disingenuous. There’s something in this story that reminds me too much of what is going on in Burma, massive gem auctions with one clear aim, funnel money to the ruling powers. Any benefit done to the people or the country is incidental.br /br /If this auction had been on the up and up the world wouldn’t have been hearing about it as it was set to begin, it would have been planned with full approvals and notices from the Kimberley Process. According to reports Mbada chairman, Robert Mhlanga has tried to play the situation off as an oversight. I find that hard to believe.br /br /a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.globalwitness.org/media_library_detail.php/911/en/zimbabwes_commitment_to_conflict_diamonds_scheme_sOn their website Global Witnes/as says that if Zimbabwe fails to work more closely with the Kimberley Process and reform its diamond practices that the Kimberley Process should suspend Zimbabwe. I couldn’t agree more.br /div class=blogger-post-footerimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8417208928640269275-4546973041406678166?l=sparklesmart.blogspot.com’ alt=”//div

Food and luxury have found a never seen before level of richness. The diamond and gold have been blended with the most exquisite recipes to create some real rare edible adventures. Last we heard, it was the Decadence D’Or at the Sweet Surrenders cupcake and candy shop at the Palazzo Resort on the Las Vegas [...]

With the recent though failed terror attack on an airplane on Christmas Day in the US has sent a panic wave all across the world. Airport securities have been and are being further tightened to avoid any mishaps of such kind in the future. And with that regard, body scanners will be playing a very [...]

a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/de-beers-linked-scanning-technology-could-be-used-at-airports-2010-01-05img vspace=4 hspace=4 border=0 align=right src=http://www.blogcdn.com/www.luxist.com/media/2010/01/95496072-1262729451.jpg alt=//aBody scans have been in the news lately following the recent attempted terrorist attack over the holidays in which a Nigerian man aboard a plane headed to the United States had explosive sewn into his underwear. Full body scans are still relatively new when it comes to the travel industry and there are not a lot of scanners in place but the diamond industry has been working on scanning technology for years. Security to prevent diamond smuggling from mines has included scans for a long time. In many mining and polishing facilities workers are scanned on a regular basis.br /br /
DebTech, the research and development arm of De Beers, has announced that it will make its body-scanning technology available to airports. a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/de-beers-linked-scanning-technology-could-be-used-at-airports-2010-01-05Engineering News Online reports/a that the Scannex X-ray body scanner, a machine created to find even the smallest diamonds concealed on someone’s person, may be pressed into service as an airport security device. The scan is non-intrusive and scans take only about 10 seconds. DebTech marketing manager Nico van Zyl told Engineering News Online that it plans to market the machine as a body scanner to airports. Scanners cost around $500,000. br /br /p style=padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.luxist.com/2010/01/05/diamond-body-scanners-could-work-for-airport-security/Diamond Body Scanners Could Work For Airport Security/a originally appeared on a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.luxist.comLuxist/a on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/terms for use of feeds/a./ppa rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.luxist.com/2010/01/05/diamond-body-scanners-could-work-for-airport-security/ title=Permanent link to this entryPermalink/anbsp;|nbsp;a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.luxist.com/forward/19304219/ title=Send this entry to a friend via emailEmail this/anbsp;|nbsp;a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.luxist.com/2010/01/05/diamond-body-scanners-could-work-for-airport-security/#comments title=View reader comments on this entryComments/a/pbr style=clear:both;/br style=clear:both;/a rel=nofollow style=’font-size:10px;color:maroon;’ target=_blank href=’http://www.pheedcontent.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:5db72b54d82ce1070aef96b45ef1ce19:5FBUg5RyX9h%2B7maqUMOxK4VPicIXdLk73pU63lIpKdmi08Zm70YXwiWe9kmQY4%2BlYowE4FFJYlPx’img border=’0′ title=’Add to digg’ alt=’Add to digg’ src=’http://images.pheedo.com/images/mm/digg.gif’//aa rel=nofollow style=’font-size:10px;color:maroon;’ target=_blank href=’http://www.pheedcontent.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:e11f48886c5ac50dd78ba4547fcc8e93:IYcirdBx8HOJCDyyTiWRD4TgKJWZ2PRzSeo4m5Sqm7q9A9ZDY6EHVKgKd%2BMMy%2BQ55oBdGefLAyk6′img border=’0′ title=’Add to del.icio.us’ alt=’Add to del.icio.us’ src=’http://images.pheedo.com/images/mm/delicious.gif’//aa rel=nofollow style=’font-size:10px;color:maroon;’ target=_blank href=’http://www.pheedcontent.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:8fb14c92899d8742aa1b1f5edc6860b6:kUvXayvQMGeQAf05nSR%2B%2BL5yt%2BtQ%2BCN6JwQtZocLJGh098uPO2%2FtT4SIr%2FpAUfHm1NcqH3vrm0qp’img border=’0′ title=’Add to Google’ alt=’Add to Google’ src=’http://images.pheedo.com/images/mm/google.png’//aa rel=nofollow style=’font-size:10px;color:maroon;’ target=_blank href=’http://www.pheedcontent.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:5b337cb479db9778ae29a05eaa866562:p9iV9tjZYbXBJhPpgYqDVz4fnL6InCdET6TspEQO1h4HY4%2B68FECo%2BGGRmemL%2BBLgVqAyiW2Jlpuyg%3D%3D’img border=’0′ title=’Add to StumbleUpon’ alt=’Add to StumbleUpon’ src=’http://images.pheedo.com/images/mm/stumbleit.gif’//aa rel=nofollow style=’font-size:10px;color:maroon;’ target=_blank href=’http://www.pheedcontent.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:887342241d68260dd74ed8fdd246d5d4:XW0JrsQHyHE4HmRXCR2ESSefO9SJzAK86gyXiDln41BX5X8HXvO1Yro%2FA%2FOM6Cr2kdzgYRtgKr%2Fw1A%3D%3D’img border=’0′ title=’Add to Facebook’ alt=’Add to Facebook’ src=’http://images.pheedo.com/images/mm/facebook.gif’//aa rel=nofollow style=’font-size:10px;color:maroon;’ target=_blank href=’http://www.pheedcontent.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:e5b346724124219f864d180fddb7f6ce:V8kWTePbOrf862ymX7e%2B7FCI%2FMfuLR9CqWVfRd6TbYtt2epz6H%2Bpzqg3rdZZeLEH5PA8odPsJZME’img border=’0′ title=’Add to Reddit’ alt=’Add to Reddit’ src=’http://images.pheedo.com/images/mm/reddit.png’//aa rel=nofollow style=’font-size:10px;color:maroon;’ target=_blank href=’http://www.pheedcontent.com/hostedMorselClick.php?hfmm=v3:fb7c9470112c1ca61f357f5d020ffed7:ywdKz2EKDf3Eg5lH6wutHpEbHzfRHK0BV%2BajiuUmFhW3N6k9lJa2H%2F7lPelAHO6YSgydCvYktl2YEg%3D%3D’img border=’0′ title=’Add to Technorati’ alt=’Add to Technorati’ src=’http://images.pheedo.com/images/mm/technorati.png’//abr style=clear:both;/a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=4037977eb1a3c9b441de1126b46458cbp=1img alt= style=border:0; border=0 src=http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=4037977eb1a3c9b441de1126b46458cbp=1//aimg alt= height=0 width=0 border=0 style=display:none; src=http://a.rfihub.com/eus.gif?eui=2221/

Today is the fourth day into the New Year, and folks can not still help themselves from not talking about Jennifer Lopez and her sexy outfit. Well, let#8217;s start from the beginning. After her marriage, mommyhood and a subsequent disappearnce from the limelight, fans got a great opportunity to soak in her aura as hot [...]

div style=text-align:justify;a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5CNFBJhHzCw/S0JY4-ISTsI/AAAAAAAAork/WTxVcLqPAiI/Diamond-Wedding-Rings.jpgimg style=margin:0px auto 10px;display:block;text-align:center;cursor:pointer;width:400px;height:340px; src=http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5CNFBJhHzCw/S0JY4-ISTsI/AAAAAAAAork/WTxVcLqPAiI/Diamond-Wedding-Rings.jpg alt=Diamond, Marriage, Memorable, Rings, Wedding title=Diamond Wedding Rings border=0//aWedding ring has great significance in the lives of all prospective brides and grooms if it has diamond studded on it. Both diamond and love are priceless. a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://top10jewelryshop.blogspot.com/2009/08/pave-diamond-rings.htmlDiamond rings/a symbolizes the beauty of marriage. These rings portray the essence of love between two hearts. It demonstrates love to the world. The a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://top10jewelryshop.blogspot.com/2009/12/white-gold-wedding-band.htmlwedding ring/a signifies commitment and loyalty to your life partner and it is generally worn by women. strongDiamond wedding ring/strong is generally preferred because it is considered as a symbol of deeper commitment, lasting love and relationship of lifetime together. But due to the rise in popularity of various metals for wedding rings, men are now fast approaching acceptance of wearing rings made of various metals.a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.glimmerrocks.com/Category/cat/106/wedding-rings-%7E-anniversary-rings.html title=Diamond wedding ringsDiamond wedding rings/a complement all clothes that you wear. They present a mesmerizing picture of unity and eternal love. But those who can’t afford diamond wedding rings can span style=font-weight:bold;wear wedding rings/span made of white gold; yellow gold, platinum and silver. Sometimes wedding rings are made with non-precious metals such as stainless steel, titanium, zirconium and tungsten. These non-precious metals rings are often inlaid with precious metals and diamonds to enhance their beauty and appeal.br /br /The charm of diamond will stay forever. strongDiamond wedding ring/strong sets are immensely popular and it serves as the ultimate, eternal promise of love and fidelity between man and woman through holy matrimony and beyond. Designed with intricacy and attention to detail and aesthetics, diamond wedding ring sets are chosen with lots of love and thought due to their intended symbolism and purpose.br /br /In the contemporary period, couples are looking for a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.glimmerrocks.com/ title=Diamond engagement ringsdiamond engagement rings/a that are not just visually appealing but also have a value attached to it. They always look for a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://top10jewelryshop.blogspot.com/2009/08/choosing-designer-engagement-rings.htmlspan style=font-weight:bold;engagement rings/span/a that are unique and exquisite from others, after-all engagement is something that brings all happiness of the world into their life. To mark this auspicious occasion, no one can ask for better than a unique diamond engagement ring. Simultaneously, you can get best value of your money only if your diamond ring has four Cs of diamond: color, clarity, carat and cut. The wedding rings you choose will be one of the most memorable pieces of your life. Your ring is not only an important element of getting married, but it also portrays your serious commitment. Not only diamond rings should be elegant, stylish but should be worthy also. It is necessary to know the four Cs before purchasing a quality diamond wedding ring. Always choose a quality ring that expresses your true love for your beloved wife. Use your hard-earned money carefully and buy certified strongdiamond jewelry/strong./divdiv class=blogger-post-footerimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7048105115248873267-1747788777859893568?l=top10jewelryshop.blogspot.com’ alt=”//div

div style=text-align:justify;a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5CNFBJhHzCw/S0JeiDofgXI/AAAAAAAAotQ/yBb802kGRoU/yellow-gold-engagement-ring.jpgimg style=margin:0px auto 10px;display:block;text-align:center;cursor:pointer;width:400px;height:400px; src=http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5CNFBJhHzCw/S0JeiDofgXI/AAAAAAAAotQ/yBb802kGRoU/yellow-gold-engagement-ring.jpg alt=yellow gold engagement ring title=Bring Out the Diamond Brilliance border=0//aIf you are trying to match a a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://top10jewelryshop.blogspot.com/2009/08/choosing-designer-engagement-rings.htmlspan style=font-weight:bold;yellow gold engagement ring/span/a with an span style=font-weight:bold;eternity wedding band/span, then you may want the band itself to be yellow gold, however, it’s worth considering getting a span style=font-weight:bold;yellow gold eternity ring band/span that has white gold around the stones just to bring out the diamonds a little more. Two tone rings serve to give you the gold color to match the other ring while emphasizing the diamonds and getting their maximum brilliance to show through./divdiv class=blogger-post-footerimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7048105115248873267-8031016440183055576?l=top10jewelryshop.blogspot.com’ alt=”//div

pAn article in the a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1239182/How-women-love-mobile-phones–boyfriends.htmlDaily Mail/a covers a poll of 4,000 women asked to rank their most treasured possessions. While a diamond ring ranks 6th position, losing out to mothers, photos, mobile phones, best friend and boyfriend, it does manage to beat the family pet./ppStrangely enough, diamond earrings rank 19th in the quirky list which was compiled by an online pawnbroker. They were surpassed by tweezers, favorite shoes and mascara./ppAs the pawnbroker explains it, “Diamond rings represent 70 percent of the loans we give to women so we are not surprised to see them right at the top of the list alongside mothers and boyfriends, that have a high emotional value but zero material value.”/ppApparently, the majority of women polled ‘would even dump their boyfriend or husband in exchange for £700,000.’/ppTo see the list in full visit: a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1239182/How-women-love-mobile-phones–boyfriends.html#ixzz0bCoGBRTWhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1239182/How-women-love-mobile-phones–boyfriends.html#ixzz0bCoGBRTW/a/pdiv class=blogger-post-footerimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2798228790342029090-4024517579667891390?l=allindiamond.blogspot.com’ alt=”//div

On a day not unlike the morning of St. Jude Catholic Church’s first Mass, hundreds of parishioners gathered Dec. 20 to celebrate the church’s 75th anniversary.br /br /From that first Mass held on Christmas morning in 1934 in a small, one-story frame house on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Cedar Road in New Lenox to a Catholic community of 4,000-plus families, St. Jude’s has seen many changes.br /br /Since 1934, the parish has been located in four different buildings, has had twelve pastors, dozens of priests, brothers and deacons to serve the needs of the ever-increasing number of families.br /br /St. Jude has a rich history that dates back prior to the village’s incorporation. The parish commemorated its diamond anniversary with a year-long celebration that began in January and culminated with the special Mass. Dec. 20 also marked the Rev. Don Lewandowski’s 40th anniversary in the priesthood and Bishop James Peter Sartain of the Diocese of Joliet led the service.br /br /Bishop James Peter Sartain of the Diocese of Joliet leads Mass Dec. 20 at St. Jude Catholic Church in New Lenox. The special service marked the end of St. Jude’s year-long 75th anniversary celebration. photo: Megan Holba/22nd Century Media. br /Lewandowski said he tried to keep his own anniversary quiet so as not to distract people from St. Jude’s milestone, but Bishop Sartain did give the priest a special mention at the end of the service.br /br /It was a great honor, Lewandowski said of having his anniversary recognized with St. Jude’s. It’s been 40 years of doing what I want to do — serving the people — and I’m happy to do that.br /br /Lewandowski was ordained in 1969 and has been part of the Diocese of Joliet for more than 20 years. He’s been with St. Jude since 2006 and said the work parishioners did to celebrate the parish’s 75th year is what deserves recognition.br /br /We had a group of people who stepped up and I’m very happy for the work they did, Lewandowski said.br /br /A reception was held after Mass in the school gym, and the church organized a multitude of events throughout 2009 to celebrate the anniversary. Among them was a 75th Anniversary Dinner in November which brought nearly 300 parishioners out for an afternoon of reminiscing. The Franciscans who founded St. Jude’s, its previous Augustinian priests, as well as those who were instrumental in the life of the parish and school since 1934, were acknowledged during the presentation given by Lewandowski.br /br /Priests and deacons of the Diocese of Joliet gather Dec. 20 at St. Jude Catholic Church in New Lenox for the church’s 75th anniversary ceremony. Front row, left to right: Fr. Chuck Faso, OFM, Fr. Raymond Ryan, OSA, Bishop James Peter Sartain, Fr. Donald Lewandowski, OSA, pastor of St. Jude Parish, Fr. William Lego, OSA, Deacon William Ciston; (back) Fr. Greg Skowron, Fr. Bill Burton, OFM, Fr. Don Bates, OSA, Fr. Michael Slattery, OSA, Deacon Dennis Theriault, Deacon Robert Fitt and Fr. William Sullivan, OSA. photo: Megan Holba/22nd Century Media. br /An anniversary picnic was also held in August, and St. Jude participated in New Lenox’s annual Loyalty Day Parade in May. Earlier in the year the St. Jude Parent’s Club held its dinner dance entitled Diamonds Are Forever to honor the anniversary.br /br /A series of three anniversary banners also commemorated the year and were created by parishioners Judy Mudore, Mary Lee Gustafson, Dorothea Hanna and Julie Tillman, along with Fr. Don Bates. The first depicts the St. Jude logo — the outline of four people from the four directions from which parishioners are drawn, all reaching into the heart of Jesus. The number 75 is in the background. A second banner was hung at Easter and tells the story of each parishioners’ journey through baptism to the eucharist. The third, revealed on Pentecost Sunday, shows the anniversary theme, Soaring at 75.br /br /The priests, deacons, school and parish staff and parishioners of St. Jude look forward to beginning the next 75 years of serving God through serving his people, said Communications Coordinator Marcy Anderson.br /br /A 75th Anniversary prayer was written by Fr. Michael Schweifler, who was an associate pastor at the church and passed away in July.div class=blogger-post-footerimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2798228790342029090-313675550239563053?l=allindiamond.blogspot.com’ alt=”//div

pA creage owners south of Calgary awoke Christmas morning to a blaze at a neighbour’s home, unaware that a woman and her daughter had left earlier that morning./ppFrantic neighbours called 911 and gathered outside the De Winton residence as the flames shot into the pre-dawn sky./ppI was pounding on the door, hollering. No one was answering, said neighbour Herb Schaller. We were all terrified, thinking they were in there./ppFortunately, the owners weren’t home, but only by a half an hour./ppBrad Walker said his wife Karen and their seven-year-old daughter Muffy left the acreage around 6:30 a.m. to spend the holiday with him at his job site in Saskatchewan./ppA fire broke out less than 30 minutes later. The flames quickly ripped through the house, leaving it gutted./ppOkotoks fire crews spent much of Friday putting out flares and hot spots./ppInvestigators hope today to begin work to determine the cause of the blaze./ppKaren Walker made it about 300 kilometres, to Medicine Hat, before she learned about the fire, her husband said./ppThe family didn’t plan to return to the home Friday./ppBrad Walker said it’s difficult to picture the devastation, but says he’s grateful his wife and daughter weren’t there./ppYou have to put things in perspective, he said. It’s the memorabilia that’s the loss, not the structure itself./ppThe blaze consumed the bungalow and attached garage./ppBrad Walker’s sister, Pat Walker, arrived at the home at midday Friday to survey the damage. Fire crews handed her a few pictures salvaged from inside, including a picture of Muffy./ppIt’s not at all what you want to see on Christmas Day, Walker said. I’m just glad they’re alive./ppWhen Okotoks fire crews arrived shortly after 7 a.m., the home was engulfed in flames./ppWe weren’t able to gain entrance into the structure at all because of the stage the fire was at the time. The walls were starting to collapse, the floor had already collapsed, said Okotoks fire Chief Ken Thevenot. It’s a total loss, complete loss./ppFire crews fought the blaze defensively./ppWater tanker trucks were brought in from Black Diamond and Turner Valley to help put out the fire. As many as a dozen of the 9,000-litre tankers were used to fight the flames, said Thevenot./ppWalker said he’s grateful he wasn’t there to watch helplessly, adding his first glimpse of the burnt-out shell will be difficult./ppI’m glad I didn’t see it, he said. There’s nothing to salvage./pdiv class=blogger-post-footerimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2798228790342029090-1057450904717811966?l=allindiamond.blogspot.com’ alt=”//div

div style=text-align:justify;a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://lh5.ggpht.com/_5CNFBJhHzCw/SzT–kSy6LI/AAAAAAAAnh4/zzs0ZVoFJ-g/s1600-h/French-Diamond-Ring.jpgimg style=margin:0px auto 10px;display:block;text-align:center;cursor:pointer;width:400px;height:318px; src=http://lh5.ggpht.com/_5CNFBJhHzCw/SzT–kSy6LI/AAAAAAAAnh4/zzs0ZVoFJ-g/s400/French-Diamond-Ring.jpg alt=French Diamond Ring border=0//aCirca 1880. This beautiful Victorian 18KT ring is centered by an exquisite rose cut diamond and accented by fourteen smaller rose cut diamonds. It measures 13mm wide and 5.5mm tall at the top of the ring. The base of the shank measures 2mm x 1mm./divdiv class=blogger-post-footerimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7048105115248873267-503632157341681047?l=top10jewelryshop.blogspot.com’ alt=”//div

div style=text-align:justify;a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5CNFBJhHzCw/SzI8NEMc7AI/AAAAAAAAnd8/5292nTt0H4U/s1600-h/lifegem-diamond.jpgimg style=margin:0px auto 10px;display:block;text-align:center;cursor:pointer;width:400px;height:287px; src=http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5CNFBJhHzCw/SzI8NEMc7AI/AAAAAAAAnd8/5292nTt0H4U/s400/lifegem-diamond.jpg alt=beethoven, carbon, diamond, lifegem border=0//aI’ve heard of a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.lifegem.com/LifeGem/a, the company that creates diamonds using extracted carbon from human or pet remains before but now they have done something different than turning a loved one into a gem, now you can buy a famous person’s gem. Composer Ludwig van Beethoven is ia rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/18/wdiamond118.xmlmmortalized in a sparkling blue stone/a created from using tiny amounts of carbon in strands of his hair. The hair came from a collection of famous hair at the University Archives in Connecticut. The gem represents the first time a historical figure has been turned into a diamond. The .56 carat rock will be auctioned off on eBay and is hoped to sell for up to $1 million. The proceeds will be donated to various children’s charities around the world.br //divbr /[via a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.diamondvues.com/Diamond Vues/a]div class=blogger-post-footerimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7048105115248873267-2814563557184096397?l=top10jewelryshop.blogspot.com’ alt=”//div