Unique Jewels Blog

A diamond that spent decades hidden from public view is finally stepping into the light. The legendary 137-carat "Florentine Diamond," once part of the Austrian Crown Jewels and believed lost for nearly a century, is now the star attraction of a remarkable new exhibition in Québec City.



“Hidden Treasure: A Century of Mystery,” which opened September 4th at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ), presents 15 historic jewels connected to the Habsburg family, along with other artifacts that help tell the extraordinary story of how the treasure was spirited out of war-torn Europe and secretly preserved in Canada.

The exhibition’s centerpiece is the Florentine, a pale yellow diamond weighing 137.27 carats. Its unusual nine-sided double-rosette cut features 126 facets, including a second layer of facets on the underside that enhances the gem’s brilliance. Historical records once described its color as “wine mixed tenfold with water.” Its story stretches back centuries, beginning with the Medici dynasty in Florence before the diamond passed into Habsburg hands and became part of the Austrian Crown Jewels.

The diamond disappeared from public view following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, but the gem was actually still very much in the Habsburg family.

Empress Zita, wife of Emperor Charles I, carried the diamond and other family jewels with her when she fled Europe during World War II. After arriving in North America in 1940, the family eventually settled in Québec, where the jewels were placed in a Canadian bank vault. Zita reportedly instructed her sons to keep the location of the Florentine secret for 100 years following Emperor Charles’ death in 1922.



For generations, only a handful of family members knew where the legendary gem was hidden. In 2025, Habsburg descendants finally revealed that the diamond had survived — safely tucked away in Canada.



Now visitors can see not only the Florentine, but also 14 additional Habsburg jewels. Among the highlights are an 18th-century insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece and a jeweled pocketwatch from the trousseau of Marie Antoinette. The exhibition also includes the actual suitcase that protected the jewels for decades.



The exhibition is organized as a three-part journey, moving from the Habsburg dynasty and its years of exile to the family’s connection with Québec and, ultimately, the dramatic unveiling of the jewels themselves.



“The city of Québec offered my family safety, respect and hope during a time of great uncertainty,” said Empress Zita’s grandson Karl von Habsburg. “Showing these jewels at the Musée is an expression of profound gratitude to Québec and Canada.”

The exhibition is on view at the MNBAQ in Québec City, with reservations required.

Credits: Photos of Florentine Diamond, tourmaline Insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece, yellow sapphire hat pin, diamond hat pin, emerald-and-diamond watch, Marie Antoinette's pocketwatch, and suitcase courtesy of Saint Joseph Trust, photo by MNBAQ, Louis Hébert.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, country music legend Don Williams tells a sweet story about a boy, a girl, a toy ring and a teenage crush that blossoms into lifelong love. In “Cracker Jack Diamond,” a prize from a box of caramel corn becomes the first symbol of a romance that eventually leads to a genuine diamond engagement ring.



The song, written by Ronny Scaife and Neil Thrasher, begins with a 14-year-old boy spending the summer mowing lawns for extra money. His luck changes when he comes across a house with tall weeds and a girl sitting on the porch eating ice cream. Instantly smitten, he reaches into his grass-stained jeans and finds some leftover caramel corn and a plastic ring that had been a prize in the box.

He gives the ring to the girl, and the friendship begins to evolve into something much deeper. Five years later, the boy is 19 and has been saving his money. He returns with enough for a preacher and a real diamond ring, takes his sweetheart back to that same porch and asks her to marry him.

That transformation is the heart of the song’s jewelry metaphor. The first ring has little monetary value, but it represents the moment when two young people discovered each other. The diamond that follows symbolizes their eternal love and unbreakable commitment.

The story then jumps ahead, imagining the couple in later life. The woman still brings out the old toy ring once a year. It no longer fits, but she keeps it because its sentimental value is priceless. The little ring is where their story began.

Williams was the perfect storyteller for such a gentle tale. Known as the “Gentle Giant” for his towering stature and warm bass-baritone, he built a career around understated performances that made everyday stories feel profound.

Born in Texas in 1939, he co-founded the folk-pop group the Pozo-Seco Singers before launching his solo career in 1971. Over six decades, he scored 17 #1 country hits, including “Tulsa Time,” “You’re My Best Friend” and “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good.” He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010 and retired from touring in 2016. He died in 2017 at age 78.

Williams was the first to record “Cracker Jack Diamond.” The song appeared on his 1998 album I Turn the Page, which was released in October of that year.

Marty Raybon later recorded the song, giving it another life on his self-titled solo album.

(Since 1912, Cracker Jack fans, young and old, have been excited to find a prize buried in their box of caramel corn. Over time, these prizes have included plastic figurines, booklets, stickers, temporary tattoos and… rings.)

Please check out the audio track of Williams’s performance of “Cracker Jack Diamond.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Cracker Jack Diamond”
Written by Ronny Scaife and Neil Thrasher. Performed by Don Williams.

Well he spent that summer walkin’ door to door
With a can of gas and an ol’ lawn mower
That’s a sure fire way to make a buck when you’re 14

Well he made a block with no luck at all
Then he spotted a place where the weeds were tall
With a young girl sitting on the front porch eatin’ ice cream

Deep in the pocket of his grass stained jeans
Was some caramel corn and a plastic ring
Leftover from the week before
Momma didn’t wash them, thank the lord

Just like a Cracker Jack Diamond,
You never know when your gonna find one
They found love from that day on
The hand of fate put them together,
Their hearts will stay forever young
Like a Cracker Jack Diamond

Well it’s been five years since he gave her his prize
Now the sparkle’s gone, but not in their eyes
And he’s wanting to tell her what’s been on his mind lately

He said, "Girl I ain’t rich but I’ve been saving up
A little ever day ’til I had enough"
Before he could finished she said, "You know I will, baby."

Deep in the pocket of his holey jeans
Was money for the preacher and a diamond ring
He took her back to that old front porch
Slipped it on her finger and he thanked the Lord

Just like a Cracker Jack Diamond,
You never know when your gonna find one
They found love from that day on
The hand of fate put them together,
Their hearts will stay forever young
Like a Cracker Jack Diamond

Now, once a year she takes it out but it don’t fit her hand
But she wears it in her heart
That’s where it all began

Just like a Cracker Jack Diamond,
You never know when your gonna find one
They found love from that day on
The hand of fate put them together,
Their hearts will stay forever young
Like a Cracker Jack Diamond



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / Don Williams.

Imagine a sapphire the size of a large chicken egg, weighing nearly 423 carats and glowing with a rich blue hue touched by the faintest whisper of violet. That is the Logan Sapphire, one of the world’s most spectacular faceted blue sapphires and a dazzling centerpiece of the Smithsonian National Gem Collection. It's also an amazing example of September's birthstone.



Weighing 422.98 carats, the cushion-cut Logan Sapphire is believed to be the third-largest faceted blue sapphire in the world. The only ones larger are the 486.52-carat Blue Giant of the Orient and the 478.68-carat Queen Marie of Romania Sapphire.

The Logan Sapphire’s impressive size is only part of its appeal. The mixed cushion-cut gem is blue with very slight violet overtones and measures roughly 49 by 38 by 21 millimeters. It is mounted in a silver-and-gold brooch surrounded by 20 round brilliant-cut diamonds totaling approximately 16 carats. The piece holds the distinction of being the heaviest mounted gem in the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection.

The sapphire was cut from a crystal mined in Sri Lanka, historically one of the world’s great sources of fine sapphire. Before reaching America, the gem was owned by Sir Ellice Victor Sassoon, third Baronet of Bombay. The Sassoon family reportedly acquired it from an Indian maharajah, after which Col. M. Robert Guggenheim purchased it.

In late 1952 or early 1953, Guggenheim presented the spectacular brooch to his wife, Rebecca Pollard “Polly” Guggenheim, as a Christmas/anniversary gift. The enormous sapphire might seem like a challenging piece of jewelry to wear, but Polly apparently embraced its grand scale. When asked whether her 422.98-carat sapphire brooch was perhaps too large to wear, she reportedly replied, “I thought so too until I owned it.”

Polly donated the sapphire to the Smithsonian in December 1960, although she retained possession of it for another decade. In April 1971, she sent the brooch to Washington, DC, and formally presented it to Smithsonian curator Paul Desautels for public exhibition on June 22. By then, Polly had married John A. Logan, providing the name by which the famous gemstone is known today.

A 1997 Gemological Institute of America report determined that its color is natural and found no evidence of heat treatment. Under longwave ultraviolet light, the sapphire exhibits moderate reddish-orange fluorescence.

Like all sapphires, the Logan is a variety of corundum. Trace elements introduced naturally into the crystal structure give the gemstone its color, with iron and titanium contributing to the blue hues. Its Sri Lankan origin places it among the celebrated “Ceylon” sapphires prized by collectors.

Sapphires are seen in many colors, including pink, purple, green, orange and yellow. Ruby is the red variety of corundum.

Credit: Photo by Chip Clark/Smithsonian, and digitally enhanced by SquareMoose.

Today, the NFL begins another long journey toward Super Bowl glory, and the opening game offers a fitting reminder of where every team ultimately wants to be. Tonight, the defending champion Seattle Seahawks will host the New England Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl LX, giving both teams their first opportunity to take a step toward another championship — and another piece of championship jewelry.



For Seattle, the goal is a third Super Bowl title. The Seahawks enter the season as defending champions after going 14-3 in the regular season and finishing with 17 total victories, including the playoffs. They capped that run with a 29-13 victory over New England in February.

The Seahawks received their second-ever Super Bowl rings in June, and the elaborate jewelry is almost a championship storybook in miniature. Designed by Jason of Beverly Hills, the ring features 50 brilliant white diamonds surrounding the Seahawks logo, commemorating the franchise's 50th NFL season. Two Lombardi Trophies sit behind the logo, representing Seattle's Super Bowl victories.



The ring's most surprising feature is a tiny 12 flag button. Press it and diamond-covered arches inspired by Lumen Field spring outward to reveal the words “WORLD CHAMPIONS.” The theme of “12” — a tribute to Seattle’s famously passionate fan base, known as “The 12s” or the “12th Man” — appears throughout the design, including 12 jeweled feathers on the underside. The ring's top can even be removed and worn as a pendant, while a hidden piece of game-used football leather is preserved inside. “17 WINS” is engraved within the shank.

For New England, tonight begins the pursuit of a seventh Super Bowl championship. The Patriots' most recent championship ring, awarded in 2019 after their Super Bowl LIII victory over the Los Angeles Rams, remains one of the most spectacular examples of championship jewelry ever created.



Designed by Jostens, the 10-karat-gold ring contains an average of 422 diamonds totaling 8.25 carats, plus 20 blue sapphires weighing 1.60 carats. Six Lombardi Trophies are represented by marquise-cut diamonds surrounded by 123 round diamonds, while another 108 pavé diamonds symbolize the 108 practices held during the championship season.

The Patriots face formidable headwinds in their quest for another ring. Meanwhile, Seattle begins its title defense with expectations tempered by a competitive NFC West. Current preseason rankings place the Los Angeles Rams at or near the top of the Super Bowl field, with Buffalo, Seattle, Philadelphia and Baltimore among the other highly regarded contenders.

Credits: Seahawks ring images courtesy of Jason of Beverly Hills. Patriots ring image courtesy of Jostens.

Two extraordinary Paraíba-type tourmalines with a remarkable history are headed to the auction block. On September 17, Sotheby’s Hong Kong will offer the Kat Florence “Luminas,” weighing 71.24 and 72.84 carats, respectively — a spectacular set being billed as the largest matched pair of flawless, unheated Paraíba tourmalines ever brought to auction.



Sotheby’s has placed a pre-sale estimate of $382,000 to $510,000 (HK$3 million to HK$4 million) on the pair. The oval gems were cut and fashioned by jewelry designer and artist Kat Florence, who gives the name “Lumina” to exceptional Paraíba-type tourmalines originating from the same remarkable piece of rough.

In 2003, world-famous gem hunter Don Kogen discovered an enormous 830-carat Paraíba tourmaline crystal in the Mavuco district of Mozambique’s Nampula province. Kogen, who is also Florence’s husband and the in-house gem hunter for Kat Florence Atelier, found the crystal during a routine expedition. The intensely saturated neon blue-green stone was notable for its copper-rich composition and extraordinary potential.

Kogen estimated that the huge crystal might one day yield a clean 300-carat gem, an almost mythical prospect in the world of Paraibas, but for more than 20 years the stone lay untouched.

Then in 2025, encouraged by his wife, Kogan agreed to embark on an exacting cutting journey that produced a 315-carat gem. The cut stone was impressive, but not perfect. It displayed “windowing,” an optical effect that can make a gemstone appear flat or see-through instead of allowing its color and brilliance to shine. Rather than accept a compromised result, Florence and her team undertook a painstaking process of analysis and precision recutting.

The effort ultimately produced the 181.61-carat flawless Kat Florence Lumina, which was offered at Bonhams Hong Kong on May 22, 2025, with a pre-sale estimate of HK$3 million to HK$5 million (approximately US$385,000 to $640,000). The remarkable cushion-cut stone ultimately sold for HK$3.814 million, or about US$487,000 including buyer’s premium.

Paraíba tourmalines are among the jewelry world’s most coveted colored gemstones because of their electrifying blue to green hues and exceptional rarity. Their signature color is associated with copper in the crystal’s chemical composition, producing the vivid “neon” appearance that has made fine Paraíba tourmalines legendary among collectors.



The Sotheby’s sale also will feature another extraordinary Kat Florence creation: the largest flawless tanzanite necklace ever to go to auction. Its centerpiece is a spectacular step-cut 424.80-carat tanzanite, fashioned as a royal pendant and surrounded by D-flawless princess- and brilliant-cut diamonds. The necklace carries a pre-sale estimate of HK$2 million to HK$2.8 million (approximately $255,000 to $357,000).

Credits: Photos courtesy of Kat Florence.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, British singer-songwriter Andreya Triana turns one of jewelry’s most enduring treasures into a metaphor for the things that make life truly rich. In her soulful 2015 song “Gold,” Triana celebrates the everyday moments, relationships and experiences that shine with a value all their own.



The song’s central message is beautifully simple: What matters most in life isn’t necessarily what looks the most impressive or expensive. Triana uses gold as a metaphor for happiness, gratitude, freedom, music and the small moments that make life meaningful.

She sings, “It all feels like gold, gold to me.”

She describes opening her eyes and seeing “so much beauty,” celebrating a new sense of possibility after difficult times. The song also reflects Triana’s love of music and the joy she finds in singing. Its infectious, layered vocals and rhythmic chant make the message feel less like a philosophical lesson and more like an invitation to join the celebration.

“Gold” was released as the lead single from Triana’s second studio album, Giants, in March of 2015. The album blended soul, electronic music and other influences around Triana’s distinctive voice.

More than four years later, “Gold” found a new audience when Nissan selected it for its 2020 Versa advertising campaign. The “Good Morning, Goodnight” commercial followed a couple whose opposite work schedules leave them crossing paths as one begins the day and the other ends it — a fitting visual companion to a song about finding richness in ordinary life. The campaign began airing in 2019 as part of the launch of the redesigned Versa.

Now 39, Triana’s path to stardom began when she was a child in London. She started singing at age seven, experimenting with harmonies using cassette decks, and by 17 was performing at open-mic nights. Her adventurous musical approach eventually led to an invitation to the Red Bull Music Academy in Australia in 2006. She went on to collaborate with artists including Flying Lotus and Bonobo, whose production helped shape her critically acclaimed 2010 debut album, Lost Where I Belong.

Today, Triana continues to pursue her music independently, balancing creative work with motherhood and developing new material. And, perhaps, that is the enduring appeal of “Gold”: Its definition of wealth has nothing to do with how much something costs. Sometimes the richest moments are simply the ones that make us stop, look around and realize that life is already shining and beautiful.

Please check out audio track of Triana performing “Gold.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Gold”
Written by Dee Adam, Alex “Cores” Hayes, Andreya Triana and Hannah Vasanth. Performed by Andreya Triana.

Lord only knows this heart is free
A brand new day is at my feet
Now sing it low, low and sweet
I give it more soul, I give it all of me

It all feels like gold (gold), gold to me (gold)
It might not be diamonds, but it shines for me
It all feels like gold (gold), gold to me (gold)
It ain’t lost in silence, it’s all good to me
Sing it
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, gold
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Simple things that light me up
What a beautiful world, and I see the love
And everything, and everyone
When I’m digging softly
Oh the time will come

It all feels like gold (gold), gold to me (gold)
It might not be diamonds, but it shines for me
It all feels like gold (gold), gold to me (it's gold to me)
It ain’t lost in silence, it’s all good to me
Sing it
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, gold
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Open my eyes, I see there’s so much beauty
There’s so much more then I ever believed
Hard touching the sky when the angels keep fallin'
And it’s all good to me, it’s all good to me

It all feels like gold, gold to me
It might not be diamonds, but it shines for me
It all feels like gold (gold), gold to me (it's gold to me)
It ain’t lost in silence, it’s all good to me
Sing it
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, gold
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

It all feels like gold, gold to me (Yeah, yeah)
It ain’t lost in silence, it’s all good to me (Yeah, yeah, gold)
It all feels like gold, all gold to me (Yeah, yeah)
It ain’t lost in silence, it’s all good to me (Yeah, yeah, gold)
It’s all good to me

All good to me
All good to me
So good to me



Credit: Photo by Paul Hudson from United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

For more than a century, diamond has been regarded as one of the world’s most electrically inactive materials. Now, researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) have discovered that under the right conditions, diamond can actually generate electricity — a finding that could give the celebrated gemstone an intriguing new role in technology.



The surprising discovery involves ultrathin diamond membranes that produce an electrical response when they are bent. The research, led by Professor Zhiqin Chu of HKU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Professor Yuan Lin of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, challenges the long-held belief that diamond is non-piezoelectric.

Piezoelectric materials generate an electrical charge when they are squeezed, pressed or subjected to mechanical stress. Diamond, despite its extraordinary hardness and other impressive properties, has traditionally been classified as non-piezoelectric. That meant engineers generally used diamond in tiny electronic devices as a durable structural material rather than as a source of electricity.

The HKU researchers discovered that making diamond extraordinarily thin changes the equation.

Using a specialized technique, the team created flexible diamond membranes only a few micrometers thick — thousands of times thinner than a human hair. The membranes are made from numerous microscopic diamond crystals joined together. When researchers bent the membranes, they detected a steady and repeatable electrical voltage.

Even more surprising was the explanation for the phenomenon. The boundaries where the microscopic crystals meet are not perfectly symmetrical. When the ultrathin membrane bends, those tiny imperfections cause electrical charges to become unevenly distributed, producing a measurable voltage between the membrane’s surfaces.

The researchers subjected the diamond membranes to repeated mechanical tests to ensure the electrical signals weren't simply caused by friction or other environmental effects. The consistent results provided evidence of a genuine piezoelectric response.

The discovery could eventually make diamond useful in places where conventional electronic materials struggle. Because diamond is exceptionally hard, chemically stable and highly biocompatible, flexible diamond membranes could one day help power medical implants and tiny sensors. Instead of relying entirely on conventional batteries, future devices might harvest small amounts of energy from movements such as a heartbeat or muscle contraction.

The technology could also find applications in high-temperature sensors, aerospace equipment, industrial machinery and wearable electronics. Diamond's ability to withstand extreme conditions while simultaneously converting mechanical movement into electrical energy could be particularly valuable in environments where ordinary electronic components deteriorate.

The discovery offers an intriguing reminder that diamond is much more than a symbol of love and enduring beauty. The same material prized for engagement rings and other cherished jewelry may also possess an unexpected talent for turning movement into electricity.

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

A family outing to Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park turned into a remarkable discovery for Tennessee grandfather Barry G. Smith, who unearthed a 2.29-carat canary yellow diamond while searching with his wife and two granddaughters on August 16.



Smith, of Germantown, TN, had brought Sage and Juniper to the Murfreesboro-area park as part of a weeklong family trip. The group rented a hand-pulled wagon and basic prospecting equipment and headed into the park’s 37½-acre search field, where amateur miners get to keep what they find at the only diamond site in the world that’s open to the general public.



About 30 minutes into the search, Smith spotted something glimmering in the East Drain area of the diamond field.

“I thought it was mica,” Smith said, referring to a glittery — but common — yellow mineral found in the search area. Smith tucked the stone into his shirt pocket, hoping it might be quartz or, perhaps, a diamond, and continued searching with his granddaughters until around noon.



The surprise came when he brought the stone to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center. Staff inspected the specimen and confirmed what Smith had hoped — but hardly expected — to hear. He had found a 2.29-carat canary yellow diamond, about the size of a black-eyed pea.

“I never expected to find a diamond here,” Smith said. “The potential was there, but you never come here expecting to find one.”

Was he excited by the news?

“Oh, absolutely!” Smith said.



The discovery ranks as the third-largest diamond registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park in 2026, following a 6.03-carat yellow diamond found in January and a 3.09-carat white diamond discovered in April.

“I was dumbfounded when I first saw the diamond,” park facility supervisor Ralph Hall said, underscoring just how striking Smith's stone was.

Yellow diamonds are particularly noteworthy at the park because they are less common than white and brown stones. Historical park statistics show that about 62% of the diamonds found there have been white, 20% brown and 17% yellow, with just over 1% falling into other categories. The yellow color occurs when nitrogen becomes incorporated into a diamond’s crystal structure during its formation.

As is customary with large discoveries at the park, Smith decided to name the diamond. It is now officially called the Sage Juniper Diamond, honoring his two granddaughters.

The find adds to an extraordinary 54-year history at Crater of Diamonds. Since the park opened in 1972, visitors have registered more than 37,000 diamonds, with an average of one to two diamonds discovered each day. In 2026 alone, 351 diamonds had been registered as of the announcement of Smith’s find.

The park’s search field is unusual even by diamond-mining standards. Rather than digging deep underground, visitors search the exposed, eroded surface of an ancient diamond-bearing kimberlite pipe — the volcanic rock formation that carried diamonds toward Earth’s surface millions of years ago.

Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.

Ethiopia is now officially on the Paraíba tourmaline map. Independent investigations by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and Switzerland’s Gübelin Gem Lab have confirmed that a newly reported East African deposit is producing copper-bearing tourmaline that meets the widely accepted definition of Paraíba tourmaline.



The two respected laboratories announced Aug. 27 that they had separately examined samples from the Ethiopian deposit and reached the same conclusion. Their findings make Ethiopia the fourth known source of Paraíba tourmaline, joining Brazil, Nigeria and Mozambique.



The Ethiopian stones display an eye-catching palette ranging from vivid blue and bluish green to violet and purple. Many examples also show dramatic color zoning, creating fascinating variations within individual crystals.

Paraíba tourmalines burst onto the jewelry scene in the late 1980s after prospector Heitor Barbosa discovered intensely colored copper-bearing tourmaline near São José da Batalha in Brazil's Paraíba state. The material's almost neon blue appearance quickly made it one of the world's most coveted colored gemstones.

Whether or not a gem can be called a Paraíba tourmaline is not necessarily dependent on where the gem was mined, but what gives the gem its color. Under the definition used by the gemological laboratories, the designation can apply to tourmaline from outside Brazil when copper is the predominant coloring element.

This became relevant when copper-bearing tourmaline was subsequently discovered in Nigeria and Mozambique in 2001.

The Ethiopian discovery was initially reported in the trade earlier this year. Gübelin encountered stones in May with a chemical composition that did not match its reference material from Brazil, Mozambique or Nigeria. The laboratory subsequently assembled about 300 rough and faceted stones from multiple sources, including material obtained during a visit to Ethiopia. GIA began examining Ethiopian material in June and received a parcel of more than 100 rough and faceted samples in July for detailed research.

The laboratories also discovered something potentially valuable for identifying the new gems. Ethiopian Paraíba tourmaline has a distinctive chemical fingerprint, including elevated levels of vanadium, lead and gallium. These elements can help gemologists distinguish Ethiopian stones from material originating in the other three known sources.

Credits: Paraíba tourmaline from Ethiopia (top) includes a 7.64-carat faceted stone and an 8.70-carat rough stone. Photo (below) shows rough tourmaline stones from Ethiopia in a range of colors. Stones weigh from 4.20 carat to 10.95 carats. Courtesy of the Ferreira Group. Photo by Annie Haynes/GIA.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we bring you songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we pay tribute to Dolly Parton through her 1984 country hit “Tennessee Homesick Blues,” a homespun song with a sparkling final line: “It’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world.”



Parton wrote the song for Rhinestone, the musical comedy in which she co-starred with Sylvester Stallone. The movie follows a country singer who bets that she can transform a rough New York City cab driver into a country music star. Against that backdrop, “Tennessee Homesick Blues” captures Parton’s character yearning to escape the pressures and artificiality of big-city life and return to her Tennessee mountain roots.

The song’s closing diamond-and-rhinestone metaphor gives the homesickness a deeper meaning. The diamond represents something genuine, rare, enduring and valuable — much like the authentic country woman Parton portrays. The rhinestone, by contrast, is an imitation gem: bright and glittery, but lacking the natural rarity and intrinsic value of a diamond.

For Parton’s character, being “a diamond in a rhinestone world” means trying to remain true to herself while navigating an entertainment business filled with glamour, pressure and superficiality. The line also carries a distinctly Parton-like message: success should never require sacrificing the person you were before you became successful.

“Tennessee Homesick Blues” first appeared on the Rhinestone soundtrack and was released as a single in 1984. It proved to be more than a movie tie-in, reaching #1 on both the US and Canadian country singles charts.

The sentiment was particularly poignant coming from Parton, who understood the tension between humble beginnings and extraordinary fame. Raised in a large, impoverished family in the Tennessee mountains, she began performing as a child and eventually moved to Nashville to pursue music.

Through extraordinary songwriting, determination and showmanship, she became one of the world's most successful entertainers, with hits including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “I Will Always Love You” and “Coat of Many Colors.” She also became a major film star in 9 to 5, Steel Magnolias and, of course, Rhinestone.

Parton, who recently died at 80 following a brief battle with cancer, also had a well-known love of jewelry — particularly butterfly-themed pieces, inspired by her enduring connection to her song “Love Is Like a Butterfly.” Yet her dazzling rhinestone style was every bit as iconic.

Perhaps that is why the final line of “Tennessee Homesick Blues” feels like such a fitting Parton philosophy: In a world of imitation sparkle, the greatest challenge — and the greatest achievement — is simply being yourself.

Please check out the audio track of Dolly Parton performing "Tennessee Homesick Blues." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Tennessee Homesick Blues"
Written and performed by Dolly Parton.

New York City ain't no kind of place
For a country girl with a friendly face
If you smile, people look at you funny
They take it wrong

The greenest state in the land of the free
And the home of the Grand Ole Opry
Is calling me back to my Smoky Mountain home

I wish I had my old fishin' pole
And was sitting on the banks of the fishin' hole
Eating green apples and waiting for the fish to bite

Life ain't as simple as it used to be
Since the Big Apple took a bite out of me, and
Lord, I'm so Tennessee homesick that I could die

But I ain't been home in I don't know when
If I had it all to do over again
Tonight I'd sleep in my old feather bed

What I wouldn't give for a little bitty taste
Of mama's homemade chocolate cake
Tennessee homesick blues is running through my head

Mama, you can fluff my feather bed
Just as soon as I can, I'm gonna head
Back to the Tennessee hills and it better be soon

Daddy, you can load the rifles up
We're gonna load them dogs on the pickup truck, and
Head up to Calhoun Country and catch us a coon

But I ain't been home in I don't know when
If I had it all to do over again
Tonight I'd sleep in my old feather bed

Eating grits and gravy and country ham
Go to church on Sunday with dinner on the grounds
Tennessee homesick blues are running through my head

And I ain't been home in I don't know when
If I had it all to do over again
Tonight I'd sleep in my old feather bed

Good Lord, have mercy on a country girl
Tryin' to make a living in a rhinestone world
It's hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world
Tennessee homesick blues are running through my head

I've got those Tennessee homesick blues running through my head
Tennessee homesick blues



Credit: Photo (cropped) by RCA Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.