Mark Loren Designs Blog

The average price of a natural diamond engagement ring in the US climbed to $7,346 in 2025, marking a 9% increase from the previous year, according to a new industry report from the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) and analytics firm Tenoris. The findings, based on more than 4 million transactions across 2,500 specialty jewelry retailers, point to a clear trend: couples are choosing larger diamonds and more expressive designs to mark their engagements.



Size played a major role in the price increase. The average center stone grew 5% to 1.16 carats, reflecting steady consumer interest in diamonds that make a stronger visual statement. In fact, the fastest growth occurred in larger categories, particularly stones weighing 1.50–1.59 carats and 2.00–2.24 carats — further evidence that many buyers are moving beyond the traditional 1-carat benchmark.

While round brilliant diamonds remain the dominant choice, accounting for 62% of engagement ring sales, the report highlights growing momentum for fancy shapes. Elongated and distinctive cuts — including marquise, cushion and other non-round styles — are gaining traction as couples look for rings that feel more personal and unique.

Celebrity influence has helped fuel this shift. High-profile engagement rings worn by stars such as Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift and Zendaya showcased elongated and vintage-inspired shapes throughout 2025, encouraging consumers to explore alternatives to classic designs. The marquise shape alone posted notable year-over-year growth, signaling continued interest in statement silhouettes.

Overall, engagement rings — including finished pieces, loose center stones and semi-mounts — represented 38% of all natural diamond jewelry sales by volume, underscoring the category’s central role in the diamond market.

Looking ahead, the NDC expects generational change to further reshape buying patterns. Gen Z consumers (born between 1997 and 2012) are projected to remain the fastest-growing segment of diamond buyers in 2026. Younger shoppers are placing greater emphasis on individuality, storytelling and self-expression, trends that align with the rise of larger stones, distinctive cuts and bespoke design details.

Another emerging shift involves male consumers. The report notes that young men are increasingly likely to make their first diamond purchase in 2026, driven in part by the growing visibility of men wearing diamonds on red carpets and at major events. Appearances by style leaders such as Timothée Chalamet and Colman Domingo at the Golden Globes have helped normalize diamonds as a fashion choice beyond traditional bridal gifting.

Credit: Image by BigStockPhoto.com.

For two dedicated diamond hunters, a winter delay turned into a once-in-a-lifetime reward when a glowing 6.03-carat canary yellow diamond emerged from a pile of frozen gravel collected at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro.



Mining partners Jack Pearadin of Nashville, AR, and Michael Schumacher of Soldiers Grove, WI, are no strangers to success at the park. Between them, the longtime friends have discovered more than 350 diamonds over the years. But nothing compared to what happened during a routine TikTok livestream on January 25.



The pair had collected buckets of diamond-bearing soil from the south end of the park in late December. Normally, they would have processed the material quickly, but a winter storm coated the region in ice, making it difficult to wash and sift the frozen concentrate.

At one point, Pearadin apologized to his partner for the delay. Schumacher’s response would later prove almost prophetic: “It’s okay, Bud, don’t worry about it — just leave that big, beautiful canary in there to grow. It’s not going anywhere.”

When the weather finally allowed Pearadin to begin processing the material, he set up a live demonstration for viewers. Using a saruca — a bowl-shaped screening tool designed to concentrate heavy materials — he flipped several batches of gravel. A “saruca pile” is the mound of heavier material left after the screen is flipped, the very place where diamonds are most likely to appear.

After his fourth flip, Pearadin began to walk away — then something caught his eye.

“Something big and yellow was just glowing,” he later recalled. At first, he assumed it was a smaller stone, but when he tried to slide a small spoon underneath it, the tool wouldn’t go deep enough. He had to dig nearly to the bottom of the pile before lifting out the gem.

“I was shaking,” he said.

Watching the discovery unfold live from Wisconsin, Schumacher immediately realized that his earlier prediction had come true.



The friends later returned the stone to park officials, who confirmed it as a 6.03-carat yellow diamond — about the size of a gumdrop. The crystal’s vivid canary color and rare hexoctahedral shape, featuring 48 natural faces, make it especially unusual. It now ranks as the fourth-largest yellow diamond and the 22nd-largest diamond of any color registered since the Crater of Diamonds became an Arkansas State Park in 1972.



Pearadin and Schumacher named their find the "Pearadin Schumacher American Dream Diamond," a nod to the 1954 doo-wop song “Sh-Boom (Life Could Be a Dream)” and the nation’s 250th anniversary year.

Beyond its size and color, the story behind the stone highlights what makes the Crater of Diamonds so special. It is the only diamond-bearing site in the world open to the public where visitors can search — and keep whatever they find.

For Pearadin, the discovery isn’t about potential value.

“I personally was never looking for this — I just enjoy the experience,” he said. Schumacher agreed, noting that the possibility of finding something extraordinary keeps him coming back.

Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.

For US alpine skier Breezy Johnson, the 2026 Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo delivered the kind of week most athletes — and romantics — only dream about. Just days after capturing Olympic gold in the women’s downhill, Johnson crossed another finish line that would change her life: a surprise marriage proposal and a bright blue sapphire engagement ring from boyfriend Connor Watkins.



Watkins had been planning the moment for nearly a year. On February 12, shortly after Johnson completed her run in the women’s super-G, he was waiting in the finish area. Still dressed in her Team USA gear, the gold medalist was stunned as Watkins dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him.



Johnson later described the experience as “everything I ever dreamed of,” adding that the timing felt perfect. The Olympic engagement fulfilled a wish she had shared early in their relationship — the hope of combining “the two loves of my life,” skiing and Connor.

The couple’s modern love story began in 2023 when they met on the dating app Bumble. What started with a simple brunch date grew into a partnership strong enough to weather demanding training schedules and international competition. Today, the Salt Lake City–based pair share a home — and now, an unforgettable Olympic memory.

At the center of the proposal was a custom-designed engagement ring that reflected Johnson’s personal style. Rather than choosing a traditional diamond, Watkins worked with a jeweler to create a white gold bypass-style ring featuring a vivid blue sapphire center stone accented by white sapphires.



“I’m so much more of a color person,” Johnson told vogue.com, noting that she “was not sold on the white diamond thing.” The sapphire choice also carried a personal touch. “Blue is also her color,” Watkins said.

Johnson had given Watkins full creative freedom. “I don’t want to go ring shopping,” she told him. “I want you to design it.” He completed the piece months ahead of the Games, ensuring every detail was ready for the big moment.

The presentation itself included another meaningful element. The ring was placed inside a custom wooden box engraved with a lyric from Taylor Swift’s song “The Alchemy”: “Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?” The track — known for its sports imagery and themes of love and victory — had become a favorite for the couple as their relationship deepened.

The story didn’t end there. After Johnson shared the engagement on Instagram, Swift herself commented with another lyric from the song, delighting the newly engaged athlete. Johnson later called the unexpected nod from the global superstar “so cute” and said she couldn’t believe it.

Credits: Images via Instagram / breezyjohnsonski and hashtagconnor4real.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we highlight songs that sparkle with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. On the eve of Valentine’s Day, we’re revisiting a heartfelt favorite: Kelly Price’s romantic 2004 ballad, “He Proposed.”



In the Grammy-nominated track, Price recounts in great detail a Valentine’s Day surprise that turns an ordinary February 14 into a life-changing occasion. With emotion and warmth, she sings, “He proposed to me, my baby proposed with a diamond ring / I couldn’t believe it, I looked in his eyes and I said yes.”

The lyrics capture the essence of what makes engagement jewelry so meaningful — not just the sparkle of the stone, but the promise and emotion behind it.

Price saves one dazzling detail for the closing lines: “He proposed and what a surprise / Ten carats nearly filled my eyes.”

The official music video unfolds like an intimate gathering, with Price sharing the joyful story of her Valentine’s proposal with a circle of friends. Set in a cozy living room, the scene reflects the excitement, disbelief and happiness that often accompany a surprise engagement.

“He Proposed” appears as the 10th track on Price’s third studio album, Priceless. The song earned her a 2004 Grammy nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance, adding another milestone to a career defined by powerful vocals and emotional storytelling.

Born in New York City in 1973, Price began singing in her grandfather’s Pentecostal church before launching a professional career that has spanned more than three decades. A nine-time Grammy nominee, she has collaborated with an impressive roster of artists, including Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, The Isley Brothers, George Michael, Elton John and Faith Evans.

Still celebrated for her rich, soulful voice, Price continues to perform for audiences across the country, often bringing the same passion and authenticity that make songs like “He Proposed” resonate year after year. Ironically, she has a special Valentine's Day performance scheduled in Shreveport, LA.

Be sure to check out the official video for “He Proposed” — and the lyrics below if you’d like to sing along…

“He Proposed”
Written by Bobby Arrington. Performed by Kelly Price.

It was Valentine’s Day, February the 14th
My baby took me to a special place
Said he had a surprise for me

He told me to close my eyes, so that I could not see
And when I opened them up
He was on one knee reachin’ for my hand

That’s when

He proposed to me, he proposed with a diamond ring
I started crying, he placed it on my finger and I said yes

I’ll never forget that night. It was 8:43 pm to be precise
He looked in my eyes and said,
“You’ve made me the happiest man alive”

And soon as I got home I called my mother on the phone
I said, “Momma, you won’t believe what just happened to me”

He proposed to me, he proposed with a diamond ring
I started crying, he placed it on my finger and I said yes
He proposed to me, my baby proposed with a diamond ring
Couldn’t believe it, I looked in his eyes and I said yes

‘Cuz we will be together baby and this I know
See, we will love forever baby, my heart told me so
See, if you promise to hold me tight and never let me go
We will be husband and wife for the rest of our lives

He proposed to me, he proposed with a diamond ring
I started crying, he placed it on my finger and I said yes
He proposed to me, my baby proposed with a diamond ring
Couldn’t believe it, I looked in his eyes and I said yes

He proposed to me, he proposed with a diamond ring
I started crying, he placed it on my finger and I said yes
He proposed to me, my baby proposed with a diamond ring
Couldn’t believe it, I looked in his eyes and I said yes

He proposed and what a surprise
Ten carats nearly filled my eyes
I started crying, I looked in his eyes and I said yes
My baby proposed to me



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / Kelly Price.

A remarkable discovery in England is offering jewelry lovers a rare glimpse into how recycled precious materials can sometimes bridge a millennium. Recently analyzed by experts, a small medieval silver seal found in Essex combines craftsmanship from two vastly different eras — an 800-year-old silver setting built around a 2,000-year-old Roman gemstone.



The object, uncovered by a metal detectorist near the village of Gosfield in 2024, measures just over an inch long and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce. Yet despite its modest size, the piece tells an extraordinary story of status, symbolism and the enduring appeal of fine materials.



At its center sits a polished carnelian intaglio, engraved with a dynamic scene of a charioteer racing a two-horse chariot — imagery dating to the late first century BC or early first century AD. Surrounding the stone is a medieval silver bezel engraved in reverse with the Latin inscription “SECRETVM RICARDI,” meaning “Richard’s secret,” along with a small cross pattée, a Christian symbol common in the Middle Ages.

Because both the inscription and the carved gemstone are mirror images, the piece functioned as a personal seal, pressed into wax to authenticate letters and documents. A loop on the back suggests the owner likely wore it as a pendant, keeping his symbol of identity and authority close at hand.

What makes the Gosfield seal especially fascinating is the intentional blending of eras. Specialists note that objects combining components from periods separated by more than a millennium are rare in the archaeological record. The medieval owner — known only as Richard — may have chosen the ancient Roman gem deliberately, both to demonstrate knowledge of the classical world and to signal wealth and connections. Possessing an antique gemstone from a distant time and culture would have been a powerful status symbol.

The choice of carnelian was no accident. Prized for thousands of years across Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Roman Empire, the warm reddish-orange stone was associated with life, courage and protection. Romans, in particular, favored carnelian for signet rings because of a practical advantage: its smooth, waxy surface doesn’t stick to hot sealing wax, allowing for clean, detailed impressions.

That same beauty and durability continue to make carnelian a favorite today. With a Mohs hardness of about 6.5 to 7, the gemstone is suitable for everyday wear and remains popular in rings, pendants and beaded jewelry. Its rich, fiery color complements both silver and gold settings and appears in styles ranging from bohemian designs to high-end designer collections.

The silver matrix itself is believed to date from the 13th or 14th century, meaning the Roman gemstone was already more than a thousand years old when it was reset. The object has been submitted for consideration as treasure under the UK’s Treasure Act, and a local museum hopes to acquire it for public display.

Credit: Images courtesy of Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service.

Cupid will be working overtime on Saturday, February 14, as an estimated 220,000 couples across the United States prepare for one of life’s most unforgettable moments: the marriage proposal.



That single day will account for just under 10% of the roughly 2.2 million to 2.8 million engagements that take place annually — a remarkable concentration of romance that solidifies Valentine’s Day’s status as one of the calendar’s premier proposal dates. In fact, February 14 regularly ranks as the third-most-popular day to get engaged, trailing only Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

This year, the holiday’s appeal gets an extra boost: Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday, giving would-be proposers the luxury of time. With no workday pressures, couples can enjoy full-day celebrations — romantic getaways, leisurely dinners or meaningful experiences — before the big question is asked. Weekend timing also makes it easier to celebrate afterward with family and friends, a factor that often influences proposal planning.

Valentine’s Day also serves as the grand finale of “Engagement Season,” the peak period stretching from late November through mid-February. According to The Knot’s 2025 Real Weddings Study, 47% of all proposals occur during this three-month window, fueled by holiday gatherings, festive moods and a natural focus on relationships and future planning.

So what makes February 14 such a powerful proposal magnet?

For many couples, the romance is already built in. Restaurants glow with candlelight, flowers and chocolates fill the air with symbolism, and the cultural spotlight is firmly fixed on love and commitment. The date itself is another draw — an anniversary that’s virtually impossible to forget. Perhaps most importantly, many couples already have special plans in place, making it easier to create a memorable moment without the pressure of designing an elaborate surprise from scratch.

Despite the cinematic image of a completely unexpected proposal, today’s engagements are rarely spontaneous. Research from The Knot reveals that 57% of couples discuss marriage more than a year before the proposal, ensuring both partners share the same vision for the future.

Ring selection is also far more collaborative than many assume: 77% of proposees are involved in choosing their engagement ring in some way, and nearly three in 10 couples shop for styles together ahead of time. In addition, about eight in 10 proposers report that their partners dropped hints about their preferences.

This Saturday, as countless ring boxes pop open and happy tears flow, Valentine’s Day will once again prove why it remains one of the most meaningful — and sparkling — days of the year.

Credit: Image by The Jeweler Blog, generated by aichatapp.ai.

When Halle Berry appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on February 5, the Oscar-winning actress shared more than relationship news — she unveiled a striking engagement ring that perfectly reflects one of the biggest shifts in bridal jewelry today: the move toward bold, vintage-inspired, deeply personal design.



Berry confirmed that she is engaged to Grammy-winning musician Van Hunt after nearly six years together, flashing a distinctive diamond ring that immediately caught the attention of jewelry insiders. The piece features a white diamond center stone — estimated at roughly 1 to 2 carats — surrounded by an architectural grid of dark accent stones that experts believe could be black diamonds, deep blue sapphires or onyx. The geometric cluster sits atop a substantial yellow gold band, giving the ring both visual weight and a strong vintage character.



The overall effect is quietly dramatic — less red-carpet flash and more heirloom-inspired elegance. With its structured layout, bezel-style setting and bold use of negative space, the ring evokes early 20th-century design while feeling unmistakably modern.

Jewelry professionals say the piece aligns with several major engagement trends for 2026. Vintage-inspired rings continue to surge in popularity as couples gravitate toward styles with history, character and a sense of permanence. At the same time, chunky, gold-forward designs are making a strong comeback after years of ultra-delicate bands dominating the market. Berry’s ring also taps into the growing appetite for maximalism — statement pieces that stand apart from the predictable diamond solitaire.

Perhaps most importantly, the design reflects a broader cultural shift toward individuality. Today’s couples increasingly seek rings that feel one-of-a-kind, whether through mixed gemstones, unconventional layouts or sculptural forms. Berry’s ring, with its moody color contrast and architectural structure, embodies that desire for something distinctive and deeply personal. Experts estimate the value of the custom piece could exceed $100,000, with some placing the setting and craftsmanship alone near the $200,000 mark.

The engagement marks a meaningful milestone in Berry’s relationship with Hunt. The couple met in 2020 during the early months of the pandemic after being introduced via text by Hunt’s brother, who worked with Berry’s menopause and wellness brand, Respin. They spent months getting to know each other by phone and message before meeting in person, later making their relationship public that September and debuting together on the Oscars red carpet in 2021.

Hunt had previously revealed in 2025 that he had already proposed and was patiently waiting for Berry’s answer. On Fallon’s show, the actress clarified the outcome with a smile: “Of course, I said 'Yes.'”

Both partners are thriving professionally. Berry, 59, is starring in the upcoming thriller Crime 101 and continues to expand her production company, HalleHolly, with multiple projects in development, including an Apple TV+ adaptation of The President Is Missing. She is also growing her Respin wellness platform. Hunt, 55, an acclaimed singer-songwriter and producer, released his EP A Heart Full of Questions in 2025 and continues to create music through his independent label.

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube / The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

When the final whistle blew and the confetti settled, the Seattle Seahawks capped their Super Bowl 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots with one of sports’ most iconic moments: the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy. As Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold lifted the gleaming prize high above his head during the postgame ceremony, he was holding a 6.7-pound masterpiece of sterling silver — a symbol of football supremacy and a triumph of American craftsmanship.



Standing 20.75 inches tall, the Vince Lombardi Trophy depicts a regulation-sized football poised in a kicking position atop a sleek, tapered three-sided base. The words “Vince Lombardi Trophy” and the LX Roman numerals for the 60th Super Bowl are engraved along its polished surface, while the National Football League shield adorns the base. Elegant in its simplicity, the design has remained virtually unchanged for six decades — a testament to the timeless vision behind it.

That vision famously began in 1966 with a sketch on the back of a cocktail napkin.

At the time, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle was preparing for the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game and wanted a trophy that reflected the league’s ambition to present the sport as a first-class spectacle. He turned to Tiffany & Co., which arranged a meeting between Rozelle and its head of design, Oscar Riedener.

There was just one catch: Riedener, a native of Switzerland, knew nothing about American football.

Determined to understand the assignment, the designer visited the FAO Schwarz toy store in New York City and purchased a football. The next morning, he placed it on his kitchen table and studied its shape over breakfast. After finishing a box of cornflakes, Riedener cut up the empty package and fashioned a three-sided base to support the ball. Days later, during a lunch meeting with Rozelle and Tiffany executives, he sketched the concept on a cocktail napkin. The commissioner approved it on the spot — and an enduring sports icon was born.

Today, each Lombardi Trophy is handcrafted by Tiffany & Co. in a painstaking process that spans roughly four months and requires about 72 hours of skilled labor.

The journey begins in the company’s hollowware shop in Cumberland, RI. Sheets of sterling silver are heated to approximately 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, making the metal soft enough to shape. A master spinner then places the heated silver on a lathe and carefully forms it into the distinctive football shape.

Next comes chasing, a traditional silversmithing technique in which artisans hammer intricate details into the surface, including the ball’s seams and laces. At the same time, another master silversmith fabricates the three-sided base, cutting, forming and soldering the components with precision. The assembled piece is then bathed in acid to remove impurities before undergoing extensive polishing and final assembly — a process that gives the trophy its mirror-like brilliance.

Although the Lombardi Trophy is presented immediately after the game, its journey isn’t quite finished. The piece will return to Tiffany’s workshop to be engraved with the names of both teams, the date and location of the game, and the final score. Unlike many championship awards, the Lombardi Trophy is not passed from team to team — each Super Bowl champion keeps its own.

While the trophy’s sterling silver content carries a melt value of roughly $8,000 based on current silver prices, its true worth lies far beyond the metal itself. With a reported production cost of about $50,000 — and immeasurable symbolic value — the Lombardi Trophy represents the pinnacle of achievement in professional football.

Credits: Trophy image by Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Screen capture of the fabrication process via YouTube / The Wall Street Journal.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we spotlight popular songs that sparkle with references to jewelry, gemstones or precious metals. Today’s pick is “Opalite,” one of Taylor Swift’s most luminous recent tracks — a song that uses the language of stones to chart an emotional journey from darkness to self-made joy.



At its core, “Opalite” is about transformation. Swift frames that arc through two contrasting materials: onyx and opalite.

In the chorus, she sings, “Sleepless in the onyx night / But now the sky is opalite.” The imagery is instant and evocative.

Onyx — a deep black gemstone long used in fine jewelry, amulets and carvings — represents her sleepless, sorrowful past. In Swift’s lyric shorthand, it functions perfectly as a stand-in for despair: heavy, opaque and light-absorbing. Opalite, glowing and translucent, becomes the symbol of a brighter emotional horizon.

Opalite is a man-made, opalescent glass designed to mimic the glow of natural opal, shifting between milky blues, pinks and purples as it catches the light. While opalite occasionally appears in fashion jewelry or crystal collections, it lacks the rarity and geological pedigree of fine gems — a distinction Swift leans into deliberately.

In an interview with Capital Official Radio, Swift explained that she had been collecting favorite words and phrases in what she calls her “endless file of lyrics” when opalite caught her attention. She was intrigued to learn that it’s a synthetic material, and that discovery sparked the song’s central metaphor. Because opalite is created rather than unearthed, Swift saw it as a symbol of happiness that can be intentionally initiated and cultivated.

That idea carries personal significance. Natural opal is the birthstone of her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and Swift has long been drawn to the stone’s play-of-color and symbolism. Choosing opalite instead of opal, she said, allowed her to explore the notion that joy, love and emotional clarity are things we actively construct after hardship.

Musically and commercially, the song has resonated just as powerfully. “Opalite” debuted at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and quickly landed in the Top 10 in markets including the UK, Germany, Australia and the Philippines. It’s one of the standout tracks from Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl, which delivered a historic debut: 4 million units in its first week, the largest opening in modern chart history. All 12 tracks from the album charted simultaneously in the Hot 100’s Top 12, a first-ever feat.

Lyrically, “Opalite” fits neatly into Swift’s long tradition of using color and material as emotional shorthand. Where red symbolized passion and chaos, blue conveyed sadness and safety, and lavender haze bathed love in a purple dreamscape, “Opalite” feels like her prism era — refracting pain into something bright and luminous.

Please check out the lyric video for “Opalite.” The words are below if you’d like to follow along...

"Opalite"
Written by Shellback, Max Martin and Taylor Alison Swift. Performed by Taylor Swift.

I had a bad habit
Of missing lovers past
My brother used to call it
"Eating out of the trash," it's never gonna last
I thought my house was haunted
I used to live with ghosts
And all the perfect couples
Said, "When you know you know and when you don't you don't"

And all of the foes and all of the friends
Have seen it before, they'll see it again
Life is a song, it ends when it ends
I was wrong

But my Mama told me, "It's alright
You were dancing through the lightning strikes
Sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh my Lord
Never made no one like you before
You had to make your own sunshine
But now the sky is opalite"
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh

You couldn't understand it
Why you felt alone
You were in it for real
She was in her phone, and you were just a pose
And don't we try to love love? (Love love)
We give it all we got (Give it all we got)
You finally left the table
And what a simple thought, you're starving till you're not

And all of the foes and all of the friends
Have messed up before, they'll mess up again
Life is a song, it ends when it ends
You move on

And that's when I told you, "It's alright
You were dancing through the lightning strikes
Sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh my Lord
Never met no one like you before
You had to make your own sunshine
But now the sky is opalite"
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh

This is just a storm inside a teacup
But shelter here with me, my love
Thunder like a drum
This life will beat you up, up, up, up
This is just a temporary speed bump
But failure brings you freedom
And I can bring you love (Love, love, love, love)
Don't you sweat it, baby

"It's alright
You were dancing through the lightning strikes
Oh, so sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh my Lord
Never met no one like you before, no
You had to make your own sunshine
But now the sky is opalite"
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh



Credit: Taylor Swift image (cropped) by iHeartRadioCA, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Revered for its regal purple hues and rich history, amethyst has been treasured for thousands of years — and one extraordinary example of February's official birthstone resides in the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection.



The gem seen here is a spectacular 109.66-carat modified rectangular-cut amethyst from Brazil, a vivid purple showpiece that ranks among the world’s finest representations of this beloved quartz variety. The stone was presented to the Smithsonian in 1982 as a gift from philanthropist John W. May, and it remains a standout in a collection that includes more than 10,000 gems and 350,000 mineral specimens.

With its impressive size, saturated color and elegant cut, the Brazilian amethyst offers a perfect reminder of why this gemstone has enchanted jewelry lovers since antiquity.

Amethyst is the most prized gem variety of quartz, a mineral composed of silicon and oxygen. In its pure state, quartz is colorless — but when trace amounts of iron replace some of the silicon atoms within the crystal structure, the gem takes on its signature purple hue. Natural irradiation and geologic conditions deepen that coloration, producing shades that range from pale lilac to rich violet.

Most amethyst forms as crystals lining cavities in volcanic rock, and Brazil and Uruguay remain the world’s most important sources. Fine-quality amethyst also can be found in Zambia, Mexico, Canada, and even parts of the United States, including Maine, Colorado and North Carolina.

Throughout history, amethyst has carried an aura of mystery. Its name comes from the Greek word “amethystos,” meaning “not intoxicated,” reflecting an ancient belief that the stone could ward off drunkenness. According to legend, the Greeks associated amethyst with Bacchus, the god of wine, and wore it to stay clear-headed.

The gem’s purple color also made it a natural symbol of royalty. European monarchs prized amethyst as a stone of power and prestige, and during the Middle Ages it was incorporated into emblems and insignia representing nobility. Even today, amethyst rings are traditionally worn by bishops, underscoring the gem’s longstanding connection to spirituality and wisdom.

Over the centuries, amethyst has been linked with sincerity, protection and deep love. Farmers once believed it could shield crops from hail and locusts, while Leonardo da Vinci reportedly claimed the stone could “quicken intelligence” and calm troubled thoughts.

Whether admired for its beauty, history or symbolism, amethyst remains one of the most fascinating gemstones in the jewelry world.

Credit: Photo by Chip Clark / Smithsonian.