After two fruitless days of digging, most visitors might have given up. But Dewy White and his wife, travelers from Paoli, IN, weren’t most visitors. Their determination — and a little divine inspiration — led to one of the year’s largest discoveries at Crater of Diamonds State Park: a 2.71-carat golden-brown diamond they fittingly named the “Hope Diamond.”



The couple first visited the Murfreesboro, AR, park in late September as part of what they called the “road trip of a lifetime.” They spent two long, dusty days sifting through the park’s 37.5-acre search field with no luck. Undeterred, they continued their journey but decided to stop back on their way home for another try.

That decision made all the difference. On October 2, in a shaded section of the park known as Canary Hill, White began dry sifting dirt through mesh screens he’d bought in town. The area had been recommended by another visitor — “a very nice gentleman,” he said — who seemed to know his way around the diamond field.



Late in the day, White spotted something glinting in his shovel before it even hit the screen.

“It looked like a metal piece of glass,” he said. “The minute I saw it, I knew.”

Shouting “Thank you, Jesus!” he rushed to the park’s identification table, where staff confirmed he’d found a genuine diamond — round, about the size of a pea, and weighing 2.71 carats.

Although the official report described the gem as white, photos show a beautiful golden-brown hue — a warm color that catches the light with a subtle sparkle.

White named it the “Hope Diamond,” not to be confused with the world-famous 45.52-carat deep-blue Hope Diamond housed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The Arkansas gem may be smaller and earthier, but for the Whites, it represents something far more personal: the reward of patience and faith. According to park officials, White chose the name "Hope Diamond," simply because he had hoped they would find one.

White’s “Hope Diamond” is the fourth-largest diamond registered at Crater of Diamonds this year. According to park staff, 414 diamonds have been logged in 2025 alone — an average of about 1.5 per day. Since diamonds were first discovered here by farmer John Huddleston in 1906, more than 75,000 have been unearthed.

Crater of Diamonds remains the only public diamond-bearing site in the world where visitors can keep what they find, a fact that draws thousands of hopeful treasure hunters each year. For White and his wife, their find was more than a gem — it was a sparkling symbol of persistence rewarded.

Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we feature songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, we rewind to 1984 and the shimmering synths of Wang Chung’s “Dance Hall Days,” a song that captures both the innocence and intensity of youthful love — crystallized in the hallucinatory image of amethyst and sapphire.



Frontman Jack Hues sings,"So take your baby by the wrist / And in her mouth an amethyst / And in her eyes two sapphires blue / And you need her and she needs you.”

The line has intrigued listeners for decades. During a 2006 interview on the "Just My Show" podcast, Hues explained that the song begins with a simple dance-hall romance — “Take your baby by the hand” — but by the final verse, “it’s all a bit more hallucinogenic… how things that start off simple get complex.”

That complexity is part of what makes “Dance Hall Days” such a gem of 1980s pop. The song’s lush production and dreamlike lyrics evoke the intoxicating mix of memory, desire and nostalgia. Hues’ use of gemstones adds layers of symbolism — amethyst representing spiritual clarity and transformation, and sapphire symbolizing wisdom, truth and emotional depth. Together, the stones suggest a mystical, almost ritualistic image: the woman becomes an idealized muse — a goddess-like figure, “adorned” with gems that capture the preciousness of the moment.

“Dance Hall Days” became a worldwide hit, charting in 12 countries and peaking at #16 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its cinematic allure led to placements in a long list of films, including Bachelor Party, Pretty in Pink, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, and The Fighter.

More than four decades later, Wang Chung — founded by Jack Hues and Nick Feldman — continues to perform for loyal fans worldwide. In 2025, the band played to sold-out crowds on the "I Want My ’80s Tour" with Rick Springfield and John Waite, following a 2024 co-headlining run on the "Abducted by the ’80s Tour."

In May 2025, the group released Clear Light / Dark Matter – Greatest Hits & Near Misses, a two-disc collection of chart-toppers, deep cuts and rarities that celebrates their enduring appeal.

When Wang Chung took the stage at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA, this past August, audiences sang along to “Dance Hall Days” as though time had stood still — proof that its crystalline blend of rhythm, memory and mystery still shines after four decades.

Check out the video of Wang Chung's Mountain Winery performance. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along...

“Dance Hall Days”
Written by Jack Hues. Performed by Wang Chung.

Take your baby by the hand
And make her do a high hand stand
And take your baby by the heel
And do the next thing that you feel

We were so in phase
In our dance hall days
We were cool on craze
When I, you, and everyone we knew
Could believe, do, and share in what was true
I said

Dance hall days, love

Take your baby by the hair
And pull her close and there, there, there
And take your baby by the ears
And play upon her darkest fears

We were so in phase
In our dance hall days
We were cool on craze
When I, you, and everyone we knew
Could believe, do, and share in what was true
I said

Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days
Dance hall days, love

Take your baby by the wrist
And in her mouth, an amethyst
And in her eyes, two sapphires blue
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her
And she needs you

We were so in phase
In our dance hall days
We were cool on craze
When I, you, and everyone we knew
Could believe, do, and share in what was true
I said

Dance hall days, love

Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days

Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days

Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days

Dance hall days, love



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

In what promises to be one of the most closely watched jewelry auctions in years, Christie’s London will offer the legendary Fabergé Winter Egg of 1913 on December 2, during Classic Week. The Winter Egg is considered one of the most technically and artistically accomplished of all the Imperial Easter Eggs created for the Russian royal family — and one of the most visually arresting jewels ever made. The piece boasts a pre-sale estimate in excess of £20 million ($26.8 million).



Designed by Alma Theresia Pihl, Fabergé’s most celebrated female designer, and executed by her uncle, workmaster Albert Holmström, the Winter Egg was commissioned by Emperor Nicholas II as an Easter gift for his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, in the year marking the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. Pihl, who was only 25 at the time, drew inspiration from the frost patterns she observed on her St. Petersburg workshop window — translating nature’s crystalline beauty into gem-set art.



The result is breathtaking. The egg — standing just over 5.5 inches tall — is carved from rock crystal as thin as glass, etched internally with delicate frost motifs and embellished externally with 3,246 rose-cut diamonds set in platinum. The sparkling snowflake patterns appear to shimmer in perpetual frost, framed by two vertical borders of diamonds that conceal the hinge. A cabochon moonstone, engraved with the date 1913, crowns the top.

The egg rests on a rock-crystal base shaped like a melting block of ice, its surface coursing with diamond-set platinum rivulets that seem to capture the first thaw of spring. Inside lies the surprise — a platinum basket of wood anemones (windflowers), symbolizing rebirth and renewal. Each flower is hand-carved from white quartz, its center set with a green demantoid garnet and leaves of nephrite jade, all rising from a bed of gold moss. The basket, itself studded with diamonds, bears the engraving “FABERGÉ 1913.”

Commissioned for 24,600 roubles — an extraordinary sum equivalent to about $414,000 today — the Winter Egg exemplifies Fabergé’s synthesis of art, craftsmanship and symbolism. Its seamless interplay between ice and bloom, winter and spring, makes it a poetic representation of Easter’s message of resurrection.

Alma Pihl (1888–1976) was born into a Finnish family of master jewelers. She began her career drawing full-scale watercolor designs for Holmström’s workshop before creating her own pieces. Her visionary Snowflake and Mosaic motifs became the foundation for two of Fabergé’s most admired Imperial Eggs — the Winter Egg (1913) and Mosaic Egg (1914, now part of Britain's Royal Trust Collection).

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Winter Egg was among the Imperial treasures confiscated and sold by the Soviet government. It surfaced in London through antique dealer Wartski in the 1930s, passing through the hands of British aristocrats before vanishing for nearly two decades. Rediscovered in 1994, it sold at Christie’s Geneva for 7.3 million Swiss francs (about $9 million), setting a world record for a Fabergé work. The piece broke its own record in 2002, selling at Christie’s New York for $9.6 million.

Now, as the Winter Egg returns to the auction block for the third time in Christie’s history, anticipation runs high. Of the 50 Imperial Fabergé Eggs commissioned for the Russian royal family, only seven remain in private hands, and collectors are expected to compete fiercely for what Christie’s head of department Margo Oganesian calls “one of Fabergé’s finest creations, both technically and artistically.”

For Sergei Mosunov, Fabergé’s new owner, who viewed the piece privately before the sale’s announcement, the moment is deeply personal.

“For me, this unique objet d’art embodies the historic legacy of the House of Fabergé and the story of Northern Palmyra (St. Petersburg), realized through exceptional artistry and craftsmanship," he said. "This special moment has truly inspired me in my vision for Fabergé, working hard to unite past, present and future, and reaffirms my desire to develop a unique Fabergé brand archive.”

Credits: Images courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd 2025.

Brilliance took center stage in Fort Lauderdale on Monday as the Florida Panthers unveiled their 2025 Stanley Cup championship rings — handcrafted masterpieces shimmering with more than 450 diamonds and genuine rubies totaling approximately 16.15 carats.



Players, coaches and ownership received the opulent keepsakes during a private ceremony at the War Memorial Auditorium, where gold, gemstones, and symbolism came together to celebrate hockey’s newest dynasty.

The rings, designed and produced by Jostens’ Champions Collective, are executed in 14-karat white and yellow gold and tell the story of the Panthers’ remarkable back-to-back titles.

The top of the ring prominently features the word “PANTHERS” in yellow gold, inset within a garnet stone tab inspired by the sleeve tabs of the team’s jerseys. Behind that, two miniature Stanley Cups — representing the 2024 and 2025 titles — are rendered in gold and set with 81 brilliant diamonds. These glittering trophies rest atop 20 custom-cut rubies, surrounded by an additional 40 round rubies, forming a radiant crimson halo.

Encircling the Cups, “STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS” appears in yellow gold and is adorned with 145 diamonds, while 122 additional diamonds flood the remaining surface of the ring top. Eighteen princess-cut rubies in yellow gold define the ring’s outer edge, bringing the total gemstone count to more than 450.



On the left side, each recipient’s name appears in yellow gold above a shield-shaped panel reflecting the Panthers’ primary logo. Inside the shield lies a stylized sun and a jersey number set in diamonds.



The right side proudly displays “FLORIDA” in bold yellow gold, with the year “2025” formed from 29 diamonds above the team’s “Leaping Cat” logo and a banner reading “Back-to-Back Champions.” Two palm trees frame the emblem — a nod to the palms lining Amerant Bank Arena and South Florida’s unmistakable landscape.

Exactly 204 handset diamonds cascade from the top to the side panels, bordered by 14-karat white-gold palm trees wrapping the finger hole. A prowling panther in yellow gold graces the outer palm side, while on the inside the ring, the Panthers’ rallying cry—“WE APOLOGIZE TO NO ONE”—is engraved alongside the results of each playoff series and the date of their Game 6 championship-clinching victory against the Edmonton Oilers on June 17, 2025.

And, just like last year’s ring, a black rat makes an appearance — engraved on the interior palm side as a tribute to one of hockey’s most distinctive fan traditions. The so-called “rat trick” was born in 1995 when player Scott Mellanby swatted a locker-room intruder before scoring twice with the same stick. At the next home game, a fan threw a plastic rat onto the ice after a goal, and from then on it became a tradition to throw plastic rats on the ice after a home win.

In winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup, the Panthers not only defended their title but also cemented their place among the NHL’s elite. Their third straight trip to the Finals marked a remarkable run for a once-overlooked franchise now synonymous with excellence.

Credits: Images courtesy of The Champions Collective, a Jostens Company.

In a bold move to secure its long-term production capacity, Russian diamond giant Alrosa has approved a 20 billion ruble ($240 million) investment to extend the life of its famed Udachnaya mine in Yakutia through 2055. The deep-level development will ensure the continued productivity of one of the world’s richest diamond deposits — at a time when several of the world’s major mines are winding down operations.



Located in the Mirny district of western Yakutia, the Udachnaya (meaning “lucky”) pipe was discovered in 1955 and became a cornerstone of Russia’s diamond industry. Open-pit mining began in 1967, and by 2014, Alrosa had transitioned to underground operations to access deeper ore reserves. Today, Udachnaya accounts for more than 10% of Russia’s total diamond output, producing millions of carats of gem-quality stones each year.

Under the newly approved project, mining will reach depths of 1.13 kilometers below the surface — some 450 feet deeper than previously planned. Construction and mine development will proceed in tandem until 2040, with annual output projected to exceed 4 million tons of diamond-bearing ore. According to Alrosa CEO Pavel Marinychev, the extended plan will generate nearly 6 billion rubles in annual profits, supporting more than 1,200 jobs at the site.

The Udachnaya expansion comes as a rare bright spot amid a series of mine closures that have reshaped the global diamond landscape. Australia’s Argyle mine — once the world’s leading source of pink diamonds — was permanently closed in 2020. In Canada’s Northwest Territories, three active diamond mines are also nearing the end of their productive lifespans: the Diavik Mine is scheduled to close in early 2026, the Ekati Mine by 2029, and the Gahcho Kué Mine around 2030. As these operations wind down, the global supply of natural diamonds is expected to tighten considerably.

Russia, however, remains a powerhouse. In 2024, the country produced 37.3 million carats of rough diamonds, representing about 32% of global supply and generating $3.335 billion in revenue. With the Udachnaya project ensuring decades of additional production, Alrosa is reinforcing its position as the world’s largest producer of rough diamonds by volume.

Digital innovation will play a key role in the mine’s future. Alrosa has already implemented AI-driven systems to monitor ore conveyors, assess truck loading, and remotely control rock crushers — part of a broader push toward safer and more efficient deep-mining operations.

Credit: Image courtesy of Alrosa.

A team of modern-day treasure hunters has recovered more than 1,000 silver and gold coins from the fabled 1715 Treasure Fleet shipwrecks off Florida’s coast. The find, announced by 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC, is valued at approximately $1 million and offers a rare glimpse into the riches and tragedy of one of history’s most storied maritime disasters.



According to the company’s press release, the coins — 1,051 silver reales and five gold escudos, along with several other rare gold artifacts — were recovered this past summer by Captain Levin Shavers and the crew of the M/V Just Right. The discovery was made in the waters off Vero Beach, part of Florida’s aptly named Treasure Coast, where 11 Spanish galleons met their fate more than three centuries ago.

The 1715 Treasure Fleet had departed Havana, Cuba, bound for Spain with a cargo of immense value: gold and silver coins, gold bars, jewelry and other treasures from the Spanish colonies of Mexico, Peru and Bolivia. But on July 31, 1715, the convoy sailed into a catastrophic hurricane. Eleven of 12 ships were lost, along with more than 1,000 lives and an estimated $400 million in riches.



“This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells,” said Sal Guttuso, Director of Operations for Queens Jewels. “Each coin is a piece of history, a tangible link to the people who lived, worked and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. Finding 1,000 of them in a single recovery is both rare and extraordinary.”

The newly found coins — sometimes called “pieces of eight” — were preserved beneath layers of sand and sea life for more than 300 years. Many still display clear dates and mint marks, making them valuable to both collectors and historians. Their condition suggests they may have once been stored in a single chest that broke apart during the hurricane’s fury.



Captain Shavers described the emotional impact of the find in local interviews: “It’s like finding something you thought was lost forever. You can feel the connection to the past — it’s an awesome feeling.”

Modern salvage operations along the Treasure Coast operate under strict state oversight and archaeological guidelines. Queens Jewels holds the exclusive US District Court custodianship and salvage rights to the remains of the 1715 Fleet. After conservation, the newly recovered coins will be cataloged and prepared for public exhibition, with select pieces planned for display in Florida museums.

“Every find helps piece together the human story of the 1715 Fleet,” Guttuso added. “We are committed to preserving and studying these artifacts so future generations can appreciate their historical significance.”

Three centuries after the hurricane scattered Spain’s fortune across the Florida seabed, the Treasure Coast continues to live up to its name — reminding the world that the lure of lost riches and the romance of discovery still endure beneath the waves.

Credits: Photos courtesy of 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLC.

When Starbuck’s “Moonlight Feels Right” hit the airwaves in the spring of 1976, it became one of the most unforgettable summer anthems of the decade. The smooth, synth-driven track rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has since become a yacht rock classic. And jewelry lovers may perk up at one very specific lyrical detail: the girl in the song is said to be “from Ole Miss with a class of ’74 gold ring.”



That image — the college sweetheart, proud of her alma mater, flashing her gold class ring — adds a very personal touch to the song’s breezy romance. It’s a small detail that has given the song a unique sparkle for nearly 50 years.

Interestingly, songwriter Bruce Blackman explained in his 2018 memoir The Road to Moonlight Feels Right, that the object of his affection "wasn’t from Ole Miss at all — she went to Mississippi Delta Community College. But ‘Ole Miss’ just sang better.” Likewise, the couple didn’t meet in Baltimore, as the lyrics claim.

The real woman behind the lyric was Peggy, a local beauty queen from Greenville, MS. Blackman first spotted her photograph on a dorm room wall, enrolled in her school just to meet her, and worked up the courage to ask her out. After being turned down twice, he finally scored a yes — on a breezy, moonlit night after a pep rally.

“I wasn’t writing a documentary,” Blackman later recalled. “I was writing a song. Some words just feel right.” Peggy would eventually become his wife, making the class ring lyric a playful nod to the romance that inspired it all.

The song is remembered not only for its evocative imagery but also for one of the most unusual instrumental breaks in pop history: a 32-second marimba solo performed by Starbuck's co-founder Bo Wagner. The record label wanted it cut, but Blackman refused. Wagner recorded the take in one go — what he thought was just a rehearsal — and it has since been hailed as one of the most iconic marimba solos ever captured on vinyl.

Starbuck’s rise was hardly overnight. After releasing the single in December 1975, Blackman and Wagner packed their car with records and personally visited 200 radio stations across the South and Midwest. Most DJs turned them away. Their big break came when WERC in Birmingham, Alabama finally spun the record in springtime, reasoning that it was “a summer song.” From there, momentum snowballed, and “Moonlight Feels Right” became one of 1976’s defining hits.

Today, the song endures as a breezy, romantic time capsule of the 1970s — moonlight, marimbas and, yes, a flash of gold jewelry. For fans who grew up cruising with their car radios turned up loud, few songs better capture the carefree magic of a summer night.

Please check out the video of Starbuck performing "Moonlight Feels Right." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Moonlight Feels Right"
Written by Bruce Blackman. Performed by Starbuck.

The wind blew some luck in my direction
I caught it in my hands today
I finally made a tricky French connection
You winked and gave me your okay
I'll take you on a trip beside the ocean
And drop the top at Chesapeake Bay
Ain't nothing like the sky to dose a potion
The moon'll send you on your way

Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right

We'll lay back and observe the constellations
And watch the moon smiling bright
I'll play the radio on southern stations
'Cause southern belles are hell at night

You say you came to Baltimore from Ole Miss
A class of '74 gold ring
The Easter moon looks ready for a wet kiss
To make the tide rise again

Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right

You see the sun come up on Sunday morning
And watch it fade the moon away
I guess you know I'm giving you a warning
'Cause me and you are itchin' to play
I'll take you on a trip beside the ocean
And drop the top at Chesapeake Bay
Ain't nothing like the sky to dose a potion
The moon'll send you on your way

Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right
Moonlight feels right



Credit: Screen capture via Youtube / sergol.

A glittering window into the Byzantine world has opened on the slopes above the Sea of Galilee. Archaeologists from the University of Haifa, working in Israel’s Susita National Park, have uncovered a remarkable 1,400-year-old hoard of 97 pure gold coins and dozens of fragments of gold earrings — some inlaid with pearls, semi-precious stones and glass.



“This is one of the main hoards from the Byzantine period discovered on land in Israel,” explained Dr. Michael Eisenberg, co-director of the excavation. “Its uniqueness lies in the combination of jewelry and gold coins from the reigns of various emperors.”

For jewelry lovers, the earrings are the true stars. Delicate craftsmanship reveals how Byzantine artisans blended gold with shimmering pearls and stones to create pieces that were both luxurious and symbolic.

“The earrings are the big surprise for me,” said Dr. Arleta Kowalewska, co-director of the excavation. “Delicate goldsmithing combining semi-precious stones and pearls – I hope that contemporary goldsmiths will recreate this beauty.”



The coins themselves add historical weight to the jewelry’s sparkle. Spanning from Emperor Justin I (518–527 CE) to the early years of Emperor Heraclius (610–613 CE), the collection includes solidi, semisses, and tremisses, or third-solidus pieces.



Most astonishing is a rare tremissis, minted in Cyprus in 610 during the revolt of Heraclius the Elder and his son against Emperor Phocas. Only the second such coin ever discovered in Israel, it provides an extraordinary glimpse into the political upheavals of the era.

“This is a rare find that adds an important layer to the understanding of the political and economic history of the period,” noted Dr. Danny Syon, the excavation’s numismatist.

The treasure was first detected in July by metal detector operator Eddie Lipsman, who recalled, “The device went crazy — I couldn’t believe it. Gold coins began to be revealed one after another.”

The find likely represents valuables hurriedly hidden before the Persian invasion of 614 CE, when residents of Susita (also known as Hippos), then a flourishing Christian city with at least seven churches, faced impending danger. Although the city survived the conquest, it was ultimately abandoned after a devastating earthquake in 749 CE.

“Gold is a noble metal,” Dr. Eisenberg reflected. “When you find coins and jewelry about 1,400 years old that look like new, it is a rare experience.”

The ancient artifacts remained in pristine condition because gold retains its luster and doesn't easily corrode or degrade over time.

For today’s jewelry world, these earrings and coins are not only treasures of the past, but also timeless inspirations for future design.

Credits: Images courtesy of Dr. Michael Eisenberg/University of Haifa.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History just welcomed a breathtaking new addition to its National Gem Collection: the “ZaZa Azul Paraiba.” This 13.34-carat, flawless Paraiba tourmaline — a dazzling example of October's birthstone — was gifted to the museum earlier this year by philanthropists Sandi and Bob Kolitz.



The gem’s name reflects both personal meaning and geographic heritage. “ZaZa” is the affectionate nickname Sandi Kolitz’s grandchildren use for her, while “Azul” is Portuguese for blue — an homage to the stone’s vivid neon hue and Brazilian origin. The gem was discovered in the 1980s at the famed Batalha Mine in Paraíba, Brazil, the birthplace of the world’s most sought-after copper-bearing tourmalines.



Paraiba tourmalines are celebrated for their electric, almost “Windex” blue glow, a color phenomenon caused by trace amounts of copper within the crystal structure of the mineral elbaite. While similar copper-bearing tourmalines have since been found in Nigeria and Mozambique, those from Brazil’s early discoveries remain the rarest and most prized. Few achieve the size, clarity and vibrancy of the ZaZa Azul, making it a fitting new member of elite gemstones housed at the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals.

Adding to its allure is its mounting: a Bvlgari “Trombino” ring, an iconic design that features 44 diamonds totaling six carats, set in white gold with yellow gold accents. Remarkably, this is also the first Bvlgari jewel to enter the Smithsonian’s collection, marking a milestone for both the museum and the storied Italian house.

For jewelry lovers, the ZaZa Azul exemplifies the allure of October’s tourmaline. While the gem family encompasses nearly every color of the rainbow, the Paraiba variety has captivated collectors, connoisseurs and museum visitors alike with its unforgettable neon glow. Its rarity, history, and now its place at the Smithsonian, underscore why tourmaline continues to shine as one of the most intriguing birthstones.

Tourmalines range from 7 to 7.5 on the Moh’s scale of hardness, which makes them durable enough to be used in any type of jewelry. Tourmaline has been an official birthstone for October since the original list was published by the National Association of Jewelers in 1912. Opal is the month’s other official birthstone.

Credits: Photos courtesy of Smithsonian.

When I recently toured The Breakers — the 70-room, 138,000-square-foot Italian Renaissance-style palazzo that served as the Newport, RI, cliffside summer home for Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his family at the turn of the 20th century — one detail stopped me in my tracks: the shimmering platinum wallpaper that lined sections of the mansion’s morning room. It was a precious-metal flourish so extravagant that even Anderson Cooper, in his bestselling book Vanderbilt, highlighted it as an emblem of his family’s unrivaled wealth. (Cornelius was Cooper's great-great-grandfather.)



This glimpse of Gilded Age opulence sets the stage for a new chapter in the Vanderbilt story. On November 10, Phillips Auction House will present “The Vanderbilt Family Jewels” at its Geneva Jewels Auction: V, held at the Hôtel President. Twelve pieces once owned by Gladys Moore Vanderbilt, the youngest daughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt II and Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt, will cross the block, offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire heirlooms of extraordinary provenance.



Gladys, who spent childhood summers at The Breakers and returned there as a widow later in life, embodied the transatlantic alliances of her era. In 1908, she married Count László Széchényi of Hungary, bridging American industrial wealth with European nobility. Her jewels — many commissioned for her wedding or gifted by her mother — reflect both personal milestones and the artistic ambitions of the Gilded Age.

The highlight of the collection is the Vanderbilt Sapphire, a 42.68-carat sugarloaf Kashmir sapphire and diamond brooch by Tiffany & Co., estimated at $1 to $1.5 million. Its “Royal Blue” hue and remarkable clarity place it among the most coveted sapphires ever to appear at auction. Originally presented to Gladys by her mother, the jewel symbolizes both family affection and dynastic ambition.



Another offering is a Cartier diamond brooch, once part of a magnificent tiara commissioned for Gladys’ marriage. Designed as sprays of lilies and adorned with interchangeable stones, the tiara could be dismantled for versatile wear — a hallmark of Belle Époque ingenuity. The surviving brooch, featuring a 4.55-carat pear-shaped diamond, carries an estimate of $100,000 to $150,000.

Other treasures include a ruby and diamond Cartier vanity case monogrammed for Gladys, a delicate diamond comb, and an emerald-and-diamond bow brooch. Together, the collection paints a portrait of the Countess’ life amid glittering court society and her enduring ties to America’s most storied dynasty.

“The Vanderbilt Family Jewels stand as the purest embodiment of Gilded Age elegance,” said Benoît Repellin, Phillips’ Worldwide Head of Jewellery. “They are pieces of extraordinary beauty, historical resonance and fascinating provenance.”

Ahead of the auction, the jewels will embark on an international tour, with stops in Hong Kong, New York, Singapore, Taipei, London and, finally, Geneva.

For visitors to The Breakers today, the platinum-leaf panels of the morning room remain a reminder of the Vanderbilts’ audacity in material form. In Geneva, that same spirit of extravagance will sparkle once more — this time under the lights of a Phillips auction room, where history and luxury meet at the highest level.

Credits: Jewelry images courtesy of Phillips; Gladys Vanderbilt portrait by Philip de László, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. The Breakers photo by UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Platinum wallpaper photo by Renata3, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.