Jenna's Gem

Congratulations are in order.

I just saw a picture and a story about the diamond that Jenna Bush received in her engagement ring.

For once, a celebrity diamond isn't just all about its enormous monetary value. It seems tradition still holds value in diamonds, and maybe politics does, too.

Apparently her beau, Henry Hager, was looking for a "classic, conservative" style ring to feature a diamond that used to belong to his great grandmother. It's a highly emotional testament, I'm sure, and a wonderful idea.

The ring became a coordinated effort completed by various merchants and craftsmen in due secrecy and near record time - no doubt hints about a Presidential connection surely expedited the entire process. Of course, I'm the most interested in the diamond itself. Apparently it was an "old European" style that was repolished. I'd love to know why.

The conservative thing to do would've been to preserve the heritage of the original cutting style. Because the diamond was "nearly flawless" - which sounds like a bit of an oxymoron - perhaps it was simply repolished to remove any external blemishes incurred in the last couple of generations. That would be awesome, because old European diamonds are well-known to display a relatively high amount of fire, especially when compared to some of their more lackluster "modern" counterparts.

My guess is that the diamond was recut to modern round brilliant standards - with scientifically derived proportions, polish, and symmetry. Not that I would mind; I've always been a tad, shall we say, progressive. I spent a large chunk of my career remaking old-fashioned cut diamonds, taking them to the next level. And now, I prefer they all look brand spanking new - the latest and the greatest.

If anyone does know the full story of Jenna’s diamond, please let me know. I'd love to know more about the original diamond as well as how it actually turned out.

PS. I can hardly wait to see what kind of working-class diamond Chelsea will get in the future.