While the overall number of crimes was down, there were more incidences in which robbers pulled out guns, mace, or rammed cars into stores.
Retailer unveils ‘world’s largest engagement ring’
But it’s not what one might think. Smyth Jewelers worked with its advertising agency and Uneek jewelry to create a 17-foot tall engagement ring that’s definitely a conversation piece.

Baltimore--On Thursday, Smyth Jewelers unveiled what it is playfully touting as the world’s largest engagement ring--a 17-foot tall, 14-foot wide structure that will permanently rest outside its store in Timonium, Md.
The ring is constructed of polished stainless steel and acrylic and is modeled after an actual setting made by Los Angeles-based Uneek jewelry.
It took more than a year to fabricate and install and while the exact cost is not being revealed, pieces of art/sculpture of this scale cost in the low six-figures to design and build.
The big piece of bling has not been officially verified as the “world’s largest engagement ring” via sources such as Guinness Book of World Records, however Smyth did note that it is not aware of anything else like it in the world.
Baltimore-based advertising agency TBC Inc. worked with Smyth to conceptualize, design and build the ring.
The giant piece of bridal jewelry has a number of advantages for Smyth, which has three stores in Maryland, in Timonium (where the ring’s located), Annapolis and Ellicott City, and has been in business since 1914.
It emphasizes the store’s mission as the place “where Maryland gets engaged,” serving as a symbol to all those couples Smyth has helped in its 101-year history as well as the future couples it hopes to serve.
The giant ring also is a great spot for taking pictures in a time when selfies and social media sharing are all the rage.
There is, of course, a suggested hashtag for couples wanting to cozy up to this gargantuan piece of bling: #WorldsLargestRing, which can be used on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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