Hallmark Jewellers has launched the world's most expensive Christmas bauble. The bauble which retails for £82,000 ($136,000) was designed by Mark Hussey and made in Hallmark Jewellers' workshop. Every millimeter of the 18 carat white gold sphere is covered. Over one and half thousand diamonds were used to cover the sphere. Three one carat diamonds adorn the center band of the 18 carat gold Christmas decoration. Two ruby encrusted rings orbit the bauble. You can find out more about the bauble here.
National Jewelerreports that Jason of Beverly Hills has designed special rings for the Los Angeles Lakers. The jeweler was selected by the team. The rings celebrate the Lakers 15th NBA title which they won last year. National Jeweler says the rings were delivered at a special ceremony and arrived in custom boxes that contained "rotating platforms and light-emitting diode (LED) lights."
The special Lakers rings reveal an image of the Staples Center when viewed from the side. The 2009-2010 NBA season just got underway. There will be a lot of pressure on the Lakers to repeat.
Here is a video that shows the making of the special Lakers ring.
This ring concept design by Victor Soto would allow you to control playback and volume on any of your Apple media devices. You can learn more about it here. Unfortunately, it is a possible design for the future and not manufactured today. The iBangle is also a cool jewelry iPod concept.
After avoiding getting involved in the diamond sourcing, cutting and polishing business for 172 years, Tiffany and Co. has changed course. Earlier this decade jewelers were concerned about a dwindling supply of diamonds. So Tiffany headed to Africa and invested in the supply end of the diamond business.
Tiffany's is an extreme example of an industry shift that started during the recent luxury boom. Like most other diamond retailers, Tiffany long bought the vast majority of its diamonds pre-cut and pre-polished from industry middlemen. But with global diamond jewelry sales soaring earlier this decade, Tiffany and others worried they would soon be fighting over dwindling supplies.
*****
The retailer invested in mine operators, and in 2002 it began opening cutting-and-polishing plants in Canada, Belgium, South Africa and Vietnam. In the past two years it added similar operations in China and Mauritius. The in-house unit Tiffany founded in 2002 to run these plants, Laurelton Diamonds, now employs 1,100 workers, or 14% of the company's work force. It will supply more than 50% of Tiffany's diamonds this year -- up from 40% last year and none in 2003.
Others have made similar bets. Privately held retailer Graff Diamonds International owns a majority stake in a South African diamond wholesaler and polisher with facilities from Antwerp and New York to Botswana. Suppliers have made incursions on retailers' turf. Mining giant De Beers Group operates retail stores in a joint venture with LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA. Canadian miner Aber Diamond bought a controlling interest in retailer Harry Winston in 2004. Indian jewelry manufacturer Gitanjali Gems Ltd. transformed itself into a global retailer starting in 2006, buying U.S.-based Samuels and Rogers jewelry chains.
Some industry analysts see risk in running operations that span from mining and manufacturing to high-end retailing and marketing. "[They're] all totally different types of activity -- and one needs tremendous expertise, skills, infrastructure to be truly competitive" in each, says Chaim Even-Zohar, principal of Tacy Ltd., a Tel Aviv-based industry consultant.
Now that the bottom has fallen out of the luxury jewelry business, Tiffany's has had to drop the retail prices of its diamonds. The mining part of the business has not gone well for the company and it was forced to write off a $12.4 million investment into a mining operation in Sierra Leone.
But the company says it is quite happy with its cutting and polishing operations. In fact, it plans on expanding those operations in Botswana, where the government is happy with its policies of training local workers in the trade. And when the market turns, Tiffany says it will benefit from in-house stocks and trained cutters and polishers that will be able to meet Tiffany's exacting demands.
Christie's will auction an extremely rare vivid pink, 5 carat, cushion-shaped diamond, which is set in a ring which was designed by the jeweler Graff. The ring is on display at Christie's in New York now, but it will be auctioned off in Hong Kong on December 1st. Christie's chose Hong Kong because the diamond market is better there. It's an exquisite stone which is expected to sell for at least $1 million a carat.
The diamond was mined in South Africa. Christie's jewelry specialist Mei Giam says that Hong Kong is the best place to sell rare diamonds such as the vivid pink. It's an absolutely stunning ring. Take a look:
Kirstie Kelly designed Disney's recently launched line of bridal gowns. National Jewelerreports that Kristie Kelly's deal with Disney has expanded to include a line of diamond engagement rings and wedding bands called "Kirstie Kelly for Disney by Mouawad." Each ring was designed to go with a different Disney princess just like the wedding gowns are. For example, the ring pictured on the right is for Belle, the heroine of Beauty and the Beast. The dress below is the wedding gown for Belle.
Displayed against a backdrop of Kelly's Disney character-inspired wedding gowns, bridesmaids' and flower girl dresses called "Kirstie Kelly for Disney Fairytale Weddings," the line consists of six rings with matching wedding bands.
Each ring and its matching band, like the wedding dresses, were designed in the spirit of a one of six Disney princesses, including the classic princesses Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and modern-day heroines, including Princess Jasmine from Aladdin, Ariel from The Little Mermaid; and Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
"It's different, in the sense that there's a story behind each princess," Kelly said.
You can see Kirstie Kelly's entire bridal collection for Disney at DisneyBridal.com. The ring collection retails in price from $1,200 to $6,000 and can be seen here on Pascal Mousad's website.
In this video a young woman is wearing LED eyelash. It looks like they attach behind the ears with a thin band that is connected to an ear price that contains the power source. Take a look:
The Annenberg Diamond, a perfect D color gem of 32.01 carats, was sold for $7.7 million at a Christie's auction in New York today. The diamond is set in a platinum ring made by David Webb. NBC New York says the buyer of the diamond was not identified.
The Annenberg Diamond belonged to the late Leonore "Lee" Annenberg. Mrs. Annenberg was a passionate art collector and a philanthropist. Mrs. Annenberg and her husband, Walter H. Annenberg, left billions of dollars to institutions devoted to education and the arts. Mrs. Annenberg was also the U.S. chief of protocol during the Reagan administration. You can read a longer bio here on Christie's website.
Tiffany's designers are thinking green with these gorgeous green tourmaline drop earrings. The stones are over 15 carats each and carefully matched.
They are accented with diamonds and are set in 18k gold and retail for $35,000. Lovely, aren't they?
It's the time of the year we've all been waiting for: when Victoria's Secret reveals its one of a kind diamond bra. So, here it is. The model chosen to wear the diamond bra is Angel Marisa Miller. Angel will wear the $3 million bra which is covered in diamonds from Damiani. Sadly, the recession appears to have hit the diamond bra business quite hard. In 2006 the diamond bra was covered in $5.6 million in diamonds.
Angel dished to People magazine about the experience of wearing the Fantasy Bra.
"The diamonds are in a harlequin pattern and contain white, champagne and cognac colored diamonds. There is also a 16-carat heart shaped champagne diamond pendant dangling in the middle." And the supermodel continues, this is one case of not having to suffer for beauty. "It is surprisingly comfortable," she says, "because the Damiani diamonds are embroidered onto the VS Very Sexy Convertible bra -- which is actually one of my favorites."
The Victoria's Secret fashion show, which is such a special part of so many families' holidays celebrations, will air on CBS on Tuesday, December 1st at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. The Black Eyed Peas will perform and Doutzen Kroes, Miranda Kerr and Alessandra Ambrosio will all walk the catwalk in their underwear.
National Jewelerreports that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Cash4Gold, a a mail-in refiner that promises to pay cash for gold jewelry that people mail in. The lawsuit alleges that Cash4Gold is stealing some of the jewelry that is mailed to them.
"However, this high degree of care is a lie, as items sent to Cash4Gold are commonly 'lost,'" the suit alleges. "At best, this means that Cash4Gold is not exercising the high degree of care it has promised and is liable for negligence. At worst, this means that Cash4Gold is intentionally stealing the goods sent to it and is liable for conversion."
The second alleged example of fraud outlined in the suit involves Cash4Gold's 12-day return policy, which asserts that customers who are unsatisfied with the price offered to them for their gold jewelry may contact Cash4Gold and have their jewelry returned to them.
"However, this 'return policy' is a lie," the lawsuit alleges. "Importantly, it is measured from the date on the check sent to consumers. Then Cash4Gold, as a matter of company policy or practice, routinely issues the checks, sets them aside, and mails them out days later so that customers do not receive their checks until after the 12-day return window has already passed...customers are simply unable to reject Cash4Gold's offer or to have their jewelry returned to them.
The lawsuit also alleges that Cash4Gold's customer service reps are specially trained to mislead customers. Cash4Gold denies the allegations are true. They told National Jeweler that the "complaint is without merit, and Cash4Gold intends to vigorously defend the case."
Nordstrom has launched its exclusive New Moon fashion and jewelry collection in partnership with Summit Entertainment, Awake, Inc. and N.E.C.A. The retailer will also hold an online sweepstakes for tickets to the movie's November 16 Los Angeles premiere; offer advanced movie screening tickets as gifts with purchase; and host in-store styling events. The fashion collection is can be found at nordstrom.com/newmoon and in the BP. department at Nordstrom stores. The collection includes tees, charm bracelets, lip balms, earrings and more. Nordstrom is also selling disturbingly realistic looking life size cutouts of Jacob and Edward for $33 each.
The Times Onlinereports that the Harrods store in London has started selling gold bars.
The store has formed a collaboration with the Swiss refiner Produits Artistiques Metaux Precieux. Though until now British shoppers have been able to buy gold online, Harrods is the first London shop to offer gold in-store. Customers can collect their purchase in person.
Chris Hall, head of Harrods Gold Bullion, said: "For many people this is a new and unfamiliar asset class that demands absolute trust. Up until now, however, London has had no well-recognised name serving this market. Harrods saw the opportunity to help individuals buy physical gold in a prudent manner."
The store said it was seeing "high transaction values go through" after its first day of sales yesterday. A spokesman said it was catering to the tastes of its typical shopper. "It's the Harrods customer who might make a serious investment opportunity."
The Times says you can get a safe deposit box, vault or international service courier to go along with the gold bar purchase. That way you don't have to leave the store with your gold bar in a Harrods' bag. The Times says a a full-sized gold bar would cost about $466,000 based on the most recent price of gold in New York City. Gold has been climbing during the recession but there is no guarantee it will continue to do so.
Rapper Sean Combs lost his ring after he accidently flung it into a crowd. The ring is said to have been worth $20,000. The New York Post says Diddy was hurling "bundles of cash off a stage at a Midtown studio" when his diamond ring went flying into the crowd as well. The money apparently included both real and fake money. Diddy's ring was real. Diddy had audience members searched after the incident before they were allowed to leave but the ring was never found.
The rapper/producer, whose real name is Sean Combs, had security search all 160 audience members after filming wrapped on the BET music-video show "106 & Park" before they were allowed to leave.
The search came up empty.
"The craziest s- - - just happened to me lol I guess its s- - - -in on me season . . . Enjoy it while it lasts!!!!! lol life is crazy!" Diddy posted on his Twitter page soon afterward.
It was not clear which of the rapper's rings disappeared at the CBS studios on West 57th Street, but a staffer told the audience it was worth $20,000.
Diddy's new group is called Dirty Money which is why there was money being flung around on the set. It sounds like Diddy's ring is probably gone for good.
National Jewelerreports that Royal Asscher is launching its Stars of Africa collection. There are 18 rings in the collection. Each features diamonds encased in a fluid-filled sapphire dome. The dome lets the diamonds move freely like the fake snow inside a snowglobe which National Jeweler says creates an effect like "small falling stars."
The rings are available in white, yellow and rose gold and range in price from
$4,950 to $7,900. $150 from the sale of each ring will be donated to Star of Africa, Royal Asscher's charity that aims to improve healthcare and education in Africa.
Lita Asscher said in a statement, "I am proud to say that we are spearheading this project. It is testimony to our desire to deliver only the most beautiful merchandise, through true innovation, hard work, strict quality standards and social integrity. It is our sincere hope that the phenomenally beautiful Stars of Africa collection has a tangible impact where it is most needed. We are entirely confident that women across the world will fall in love with this entrancing, fabulous and utterly glamorous concept, and that they will wear the rings not only for their beauty but also to support the initiative."
National Jeweler 
Kirstie Kelly designed Disney's recently launched line of bridal gowns. National Jeweler 
The Annenberg Diamond, a perfect D color gem of 32.01 carats, was sold for $7.7 million at a Christie's auction in New York today. The diamond is set in a platinum ring made by David Webb. NBC New York 
National Jeweler 
The Times Online 
Rapper Sean Combs lost his ring after he accidently flung it into a crowd. The ring is said to have been worth $20,000. The New York Post says Diddy was hurling "bundles of cash off a stage at a Midtown studio" when his diamond ring went flying into the crowd as well. The money apparently included both real and fake money. Diddy's ring was real. Diddy had audience members searched after the incident before they were allowed to leave but the ring was never found.
National Jeweler 
