THE BLING BLOG

Elizabeth Hurley Not Only Hurls And Hates India, But Doesn't Wash Her Hands Or Have Engagement Ring

Elizabeth Hurley, celebrity shill for Chopard and many others, is currently engaged to this poor bastard, Bombay businessman and cricket player Arun Nayar even though the water and food in India make her violently ill.  Sounds like a match made in heaven!

In preparation for her wedding, at which she sincerely hopes no pesky non-celebrities attend, lest they bother her and stare at her, she is, um, taking damn elephant-riding lessons.

Elephant-riding lessons?  Why?  The Insufferable One is taking elephant-riding lessons so she won't risk looking "inelegant" when she makes her grand entrance at her wedding on a damn elephant.  Elephant.  Oliphant.  Elefante.  Heffalump.  Dumbo.  Big guy.  Hard to miss.

On the largest land mammal.  So everyone can indeed stare at her after all.  Is it okay if celebrities stare at you, then, Liz?  I see.

Further, Elizabitch apparently has no engagement ring, which probably makes it easier for her justify not washing her mitts at parties.

God, she is a pain in the ass, isn't she?  Talk about inelegant.  Look at her in that Chopard tiara in that photo, arms akimbo.  Eek.  She's so...  ick.

He's all, "Where's a cute, young, impressionable Bollywood princess when I need her?  I'm sure she wouldn't complain about the kebabs or get sick."

(photo from Chopard)

Stone Oak Jewelers - San Antonio Jeweler Doing The Next Big Thing

In sharp contrast to a recent article in Idex Online which enumerated the rapid acceleration of specialty independent jeweler closings in the U.S., Dan Dement and his family at Stone Oak Jewelers in San Antonio are experiencing the opposite challenge.

Thanks to self-professed "gadget man" Dement's commitment to stay on top of advances in CAD (computer-aided design) software, RP (rapid-prototyping) devices and a hard-learned personal motto to "over-buy" when it comes to technology, Dement can say with confidence that he, "would hate to be a chain store and try to compete with me."

Dan Dement finished his GIA Graduate Gemology degree over thirty years ago.  Among his career highlights include putting together the Hixon Collection of Colored Stones in the Gem Vault, which is part of the permanent collection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.  But what he is undoubtedly most proud of is his family, and his family business.

Dan and his son-in-law Mike Bowling man the store on a daily basis, and daughter DeAnna Bowling and wife Tobi Dement alternate days.  DeAnna tells customers how beautiful their ideas and concepts are, and her father Dan figures out how to make them work.  They play a fun game of sweet cop/all-business cop.

According to Dement, "New technology allows American jewelers to bring back quality to the jewelry-making process, while being competitive with the overseas manufacturers...  as long as you're manufacturing quality, you're okay.  The future of the independent jeweler is in rapid prototyping, especially for those who don't have the skills to do handmade wax molds - or even part cast and part handmade molds."

Dement showed me an example of this beautiful radiant-cut emerald ring which commanded over ninety hours of labor to create the "old-fashioned" way, meaning handmade wax molds.  He created ten in that particular series.  If they started in November, he and his staff of jewelers could probably execute three or four of them by Christmas if they were lucky.  That's simply the way it was done.

However, with new RP technology, the same exact ring can be made in only 25 hours.  And by Christmas, nearly everyone who wants their rings, earrings and necklaces can get them.

But is it better?  Indeed it is, in nearly every way.

How?

Let's say your diamond has a "J.Lo" bulge in the girdle (a bumpy or wavy girdle).  In many machined, mass-produced ring settings, the "seat" for the diamond or center stone is not properly cut or shaped and whether you know it or not, you run the risk of losing your stone if it's not set properly.  With RP technology, Dement can make an exact fit for your stone.  Further, he can make heads and prongs for the stones as well.

Now what about the micro-pavé craze?  Can you do that with CAD/CAM and RP?  Yes, you can, and better than ever.  Dement favors the Matrix software, wherein all of the beadwork and prongs are precise and exact.  And get this - it can be cranked out in under a week - even with 200 stones.  At left is a sample of an actual Matrix micro-pavé computer rendering with hundreds of half-point diamonds.

And Dement's micro-pavé will last.  He prefers European shanks, and nearly never runs micro-pavé past the shoulders of a shank so you won't knock stones driving your car or washing dishes.  He likes to "Swiss-cheese" shanks, or do open-weave detail (see above ring) to allow light through make diamonds dazzle.

One piece that caught my eye was a 9.14-carat, certified, non-heat treated yellow sapphire set in platinum and 18K yellow gold with yellow diamonds.

It is a knockout.  The split-shank design is lovely and the diamonds match the sapphire perfectly.  As Dement would say, it's a "forever ring."  Wow.

His current favorites, this week, are the micro-pavé and palladium pieces.  "The palladium gives you a big look for less money than I could do for you last week.  Plus, no rhodium plating.  There's a learning curve there just like everything."

He has no problem telling you if you've got a problem on your hands, so to speak...  if your own diamond is in danger.  It's the good, all-business cop in him.

It's quite obvious, however, that Dan Dement is very grateful for his business and for his family.  "I've been very blessed.  Everyone I know told me I couldn't do it, but it did it.  But it's not me, it's my wife, it's my daughter, it's my son-in-law."  Perhaps that's why, when helping prospective customers make a purchase, he will ask them, "Which one of your great-grandchildren do you want to give this to?"

Beyond that, he makes a cooperative effort to share his .stl files and designs with other jewelers.  He figures the more American jewelers can work together to produce quality goods, the better.  And if he can be a part of that effort, he will.

If you're buying a diamond from Dan, all stones have a GIA certificate, a hearts and arrows mapping, a Sarin machine interpretation, and cut grading if available.

Technology is a wonderful thing.  And married with a traditional family business, Stone Oak Jewelers is a winner.  On a personal note, I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone or have them do some work for me.  In fact...  watch this space.

(all photos property of Stone Oak Jewelers)

ChicSherlock Is Like, The Coolest Thing Ever

Just who or what is ChicSherlock?  In her own words, ChicSherlock is...

...driven by wanderlust - an adventurous spirit that leads her hunting for the elusive. she never packs lightly.  she travels accompanied by a trunk full of stilettos for every well-heeled occasion and a valise of luxurious essentials like her favorite amethyst ring.

perpetually seeking the chicest in luxury jewelry, she is sharp-eyed and tireless.  she provides access to a vast range of coveted designs, from the one-of-a-kind ring you'll never see on another woman's finger to the of-the-moment pieces adorning the pages of glossy fashion magazines...

In my words, ChicSherlock is a fantastic online collection of fifteen fine designer jewelers brought together on one website by one intrepid purveyor of elite goods.  All of the jewelers have a style uniquely their own.  ChicSherlock provides a bio for each one and photos of their work and prices and a shopping cart.  There are online designer trunk shows.  You can maintain a personal online jewelbox.  You can even seek style support and jewelry fashion advice all in one place.

All of the designers are impressive.  But there are some distinctive standouts.  My very favorites are Alex Soldier and Hanut Singh.  Take a look at ChicSherlock and tell me who you like.

(thanks to Cate Corcoran for the tip)

More Leviev Diamonds For Christmas and Hanukkah

Just in case none of yesterday's beautiful colored diamonds were exactly what you were looking for, perhaps a breathtaking suite of entirely internally flawless, D-color, pear-shape diamonds would do?  The rarity of this matching and quality cannot really be conveyed with words.

Okay, I'll try.

Flawless is one thing.

Internally flawless is entirely another.  This means that there are no flaws.  Not to the naked eye, not under 10x magnification.  No flaws.  Perfect.

And then there's color.

D color.  White, white diamonds.  Wow white diamonds.

Most essential of all of course, would be the cut of the stones.  But honestly?  Do you think that Leviev is going to let such important stones like these be cut by hacks?  Doubt it.  They are likely to have been cut by the masters.  They are probably some of the finest cut stones out there.

The graceful necklace is made of twenty-five pear-shaped diamonds which total 159.19 carats, including the gorgeous 18.61 carat pear-shape keystone in the center.

I just love the way that the pear-shapes are not only graduated in size, but that they are pointed away from the breastbone.  It's very fluid for such large stones, isn't it?  And of course, all of the stones are so well-matched for size.

The thing is a killer.

The earrings are a nearly perfectly matched pair of pear-shapes.

One is 13.09 carats of D internally flawless diamond, and the other is 13.06 carats of D internally flawless diamond.

Their proportions are perfectly matched.  No mismatched pears here.  Gorgeous.

And why not complete the suite with a 15.17 carat D internally flawless pear-shaped center diamond flanked by two pear-shapes weighing 2.12 carats?

All of the pears have the same graceful, womanly, plump-bottom shape that I find so appealing in a perfect pear-shape stone.  No skinny pear-shapes.  Ahhh, what a wonderful set of diamonds these are, no?

(click on photos to enlarge)

(all photos from Leviev)

Red And Green Diamonds For Christmas, Blue for Hanukkah From Leviev

Colored diamonds are a hot commodity right now, perhaps more than ever.  We've often discussed them here on this site.  From red diamonds to green diamonds to famous blue diamonds to orange diamonds to yellow diamonds found in Arkansas and even HPHT methods employed to create colored diamonds, we love colored diamonds.

In case you're short on ideas for what to give that special someone for Christmas or Hanukkah this year, world reknown London jeweler Leviev has a few beauties you might consider.  It's a bit late in the game, but no doubt with a certified check, a wire transfer or a Black American Express Card the good people at the Bond Street location or on Madison Avenue can make your Christmas or Hanukkah wish come true.

Here are some of the very finest examples of colored diamonds available today, all from Leviev.

How about a 1.73 carat Fancy Red radiant cut diamond, surrounded by D-color, internally flawless pear-shape diamonds, totalling 9.62 carats?  It has a distinctive, whimsical cocktail ring look to it.

And won't it be fun when your vapid hostess compliments you and says, "I love that garnet.  Look, Harry, a gar-net!"  And you can say, "Darling, it's a marvelous, umm...  garnet...  yes."  But you'll know what you have, and that's all that matters.

On this second night of Hanukkah, what better way to celebrate the Festival of Lights than with a little light of your own?

I suggest a Fancy Vivid Blue Internally Flawless heart-shaped diamond with two trillion-shaped pink side stones, set in Fancy Intense Pink diamond pavé.  It's just the way to keep the oil burning for the next seven days, don't you think?

And what about those of us who love green things?  This is a Fancy Deep Green radiant-cut diamond with two pink pear-shaped and two pink emerald-cut diamonds, set in pink diamond pavé, totalling 2.17 carats.

Perfect, I daresay, for heading south for Christmas with a suitcase full of Lilly prints and avoiding the crush of the malls and the fools and the gluttons and the restaurants with the 1.5 hour wait for cold food and the hustle and bustle and rudeness.  Sigh.

(click on photos to enlarge)

(all photos from Leviev)

Current Obsession, Part III: The Kwiat Solaris Collection

In honor of Wendy and her adoration for the Kwiat "it" ring of the season, I bring you not one but two Solaris rings.  And earrings.

Hot diggity!

Aren't they simply marvelous?  While the open style on the right is the only one I've seen in the store, the one with the radiant (?) in the center is quite fetching, too.

And just because I care, I found a gorgeous Solaris bracelet cuff, and a swinging pendant on a chain.

Overkill, perhaps.  But we wouldn't turn them away, would we?

(click on photos to enlarge)

(photos from Kwiat)

Current Obsession, Part II: More Kwiat Jewelry

In keeping with the au courant obsession with Kwiat, I bring you these dandy and dainty earrings.

They caught my eye because they're very sweet and very solid at the same time.

There's some movement and dynamism to them, in spite of the fact that they are studs.  They are at once elegant and simple.

They fall into the category of everyday wear, with .79 carats total weight of G-H, VS1 round diamonds set in 18K milgrained white gold.  The stones gradually and gracefully get larger towards the bottom.  The milgraining adds a nice texture and depth to the metalwork.

They are priced at $2535 retail.

(click on photo to enlarge)

(photo from Kwiat)

Current Obsession: The Kwiat Star Earrings

Among my very favorite shiny and sparkly things on the market right now the Kwiat Star earrings are stand-outs.  They are modern classics in the making.  While I don't generally fall in love with the merchandise mercilessly peddled in a company's ubiquitous holiday marketing campaign, these are the rare exception.  I adore them.

They come in two sizes, the more petite .91 carat total weight size and the larger 1.82 carat total weight size.  I've tried both sizes on, and both are equally endearing.  The smaller size earrings fall in the category of daily wear, however, while the larger pair are definitively more inclined for evening or event wear.

They have a very festive holiday (any holiday of your choosing) feel to them.

They are fashioned of G-H, VS1, round brilliant and marquise cut diamonds set in platinum heads on 18K white gold ear wires.  The metal work on the earrings is perfect.  I would expect nothing less from Kwiat.

The only drawback?  At over $3000 retail for the smaller size, they are a bit dear.  Much like Tiffany, the folks at Kwiat command an absolute premium for their goods.  But no doubt they stand behind their merchandise like Tiffany, too.

Kwiat has been around for nearly 100 years.  They cut their own diamonds and they are diamonds that knock your socks off and put your eye out from across the room.  Looking at them in two dimensions does them no justice.  None whatsoever.  They are spectacular diamonds.  In person they are stunning.  Breathtaking, even.

Perhaps I will look them up at the JCK Show in June.  At a bit of a discount they would be well worth my while.  Or even at full fare.  I've often heard dear old mom say that if you love something enough and you'll wear it...

Oh, bother.  Justify, justify.

(click on photo to enlarge for detail)

(photo from Kwiat)

Somehow This Is News: Princess Diana And Dodi Al-Fayed Were Engaged; Bought Ring From Repossi

Though it has long been suspected to be the truth, today Parisian jeweler Alfredo Repossi confirmed that he did indeed sell an engagment ring to Dodi Al-Fayed just hours before both Dodi and Diana, Princess of Wales, were killed in a car crash.

Why would Repossi go "public" with the information now, nearly ten years later?  Isn't that kind of, um, unnecessary?

Didn't we already know that?  Is he some kind of snake?

This guy has been talking his mouth off, showing copies of his consignment book, leaking security video, having family members and employees accidentally-on-purpose reveal information, giving affadavits, talking freely, not talking at all, then saying oh-but-I-mustn't-talk, I-am-a-jeweler, the-nature-of-my-business, it-is-oh-so-private, then capitulating and saying he was coerced by Mohammed Al-Fayed, etc. for the last 9+ years.

This is news?

Evidently, or so he says, reports have alleged that the ring was bought by Al-Fayed for another woman, or that the ring was not an engagement ring, or have otherwise sought to discredit the nature of Dodi and Princess Diana's relationship.  On advice from their lawyers, the jewelers had not made the information public until this time.  And he's just here to set the record straight.  Riiiiiiight.

According to Repossi, Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed first found the ring in his Monte Carlo boutique in early August.  They then asked him to have it sized and ready to pick up in Paris by August 30, 1997.  He picked it up at the Place Vendome boutique hours before they were both killed.

"Dodi Al-Fayed went to the Repossi boutique on the Place Vendome (Paris) to collect the engagment ring, which came from the 'Say Yes' collection, to give it to Princess Diana."

According to Mohammed Al-Fayed, she did "Say Yes" and the whole car accident was a British plot to kill them so Diana wouldn't marry a Muslim.  Seems unlikely, but who knows.  Repossi, at times, claims, he was coerced into leaking video and making claims it was an engagement ring by the elder Al-Fayed.  And now?  Well, now, evidently, it's an engagement ring after all.

I think the "public statement" is a bit shrill.  We already knew that.  He made the public statement(s) already.  Ad nauseum.

Don't get me wrong, the guy's body of work is impressive.  His client list is probably more so.

Yeah, that's his black and white diamond snake with emerald eyes up there at the top of the page.

He's obsessed with India.  His bio talks about his many trips to buy stones and gain inspiration.  Look at the majarajah-inspired piece at left.  No doubt a pigeon-blood ruby of the very finest quality.

He's the Official Supplier to HSH Prince Rainier III and the Grimaldis, which means he gets to dress up that trainwreck Princess Stephanie and whatever circus performer she's married to, too.  Which is probably punishment enough for these "public statement" shenanigans.

What I want to know is when will Mohammed Al-Fayed show us the ring?

My guess?  August 30, 2007.

(photos of Repossi jewelry from Casas & Gente)

Tony Parker Is Engaged; Eva Has Nice Engagement Ring, Too

Here in San Antonio, the big news is that Tony Parker and Eva Longoria are engaged.  Notice that the emphasis is on Tony, not Eva.

Because in this town we all live in fear that she is going to turn into the Yoko Ono of the San Antonio Spurs.

Eva Longoria is essentially Corpus pageant trash whose mouth runneth over with egregious, embarrassing sex talk, is someone who fancies herself the next great erotic bestselling writer, someone who also has a bizarre sense of entitlement, and perhaps most charming of all someone who conveniently forgets that she is, in fact, a Mexican, while hurling a racial epithet at a "Mexican bike cop."

She is the Diva of South Texas.  She is the Duchess of The Drainage Ditch.

Tony, however, we like.  And Tony has good taste.  In jewelry.  Ahem.

Last July he commissioned Parisian jewelry designer Jean Dousset to make Miss Thing a 5-carat, emerald-cut engagement ring made of white gold, set with 248 micro-pavé diamonds on the shank.  Dousset also suggested that Tony handwrite a private romantic message for Eva, which he then engraved on the inside of the shank.  That's kind of sweet, no?

Dousset said he designed the ring with Tony's help and trust, and with Eva's personality in mind:

She has a strong will, is very feminine, very loving and a loyal friend.  That ring is strong because it is covered with diamonds. I ran out of space for more.  And it is also very curvy, like her.  So, you see, the ring requires a big personality to pull it off, which she has. On her, it looks amazing.

Ewwww.  She totally paid him to say that.

Local San Antonio appraisers estimate that the ring may be worth as much as $500,000.

We love a great classic emerald cut here on this channel.  What with all the Asschers and modified emeralds in style these days, it's nice to see a classic cut trotted out.  And it's gotta be a good one not to look like grey glass.  It truly looks like a good one.  Very high color, probably E, perhaps D.  Can't speak for the clarity or the cut, but if it's been bought by an NBA baller for a carnie and reports of a value of a half mil are being thrown out there...  it's probably top drawer.

Hope she doesn't lose it in the drainage ditch researching her sex book.

(click on photo to enlarge for detail)

(photo from MySA.com)