My Christmas Wish-list

It’s that time of year again and I’m sitting at my desk, making up my Christmas wish-list. And let me tell you, working here has made that list long, and totally unrealistic. So in that spirit here’s item #34, a large pink diamond ring. Now, this isn’t just any ordinary pink diamond, it is the largest pink diamond ever unearthed from a Canadian mine. This particular diamond was discovered at the Victor Mine in Northern Ontario, and weighs in at 2.74 carats and is cut in an oval shape with SI clarity. It has been set into a ring made with Precious Platinum and 18k White Gold with a halo of smaller pink and white diamonds to accentuate the pink color of the central diamond.  “It’s a piece of history and a piece of art… the chances of finding another such diamond is extremely rare”, said Krikor Kuspekian, manager of the store displaying the ring. I personally think it’s simply perfect.

Photo : Adrian Lam

So now to the big question, can I have one? The good news for all you pink diamond lovers is that the ring is for sale. The bad news is that it is valued at a staggering $568,000. So while this ring would be a truly gorgeous gift that any girl would be lucky to unwrap on Christmas morning, Santa would probably need to pick up a second job to pay for it.

Elizabeth Taylor's Jewels Fetch Nearly 116 Million Dollars at Auction!

By all accounts, the first night of the Collection of Elizabeth Taylor auction was a true success. The sales of Miss Taylor’s most iconic gems didn’t just exceed their estimates; they smashed them reaching a grand total of nearly 116 million dollars. Now in order to put that number into perspective, we are talking about the sale of a mere 80 pieces of jewelry which were estimated to achieve just over $30 million dollars. In fact, only two items were sold for amounts within their auction estimates. That’s quite the performance for the famed baubles.

In addition to soaring prices, several records were broken last evening including the record for the sale of a private collection of jewels. Other records broken included the price of a single pearl, the per carat price for a colorless diamond, the price for an Indian jewel, and the price of ruby per carat.

However, among all of those records, the brightest star was surprisingly La Peregrina Pearl. Now if you read our blog regularly you will remember the story of the fabled 16^th century pearl, but a quick recap for those who might have missed it. The pearl is approximately 50 carats in size and is known as one of the most important pearls in history. Found in the 1500’s, the pear shaped pearl has been a part of the Crown Jewels of Spain, worn by British Queen Mary I, stolen by Joseph Bonaparte, and finally gracing the neck of Elizabeth Taylor . Richard Burton bought the pearl for Elizabeth in 1969 and it became the subject of one of her more hilarious anecdotes when one of her dog was found to be using the pearl as a chew toy! Last night, the pearl shattered estimates of $2 to $3 million, selling for a staggering 11.8 million dollars. The lustrous pearl even outshone it’s more famous rival, the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond which sold for $8.8 million shooting past its own $2.5 to $3.5 million estimate.

Photo : Christie's Images Ltd

Other record breakers included the Taj Mahal Diamond which was given to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton for her 40^th birthday. The heart-shaped diamond is reported to have been owned by Indian emperor Shah Jahan who presented it as a gift to his beloved wife Mumtaz-i-Mahal. On her death he was so grief stricken that he had the magnificent Taj Mahal built to honor her memory. The estimates for the diamond were a mere $300,000 - $500,000, and I’m sure you can guess where I’m going with this one. The symbol of one of the most powerful and romantic love stories ever told sold for $8.8 million, pretty much blowing its estimates out of the water.

Photo : Christie's Images Ltd

Nervous laughter could be heard echoing through the hall as the numbers started breezing past estimates without pause. Even items that didn’t break records still sold for amounts that were spectacularly higher than their estimates including this beautiful Sapphire and Diamond Sautoir which smashed its estimate of $800,000 by selling for $5.9 million.

Photo : Christie's Images Ltd.

When asked why the estimates were so off the mark, Christie’s jewelry expert Francois Curiel stated that items were priced according to their “intrinsic value”, not factoring in the price hike that association with Elizabeth Taylor would give. “We wanted to let the market decide what premium to pay over the value of the stones … or the value of the jewels,” he said. 

Well, it would appear that Elizabeth Taylor added extreme value to her jewels, moving them into a price range far beyond most mere mortal’s pocketbooks. It would appear that everything she touched turned to gold as even her unknown pieces are selling online for prices far beyond their “intrinsic value”. So where does that leave us humble jewelry loving folk? Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be another, “Just make it yourself out of construction paper and tape” kind of messages. The truth is that you can make Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic looks your own, at a budget friendly price. In reality, it never was what she had on her finger or ears; it was how Elizabeth Taylor wore her jewels. It is for this reason that she looked perfectly normal wearing a 33 carat diamond and Kim Kardashian just looked ridiculous. So all you need is a great piece of jewelry, and some attitude!

Let’s take Miss Taylor’s Sapphire and Diamond Sautoir for example. It’s too large and cumbersome for daily wear, so we take its most important elements, the sparkle and stunning sapphire blue color, and translate it into a statement piece that can be worn every day. With that in mind I went on a spree in our showroom. First I found a vintage inspired sapphire and diamond pendant that I loved, but the standard chain just wasn’t adding the oomph that I wanted. 

So, I looked around and saw a fantastic ‘Diamonds by the Yard’ necklace. I strung the pendant on and voila, the perfect sautoir! The DBTY chain is a full 36” so it can pull off that sternum grazing look or you could loop it around your neck for a shorter, layered look. 

If you want a funkier vibe, try folding the chain in half, then take the middle and thread it through the bale on the pendant. Now you have a double width chain with twice the sparkle! And the best thing is it won’t cost you $5.9 million, which means that you can throw in that vintage sapphire ring that you’ve been drooling over!  

But don’t just take my word for it. Take a spin around our showroom and create your own unique look.  With just a little imagination, and of course, the fabulous selection of jewelry here at Union Diamond, you can be just as fabulous as the Queen of Diamonds herself. Just don’t forget to wear it like Elizabeth Taylor would, and make it your own!

The Cullinan Diamond

Found on January 26, 1905, the Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found. In its rough state the giant rock weighed in at 3,106.75 carats. That’s over a pound! The diamond was found by Thomas Evan Powell at the Premier mine in South Africa. He was going about his daily tasks when a glint of sunlight caught his eye, he looked up, and sticking out of the wall was what looked like a huge chunk of glass. He retrieved the object and turned it over to his supervisor Frederick Wells. Wells took it to be examined and the hunk of glass turned out to be a huge diamond!  The stone was named for Sir Thomas Cullinan who owned the mine and who also happened to be touring it that very day. It was then decided to gift the stone to King Edward VII on his birthday in 1907. Now, shipping anything this valuable overseas was going to be difficult, but they had a plan. In order to fool criminals it was leaked that the diamond would be sent to England via a ship with many armed detectives, however in reality, the diamond was sent via registered mail! Can you imagine dropping that off at the post office?

The decision was made to send the stone to Amsterdam to be cut by the Asscher Brothers who had recently cut the large Excelsior diamond. After months of study, the stone was successfully cleaved into three large pieces which then were cut into 9 principle stones and 96 smaller stones. The nine main stones were polished and are currently a part of the English Crown Jewels. All nine stones are named Cullinan followed by a number in reference to the name that was given to the rough before it was cut. The nine main gems are as follows…

The Cullinan I – Also known as the Star of Africa, and the second largest faceted stone in the world, the Cullinan I is a 530.20 carat pear shaped diamond. It is currently set into the Sovereign’s Royal Sceptre, but it can also be worn as a part of a brooch with the Cullinan II. And let me tell you, that is one BIG brooch.

The Cullinan II - Also known as the Lesser Star of Africa, the Cullinan II is a 317.40 carat cushion shape. It is currently set center-front on the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain. However, it can also be worn as the top half of a brooch along with the Cullinan I.

The Cullinan III - The Cullinan III is a 94.40 carat pear shape diamond which was originally set as the finial of Queen Mary’s crown. It can also be worn in a brooch with the Cullinan IV that is identical to the brooch made with the Cullinan I and II, merely smaller. The brooch can also act as a pendant.

The Cullinan IV- The Cullinan IV is a 63.60 carat cushion diamond that was originally set in the band of Queen Mary’s crown. It can also be worn as a brooch above the Cullinan III. The brooch has also been worn as a pendant.

The Cullinan V- The Cullinan V is a triangular shaped pear weighing 18.80 carats. It was originally to be worn in the circlet of Queen Mary’s crown as a replacement for the Koh-I-Noor diamond after its removal to the crown made for Queen Elizabeth in 1937. The Cullinan V is also worn as part of a brooch.

The Cullinan VI- The Cullinan VI is an 11.50 carat marquise cut diamond which is worn as a drop on a stunning diamond and emerald necklace.

The Cullinan VII- The Cullinan VII is also a marquise cut weighing in at 8.80 carats. (Isn’t it amazing how small that sounds now?) It is currently set as a drop on the pendant featuring the Cullinan VIII in the center.

The Cullinan VIII- The Cullinan VIII is a 6.80 carat cushion cut which is currently the featured stone in a brooch from which also hangs the Cullinan VII.

The Cullinan IX- The Cullinan IX is a positively tiny 4.39 carat pear shape diamond that was mounted in a ring for Queen Mary.

Whew, that’s quite a lot of bling for one person. Queen Mary was photographed on several occasions wearing the Cullinans I through IV at once! Although, sadly for her diamond loving subjects, Queen Elizabeth II usually sticks to one brooch at a time.  Do you think you could pull off wearing over a thousand carats at the same time? Yes? Me too!  

There's No Place Like Home

Every girl has, at one point, longed for a pair of ruby slippers. There’s just something magic in a pair of red shoes that can transport you wherever you most wish to be. And even better than that, they’re covered in sparkly sequins, which I like a lot.

Well, that childhood dream will come true for one very lucky Wizard of Oz fan, because there are four pairs of ruby slippers known to have survived, one is at the Smithsonian, one is privately owned, one was stolen from the Judy Garland Museum, and one, is up for auction next week. This is most likely the last pair that will ever come up for auction and they are arguably the most unique of them all valued at 2 to 3 million dollars.

Photo : Profiles in History

Labeled, “#7 Judy Garland” the shoes have red painted leather soles. This is the most important feature since the other existing shoes all have soles covered in felt. This, coupled with light, circular scuffs on the toes indicate that these slippers were used in that most iconic scene where Dorothy clicks her heels together whispering, “There’s no place like home”.

No place like home indeed, and that’s quite a price tag for a pair of shoes. But I have to say, that if I were left in a room with them I would be discovered wearing them and happily clicking my heels together. I don’t care if they have magical teleportation abilities or not, these shoes are great, much better than a swarm of flying monkeys.

We are Please to Announce the Winner of the My Perfect Union Contest!

Over the three months of the ‘My Perfect Union’ contest we received over 240 incredible submissions filled with stories of bravery and honor. As we read each and every one we were at times both humbled, and uplifted. It wasn’t uncommon to find a coworker trying to hold back tears as we read the stories of courage and perseverance. It was hard to imagine how anyone could choose just one winner.

The field was narrowed to six amazing members of our Armed Forces. Their ranks included men from all walks of life: from a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, to more than one Wounded Warrior. They are just average people; your friends and neighbors. Ordinary people, who do extraordinary things every day. It was an honor for all of us just to read the nominations. But there could only be one winner, and this winner is incredibly deserving of not only the prize, but of our immense gratitude.

Michael Brewer is currently an active duty Army Wounded Warrior and a recipient of the Purple Heart. He was wounded while, when deployed in Afghanistan, the convoy he was leading was ambushed by insurgents. The truck he was in was hit by an IED and two RPG’s, one of which exploded inches from his body. Throughout all of the chaos, and despite his severe injuries, he managed to keep driving. He knew that if he succumbed to his wounds that many lives would be lost, so he struggled on through a blinding haze of smoke, not stopping until every man was safely outside the kill zone.

Michael saved every soldier in that convoy through his courage and determination. His injuries, unfortunately, were severe and he has undergone 11 surgeries on his face and hands to date. However, he hasn’t let his physical limitations stop him from being a devoted soldier, and an extraordinary man. Just months after he returned home, he learned that a friend and fellow soldier had been killed in the same area where he was ambushed. Michael didn’t hesitate. Even though he was still recovering from several operations, he insisted on being the one to welcome his fallen comrade home and escort him to his final resting place. 

Today, Michael Brewer is still struggling to recover. And his wife Jill has been there every step of the way; always encouraging, becoming his primary caregiver, and driving him an hour outside of town for his appointments 3-5 days a week, every week. It is said that behind every great man, is a great woman, and Jill is a great woman. Michael still has a long road to recovery, but with Jill’s help and constant love, he’s sure to make it. They are, “The Perfect Union”, and so deserving of this ring and our humble and sincere gratitude. Thank you to Michael Brewer, and to all who submitted their stories. The word “Hero” has now been defined over 240 new ways.

Smells Like a Million Dollars

Perfume, almost everyone has at least one bottle of the stuff. I personally love DKNY’s Be Delicious because it smells, well, delicious. Now, lest you think I’ve taken leave of my senses there will be bling in this post, just bear with me a sec. So, we’ve established that, whether or not you ever use it, you all probably have perfume, or cologne if you’re a man. Because let’s face it, everyone likes to smell nice. But do you have million dollar perfume? Ah, I thought not.

Well, my favorite brand of perfume, the afore mentioned DKNY, has just released a new scent, a million-dollar scent. Their new fragrance, Golden Delicious, containing notes of orange flower water, white rose, vanilla orchid, and of course golden delicious apple isn’t an unusual thing in and of itself. However, its packaging is decidedly unique.

Photo : Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images

Crafted out of 14k yellow gold, and featuring 2,700 white diamonds, 183 yellow sapphires and a 2.43 carat canary yellow diamond, this bottle is one-of-a-kind. And so was its entourage. The pricy fragrance was the perfect accessory for supermodel Chanel Iman, who spent the evening flanked by four body guards who looked very much like they were auditioning for the next MIB sequel. Seriously.

Photo : Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images

All kidding aside though, the bottle is lovely with the white diamonds creating a bright cityscape around the circumference of the “apple”. And I’m sure it smells fantastic. Fantastic enough for me to shell out a million bucks, not so much. However, if you need to buy a gift for that girl who has everything, and you have deep pockets, this might do the trick. And there is the added bonus that proceeds from the sale will benefit the charity Action Against Hunger.

Now for those of us who cannot afford this golden fragrance, I mean hiring those bodyguards to follow you around can’t be cheap right? The scent will be on sale, albeit in a less pricy bottle, for all of us to enjoy as well. And hey, if you’re feeling particularly crafty, I’m sure that you could glue some rhinestones to your bottle to recreate that diamond encrusted look. If you do, make sure you send me a picture!

The World's Most Expensive Christmas Tree

It’s officially December and that means that my Christmas tree will be going up this weekend. Now when I say Christmas tree, I’m envisioning a fluffy fir tree trimmed with white lights and teal, green, and silver colored ornaments. Hey, so it’s not the traditional red and green, but I like to be a little different. Now, let’s pause for a moment on the words, a little, different. Because I found a tree that’s been making headlines this week due to it being decidedly more than, ‘a little’ different. Now by different I don’t mean that they’ve hung it upside down, or covered it in meat a la Lady Gaga… that would just be gross. This tree is different in the fact that it is made entirely, from its base to the star at its summit, out of pure gold.

Yes, you read that correctly, this tree is made out of more than 26 POUNDS of pure gold. Created to top the record set by a “Gold Christmas” tree created in 2006 worth a paltry $850,000, the King Midas worthy tree was bound to be spectacular. And it is quite the spectacle, located at the Ginza Tanaka jewelry store; it blows the ‘other golden tree’ out of the water at a staggering $2 million. It took 15 craftsmen four months to fashion the opulent tree which reaches 8 feet in height and is liberally decorated with 60 heart shapes and 100 ribbons which are all made out of pure gold. Impressive isn't it?

Photo : Ginza Tanaka / Rex USA

Now for all of you golden Christmas tree collectors, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but the tree is not for sale. I have no idea what they’re going to do with it for the other 9-10 months out of the year, but I do have a few suggestions. To make it more, multi-seasonal, they could add additional golden ornaments. For example, with the hearts already on the tree, they’re all set for Valentine ’s Day, now if they could just whip up some golden shamrocks and bunnies then they’d have it covered ‘til summer! Just an idea Mr. Tanaka!

And since I know that you are all very sad about not being able to purchase this Christmas tree, I have taken it upon myself to create a version that you can make at home! With only a pair of scissors, a yellow highlighter, a yellow envelope and some tape, you too can create this desktop masterpiece. Don’t laugh; it’s actually quite festive sitting on top of my computer. Think you’re up to the task of holiday tree making? We’d love to see what you come up with!