John Galliano has decided last year to sexy up his f/w jewelry ad campaign with French Supermodel Morgane Dubled.  The contrast of her pale skin allows for the jewelry, consisting of flower and daggers, to really pop out in the ads. Do you remember the collection? Here are some of the jewelery:

Raw diamonds have breached in the fine jewelry industry and bring a special touch to jewelry as we know it. Todd Reed is a true master in placing raw, uncut diamonds in fabulous jewelry pieces. The outcome is spectacular! What say you?

Photos courtesy of:  www.toddreed.com.

The pink diamond is the world’s most rare and valuable diamond. The Argyle mine (the world’s foremost source of unrivalled intense pink diamonds)  is a diamond mine located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The Argyle mine is the largest diamond producer in the world by volume, although due to the low proportion of gem-quality diamonds, is not the leader by value producing 95% of the world’s supply.

1. The Darya-i-Nur Diamond

Daria Nour Diamond

2. Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond

Nur-Ul-Ain diamond

Diamond Carat Weigh: 60

Color: light pink

3.Steinmetz Pink diamond

Steinmetz Pink diamond

Diamond Carat Weigh: 59.60

Color: fancy vivid pink

4. Shah Jahaan  Diamond

Shah Jahan Diamond

Diamond Carat Weigh: 56.71

Color: light pink

5. Agra Diamond

Agra diamond

Diamond Carat Weigh: 32.34

Color: fancy light pink

6. Pink Sunrise Diamond

Pink Sunrise Diamond

Diamond Carat Weigh: 29.79

Color: light pink

7. Rose of Dubai Diamond

Rose of Dubai Diamond

Diamond Carat Weigh: 25.02

Color: light pink

8. The Mouawad Lilac Diamond

Mouawad Lilac Diamond

Diamond Carat Weigh: 24.44

Color: fancy purplish pink

9. The Williamson Diamond

Williamson Diamond

Diamond Carat Weigh: 23.56

Color: light pink

10. The Graff Pink Orchid Diamond

Graff Pink Orchid Diamond

Diamond Carat Weigh: 22.84

Color: fancy purplish pink

“Carolina Queen Emerald” is said to be the largest, finest and most significant emerald ever found in North America. It has 18.88-carat and a pear-shaped cut. The only emerald rivals are the finest of the fine emeralds of Muzo and Chivor mines of Colombia.

Carolina Queen Emerald

The “Carolina Queen Emerald” was discovered by James K. Hill, president and CEO of North American Emerald Mines, in his 94-acre family estate in Hiddenite, North Carolina, in 1998, was named “Carolina Queen” to reflect the state of origin of the emerald as well his intention to start a series with royal names.

Carolina Queen Emerald mounted

Gem cutter Allan Koo shaped the 71-carat rough stone into two exceptional quality emeralds, the 18.88-carat, pear-shaped “Carolina Queen Emerald” and the 7.85-carat, cushion-cut “Carolina Prince Emerald.” initiating what is known as the Royal Family collection.

The “Carolina Queen Emerald” surpassed the “Tiffany Emerald” both in weight as well as quality. After cutting and polishing the AGL certified the “Carolina Queen Emerald” as the largest and finest emerald of North American origin to ever pass through its laboratory. Mr. C. R. Beasley  the internationally renowned gem appraiser has placed a value of over $1,000,000 for the “Carolina Queen Emerald.”

Rarity:  If you had one thousand piles of diamonds and one thousand diamonds in each pile, only one of those diamonds would be a 1-carat diamond.  It would take 5 times that quantity to find a 2 carat stone.  DeBeers, the world’s diamond supplier, has no answer to the question how many stones have to be mined to get a 3 carat stone.   80% of all diamonds mined are industrial quality; only 20% are gem-quality.   Gem quality diamonds are found in only four places world-wide: Africa, Russia, Australia and Canada

Mining Cost:    250 tons of earth must be removed to find one 1-carat stone. (a one carat diamond is the size of a pea and weighs only one-fifth of a gram).  Diamonds are the most sought after substance on earth.  Diamond miners have invested into state-of-the-art technology to search for diamonds where only explorers have gone before.  They have developed equipment to dive to the darkest depths of the ocean and sweep the ocean floor.

1. Cut:  It takes ten years training and cutting thousands of smaller diamonds before a diamond cutter is allowed to even touch a one carat stone.  Cutters start on 3 and 4 pointers, then they move up to 10 and 12 pointers.  They must master the smaller sizes before they can move up to ¼ carats, then years to up 1/3 carats, ½ carats and then ¾ carats.
2. Endurance:  A diamond is approximately 140% harder than the next hardest substance known to man.  It is the only substance whose beauty is unaffected by age.  A diamond can be worn 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for decades upon decades before passing it down in the very same condition as the day it was purchased.
3. Antiquity Value:  Diamonds are scientifically dated at 3.4 billion years old.   They are so old, scientists are now using them to tell us how and when the oldest parts of our planet were formed.  There is nothing for sale that is older.
4. Investment Value:  A diamond is an investment in love, not in dollars.  Since 1940 diamonds have doubled in value every 10 years.  However, their greatest value lies not in their monetary worth, but in the emotions invested within them.  Most women would never sell their grandmother’s diamond ring.  A diamond is an investment in life, in someone you love.

After the world’s most expensive blue diamond, The Wittelsbach, was sold to diamond dealer – Laurence Graff – last year for $24.3 million, Sotheby’s has another impressive blue diamond for the next auction.

Despite the economic woe, apparently sales for big, rare stones are still going strong. The new diamond is a fancy vivid blue gem weighing 7.03 carats and is rated internally flawless – high praise for a natural stone. Petra Diamonds, the diamond mine, unearthed this rare gem from the Cullinan mine in South Africa.

The blue beauty will be shown in Hong Kong, Paris, New York and London before winding up in Geneva for the Sotheby’s auction on May 12th, where it is estimated to sell for as much as $8.5 million.

Made by Mikimoto, this 18-inch pearl strand, took 10 years to gather the 27 perfectly round cultured pearls. The pearls are White South Sea AAA quality and are extremely rare. No wonder it took so long!

The expensive strand also has a noval clasp with 11,92 carats of diamonds, but its beauty realy lies in the cultured pearls. The high quality is showed in their 15.06 x 17.24 mm diameter, in the way pearls reflect light and a very special luster. Even so, $1,000,000 for a pearl strand?

The Fabergé Eggs are today more than ever a symbol of rarity, luxury and tradition. The jewelry beaded precious metal eggs were created by Peter Carl Fabergé and his assistants. 69 eggs were created between 1885 and 1917, and their main purpose was to be offered as gifts to the great czars of Russia, as Easter Eggs.

There are some quite famous eggs with a whole story behind then like The Swan or the two undelivered eggs Constellation or Karelian Birch.

The first egg was created in 1885 for czarina Maria Feodorovna as an Easter surprise from her husband. On the outside it looked like a while gold enameled egg but inside having a golden yolk. Inside the yolk there was a golden hen and inside the hen a small golden crown with a ruby. The idea of this egg is the one of the traditional Russian matryoshka dolls (and also the one of Kinder [giggles]).

The Fabergé Imperial eggs are not only splendid and precious on the outside, but also on the inside, each usually containing a surprise. They are unique in appearance and also in theme, each one having a different significance.

Fabergé also created some pieces for his private clients but they were less original and expensive.

The Lesotho Promise is the wonderful creation of Graff, a necklace that truly takes the breath away. The awesome 603 carat stone was found in the Letsenf mine, in Lesotho, the 15th largest diamond found.

Graff payed quite a sum for it, the diamond ads up to $12.36 million. After thorough analysis, the diamond was cut in 26 pieces that vary in size, from just a little more than half carat to the superb pear shaped 76.41 carat diamond, the centerpiece of the Lesotho Promise necklace.

The whole process of creating the astounding diamond lasted 18 months but the result is more than satisfactory.

The Lesotho Promise necklace is made by diamonds all coming from the Lesotho Promise rough diamond. The 26 white D-flawless diamonds, set in white gold, sum up to 223.5 carats and are estimated at around $50 million. Might be just a little too much for me…