Color and Shine...Oh My!

A few stunners...

I've always thought that no great jewelry house handled colored stones better than Van Cleef & Arpels and their newest jewelry collections prove the point. Both the one-of-a-kind California Reverie collection released last October (much of it already sold like this fabulous setting sun opal brooch) and the even newer Birds of Paradise collection will stop anyone in their tracks. Whimsical and witty, these are definitely conversation starters, as in "Wow! Where did you find those fantastic earrings? I love them!

Just about every kind of stone you can name and several that you probably won't think of has been used in these collections. Sapphires in blue and every unusual shade from pink to lavender to yellow, white diamonds, red spinels, emeralds, green garnets and of course gold in white, yellow and rose.

Prices? Don't bother to ask but if you're loaded...go buy yourself one of these beauties.

The Very Big, Very Green Mercedes....

The 2010 S400 Hybrid is the world's first production car with lithium-ion battery technology and as you'd expect from the bright boys in Stuttgart, it's a marvel of creative engineering.
Once you admit that rich guys crave big, luxurious wheels no matter how much they profess to care about the ecological health of our planet, the smart move is to give them what they want. Design a land yacht with low emissions and reasonably good gas mileage that's wrapped in soft leather and kitted out with every imaginable high-tech gewgaw and you'll have a car that makes your customer feel good while he's flaunting it.
The trickiest bit on the S400 is the engine, which shuts itself off below 9 MPH and quietly revs itself up again when you step on the gas, thereby saving the fuel that would be wasted while standing at red lights and such. That makes for fuel economy of 20% plus lower emissions over the standard S550 which averages 15/23 MPG as opposed to the S400's 19/26 MPG.
There is of course, a trade-off: a loss of power from the revised V-6 engine that pushes out 295 HP as opposed to the 382 HP V-8 of the S550 but there's also a bonus that covers the loss. No gas-guzzler tax, an entry price of $87,950 rather than the usual S-Class $91,600 and a $1,150 tax credit for going green. Not a bad deal at all.

The Evening Star....

Speaking of Christmas presents...not very long after knocking down the $240,000 per carat Annenberg Diamond, Christies announced the December 10th auction of The Evening Star, yet another humungous rock. Named after the owner's custom of wearing this 39-carat, D-color Golconda diamond to only the most important evening events and galas, The Evening Star, whose sale price is estimated at $3,600,000-$5,500,000 has collectors salivating with anticipation. It's a rare Type IIa diamond, as is the famous 530.20-carat Cullinan and the 105.60-carat Koh-i-noor, both of which belong to the British Crown Jewels. All of them were found in India's legendary Golconda mines and such rare Type IIa diamonds are known for their exceptional optical transparency.
The lady of The Evening Star often wore it as a pendant suspended from a 90-carat necklace of sixty-eight graduated pear-shaped diamonds which is also on the block at an estimated price of $400,000-$600,000. That's how it's shown here but as if that wasn't quite enough glitz, she completed her appearance as a walking chandelier by sporting a matching pair of Type IIa diamond ear pendants of 10.21 and 10.51 carats respectively. Those are estimated to sell at $1,700,000-$2,500,000.
The question that comes to mind is, now that she's selling off all that ice, what is she going to wear for an encore?
Images courtesy of Christies Images...

A Bulgari Bargain....

In 2009, the venerable House of Bulgari celebrated their 125th anniversary by generously choosing to support Save the Children's "Rewrite the Future" campaign. Save the Children, an independent international organization with a presence in over one hundred countries is dedicated to the defense of children's rights. The "Rewrite the Future" campaign is committed to providing education to eight million children unfortunate enough to live in conflict-ridden areas of the world by rebuilding schools, buying much-needed school supplies and protecting children from abuse and exploitation. Bulgari kicked in with an initial donation of one million euros with the hope of raising ten million by the end of 2009, which is almost upon us.

Part of the fundraising effort has been through the sale of a stunning silver Bulgari ring, a wide bombe band that pays homage to Satirio Bulgari, the silversmith who founded the firm in the late 1800's. During the course of the year, a narrower band and a pendant were placed on offer; all of the pieces at $290, most of which goes to Save the Children. It's very rare to find an opportunity to adorn oneself with an iconic piece of jewelry and do good works at the same time, which is why we think this would make a killer Christmas present for either the men or women on your list. The celebration ends on December 30th, and if there's not a Bulgari store in your immediate neighborhood, check it out on Bulgari's website and order it from there.

The final fundraiser will take place at Christies New York on December 8th, when all of the proceeds of eleven magnificent pieces will be donated to the welfare of the children of the world.
Should you be fatigued by frugality and bored with hiding your wealth from your less-fortunate friends, you might bid on the multi-colored sapphire and diamond bib necklace valued at $1.050.00 or the $790,000 diamond dog collar that Queen Mary might have envied or my personal fave, the heavy gold curb-link chain necklace set with seven bronze coins depicting Alexander the Great, valued at $36,000. Sure, it's a splurge, but it's good for the kids.

The Sexiest Maserati....

Here's an early peek at the only one of its kind at the moment...Maserati's $135K (estimated price) Gran Turismo convertible, which is being presented around the country for the delectation of future clients. This model doesn't actually work, but if it did, it would travel at a top speed of 176 MPH and sprint from 0-60 MPH in 5.3 seconds, turning a lot of heads as it went past.
When the real models are available in early 2010, there will be a choice of six exterior colors, ten baby-soft Poltrona Frau leather seat colors, six interior trims and a set of matching luggage stowed in the trunk as a lagniappe. The Gran Turismo convertible stretches out on the longest wheelbase of the series but hey, guys!...if you make the snout of the car any longer it's in danger of looking like a giant anteater.
This upscale cocktail presentation took place at Ken Gorin's "The Collection", Miami"s most lavish car showroom and Maserati's top dealer in the United States. By the way, the parents of the kid holding the two dollies were delighted that their daughter and her friends could fit comfortably into the rear seats. Next stop: Houston...heads up, Texas!

The photo courtesy of Seth Browarnik/Red Eye Productions...a terrific photographer and a luxury diva friend...

INVESTMENT JEWELS…


In dark and difficult times, there are many ways to placate the gods or hedge one’s bets. Among primitive societies, sacrificing a virgin was much favored, as was amassing hoards of highly portable D Flawless diamonds during the long war-torn centuries in Europe. Here in the 21st century, we are long past believing in the efficacy of virgins (besides, there seems to be a lot less of them around) but diamonds, or for that matter gold, platinum or gemstones in general still might work when all else fails. There’s a school of thought that postulates that when you lose faith in paper (like dollars or stock certificates) stocking up on jewels is the best option but there is a caveat. A renowned New York jeweler who prefers not to be quoted, advised us that all the “unbranded” jewels flooding the market during the past big-spending boom, would likely bring about ten cents on the dollar at resale, so if you’re hedging, according to his advice, buy your stuff from the long-established big name houses or live to regret it. The advice we would add is to buy classics, the timeless and distinctive pieces that are instantly recognizable and have been sold and worn by generations. Such pieces tend to hold their value and are unlikely to drop out of style anytime soon, for example, the delovelies of Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany, Bulgari and Verdura among others.

You can’t go wrong with a Cartier panther in any of his incarnations, whether he’s a brooch, a bracelet or a ring, but do plan on a diamond pavé cat with emerald eyes or scoop up a pavé orchid, another Cartier signature. In watches, opt for a classic gold Cartier Tank or Santos de Cartier both of which date back to the 1920’s and have graced some of the most famous wrists in the world, one of which might as well be yours. The iconic Trinity (familiarly known as the Rolling) Ring is composed of three interlocking bands of white, yellow and red gold and also dates back to 1925 when it became the favorite of famed French poet and film director Jean Cocteau, who stacked two on one finger and was often photographed wearing them. The original size runs $1,050 but a modern wide version that obviates the need for two costs $1,800. The $3,850 yellow gold Love bracelet, a close-to-the-wrist band that is fastened with golden screws by means of a tiny gold screwdriver, originated in the 1960’s and has been seen of the wrists of A-list power couples ever since. As for Van Cleef, you might think of fairies since one of their tiny fairies is perched on everything from rings to perfume bottles but frankly, we’ve always considered them a bit too twee. We’d opt for a zipper necklace, an idea first suggested by the Duke of Windsor in the twenties that was technologically impossible to make until 1951. The idea of a working zipper made of gold and diamonds still seems incredible but our pet is the all-diamond zipper with a diamond tassel pull; just be aware that it costs serious money.

In watches, it’s the VCA classic yellow gold Cadenas with a double snake chain bracelet and rubies. That’s the watch designed for and worn by the Duchess of Windsor and with all her many character flaws, she knew classy jewelry better than anyone else. Another very distinctive technique developed by Van Cleef is their mystery setting in which stones are pavéd without visible metal prongs. Mystery settings are used in everything from secret watches (another VCA specialty) to rings but we think you should cast an eye on the Magnolia bracelet in yellow gold and diamonds with a ruby flower and emerald leaves. Some of the most exquisite minaudiéres in the history of big nights out have been created by Van Cleef and the Etincelles minaudiére is right up there at the top of the list. Regard it as an investment to be handed down to future generations and be sure to bring your black titanium American Express card with you. When it comes to Tiffany & Co., we tend to think of pearls; not cultured pearls although they offer lengths from chokers to long ropes, but the top quality large South Sea white pearls or the Tahitian black pearls that will always be rare and in demand, either of which will probably fall into the six-figure range. A Tiffany must-have, speaking of great names, is a piece designed by Jean Schlumberger, any piece by Schlumberger. Three gorgeous bracelet designs have been pulled from the archives and reproduced in yellow gold and red enamel and if your pocket can handle the strain buy all three and stack them up your arm. Given the history of Schlumberger pieces, these may someday be vintage and worth a lot more than you paid for them.

Bulgari is famous for their sumptuous and hugely elaborate jewelry worthy of royal vaults but whenever we think of Bulgari, we envision antique coins or cabochon stones on heavy gold-link chains. Their antique coin choker was a society icon in the sixties and while there are modern versions, we are told that there are still some few vintage pieces available and they are worth searching out. Bulgari’s way with warm-toned yellow gold, cabochon stones and brilliant color combinations is very distinctive so almost any piece of jewelry displaying any or all of the above would do it well. We also love the Tubogas watches that were introduced in the 1980’s; wide slithery gold band chains that snaked around the wrist three times with a watch at one end. There are Tubogas chains in chokers and bracelets as well as single watch bands and they are as elegant and very Bulgari as ever. Trying to choose classic pieces from Verdura is almost impossible because they are pretty much all classics. Duke Fulco di Verdura designed for Coco Chanel in the 1920’s and the Maltese Cross cuffs he designed for her would have to be at the top of our list, particularly the very rare vintage pieces that are sold upon occasion. But then, so would the magnificent Wrapped Heart brooch, the heart done in cabochon rubies wrapped and bow tied in a diamond ribbon. It was designed in 1947 as a gift from an adoring husband to his beloved wife and it still ranks as the ultimate lover’s gift.

The Criss-Cross cuff bracelets were inspired by Verdura’s favorite Panama hat and first translated into a golden weave for a cigarette case he made for his friend Cole Porter. They may be had in yellow gold at $9,500, white gold at $9,900, or rose gold at $10,850 and, as with all Verdura’s bracelets, they are most dramatic in pairs, one on each wrist. Another famous pair is the Garbo watch and bracelet, so called because Greta Garbo never left home without them. Heavy gold curb-link chains at $14,750 for the watch and $15,400 for the bracelet, these are most effective worn together and boy, do they ever make a statement. At one time, a very limited edition in sterling silver was made but it’s long gone so you’d have to put in a request and hope somebody de-acquisitions them. With apologies to the great diamond merchants, you may have noticed that we’ve avoided discussing multi-carat diamonds. Of course, if that’s the way your fancy tickles, you should go darken the doors of Harry Winston, Graff or De Beers and stay away from Johnny-come-latelies. To our mind, diamonds are what they are and there are a lot of them around, so unless there’s a really rare color or fascinating provenance on offer, we wouldn’t bet on them. Besides, in dire times, we think it’s easier to sell an interesting piece of jewelry than a great big hunk of sparkly rock.

The Aston Martin Dream Machine....

The Aston Martin Dream Machine....



We all have mental images of ourselves tootling around in the snazziest car in town and for me, that would be the 2010 Aston Martin DBS Volante.
In 2008, Aston Martin introduced the James Bond-ish DBS Coupe, which Design Director Marek Reichman, (who's kind of a dish himself) described as looking like" a tough guy in a dinner suit." In 2009, they gave us the ragtop version, the $286,500 DBS Volante (Volante means convertible in AM-speak) that looks like the tough guy's killer girlfriend. The folks at Aston Martin are justly proud of the supercar engineering and performance of the DBS models but what blows me away is the sheer elegant sensuality of their design. These cars are so beautiful that you want to stroke them and the fact that they are meant for serious driving is an added pleasure.


The basics of both models are the same, a lightweight carbon fiber body driven by a massive 6.0 liter V-12 engine that kicks out 510 HP accompanied by a lovely deep, throaty growl. There's a choice of a six-speed manual transmission or the Touchtronic automatic gearbox but whichever you opt for, you'll still sprint from 0-62 MPH in a mere 4.3 seconds and floor it to a maximaum speed of 191 MPH. Happily, the carbon ceramic brakes are standard and should you lose it despite the incredible stability of the DBS, the Volante has pop-up rollover bars hidden behind the rear compartment. That rear, by the way, has what looks like two seats (they actually call the car a 2+ 2 with a straight face) but unless your friends are munchkins, forget about taking them for a spin.
I did wonder why a ragtop rather than the increasingly popular folding hardtop in a car capable of these speeds. It was, I was told, a question of weight and trunk space. Certainly, there's a fair amount of room in the trunk for your own stuff if you don't want to spend big bucks for the specially-designed Aston Martin luggage. We test drove to the supermarket (Okay, it wasn't exactly a typical supermarket) and stowed all our pricey gourmet groceries with room to spare for an armload of dry-cleaning and a shopping bag from Neiman's. And that is one of the most surprising aspects of the DBS or the Volante. It's very much a supercar but it isn't just a trophy to add to your garaged collection. You can really use it as your everyday car and feel as if every day is a holiday.
Since Aston Martin is one of the few car makers that pay more than lip service to customization, you may design your own individual car. For a price, they'll paint it any color that catches your fancy but there are a couple of luscious new shades exclusive to the Volante. A pale, silvery green called Hardly Green and a deep, rich Magma Red, the color of hot lava. There are a multitude of choices in leather and wood but I love the piano black lacquer on the console and the carbon fiber trims. Other options to tag on are the $570 rear wind deflector (if you plan to talk to your passenger at high speeds with the top down) the $3,785 graphite-finish forged aluminum 20" wheels, personal sill placques at $295 a pop (if you can afford this car you deserve to have your name on it) and the $220 Smokers pack because even if you don't smoke, the frosted glass ashtray is so smashing you can always keep your loose change in it. Then of course, you might consider the incomparable, and at a cost of $5,380 the most elite of all car accessories, hand-made leather saddlebag designed to straddle the rear console. Cunningly designed with saddle pockets, rolls and a pair of leather-wrapped thermoses emblazoned with the AM logo, you could think of it as a family heirloom and long after the car is history, you and your heirs will be using it slung over the arm of a sofa.
By now, you are somewhere well north of 300K but boy!...have you got a car.
Too expensive to even dream about? Reputedly, Aston Martin is about to hatch the Cygnet, a teeny-tiny city car based on Toyota's iQ. Basically, it will be Toyota engineering with customizable Aston Martin styling, which should make it the only small car on the road that's a status symbol. Promise...I'll tell you more about the baby swan later.

Collector's Diamonds

While much of the world is rushing around buying gold as a hedge against the end of the world as we know it, some very deep-pocketed guys are buying rare diamonds. No, we're not talking about your engagement ring, pretty as it may be, we're talking about diamonds that are exceptional because of their enormous size, color (pure clear red is the top of that food chain) or provenance. The Annenberg diamond, a 32.01 carat Asscher-cut, D-Flawless that just went at auction for $7.6 million is one and the Wittelsbach Blue, which I mentioned in an earlier post, which at $24.3 million broke the price record for diamonds sold at auction, is another. When the Wittelsbach Blue went on the block, I wrote about the upcoming event and the provenance of this rock is interesting enough I think, to repeat.
The extremely rare 35.56 carat stone hadn't been seen since 1964 when it vanished into a private collection, but it resurfaced in December 2008 at a Christies auction in London. What made the Wittelsbach Blue so very special was it's actual color, a fancy deep grayish-blue with VS2 clarity and it's size, because blue diamonds are usually only found in smaller carat weights and most of all, it's impeccable royal provenance. In 1664, King Philip IV of Spain selected the diamond as part of the lavish dowry he collected for his daughter the Infanta Margarita Teresa upon her engagement to Leopold I of Austria. Leopold I went on to become the Holy Roman Emperor and by March 1673, the dowry jewels, including the great blue stone were recorded in an inventory of the Austrian Crown Jewels. By 1705, poor Margarita Teresa was dead and Leopold(whose marital record seems as interesting as his jewels) had bequeathed the stone to his third wife the Empress Eleanore Magdalena, who then left the blue diamond to her granddaughter, the Archduchess Maria Amalia.
When Maria Amalia married the Bavarian Crown Prince, Charles Albert, in 1722, the diamond entered the House of Wittelsbach along with her and became known as "Der Blaue Wittelsbacher". It was mounted first within the Order of the Golden Fleece and many years later in 1806, when the first King of Bavaria, Maximilian IV, Joseph von Wittelsbach ascened to the throne, the stone was removed and prominently displayed in the royal crown. With the proclamation of the German Republic in 1918 after WWI and the abdication of King Ludwig III, the Wittelsbach Blue last appeared as a state jewel in 1921 and ten years later, in 1931 was one of the pieces offered for sale at Christies auction of the Bavarian Crown Jewels. In 1964, the stone was purchased by a private collector and disappeared until the 2008 sale was announced.
Now, that's what I call provenance...and so apparently does Lawrence Graff, the famous diamond dealer. He's the guy who shelled out the $24.3 million.

JAGUAR NAILS IT....

I recently worked on a co-op column with my good e-friend Brett Berk for his Vanity fair blog. It was a sort of hilarious "gay guy and the diva play cars" review of a couple of Jaguars; the supercharged XKR, which Brett covered and the XFR, which I test drove. I was a bit harsh about Jaguar's loss of their distinctive silhouette and I'm sorry but there's nothing as whiny as a disappointed Jaguar fanatic who fell in love with an E-Type years ago and has been driving Jags ever since.
Last week however, I laid eyes on the new XJ and fell in love all over again. I really think Ian Callum (Design Director,Jaguar Cars) has nailed it on this sleek and elegant cat. The model I crawled all over was the XJL (the long wheelbase) whose extra inches emphasize the short, clean-lined rear deck, the long sloping bonnet and those muscular twenty-inch wheels that make the car look like a piece of moving sculpture even when its parked.
There is a choice of models and horsepower, ranging from the not-so-plain vanilla XJ with its 5.0 liter v8 that churns out a respectable 385 HP up to the XJL Supersport packing 510 HP under it's hood (or bonnet if you prefer). Prices start at $72,500 and escalate to well over $100K but if you ache to own Jaguar's future iconic silhouette, any one of the models will do very nicely indeed.
Jaguar's range of color options is one of the most stylish in the industry; two solids and eleven stunning metallics for the exterior, eight interior combos and five veneers (including carbon fiber although it will cost you). Given my druthers, I'd opt for an exterior called "Caviar metallic" with cashew leather seats piped in truffle and stick with Jaguar's classic burled walnut veneer. Luscious!!!!
By the way, the only people who still think only men choose cars are the dinosaurs in the automobile industry. Wonder if they've heard bout Miami's own Ladies Lamborghini Club?

The Luxe Life...

For a longer time than I care to remember, I've been covering the luxury field for several very glossy lifestyle magazines. The goodies here, the Aston Martin DBS, the Wittelsbach diamond (which sold at auction for the highest price in history) and the generic superyacht are all things I've covered in fairly lengthy detail.
But, as we all know, the economy has tanked so badly that even the seriously rich are retrenching so there are things that need to be considered. What is luxury really? If you own a DBS are you comfortable driving it? Would you wear a rock as big as the Wittlesbach or stow it in a vault somewhere? If you're still buying fancy stuff, what are you buying?
Since I'm still out there checking up on the newest cars, jewels, watches and other accoutremounts of the good life, I'll keep you all posted.