Jewelry

Disclaimer:  this information may make you feel broke.  2009 was a challenging year for the economy, yet some lucky folks were not exactly feeling the strain.  So if you have ever wondered how the other half lives, check out 5 of the most expensive, rare and outlandish items auctioned off in 2009:

Where there is luxury, there are clones.  Attempts to mimic authentic luxury brands can be obvious, and at times fairly stealth.  It is important to not only be familiar with your favorite brands, but to remember that anytime someone offers you a deal that seems too good to believe, you probably shouldn’t.  Here are ten helpful ways to spot a phony Rolex, in the event you are suckered into an exchange on the street:

For some it is the finer things in life, Italian leather, exotic cars and high-end accessories.  Take for example the Panerai Ferrari  This bejeweled masterpiece showcases the bliss the classic Ferrari emblem provides, especially when one can simply glance at their wrist to enjoy it.

A  luxury clothing retail store worth shopping on Lincoln Road is Alchemist. Alchemist is one of the select few retail store with high-end designer labels worth looking at. The store is chic and, thankfully, in touch with New York fashion. Alchemist features Givenchy, Alexander Wang, Jil Sander, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Dior Homme, Herve Leger, The Row, Luis Morais, Chloe, Libertine and others. The store is a one-stop shop for women and men's gear, footwear and accessories. Currently, Alchemist has the Delfina Delettrez jewelry collection, pretty priceless considering the rest of her collection sits in the Louvre.

The store has a chilled-out, airy feel, complete with couch and flat screen t.v's in the fitting rooms. You will get what you pay for, which in this case is a good thing. From vintage 80s Chanel jewelry to sexy swimwear, Alchemist is on point. Alchemist is a rare find on Lincoln Road, where it's possible to spend a fortune on garbage. A good portion of clothing stores on Lincoln carry knock-offs, Ed Hardy bejeweled crap and dated fashion, it's pretty pathetic. If you don't have an eye for fashion then be very careful on Lincoln or just go to Alchemist. The science of Alchemy is to convert base metals into gold, Alchemist is just fashion gold.

Donald Trump claims “now” is the time to buy property, if only it were that easy.  Many who still have the money to buy “now” can’t find financing. If financing isn’t stopping you, consider yourself lucky and look to South Beach. Right now in South Beach properties are being sold for way less than asking price.  Take, for instance, luxury building Murano at Portofino, located at 1000 S Pointe Drive in the South Beach area of Miami Beach. Where a penthouse unit with an asking price of $12,000,000 just sold for $7,600,000. The spacious three bedrooms, five and a half bath unit is just one example of what’s going on in South Beach, there are lots more just like this. The question is, when will the real estate market finally hit bottom? The question is tough to answer but it seems like buyers are moving towards the beach. Activity is gradually picking up, more inquiries, and more viewings, will sooner or later translate into more sales.

Global recession or not rare things still make profits, at least, via auctions. Petra is a Jersey-based mining company that has discovered a rare blue diamond. Due to falling prices in the rough diamond industry, Petra has chosen Sotheby’s to auction-off the diamond. The 7-carat blue diamond was cut from a 26.6-carat rough stone and is expected to bring in $8.5 million. The blue diamond will be a main attraction in Sotheby’s “Magnificent Jewels” auction in Geneva on May 12.  Before being auctioned off, the diamond will be on display in major cities, like Paris, London, Hong Kong and New York. If you’re all about jewels but can’t afford $8.5 million plus, you can look at the Petra Blue Diamond in a city near you.

Fine jewelry and silverware company Tiffany & Co. has made something for every tennis player and the diamond tennis bracelet. Rather Tiffany's is offering an 1837 Tennis Ball Can. Designed to hold four tennis balls and keep them at optimal tennis-playing-temperature. The tennis ball can is sterling silver and has the famous Tiffany's insignia, plus numbers 925 and 1837, stamped on the lid. Tiffany & Co. is always looking for that next ordinary item to glamourize and wrap up in a little blue box. The Tiffany's Tennis Ball Can is $1,500. The message that the Tiffany's tennis can conveys is that you're serious about the game, and probably have too much time and money on your hands. We are sure we will see more then just a few sterling silver tennis ball cans in the Hamptons this summer.

High-end luxury brands may be safer then most but they are still hurting. Take Bulgari for example, the world's third-largest jeweler has reported a fourth-quarter revenue that fell by 10%. The Italian jewelry company had a $409 million sales drop from last year and difficult times are ahead. Bulgari is seeing flat sales in the States and Japan but has no plans to cut prices.

Both Cartier and Tiffany have reported lower sales figures in the last quarter, its inevitable in this economy. Nonetheless, Valentine's Day is coming up and is traditionally a better time for jewelry companies. Here's to hoping anyway. Research from the National Retail Federation suggests that consumers will spend slightly less on jewelry this Valentine's Day. Last year 16.6 percent of consumers purchased jewelry for the holiday and this year it is predicted that only 16 percent will be buying jewelry for Valentine's Day. Bulgari is beautiful so save it! Go out and buy Bulgari or Cartier for V-Day, spur the economy. And don't forget that a diamond lasts forever.

   

Everybody seems to have an iPhone these days, so get an after-market iPhone to set yourself apart from the crowd. Mr. Peter Aloisson, the renowned phone customizer is at it again with his take on the iPhone. The diamond iPhone just released is touted as the World's most expensive, period.  Forget swarovski crystals with hints of gold. We are talking big league and bold, brilliant cut diamonds cover every spec of the diamond iPhone. The home button, called the "King's button" is a 6.6 carat diamond. The diamonds are set in white, yellow and rose gold. Figure the girl gets the diamond ring and every king deserves his diamond iPhone.The diamond iPhone is about $2.45 million and that's how you set yourself apart. Leave  those other iPhone users behind and, well, speechless.

Roll out the red carpet for Clive Christian No. 1 which is most likely the World's most expensive perfume. The perfume retails for a little more then $150,000. For that price we really hopr you smell better than just roses. At the end of the day, we all know that you're paying for the actual bottle and, more importantly, exclusivity. There are only ten Clive Christian No. 1 bottles on Earth. Made of Baccarat Crystal and topped off with the crown granted by Queen Victoria in 1872. Plus, the Baccarat perfume bottle is set with a five carat brilliant cut white diamond in a solid gold band. If there were dirt in the bottle we wouldn't care, just something shiny to look at if you have the cash.  If you are curious though, 500ml of Clive Christian No. 1 perfume is in the bottle, not dirt. Sir Elton John had Clive Christian perfume spritzed around the garden for his White Tie and Tiara ball and Katie Holmes wore Clive Christian at her wedding to famo Tom Cruise. That should give you a better sense of scent and clue you in, that it's probably better to look at the bottle than actually wear the perfume. If you're still in search of your scent, Chanel No. 5 is a safe classic fragrance for most women. Your safest bet, though, is just to shower regularly with a lavish body wash. If you insist on perfume try not to use the entire bottle all at once, that is so tacky.  Too much perfume is gross, it makes everyone around you nauseous especially when in enclosed spaces like elevators and airplanes. 

Not to sound like a broken record but it's basically ski season. If you don't have a Rocky Mountain home or haven't decided where to make your reservations yet, then check this out. The Northstar project is a $55 million village in Lake Tahoe. It seems business has been pretty bad so a new travel package is being advertised to attract more skiers. The package celebrates the addition of more black diamond terrain that has been made on the mountain. If you are unfamiliar with skiing, black diamonds are the most challenging trails and terrain.

Thus, what is called the Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort's black diamond ski package features seven nights of lodging in a three-bedroom, three-bathroom suite. Plus, six day lift tickets for two kids and two adults, lessons, equipment rentals, a spa package. Plus, $1,225 in dining and food credits, oh, and $10,000 black diamond necklace. The black diamond necklace that Northstar nonchalantly throws into the mix is being provided by one of the stores in the village. We haven't seen it, so chances are it's probably hideous but we appreciate the concept. The Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort's black diamond ski package goes for a mere $26,653. Talk about desperation.

The whole World is in financial depression, except for Laurence Graff. The British billionaire's company, Graff Diamonds, just bought the Wittelsbach Diamond for $24.3 million. The grayish-blue 35.56 carat stone has an impressive historical provenance. It was given to Infanta Margarita Teresa by her father King Philip IV of Spain as part of her dowry to the Emperor Leopold I of Austria back in 1667. You know, just another day in the life of Laurence Graff who is worth an estimated $2.5 billion. Just to make you drool a little, Graff's estate comprises of homes in Geneva, London, New York and Cap Ferrat in the south of France; a new 150-foot Feadship yacht; a Global Express XRS plane; a winery and vineyard in Stellenbosch, the Napa Valley of South Africa; and a modern and contemporary art collection worth $250 million.

He has been labeled the new Harry Winston, and Laurence Graff's recent purchase of the Wittlesback Diamond set a record high at Christie's London jewelry auction. Graff has swept the upper tier of jewelry retailing. The 69-year-old ascended from cleaning toilets in a Hatton Garden workshop to the helm of a worldwide brand with 15 stores in the globe's wealthiest spots, from Monte Carlo to Dubai to Moscow. The fairy-tale story begins with vertical integration. In translation, Mr. Graff takes stones from the dirt all the way to the most spectacular Graff Diamond display cases.  His stones are a cut above the rest, many times preferred over even Cartier, Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels and Tiffany.  The thing is, Laurence Graff manages to do it as a private entity. The others sold out to conglomerates long ago but Graff feels as though he is just starting out. He won't sell out, in 1973 he sold a third of his company but hated having shareholders and a board. He had bought all his shares back by 1978.

For now Laurence Graff is the only man still standing behind his brand, the Jacques Arpels, Harry Winstons and Gerard Boucherons have passed. Saudi Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz, the Sultan and Queen of Brunei, Oprah Winfrey, Elizabeth Taylor, Donald Trump,  David Beckham and wife, Victoria, are all Graff lovers. If you want something done right, do it yourself. Laurence Graff does it right.

This week some 50,000 plus people will show up for the sixth annual Art Basel event in Miami. If you're not sure which hotels to frequent, parties to hit up or people to see, let us guide you towards your scene.

For the next-generation art amassers and John Currins of the world, hole-up downtown at the Four Seasons Hotel. You will be in good art collecting company with the likes of Jerry Speyer, Asher Edelman, Michael Lynne, Eli Broad, Beth Rudin De Woody, Steve Cohen, and Peter Brant. Go to the New Art Dealers Alliance fair, which opens this Friday through the weekend. The NADA fair will have stellar exhibits from hot young galleries like New York’s Rivington Arms and Daniel Reich. The fair will host a mega-benefit for the New Museum on New York’s Bowery, which will include a performance by San Fran- rockers Deerhoof. Art collector's should be seen at the after-party for the private screening of the Lou Reed film Berlin, directed by Julian Schnabel.

The actual artists will headquarter at the Raleigh Hotel which is party central. Don't look shocked if you see epic names of the art world like Damien Hirst, David LaChapelle, Jack Pierson, Aaron Young, Kehinde Wiley, Terence Koh, and Doug Aitken partying impromtu throughout the hotel. Paper Magazine is hosting the party at Raleigh Oasis on Decemeber 4th and the next night, Deitch Projects will kick off at the Raleigh with a concert by CoCo Rosie. The same night D.J Spooky will perform during the Rubell Family Collection dinner which commences the SCOPE fair film and lecture series. SCOPE celebrates the as-yet-uncelebrated and provocative artists, the fair has discounted exhibition space for new galleries in its ‘Breeders’ section. On December 6th, the Raleigh will hold the book launch party for Bob Colacello's OUT. Then on the 7th,Tamara Mellon will host a dinner at the Raleigh Ballroom to toast the limited edition handbags designed by Jimmy Choo and artist Richard Phillips.

If you're more into star gazing then gazing at art then join celebrities at the Setai Hotel, up the street from the Raleigh. Rumored to be in Miami this week is Dennis Hopper, David Byrne, Steve Martin, Lou Reed, maybe Keanu Reeves and Russell Simmons. We bumped into Russell Simmons and girlfriend/ model Porschia Coleman last Wednesday at Nobu. Russell told us he loves the Setai and is staying in town for his December 8th soiree with Allison Weiss Brady at Intermix. The party benefits Simmons' charity Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. A tip to the paparazzi, be at the Sotheby's dinner made by French chef Pierre Gagnaire which will honor contemporary Asian art.  Celebrities will also hide away in Lenny Kravitz's underground, speakeasy the Florida Room in the Delano Hotel.

The Fashionistas will takeover the Ritz-Carlton. Fashion people like Donna Karan, Laudomia Pucci, Vivienne Tam, Kenzo, Calvin Klein, Nadia Swarovski, and Tamara Mellon should be seen at the Cartier crystal Dome. The Cartier Dôme features the brand's most celebrated jewelry collection and rarest time pieces. Sip champagne and gawk at the gems from Wednesday to Sunday, 2-8pm and Thursday, 2-4pm. Spot fashion people frequenting Prime One Twelve, South of Fifth Street and Blade restaurant in the Fontainebleau Hotel.

Members of the suits like UBS’s Karl Schweizer; Citicorp’s Mary Hoeveler; execs of Campari, Cartier, and BMW will be working over the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Biscayne. Look for these high profile people at the UBS banquet where there will be tons of free food and drinks ya'll. You will be able to pick the suits out by the looks on their sad little facing saying, "can I afford this art and will I even be able to afford food next year?"

As for the locals, this is your domain so spread out and suck it in.  Over 200 galleries will be here personifying the biggest names in contemporary art.  The Art Positions section will features 20 art projects exhibited in shipping containers on the beach at Collins Park. Do not miss the Cartier Art Guest Lounge and Dome, designed by architecht Jean Nouvel. Definitely don't miss the Visionaire SOUND lounge at the Raleigh Hotel Thursday night, it will be one of the biggest parties of the week. You will be able to listen to audio works done by David Byrne, Robert Wilson, Cat Power, Cindy Sherman, U2, and Courtney Love. If your head is spinning that sucks, but get it together because there is much more than this going on. Like we said it's an epic week in Miami so we will say it again, get it together and get out there, explore the wonderment of Art Basel. Oh and drink up, liquor companies sponsor most events and it's on the house. 

Ok, ya'll are probably more interested in looking at the sexy Victoria's Secret models then reading about them. For now here are some pictures to obsess over from the runway show. If you still have no clue, the show was held last Saturday November 15th at the renovated Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.

The festive lingerie show had  a full orchestra, a glitter-flooded runway, 35 supermodels and two performances by Usher. Victoria's Secret senior Heidi Klum walked the runway just a few times, her mega-glam gift-bow wings were the ave dersane (goodbye). Basically you could put those girls in anything and they would still look good, case and point. The Rynway show turned out to be more of a costume show of girls prancing around in bra's and wings but we don't mind. We still have even more to fill you in on from Saturday night before, during and after the show, which is way before the December 3rd airing by CBS so stick around.