August 21st, 2008 by Judi
From: JewelryInsider Great news! The New York Times Style Magazine reported this weekend that “Jewelry is back in a big way.” And by big they’re saying that women should no longer be afraid to wear a true ensemble (earrings, a necklace, and (gasp!) a bracelet). Or to combine costume with vintage. Or to layer their looks. That’s where the chains come in. A close sister to this summer’s pendant necklace craze, statement chains should go big. Varying lengths and link sizes are key. Confused? Enter Madonna. Madonna not only turned 50 this weekend, but she - yet again - showed us all how to rock the jewelry trend of the season. Her birthday bash outfit was your basic black, but was complemented by a Mr. T-like showing of bling.
August 18th, 2008 by Judi
From: JCKonline Blinged-out hip-hop jewelry has often been dismissed by “serious” jewelers as a fad or a tiny niche, but auction house Phillips de Pury & Co. is lending the category a new level of industry cred. In a first-of-its-kind event by a major auction house, Phillips will hold a “Hip Hop’s Crown Jewels” auction on Oct. 1. Phillips calls the 50 pieces of jewelry “complex cultural artifacts embedded with style, and indelibly marked with narratives of class, religion, materialism, and the American Dream.” A portion of the sales will benefit Russell Simmons’ nonprofit organizations, including the Diamond Empowerment Fund. The items, from celebrities ranging from LL Cool J to Tupac Shakur to Jay-Z, are broken down by Phillips into the Golden Era of hip-hop (1980 to early 1990s), the mid-1990s battle between East and West Coast sounds, and hip-hop’s current mainstream age. Among the highlights of the auction are Biz Markie’s black-and-white diamond Headphones Pendant in white gold; Slick Rick’s multicolor diamond-set eye patch; Tupac Shakur’s diamond, ruby, and gold Crown Ring engraved “Pac & Dada 1996″ (Dada refers to Quincy Jones’s daughter Kidada, who was dating Shakur); Notorious B.I.G.’s yellow gold, stainless steel, and diamond Rolex; and the world’s largest diamond pendant (according to Guinness World Records), Lil’ Jon’s colorless and fancy yellow diamond and gold Crunk Ain’t Dead pendant, measuring 7.5 inches tall and 6 inches wide. The auction is led by Phillips’ worldwide head of contemporary jewelry Alia Varsano and Minya Oh, hip-hop authority and author of Bling Bling: Hip Hop’s Crown Jewels. The public preview of the jewels will be held at Phillips de Pury’s New York location Sept. 22 to Sept. 30. www.phillipsdepury.com
August 18th, 2008 by Judi
From: JCKonline An American has purchased a 3.69-ct. ruby on eBay India for $19,600, making it one of the most expensive jewelry items sold on the country-specific Web auction site.
Arvind Juneja of Jaipur, listed the ruby, eBay India said in a statement. Juneja has a family jewelry business on eBay. He has sold more than 90 pieces of jewelry and gems since October, 2007 on the Web site. His eBay id is “Jewelsafari.” “I am an avid collector of precious gemstones,” said Juneja, in the statement. “I wanted to trade my collection with the buyers who really understand the worth of these priceless and unique gemstones. I am glad that this stone is in the hands of someone who appreciates its true worth.” The ruby is certified by American Gem Trade Association Gem Testing Center, according to the statement.
August 11th, 2008 by Judi
From: tgdaily Does the idea of a cheap iPhone 3G case make you think twice about wrapping your new phone in it? How about if the case were set with diamonds and projected to cost you around $15,000? That’s the idea of this new Diamond Case from Noreve. The Noreve Diamond Case is set with 272 diamonds, amounting to around 6.8 Karats. The diamonds are woven into the handcrafted leather of the case, with fifteen color choices being available for the case’s body. The diamonds, for those wishing to know, are all said to be “between 18 and 22 points and of VS1 quality and G color.” Each case is custom made as well, taking three weeks to construct. Now we aren’t saying your average person will run out and buy one of these cases, given they cost as some compact cars.
That being said, if you have the dough and don’t mind raising your mugging factor risk on the streets, especially if you considered purchasing the $1000 I am Rich application , it might be a way to flash your wealth and iPhone 3G at the same time. If you buy one of these though, you probably have enough cash as well to get yourself a security guard.
August 7th, 2008 by Lesley
Congratulations to Earl and Michelle!
With a little help from Whiteflash, Earl has proposed……. all the way from Iraq, and of course, “SHE SAID YES”! The pictures above had all of us SWOONING over “our man in uniform”!!!! Included was the following message from Earl:
“I am training for a competition when I return from Iraq. These were taken in our rooms. We get a 10ft x 10 ft room to share with 2 people.”
All of us at Whiteflash want to wish Earl the very best, and we’d like to add our sincere THANKS for his service to our country. G-d bless you and return you home safely!!!
August 3rd, 2008 by Judi
From: Blogimages The oldest piece of gold jewelry ever found in the Americas has been discovered near Lake Tikicaca in Peru. The necklace was made about 4,000 years ago. It is 600 years older than any other gold jewelry found in the Western Hemisphere to date. Mark Aldenderfer discovered the necklace while excavating a site for human remains. The necklace was actually found about seven years ago but the find was kept quiet for fear of looters raiding the site. It is believed to have belonged to the Andean people who lived around that time period. The Andeans were hunters and gatherers before settling down in the Lake Tikicaca area. This important find shows the emergence of status symbols long before the rule of kings and queens. The necklace is being held at the National Institute of Peru and might soon be displayed in a museum.
August 3rd, 2008 by Judi
From: Blogimages Part of a very turbulent history and much thievery, the British Crown Jewels represent the regalia and vestments worn by the king or queen of the United Kingdom during a coronation ceremony and other state functions. In all, the collection includes crowns, orbs, swords, scepters, and other regalia.
Under British law, the originals of the crown jewels and implements of the State cannot leave England and are displayed in the Tower of London. Many of the objects descend directly from the pre-Reformation period and hold religious and sacral connotation. Worn by monarchs at their coronation, the Imperial State Crown was made in 1937 for King George VI. The crown is set with jewels of great antiquity and historical significance. In all, the crown possesses 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies. The Imperial Crown of India was created when King George V visited Delhi as Emperor of India. As British law prohibits the removal of a Crown Jewel from the country to prevent pawning, a new crown was made. One of the heaviest crowns in the collection, the Imperial contains more than 6,000 diamonds. After they were stolen from Westminster Abbey, the Crown Jewels have been kept in the Tower of London since 1303. It is believed that most, if not all, of the jewels were recovered not long after being found in display window of a London jeweler. During World War II, the jewels were taken out of the Tower and stored somewhere in secret. Stories suggest they may have been kept in the basement vaults of the Sun Life Insurance company in Montreal, Canada or in the Round Tower of Windsor Castle. It is more probable that they were housed at Windsor Castle since by law the Crown is not allowed to leave the country. The dollar value of all the gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds and pearls in the royal collection make it beyond comparison. Added to the fact that the crowns and other artifacts have all been worn and used by kings and queens of England makes the collection absolutely priceless.
August 3rd, 2008 by Judi
From: jewelry2go Clothing firm Key Closet recently unveiled its new premium jeans, priced at $10,000, which feature hand-drawn designs and one-carat diamonds on the back pockets. These jeans are made in the U.S. of handcrafted denim. The graphics on the jeans are hand drawn, using a water-based paint that is both soft and luxurious. The graphics have foil and hand spray painted accents, and each pair is hand-threaded according to the style of the artist who designed them. The back buttons are made of white gold, and complement the one-carat brilliant set into both back pockets. In addition to the two carats of diamonds on the outer part pockets, there are thousands of shimmering Swarovski crystals all over the jeans themselves. The official debut of the $10,000 jeans will be at the upcoming Runway Magazine “Summer Splash” Fashion Show being held upon June 26 in Los Angeles at Boulevard 3.
June 10th, 2008 by Judi
From: IDEX A £1 million ($1.97 million) diamond-encrusted platinum handbag, designed by Japanese designer Ginza Tanaka, is set to be displayed in London jewelry retail locations to mark the inaugural Coutts London Jewellery Week, BBC reported. More than 2,000 diamonds adorn the bag. It will also be offered for sale, not just looks, according to London Jewellery Week organizers, who point out the piece’s versatility in the accessories department. The piece’s diamond shoulder strap can be detached and worn as a necklace or a bracelet, and its 8 carat pear shaped diamond centerpiece can double as a brooch. The jewelry shop locations have not been disclosed due to security concerns.
London Jewellery Week is to take place June 11-15. Sponsored by Coutts, the UK private banking arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland, the event will feature up-and-coming and established creative talent on display alongside well-known brands in a week of celebration of jewelry in London.
The week’s events will include catwalk shows, satellite parties, collection launches, exhibitions, educational seminars, window displays, auctions, workshops and demonstrations
May 1st, 2008 by Debi
Sultan’s Box
This hand fabricated, rococo-style Russian box circa 1850 belonged to the last sultan of Turkey, Mehmed VI.
The ornate gold case is enhanced with sapphires, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds, and fitted with a classic Russian hinge.
Gift in memory of Betty H. Llewellyn.
Photo: GIA and Tino Hammid
GIA Museum to Build “Historical Jewelry Collection” To Tour, Inspire and Educate
FROM: JCKonline CARLSBAD, CALIF. – May 1, 2008 – The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Museum is launching a significant new campaign to build the “GIA Historical Collection,” a comprehensive assemblage of jewelry, object d’arts and gemstones from all time periods and cultures world-wide. Elise Misiorowski, GIA Museum director said, “We intend to create a wide-ranging, world-class collection that captures the essence of each period in gem and jewelry history. People are always fascinated by historical pieces. It’s our goal to bring together a variety of significant treasures representing different episodes in history.”
“Jewelry is like a time capsule,” says Misiorowski “it can tell you about the economics, social structure, and technology of the culture it came from. Jewelry preserves this information in a very concentrated way. It’s like a Rosetta stone; if you know how to read it, you can interpret the socioeconomic climate of the period.” “Gems also have their own individual story to tell. Their sources, significant owners, and other details give them their own personality and place in history.” Misiorowski also feels it is important to preserve the story of contemporary pieces – as the gems and jewelry of today become the antiques of tomorrow. (more…)
March 11th, 2008 by Judi
From: AP A 72.22-carat diamond, so large it could fill a tablespoon, is expected to bring up to $13 million when it goes on the auction block next month.
Cut from an original rough diamond, the D-color, flawless gem is prized for its pear shape and GIA-graded excellent polish and symmetry. D-color is actually colorless and considered the most highly valued.
It was previewed in Manhattan on Monday and will be offered on April 10 at Sotheby’s Hong Kong galleries, which estimates its value at $10 million to $13 million. The buyer has the privilege of naming the stone.
February 27th, 2008 by Judi
From: JCKonline
Marion Cotillard, Best Actress winner for her role in La Vie En Rose selected to layer Chopard’s champagne diamond briolette necklace (64 cts.) with light and dark brown diamond bead necklaces (106 cts.), and a square cut brilliant cut yellow diamond ring (15 cts.).
Last year’s Best Actress winner and this year’s presenter for Best Actor, Helen Mirren, dazzles in H.Stern’s Hebe earrings with more than 18 cts. of fancy cut diamonds set in 18K Noble Gold ($600,000) and floral ring with more than 10 cts.of diamonds set in 18k white gold ($1.7 million). She carried a Swarovski clutch by Beverly Hills designer Kathrine Baumann to complement the gown’s diamonte sleeves
Gone Baby Gone Best Actress nominee, Amy Ryan, sparkles in H.Stern’s Phoebe earrings with more than 32 cts. of diamonds set in 18k white gold ($300,000) and floral bracelet made especially for the 2008 Red Carpet in 18k white gold and diamonds ($260,000).
Jennifer Hudson wore platinum bangles, earrings, rings, and a hair pin by Neil Lane ($2 million).
Click HERE to see more!
February 25th, 2008 by Playground Admin
Is there such a thing as TOO MUCH BLING?! If so, this has to be it! Take a look at this handmade diamond studded Mercedes made for Saudi Prince Waleed Bin Talal.. It costs 4.8 million$$$. From: Nido
February 21st, 2008 by Judi
Even though I’ve seen LOTS of BIG BEAUTIFUL diamonds during all these years at Whiteflash (hey…”tough job, but someone’s gotta do it!”) this picture definitely caught my eye! There’s very little perfection in this world, but it looks like this diamond comes very close!
From: XIN In what is said to be a historic sale, a 101-carat, near-flawless diamond will go under the hammer later this year in Hong Kong, media reported Wednesday.
The squash-ball sized stone, which will be sold at the Hong Kong branch of Christie’s auction house on May 28, is now on exhibition in London and is also the biggest white diamond at auction in nearly two decades, Christie’s said. Francois Curiel, chairman of jewellery at Christie’s, made it clear that this was a historic sale. (more…)
February 16th, 2008 by Judi
From: GagetReview
To kick off Hot Wheels’ 40th anniversary, Mattel unveiled a diamond encrusted 1:64 scale Hot Wheels car. The car is one-of-a-kind and the most expensive in Hot Wheels history. The car is valued at a mere $140,000, is cast in 18k white gold, and includes more than 2,700 diamonds that weigh nearly 23 Carats total. Nick Lachey was there to kick off the event. Relax folks; he was there to donate the vehicle for auction in late 2008 to his charity ‘Big Brothers Big Sisters’.
February 2nd, 2008 by Judi
FROM: LUX Marilyn Monroe sang “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and at the premiere of the movie she wore the famous Moon of Baroda necklace which has a a 24.04-carat canary yellow pear-shaped diamond at the center. You can see this necklace and many other diamonds worn by royals, high society and celebrities at the Diamond Divas exhibit at the Antwerp Diamond Museum. The exhibit, which runs from April 11 through June 8, 2008. Every piece in the exhibit has its own legend and the Antwerp Diamond Center relied on igh-end jewelers, auction houses and private collections from around the world to put the exhibit together.
November 14th, 2007 by Playground Admin
From the AP - An 84.37-carat white diamond touted by Sotheby’s for its size and beauty sold at auction Wednesday to Guess clothing company founder Georges Marciano for just under $16.2 million. The jewel — the largest top-quality, brilliant-cut white diamond ever to appear at auction — had been valued by Sotheby’s at between $13.3 million and $17.8 million. Marciano’s winning bid, made by telephone, came to $16,189,769 including the buyer’s premium. It was just short of the all-time auction record for a stone or piece of jewelry, a record held by the same Sotheby’s branch in Geneva for a 100.1-carat diamond that fetched $16.5 million in 1995. “In my 32-year career, this stone ranks among the most beautiful diamonds I have ever seen,” said David Bennett, the auction house’s chairman of jewelry for Europe and the Middle East. He called it a “magnificent and unique stone.” The diamond has received the highest possible grading, Sotheby’s said. It is D-color, or finest white, has flawless clarity, and its cut, polish and symmetry have all been graded excellent, it said. 
The New York-based company is hoping the “Magnificent Jewels” sale at Geneva’s historic Beau Rivage hotel will help it bounce back from the disheartening results of its Impressionist and Modern Art auction, which sent its stock tumbling. The sale last week fetched $269.7 million, well short of estimates, and led some analysts to speculate whether the flight from risk currently gripping financial markets may be spilling over into the art world. The company announced that it lost $14.6 million by purchasing paintings that failed to sell. The white diamond already has been showcased in Hong Kong, Paris, New York, Rome, Los Angeles, London, Dubai and Bahrain. The auction Wednesday also featured other diamonds, colored stones and gems from the world’s leading jewelers. (click photo at right to enlarge)
Prior story and photo.
October 16th, 2007 by Playground Admin
Heating up the playground…Last year’s bra, modeled by Karolina Kurkova (click for photo), came in at $6.5 mil. This year it’s 4.5 but has accessories. Any ladies out there have matching shoes & handbag?
From USA Today - Oh, if it were just a bra. But no. The annual holiday Fantasy Bra from Victoria’s Secret is expanding in 2007 to a full gift set — thong, garter, cuff bracelet and matching barrette. “I felt completely like a woman and so sexy,” says model Selita Ebanks, who recently undertook her first Fantasy Bra experience in a shoot for ads appearing in the new Victoria’s Secret holiday catalog, due in mailboxes Friday. Once that baby gets hooked on, she coos, “your confidence level immediately goes up.” That boost comes from $4.5 million worth of diamonds, rubies, emeralds and yellow sapphires embroidered into a push-up bra. Yes, Ebanks concedes, it’s a bit on the heavy side, but oh, so comfortable now that designers (this year it’s jeweler Mouawad) have gotten rid of the wires and raw diamonds sitting right on tender breasts. Ebanks, 24, also confesses she was pretty nervous at the shoot after a sleepless night, which isn’t surprising since she’s a fairly new face in the world of supermodels. Previous Fantasy Bra gigs have gone to better-known names such as Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and Gisele Bundchen. “I consider myself a rookie,” she says politely. But she handles herself like a pro, since her obligatory push for holiday bra shopping coincides with an unfortunate bit of personal turmoil. (more…)
October 15th, 2007 by Playground Admin
Ladies hold on to your hats….actually your pocketbooks. Check out these two gorgeous custom pieces we just finished.
On the left: Custom platinum halo-style ring with ‘A Cut Above’ (ACA) diamond melee (46-approx. 1.00ctw; Color: F/G, Clarity: VS) and a 3.27ct pear-shaped diamond.
On the right: Our ‘Champaigne’-style diamond ring teaming with dazzling ‘A Cut Above’ (ACA) diamond melee (100-2.40ctw; Color: F/G, Clarity: VS), 2 half-moon shaped side stones (0.54ctw; Color: G, Clarity: VS), and a liquid blue-violet 5.50ct Tanzanite cushion center stone. Price Tag: $24,500.00.
October 10th, 2007 by Katie
Oh my gosh. Can anyone say “swooon!?” As we all know it’s so hard to find well cut fancies in large sizes, especially with such an attractive shape. Lauren’s diamond is (brace yourself) 3.26 carats of sparkling joy! It’s incredible how white and clean it faces in this monster size. Just…wow. Luckily she’s local so I will convince her to bring it back for cleaning so we can ogle it. Lauren is helping prove everything is bigger in Texas!
October 8th, 2007 by Vera
Congratulations to Margaret from California, winner of the “Piece of the Pie” Sweepstakes sponsored by Whiteflash.com, Martha Stewart and HGTV. She received the necklace pictured as part of a promotion for “Waitress,” the FOX-Searchlight film featured in “Whiteflash In The News.”
The exquisite design features a platinum pan, yellow gold crust, diamond icing and ruby cherries. Congratulations again to Margaret - and we are especially pleased that her best friend approves!
October 2nd, 2007 by Lesley
Beautiful. As seen during her discussion on the Today Show (full interview here).
October 1st, 2007 by The Sandbox
I liked this one so much I couldn’t wait. This is one of our new designs…we haven’t even added it to the site yet. Rumors are we’ll be making a matching pendant and earrings as well.
September 24th, 2007 by The Sandbox
Here’s a fun one. Great arrangement with the round and baguette side stones…
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