Monthly Archives: October 2011

Diamonds and Weddings and Stars, Oh My!

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“Twilight” star Nikki Reed and “90210” star Shannen Doherty both tied the knot in Malibu this past weekend in Malibu, California.

Reed celebrated her Malibu wedding with “American Idol” alum Paul McDonald on Sunday. Reed walked down the aisle at a private ceremony on a ranch under the Malibu sun. McDonald and Reed invited 100 people to the affair.

Reed showed how much diamonds really are a girl’s best friend, as her ivory wedding dress featured 100 diamond buttons down the back, with a more than 100 carats just for the buttons. The rest of her gown – designed by Tacori — was elegant and understated, inspired by a 1940s glamour look.

Reed, 23, and McDonald, 27, knew from the start it was true love, as Reed told her blond beau “You’re amazing. I’m blushing! I should go!” when they first met, McDonald reported to MTV. The couple met at the premiere of “Little Red Riding Hood” in March, moved in together one month later and were engaged by June. “She’s amazing. She’s the perfect girl,” McDonald told MTV.

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“Charmed” beauty Doherty wed photographer Kurt Iswarienko at sunset on Saturday at a friend’s private estate in front of about 170 guests. Doherty wore three different Monique Lhuillier gowns for the wedding, the 40-year-old’s third time tying the knot. Footage of the ceremony will appear on Doherty’s upcoming We TV show, “The Shannen Doherty Project,” scheduled to premiere in January 2012. The show chronicles the couple’s wedding planning journey from engagement to the end of the aisle.

And the future looks bright for Doherty and her new hubby, as the actress says she has learned her lesson about marriage.

“Marriage to me is such a gigantic commitment that it’s not something I’d ever go into lightly anymore,” Doherty told People magazine. “I’ve learned my lesson.”

Gem Diamonds Sells Letšeng Star for $16.5M

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Letseng Star Diamond

Gem Diamonds sold the 550-carat Letšeng Star rough diamond for $16.5 million, according to news reports on Monday, October 24, 2011. In addition to the lump sum profit, the seller will receive a share of the profit from the D color gem once it is polished and cut.

”The Letšeng Star has the potential to yield an exceptional polished product and the profit sharing arrangement for the polished margin of the Letšeng Star will ensure that its true value is realized and that Letšeng Diamonds benefits directly from the exposure to the resulting upside,” said Clifford Elphick, Gem Diamonds’ chief executive.

The Letšeng Star was found on August 19, 2011, at Gem Diamonds’ Letšeng mine in the country of Lesotho, in Southern Africa. The gem is a Type IIa, D colour, white diamond and is ranked as the 14th largest white diamond on record.

Letšeng mine has made a name for itself in the diamond industry, producing some of the largest diamonds found in recent years. In addition to the Letšeng Star, the mine has yielded the Lesotho Promise, a 603 carat white diamond discovered in October 2006. The Promise is the largest diamond found in this century and is rated D in color.

Letšeng mine has also produced Lesotho Brown, a 601 carat diamond discovered in 1967, and the Letšeng Legacy, a 483 carat diamond found in September 2007 that was sold for $10 million. The Star of Lesotho, a 123 carat diamond, was found in the mine in 2004, and the 478 carat Leseli La Letšeng was discovered in the mine in September 2008.

Letšeng mine is owned by Gem Diamonds, Ltd., a British-based diamond mining business, and the government of Lesotho. Gem Diamonds was founded in 2005.

Stars Showcase Black Diamonds at 2011 Emmys

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Gwyneth Paltrow Diamond Earrings Emmys 2011

Red dresses were all the rage at the 2011 Emmys, and bold jewelry complemented the look. Black diamonds made a splash at the annual TV awards ceremony. Celebs from Gwyneth Paltrow to Lea Michele were spotted on the red carpet donning the dark diamonds.

Paltrow stepped out with her usual elegance, sporting emerald cut black diamond round drop and pear-shaped dangle earrings with a black, sheer Pucci dress. She paired the ensemble with a 50 carat diamond platinum wide bracelet, a 50 carat black diamond and black rhodium link bracelet and a 5 carat diamond and black onyx platinum ring. Paltrow won more than the looks category, as she took home an Emmy for her guest role as Holly Holiday on the hit Fox show “Glee.”

Fellow “Glee” star Lea Michele donned an opulent black diamond ring with her backless red dress by Marchesa at the awards ceremony. The raven-haired beauty paired her red dress with ruby earrings.

Julie Bowen wore a winning combination of a classic black dress and three-drop black diamond earrings with a matching oval black diamond ring before taking home an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in “Modern Family.” Bowen’s black diamonds were outlined by smaller white diamonds.

“Parks and Recreation” and “Saturday Night Live” star Amy Poehler graced the red carpet in black diamonds as well, with black diamond rose cut swing earrings and a matching ring by Martin Katz. Polar paired the gems with a royal blue dress and shoes by Stuart Weitzman.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Brings Jewelry with Heart

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Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer for women, as 1 in 8 will contract some form of breast cancer in her lifetime, according to the Breast Cancer Society Inc. The good news is that breast cancer has a high survival rate, especially with early treatment and preventative measures. Whether you know someone personally who has had breast cancer, are a survivor yourself or just want to show your support for a good cause, October is the time to buy breast cancer awareness jewelry, and brandish your compassion with style.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and people across the world are walking, running, speaking and fundraising for campaigns to raise funds to fight breast cancer. Events ranging from the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to “pink days” in offices across the world raise awareness of and funds for researching the cause, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the disease.

Jewelers are getting in on the pink campaign as well, offering splashes of pink jewelry such as pink ribbon pendants to commemorate breast cancer awareness month. The Breast Cancer site offers a store (https://www.thebreastcancersite.com/store/categoryjson.do?categoryId=298&siteId=224&parentId=339&origin=BCS_GOOGLE_ADGROUP-GenericBCSJewelry&gclid=CNLp_NTa8asCFdAEQAodeAIFKQ) with a variety of breast cancer-inspired jewelry, ranging from ribboned charm bracelets to pendants and earrings with splatters of pink. Shoppers at the breast cancer store help the cause two-fold by raising awareness with their adornments and part of the proceeds of their payments going to breast cancer organizations.

If it’s more high-end jewelry you’re after, jeweler Elisa Ilana offers more pink designs, in the form of gold, silver and crystal jewelry http://www.elisailana.com/content/category.cfm?sessionid=100029111024212670&site_id=1&category_id=85&parentCategory_id=8, with a portion of the proceeds going to support cancer awareness and research.