Nothing says luxury more than lavish diamonds and for those that can afford it, the cost of these luxury items are worth it. From celebrity jewelry to diamond studded iPods, these lavish diamonds are the perfect compliment to a luxurious lifestyle.Recently, KimCor Diamonds announced that it has sold a 31.4 carat diamond found in the Nooitgedacht alluvial mine in South Africa for $226,000. Equaling a cost of $7,200 per carat it is one of the most expensive diamonds recovered from the South African diamond mine.
Since the mine was acquired by KimCor Diamonds, the average recoverable grade of gemstone diamonds has increased from 0.55 carats per ton to 1.40 carats per ton – a remarkable increase. The company also confirmed that an 18.5 carat stone also recently found at the diamond mine will be offered for sale in April 2008.
Setting a new record as the most expensive gem per carat to be purchased at auction, a blue diamond recently sold at $7.98 million at an auction in Hong Kong. Sold by a private Asian collector and purchased by Moussaieff Jewellers, the 8 minute bidding process was fast and furious.
The 6.04 carat diamond then equals a per carat price of $1.32 million, surpassing the previous record of $926,000, set by a red emerald-cut diamond that was sold in New York 20 years ago. The diamond was found in the Premier Mine in South Africa and has been the origin of other rare and beautiful diamonds.
The diamond is said to be especially blue and its quality compared to the infamous Hope Diamond. Another rare vivid blue diamond was offered at a Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction in 2004, when it was sold for $ 4.2 million.
As if $1 million per carat is not enough to cause wonder at how the wealthy spend their money, the world’s most expensive iPhone has been designed by a jeweler out of Austria. Peter Aloisson, a luxury designer and jeweler, has outfitted an Apple iPhone with at least 318 diamonds. With that much bling, the price tag of $176,400 should come as no surprise.
The phone is bordered with 138 Princess cut diamonds and 180 brilliant cut. Topping out at a total of 17.75 carats of diamonds set in white gold, this is the most expensive iPhone ever made.
Not to be outdone, GoldVish Luxury Communications has created a line of luxury cell phones. Available in yellow gold, rose gold and white gold, these cell phones can come with a price of $1 million dollars. While the price doesn’t include free air time or text messaging, phones are outfitted with as many as 1,800 pave diamonds totaling 120 carats. Of course, there is always the optional crocodile leather back inlay.
The closest thing that Americans have available is a subsidiary of Nokia that is making a luxury line of cell phones directed at the U.S. market. Vertu is the most established maker of ultra-luxury cell phones. Teaming up with the French jeweler Boucheron, Vertu will be selling phones in high-end luxury stores such as Barneys and Neiman Marcus. A Vertu cell phone will cost about $310,000 and features pink sapphires, diamonds, leather backing and gold cases.
Other cell phone companies are jumping on board the luxury market and offering their own line of diamond encrusted phones. Sony Ericsson has launched its own line of phones priced at $300,000 and up, while Tiffany and Co. and teamed up with Softbank for a diamond phone priced under $100,000. Other designer phones include the Samsung, Armani, Mobiado as well as others.
With the world’s first diamond encrusted iPhone, one might assume that the world’s most expensive iPod would be close behind. Norwegian jeweler Thomas Heyerdahl, has created the world’s most expensive MP3 player, based on the Apple iPod shuffle. Encrusted with over 400 diamonds and the earplugs made from 18 karat white and pink gold, the MP3 player is expected to draw several hundred thousand dollars at a charity auction in London.
Of course, if a diamond encrusted iPod for a few hundred thousand dollars is a too expensive, there are gold-plated iPod Shuffles that cost a mere $19,000. Produced by the German company Xexoo, the 18 carat yellow gold iPod Shuffle looks akin to C-3PO from Star Wars. Diamonds can always be added at another $10,000.
Flaunting a designer bikini made entirely of jewels, model Molly Sims appeared as the centerfold in the 2006 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in a $30 million dollar bikini. Designed by Susan Rosen, it is the most expensive bikini in the world and consists of 150 carats of D grade, flawless diamonds.
The diamonds that make up the bikini include 51 carats of pear shape diamonds, 30 carats of emerald cut, 15 carats rounds and 8 additional carats of pear shape diamonds set in platinum.
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