Lorre White, The Guru of Luxury

Holiday Bling Now - Judith Ripka

Retail=$16,300    Sale=$6,900! 

       

  With the holidays approaching I wanted to let you know about a fantastic

opportunity to save on some of your most exquisite wish list items from Judith Ripka.

Starting October 30th through November 8th 2009 select merchandise will be 50-70% off.

These items are from our 18K Couture Collection.  These items are in limited quantity . If you are interested in an item, please contact Kim

as soon as possible. As you will see, at these incredible values, these items will be selling quickly. A deposit will insure the item for you.

 

Kim Cantrell

 

 Judith Ripka

The Pier Shops at Caesars

JRAC@JudithRipka.com

(609)347-7431

Most Popular Luxury Brands In China

Pao Principle China Luxury Panel 2009

Mainland China Luxury Consumers Select

Top Handbag, Watch and Fine Jewelry Brands

Designer Handbags

Handbags are the anchor of a brand
87.6% of panelists had purchased a handbag from our list in the past 12 months.

Top designer handbag brands purchased
Brand                %

Louis Vuitton        9%
Gucci                18.6%
Coach                18.6%
Chanel                 7.1%
Prada                 5.1%

Watches

Longines, Omega, Cartier and Rolex represented almost 60% of the watches purchased
Brand                %

Longines            18.4%
Omega                16.0%
Cartier                12.8%
Rolex                 9.6%

Women preferred Cartier, Bvlgari and Chanel while men favored Omega and Longines
Brand            Men        Women

Bvlgari            0              8%
Cartier            7.5%        14%
Chanel            2.5%        7%
Longines        20%          16.3%
Omega           15%        13%

Fine Jewelry

Tiffany & Co was the leading brand followed by Cartier, Bulgari and Folli Follie

    Brand            %

    Tiffany & Co     32.2%
    Cartier            16.1%
    Bulgari            12.6%
    Folli Follie        12.6%

Girard-Perregaux

It took fiendish engineering prowess to create the Vintage 1945, but the result is true to the sober school of Swiss watchmaking Girard-Perregaux has pursued since 1791. Even after Turin’s Macaluso clan acquired the brand in 1992, it remained a flash-free zone—its 10-year partnership with Ferrari yielded handsome watches with subtle use of the prancing horse logo. “We respect the best of the brand’s watchmaking traditions,” says
Stefano Macaluso, vice president in charge of product design. “But we do add some subtle Italian attitude.”

On this reprise from the brand’s Art Deco period, the new Italian flair is manifest in the curving case (the original was flat). It’s rare enough to find a watch case that curves, but the Macaluso team built one with two convex vaults—one stretching from 3 to 9 and another from 6 to 12. Watchmakers, working in the stillness of the Jura Mountains, bow the tapering hands so they revolve without touching the dial or the crystal. The resulting watch is smaller than the average bulging high-end brute and is one of G-P’s lowest-priced watches ever. It feels, however, less like a matter of overwrought ergonomics and more like the touch of a woman’s fingers on your arm.

Sources: Danielseanmurphy.com

The Beauty Of The Black Pearl

Tahitian folklore states that it was the god Oro who was responsible for the iridescent look of the pearls, caused by the rainbow he used when traveling to earth. Legend aside, although named after the most famous island in French Polynesia, the pearls are not cultivated there, but rather on a collection of smaller islands in the South Pacific. When the Europeans “discovered” the South Pacific in the late 1700’s, they found a wealth of natural resources there, including the pearl oysters with the magnificent surprise inside. The resources were quickly depleted, as the pearls were exported to create mother-of-pearl buttons. This went on for over 100 years.
Finally in the 19th century, France gained control of the islands and much stricter regulations were enforced. As fishing became severely restricted or outright banned in some areas, this allowed for the oysters to be able to repopulate.

By the 1960’s, riding on the success of pearl cultivation techniques used in Japan by pioneer Kokichi Mikimoto, the first experiments were conducted to try a similar process with the Tahitian pearls. It was the Frenchman, Jean-Marie Dormand who was the first to do in-depth research on the cultivation of pearls. He brought in an expert from Japan, and together they began their work in the lagoons of Hikueru and Bora Bora. This

venture

successfully produced the first batch of “Tahitian” pearls in 1965. In the early seventies the first lot of pearls was exported and sold for only about 4000 dollars. It was at this time that Robert Wan bought his first small company “Tahiti Perles” from a Mr. William Reed, with the strong belief that it could grow into something special. This

venture

was not immediately successful. It took over 20 years to make any real profit, but in the end his persistency prevailed. Production figures ballooned to the staggering rate of 152 million dollars by the late 1990’s. Today Mr. Wan is the largest producer of these pearls, directly from his private island in Mangareva, where 60% of the entire production is located.

Written by Jessica Benavides Canepa.

From the Oysters, to the Market

Tahitian black pearls are cultivated from the black-lipped variety of the pinctada maxima oyster which can reach up to a foot or more in diameter, and produces some very large pearls. Unlike gemstones, that must first be mined, cut, and polished, to be able to see their beauty, Tahitian pearls have their unique and lustrous look right from the oyster itself. At first, a natural pearl accidentally lodges itself inside an oyster. In order to protect itself from this foreign invader the oyster produces a substance to protect itself called, “nacre” and coats itself with several layers of it. The miracle of this substance is that it has microscopic crystals of calcium carbonate, perfectly aligned together, so that when light passes through one crystal it reflects on another causing that wonderful rainbow characteristic of these pearls. The biggest difference between this process and that of cultured pearls (in which oysters are injected with controlled substances) is that in the case of the Tahitian pearl, nature does all of the work. The cultured varieties which are far more expensive, as fewer are produced, have over the years improved greatly in both production and appearance.

After harvesting, the pearls must be carefully sorted by size, shape, color, and luster, before being drilled to become a unique piece of jewelry. The master craftsmen that create these pieces must take special care to drill carefully, as well as match the pearls (for a necklace) accordingly. Any wrong move could ruin the entire piece. To give you an example, for a 16 inch necklace, 47 perfect pearls must be selected from a lot of over 10,000!

Natural Wonders Today

Robert Wan, along with his son Guy, wanted everyone to know about the history and great work that goes into the production of these beauties, to further enhance the appreciation of the black pearl. It was for this reason that he opened the Black Pearl Museum ("Musée de la Perle", ) in Papeete, the only one of its kind and in its second decade of operations.

The museum’s mission is to educate the general public about the pearls through, the display of antique and modern tools, audiovisual aids, photos and presentations. One special exhibit features the use of nacre in the lives of Polynesians throughout history.

All this culminates the dream of a man with humble beginnings who built an empire by the slow process of cultivating a natural resource that has added one more dimension of beauty to the mystical paradise that are the Polynesian Islands.

Vacheron Constantin and Haute Joaillerie - A Diamond-studded Success Story

Vacheron Constantin presents an extraordinary trilogy
dedicated to horological virtuosity and the tradition of jewellery making.

First, the brand pays tribute to 30 years of the Kallista
with the Kallania, a world first in terms of execution and the number of carats.

Then, a first in horology, it uses the flame diamond-cut
to stunning effect in two captivating horological gems.

Finally, with the Malte Tourbillon Regulator, high-tech horology
marries with the most sophisticated and delicate of all settings: the invisible setting.

Works of art in their own right, these four exceptional pieces
sublimate the craft of the gem-setter for whom each precious stone
is a challenge demanding infinite precision and patience.

www.vacheron-constantin.com

Piaget

Piaget Polo 45 and Leon Lai

By ASHOK SOMAN

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Polo watch, Swiss watchmaker and jeweler Piaget unleashed an entire new collection at SIHH and boldly entered a new segment: the bona fide sports watch. The Piaget Polo FortyFive is both bold and casual, at 45mm in diameter and cased in grade 5 titanium.

Having just debuted at the recently concluded SIHH, it is surprising that the watch has turned up on the wrist of Hong Kong superstar Leon Lai.

Piaget has embarked on a promotional campaign for the new watch – which will be available in Asia in the second half of this year – and has roped in the star. He is pictured here wearing the Polo FortyFive Flyback Chronograph and the Polo Tourbillon Relatif. 

Piaget

The Davide Blei Vintage Rolex Collection

Patrizzi & Co auction in Milan on March 22

The Geneva-based Patrizzi & Co will auction what some consider the world’s most important collection of Rolex watches: The Davide Blei Vintage Rolex Collection. While the physical auction will take place in Milan, simultaneous online bidding at www.patrizziauction.com will allow Rolex-seekers to be a part of the action, no matter their locale.

Blei began collecting the timepieces in 1984, focusing on the aesthetic beauty of the cases and the dials, and unique metal combinations. The resulting collection consists of 114 watches, including some rare Stelline, Ref 6062s; several Daytonas; important chronographs; and an assortment of personalized watches. The collection also includes superb examples of the Submariner, the GMT, the Explorer, and the Sea Dweller. A preview of the collection will be held March 5 to 7 at the Patrizzi & Co’s New York offices at 595 Madison Avenue, with the auction taking place March 22 at the Grand Hotel et de Milan in Milan.

Cartier Announces Unique “Cartier Dome” Events At Art Basel Miami

Jewelry and Watches
 

November 18, 2008 - Art Basel Miami sponsor Cartier announced an extraordinary project taking place during the fair within the Cartier Dome, located in the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens.

Cartier will unveil “Diamonds, Gold and Dreams,” a creation by renowned filmmaker and visual artist David Lynch. Serving as an inspiring and artistic setting for visitors, this environment will be seen by the public here for the first time, reflecting the sensual and dreamy yet dark mood with which Lynch is often associated.

In addition to special events, the Cartier dome will also house an amazing array of one-of-a-kind jewelry–many created specifically for Art Basel—in a dramatic and creative setting. The focal point will be the famous Cartier Patiala necklace, in addition to the colorful tassled collection, and a new collection of black and white jewelry reminiscent of Art Deco movement. In addition, a selection of Cartier Tradition pieces will also be on view.

World record watch prices at watch aution

World Record Prices at Recent Antiquorum Watch Auction

Jewelry and Watches
November, 2008 - Geneva - Antiquorum, the world’s leading watch auctioneer, realized an extraordinary result of SFr. 15,326,100 for its auction held this weekend in Geneva and entitled “Important Collector’s Wristwatches, Pocket Watches, Clocks and Horological Tools”. Buyers from the United States, Hong Kong, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Germany and China all competed for rare timepieces.

The star of the sale was Lot 730, “The Royal Presentation Mirror-Image Pair” of gold and painted on enamel and pearl-set, very rare pocket watch made circa 1815, which reached an outstanding amount of SFr. 2,608,000! A worldwide record never achieved for such a pair of pocket watches.

“The extraordinary results today indicate that the passion for rare and important watches continues despite worldwide economic concerns. Antiquorum once again has proven that its unique ability to focus only on watches and clocks continue to make us the definitive market maker and the foremost horological resource for both buyers and sellers,” said Robert Maron, Chairman, Antiquorum.

Watch Makers enter the cell phone luxury market

First mobile from Tag Heuer

Following the likes of Vertu with their luxury phones, Tag Heuer have released the Meridiist, a stunning mobile phone with a clock built into the end. With build quality in a similar league to their watches, this will be a phone worthy of a second look.

We have always been a fan of high quality materials being used in mobile phones. It seems the market has become obsessed with the latest technological advances and forgotten that a phone that feels good will always be a sought after item. 

Although its not exactly the direction that Edouard Heuer expected his company to go in when he opened his first workshop in 1860, the move brings Tag Heuer into a new marketplace. A lot of people are happy to spend many thousands on a wristwatch, so surely the market for a similarly high quality phone are there. 

The Meridiist has a dual display screen, which means that there is a second smaller screen on the end of the phone to display the time. The phone is made from 316L steel to given a perfect polished surface and the screens are made from 60.5 carat sapphire glass. The build quality is taken directly from the watch industry. 

The technology is also worthy of note as the antenna is twice as sensitive as other radio standard products and the battery life allows for 28 days stand-by and seven hours of continuous talk. 

There is also a ladies version with 2256 diamonds totalling 6.54 carats. 

Tag Heuer – www.tagheuer.com 

Written by:
Lussoluxury