Million dollar jewelry heist in Paris!

Chopard store in Paris

Sacrebleu! A successful one man heist went down at the Chopard boutique in Paris over the weekend resulting in over 8.5 million dollars worth of missing jewelry. Like something straight form a Parker novel, the prestigious jewelry store was cleaned out by a slick character who strongly believes in the "five finger discount".

"The man, in his 50s, dressed in a suit and wearing a Borsalino-style hat passed himself off as a customer to get in through the security door before drawing his weapon.
He ordered staff to give him jewels from the window display.
They did as they were told and the man got away on foot, the whole robbery having taken two minutes.
Staff in nearby stores in the Place Vendome told reporters they had noticed nothing out of the ordinary at the time.
Late today, only a few leather handbags could be seen in the shop's window."

Source: RTE.ie

Ouch. I'm clutching my pearls as we speak.

That's exactly why JBH doesn't allow just anybody to come waltzing into our appointment-only showroom.

You don't want to dance with the burly security at the door either. ~vK

Diamonds Are...

Shirley Bassey: "Diamonds Are Forever"

Diamonds are forever,

They are all I need to please me,

They can stimulate and tease me,

They won't leave in the night,

I've no fear that they might desert me.

Diamonds are forever,

Hold one up and then caress it,

Touch it, stroke it and undress it,

I can see every part,

Nothing hides in the heart to hurt me.

I don't need love,

For what good will love do me?

Diamonds never lie to me,

For when love's gone,

They'll luster on.

Diamonds are forever,

Sparkling round my little finger.

Unlike men, the diamonds linger;

Men are mere mortals who

Are not worth going to your grave for.

I don't need love,

For what good will love do me?

Diamonds never lie to me,

For when love's gone,

They'll luster on.

Diamonds are forever, forever, forever.

Diamonds are forever, forever, forever.

Forever and ever.

Truer words have never been spoken. ~vK

Press: Wall Street Journal puts fake jewelry on blast

Well, it was only a matter of time before the "Bling" wars took it to the next level.

Once upon a time, a guy could get away with a Herringbone or two and he was the man. If you had gold rope (or five), you were certified. Fast forward to '98 and it was mandatory to stay iced up. "If it cost less than twenty it don't look right on me"-- BG, Cash Money Millionaires

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, people lost sight of what it meant to rock real jewelry because now it's all about BIGGER and FLASHIER with no substance. With the suspect-fruity pebble-jewels that are floating around the club, in the latest music videos and on hip hop blogs these days, it has become clear that folks have been getting away with wearing pieces that are, shall we say, not so fresh.

Until now.
My heart leaped when I read a recent article in the Wall Street Journal titled: "Culture of Bling Clangs to Earth as the Recession Melts Rappers' Ice". I suppose it took the recession to finally put the foolishness on blast-- Long overdue. (click here for the full article)

In a nutshell, the article spoke on how many people are dooping their fans and peers because lets face it; everyone seems to be "blinging", but not everyone's pieces are legit. But once again, guys have found a way to literally "outshine" their opponents by calling out those wearing fake jewels.

Not mentioning any names, but rappers have gotten tech savvy with their dissing by bringing out diamond testers to prove the validity of their stones. Drum roll please...
My hopes are that this will eventually put an end to all of the hallow boasting among grown men with something to prove. Owning a dozen glittery chains is nothing to brag about when it's a lie. One day we can get back to appreciating the beauty and rarity of precious stones as well as fine craftsmanship that goes into making the unbelievable pieces that are made for those that can afford it appeal to quality over quantity.

Jason of Beverly Hills believes in a fine balance of both. More and more diamond lovers are seeking out jewelers who only specialize in the OFFICIAL. I'd expect nothing less from a real boss.

Your thoughts on this? ~vK

Sightings: Rihanna

Paparazzi darling, Rihanna has been spotted over the last few weeks wearing one of her favorite new accessories. It's the diamond "Angel Wings" ring made by Jason of Beverly Hills.

This piece is a great addition to add a little sparkle to any outfit. As you see, RihRih can glam it up with her feisty ensembles, but it's also a cute look to rock with your kick-back gear.

Take it from one who knows: you can never be too casual for diamonds.

This girl can do no wrong when it comes to fashion.

I'm coming for your closet honey. ~vK

RE-WIND- How to build a $140,000 toy

For those of you that missed the post I did a few months back on the Hot Wheels 4 Billionth car, here's an awesome video we got from BaderTV.com.

It shows the making of the actual piece, made by Jason of Beverly Hills. If you've ever been curious as to how some of our finest pieces are made, just check the vid. It's quite impressive.

(Nice hat Jed) ~vK

Rare blue diamond sells for record 9.5 MILLION

GENEVA (Reuters) - A flawless vivid blue diamond weighing 7.03 carats sold Tuesday for a record 10.5 million Swiss francs ($9.49 million), the highest price paid per carat for any gemstone at auction, Sotheby's said.
The rectangular-shaped blue stone, the rarest to enter the international market this year, went to an anonymous buyer bidding by telephone after hectic bidding see-sawed between two callers for 15 minutes.
It was the centrepiece of its semi-annual sale in Geneva, conducted by David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby's jewelry department in Europe and the Middle East, who said the results showed the market's resilience despite the economic downturn.
"This is already a new world record price for a fancy vivid blue diamond and a new world record per carat for any gemstone (at auction)," Bennett told reporters.
"It is fantastic in this market and shows that these rare things are very much in demand," he said.
The final price includes a commission paid by the buyer to the auction house. The stone sets a record price per carat for any gemstone sold at auction of $1,349,752, Sotheby's said.
The previous record price for a fancy vivid blue diamond was $7.9 million, including commission, for a stone weighing 6.04 carats at sale in Hong Kong in October 2007, also by Sotheby's.

Source: Reuters, see full story here

I put my bid in too, I was this close (wink) ~~vK

**JBH on TWITTER!!**

Can't get JBH from just one blog?

Follow "El Jefe" himself now on Twitter- @JasonofBH

"tweet tweet" ~~ @vK90210

Birthstones- May

Emerald (raw emerald)

The exquisite emerald is the birthstone that represents the month of May. Once thought to posses great healing properties, the emerald has been a hit throughout the centuries. Cleopatra was known to regularly don these earthy green gems-- I say, any jewel fit for an African queen deserves recognition.

Although they are generally quite durable stones, emeralds are known to have small fractures and inclusions which are thought, by most jewelry enthusiasts to give them "character". Often times they are treated with cedar oils, epoxy resins or polymers in order to reduce the visibility of their flaws which is common practice in fine jewelry making. Be sure to consult your jeweler.

Emeralds can be found predominantly in Pakistan, Russia, South Africa and India. However, Columbia produces some of the finest quality emeralds in the world. High quality stones are recognized by their deep green color with a hint of blue tint.

They are quite beautiful, but are a tad mature for my taste. Still, emeralds will dazzle on any upscale red carpet event. Angelina Jolie wore a stunning pair of 115 carat (!) emerald tear drop earrings at this years Oscars that were the LIFE.

Mean green indeed. ~ vK

Visitors- Jermaine O'Neal

Jermaine O'Neal stopped by the showroom to do some "light shopping" last week.
Check the vid.

Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Thx for the love Jermaine! ~vK

Happy Mothers Day from JBH

("Octo-mom")

I ♥ Alesia ~~vK

Visitors- Sebastian Telfair

Minnesota Timberwolves ball player, Sebastian Telfair visits the Jason of Beverly Hills showroom (May 8th, 2009)

In Case You Missed it: Dunamis "SPARTAN" watch on the Kardashian's

Ever since the Dunamis Spartan watch was featured on the Kardashian's, we can't seem to keep the phone on the hook! Everyone wants to know how to cop one of the hottest and most exclusive timepieces on the market.

There is a reason why you don't see too many of these on the streets. There are a limit of forty (yes, 4-0) pieces made per year. It's safe to say that you are a boss if you're lucky enough to get you hands on one of these.

For those who missed the episode, or just want to take a look at the Spartan in action, check out the video below (at around 3:30).

For information or to find authorized dealers, email us at info@jasonofbh.com ~vK

Inspirational Gems

“The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear” -- Daniel Defoe (author)

Sightings: Mekhi Phifer @ the Kentucy Derby

Mekhi Phifer and his fiancee Oni Souratha hit up the Kentucky Derby over the weekend and were spotted on a few red carpets.

Mekhi dazzled the paps in his diamond pendant and Dunamis timepiece. He actually purchased one of the first 10 Dunamis watches ever made.

Oni also turned heads with her Stessier heart shaped necklace with floating diamonds.

The two made an appearance at the 2nd annual Derby Spectacular, hosted by Kim Kardashian.

Lovely couple.

(For my guys....) ~vK

Moissanite Hype

"Throw your moissanites in the sky if you feel the vibe..."

There have been numerous debates among jewelers since moissanites were introduced to the marketplace back in the 90's. Naturally, there are those who argue that these lab-grown gems are a much better value than the real thing. They shine like diamonds, and are often hard to tell apart, so it makes sense to go for the cheaper version, right?

As far as Jason is concerned, nothing could be further from the truth.

Here are a few reasons why copping the alternative (aka "diamond-lite") might not be the way to go.

First off, in terms of price, there is no denying that you will be digging much deeper into your pockets for a diamond. Diamonds take over millions of years to form and come from the earth; they are rare and precious. Moissanites are made in a lab and take about 3 days to make. They're approximately an 8th of the price of a natural diamond, and yet, they are much more expensive than CZs (cubic zirconia). If you don't mind rocking the alternative, you might as well go for the pop rocks.

With that in mind, if you plan to go in on your purchase, most people would agree that spending money on a man made rock that will NEVER increase in value isn't a wise financial investment. As the saying goes, "diamonds are an investment, moissanites are decorative". Sure, you're chain might be blingin' now, but try going in to any jeweler to sell or trade your piece made with the alternative. Don't take the relentless laughter personally.

The creators of moissonite jewelry argue that they have "..more brilliance and luster than any popular gemstone..." and yet, alot of people find that the extra brilliance comes off as almost too shiny. This can appear cheap on some pieces and is a dead give away that it is not a real diamond.

In addition, it isn't possible to create a pure "white" moissanite. The pic below displays an interesting "rainbow" effect that may attract folks that just want something shiny. Still, while moissanite dealers boast that they are more refractive than diamonds, there have been complaints of them having an unattractive greenish/grey cast.

At the end of the day, the decision on which to choose when making your purchase is based on your own needs and preferences. Many people wouldn't dream of going for anything less than the real deal, and for good reason. But in all fairness, moissanites are a convincing fake --just don't try it on wifey. Imagine you fiancees dismay, after years of bragging about her mega rock, she's hit with the news that she'd been Punk'd with a space rock knock off.

Bragging rights= VOID. ~vK