Titanic time
Almost a century after it first sank, the Titanic has resurfaced in a line of luxury watches.
Geneva watchmaker Romain Jerome SA unveiled the bizarre Titanic DNA fashioned from coal and steel salvaged from the sunken ship - at Swiss watch and jewellery fair Baselworld in April.
The timepieces are designed to appeal to collectors and the very wealthy who desire a unique item.
"It is very luxurious and very inaccessible," said Yvan Arpa, chief executive of the three-year-old company that hopes the limited-edition watches will attract both collectors and garrulous luxury goods buyers.
"So many rich people buy incredibly complicated watches without understanding how they work, because they want a story to tell."
The Titanic cruise ship sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic. The legendary ship was making its maiden voyage across the Atlantic from England to New York. While the wreckage of the Titanic is now protected from pilfering, divers stripped many pieces of the ship years ago. Just 2012 Titanic DNA watches have been created.
Fine prints
Babies in the UK can now have their fingerprints embossed in silver thanks to a new product from LovePrints Fingerprint Jewellery.
LovePrints gives new parents the opportunity to cherish their baby's early years with a range of silver jewellery that sports the child's genetic fingerprints. The product, which works using non-toxic finger print moulding material that allows the print to be taken several times, is the world's first-ever range of jewellery to use infant fingerprints, according to a company release.
The products will be available for wholesale retailers in the UK by midyear and LovePrints has flagged plans to extend into cufflinks and wedding jewellery in the future.
Gone in 105 seconds
Super-quick thieves in the United Arab Emirates managed to snatch millions of dollars worth of diamonds in an armed robbery that lasted less than two minutes.
After ramming their vehicle into the Graff jewellery shop at Dubai shopping mall Wafi City, the robbers emptied the store in a mere one minute and 45 seconds before fleeing with jewellery estimated at more than 50 million dirham ($US16.37 million).
Million-dollar chess set
A chess set worth $1 million has been auctioned off at the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) Congress in Dubai in May.
Crafted from over 1 kilogram of gold and set with 9,900 black and white diamonds, the set was among a series of luxury items that comprised the auction.
European based auction-house Tzoffey's 1818 hosted the auction on the final day of the congress.
"Dubai's most important leaders from the trade, and people outside the trade, attended this event. We bring to Dubai some unique items that only the crème de la crème can appreciate and purchase," said Avner Sofiov, president, Tzoffey's 1818. Results of the auction were not available at the time of print.
Prisoner coughs it up
Officers at a Christchurch police station were tested on their first-aid skills recently when a woman they were holding in custody choked on her own jewellery.
The woman, who was arrested after an alleged assault, attempted to swallow the rings during a routine jewellery removal began to choke. Officers at the scene performed the Heimlich manoeuvre and managed to resuscitate her. She was taken to Christchurch Hospital by ambulance and later released back to the police.
Like father, like daughter
Rap mogul Sean Combs (AKA Puff Daddy, P-Diddy) has ensured his new-born twin girls are the queens of bling, buying up big on diamond baby jewellery.
The flamboyant star proclaimed to have filled a safe with goodies, and has already expressed his desire to pierce the ears of his newborns, Jesse James and D'lila Star. "You'd be amazed at the stuff they have, little diamond necklaces, really cute," Combs said.
Ancient treasures uncovered
Archaeologists on a Greek island have discovered a large Roman-era tomb containing gold jewellery, pottery and bronze pieces.
The building contained five burials including a large vaulted grave and a stone coffin, according to a statement from Greece's Culture Ministry.
Archaeologists found gold earrings and rings, gold leaves that may have been attached to ceremonial clothing, as well as glass and clay pots, bronze artefacts decorated with masks, a bronze lock and copper coins.
Measuring 26 by 20 feet, the house-shaped complex had been missed by grave-robbers. Previous excavations in the area have uncovered remains of houses, a baths complex and a cemetery, all dating to Roman times between 146 BC and 330 AD.
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