How the Royal Oak Paved Way to Luxury Sports Watch Market

The Royal Oak is the most well-known piece of Audemars Piguet in Las Vegas today. It first debuted at Baselworld Watch and Jewelry Show during the quartz crisis back in 1972. Audemars Piguet crafted the Royal Oak out of need because of the rising demand for the more affordable quartz movement watches. This increasing popularity of quartz watches was seen as a problem by watchmakers who make delicate and expensive mechanical watches.

As Audemars Piguet was severely affected by the quartz crisis, they realized that they would soon be out of business. As a result, they made a risky decision to design a new type of watch—a luxury sports watch.

Watch designer Gerald Genta was tasked to design and make the watch. According to Genta, an executive told him to “design a watch that has never been made before, and it has to be new and waterproof,” and it was due the very next day. 

When designing the would-be Royal Oak, Genta drew inspiration from a deep-sea diving helmet. Thus, the Royal Oak’s stainless steel case nods to the era’s marine diving helmets. It also has the same type of exposed screws and octagonal bezel.

Then, in 1972, when the Royal Oak debuted, it did not sell well. The idea of a luxury sports watch was unusual at that time. With its unusual design and high price tag, consumers were a bit wary. It was, after all, more expensive than a gold Patek Philippe and some Rolex stainless steel watches.

It took three years for the Audemars Piguet to sell its first 1,000 Royal Oak watches. Afterwhich, the interest in the Royal Oak suddenly rose. It is also said that the first Royal Oak was sold to Iran’s Shah—King.

While it took some time for the Royal Oak to become a success, Audemars Piguet’s risky decision to design and make an entirely new watch paid off, especially since it has made an impact in the world of luxury watches. We have Audemars Piguet to thank for paving the way in the world of luxury sports watches.

Most Expensive Swarovski Collaborations

People are often dissatisfied with what they have. And because of that, they love to do modifications and personalizations on their things. Some people like to put their initials on their items, and some like gold-plated everything—from dining tables to bathtubs. And in this blog, we’ve listed some of the most outrageously expensive Swarovsky Collaborations in Las Vegas or suit the Las Vegas scene.

Diamond Studded Konquest Hoodie

Clothes are the most modified and personalized item a person can have, and a Swarovski studded hoodie is just one of those. Konquest, a premium men’s clothing brand, unveiled a $10,000 Swarovski and diamond-studded hoodie. The hoodie was adorned with 4,000 Swarovski crystals and a 3-carat diamond zipper. Colby O-Donis wore the hoodie at the American Music Award’s Red Carpet and the after-party. 

Ji Xiang

The Ji Xiang glass sculpture depicts two carps frolicking atop crystal blue waves. The two carps are studded with 48,670 Swarovski crystals which were painstakingly hand-sent. The masterpiece took more than 394 hours to complete. Carps are a symbol of good luck and prosperity in China. Unfortunately, there are only 300 pieces of this masterpiece, and it is sold for $24,385 each.

Samsonite Black Label Swarovski Trunk

Are you sick of having identical colored or styled luggage with other people? Do you want to stand out while claiming your luggage at the airport? Well, this trunk might just tickle your fancy. Samsonite’s 1920s vintage-style trunk studded with Swarovski crystals is definitely a stand-out. The collaboration produced approximately 30 studded trunks and was sold at around $25,000. However, if you want one that is not covered with crystals, it would cost you around $950 each.

Swarovski Encrusted Crystal Isis Commode

We now have arrived at the height of technological innovation. And today’s toilets are pretty modern, especially Japanese ones with seat warmers, a bidet, and so much more. However, this particular luxury toilet is not technologically advanced, and it is a Swarovsky studded toilet. Jemal Wright designed the Swarovsky Endrusted Crystal Isis Commode. The entire toilet is covered in crystals. There is also a matching bathtub and sink if you want the whole set. The toilet will set you back at around $75,000.

Swarovksi Studded Mercedes Benz

The most eye-catching and expensive collaboration with Swarovski is the Swarovski studded Mercedes Benz SL600. The car was showcased at the Tokyo Auto Saloni in 2009. It was studded with 300,000 pieces of Swarovski crystals. Each crystal is cut into diamond shapes before being individually placed on the car. There were two Swarovski studded cars displayed in the show and one of which is owned by Prince Al Waleed of Saudi Arabia. The luxurious and glamorous vehicle is reportedly valued at $4.8 million.

How to Preserve Paper Money

Bank Notes (also known as paper money) are prone to damages, like being crumpled, folded, torn, and much more. And for collectors, paper money must stay in mint condition or an acceptable state. Its corners are not torn, its serial number is visible, and so on. 

If you are a collector of bank notes in Las Vegas and would like to know how to preserve their mint condition, you ought to read what's next. We’ve got a few tips for you on safely storing your paper money so you can preserve its condition.

Inventory

The first step in storing your paper money is to list all of the paper money in your collection. Make sure you include the denomination, serial number, year printed, country of origin, and other unique markers, thus helping you organize them properly. It will also help you identify which of them are high-value items. Moreover, by having a list, you can monitor which ones you have easily.

Handling Paper Money

When handling paper money, you might want to use soft cotton gloves. The gloves protect the money from fingerprints and natural oils in the fingers and palms. The oils excreted from our fingers and palms can damage the notes over time. Paper money should also be stored in a clear album with pockets or a money holder. You should also not attempt to clean the money or repair any tears. Any sign of repair will reduce its value and collectible appeal. With fixing valuable items like collectible banknotes, it is better to leave it to professionals instead of doing it yourself.

Where to Store Paper Money

In addition to the money album, bank notes should be stored in a cool and dry place. It should also be stored in a low humidity area, with the recommended humidity between 44% to 55%. You may store it in your closet if you want, just make sure you have considered its security. After all, bank notes would still have face value. A small vault is the best place to store them. It is secure, and some vaults are even temperature controlled, so you don’t have to worry about damaging your paper money.

The World’s Largest Diamonds

Diamonds are one of the most popular, sought-after, and prized gemstones in the world. It is a crystallized form of carbon that is naturally occurring in nature and comes in different shapes and sizes. Diamonds in Las Vegas are always an eye-catcher, and diamond collectors would want to get their hands on them. There are a lot of diamonds in the area that can dazzle you as you cruise down its lanes. But below, we’ve listed the top 10 largest diamonds in the world today.

Woyie River

Let’s start with the 10th largest diamond, the Woyie River. It was discovered in 1945 in a river of the same name in Sierra Leone and was the largest known diamond at that time. The diamond was then brought to England in 1947 to be shown to Queen Mary and later in 1949 at the British Industries Fair. It weighed 777 carats at its largest. Unfortunately, the diamond was cut into 30 pieces, and the largest is called the Victory Diamond, which weighs 31.35 carats and is graded D in color.

Millennium Star

The Millennium Star was discovered in 1990 in the Mbuji-Mayi mine of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It weighs 777 carats uncut. The De Beers company eventually bought the uncut diamond at an undisclosed amount. The Steinmetz Group eventually cut it into a pear-shaped diamond that weighed 203.04 carats and was graded D-flawless.

In addition to the pear-shaped diamond, a 27.64-carat heart-shaped blue diamond and 11 other blue diamonds weighing a total of 118 carats were also cut.

Koh-i-Noor

The Koh-i-Noor diamond was said to be discovered in the 13th century in the Kollur Mine in India. It was said to weigh 793-carats—the diamond owned by the Kakatiya dynasty before passing it unto the succeeding dynasty to the next. The Mughal, Persian, and Sikhs have also fought over the diamond. 

And in 1849, after the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the diamond came into Queen Victoria’s possession. Then in 1852, Prince Albert had the diamond cut, which resulted in a 186-carat oval-cut diamond. Today, the diamond is still the property of the British crown.

Constellation 

The Constellation was mined in 2015 in the Karowe Mine in Botswana. It weighed a whooping 813-carats. The Lucara Diamond Corporation owned it, and it was later bought by De Beers and was sold to the Zale Corporation. And in 2016, the Dubai-based company Nemesis International bought it for $63.1 million.

Incomparable 

The discovery of this diamond was quite interesting, which involved a girl playing in a pile of rubble in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Experts took four years to analyze the diamond. The uncut diamond weighed 890 carats, but it was eventually cut to a smaller flawless size. Its final weight is 407.78 carats. It was a dark brownish yellow with a flawless clarity rating, and it was valued at $55 million.

Star of Sierra Leone

This diamond was found in the Diminico mine in Sierra Leone in 1972 and weighed 969 carats uncut. Jeweler Harry Winston bought it for $2.5 million and cut the diamond into a 143.2-carat emerald cut. However, internal flaws were later found, which resulted in the diamond being recut into 17 smaller pieces. The largest cut was a 53.96-carat pear-shaped diamond.

Excelsior Diamond

The Excelsior diamond was found in 1893 in the Jagersontein mine in South Africa. It was considered the largest diamond in the world until the Cullinan diamond was found. Finding a buyer for this one was difficult because of the diamond’s sheer size—995.2 carats—and flawlessness. Eventually, the diamond was sent to I. J. Asscher of Amsterdam in 1904 to be cut into ten smaller pieces. The largest one is a 69.69-carat pear-shaped diamond.

Lesedi La Rona

The Lesedi La Rona was discovered in 2015, making it one of the most recently discovered diamonds. It was found in the Karowe mine in Botswana and weighs 1,111 carats. Sotheby auctioned it in 2016 and, unfortunately, was not sold. Instead, the diamond is expected to be sold privately.

Cullinan Diamond

Diamond magnate Sir Thomas Cullinan found the Cullinan diamond at the Premier Mine in South Africa in 1905. After it was discovered, it was brought to England and presented to King Edward VII. The Cullinan Diamond weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut, which was later cut into 96 smaller gems and nine larger gems. One of the largest ones is called the Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, which weighs 530.40 carats. Today, it is set in the Sovereign’s Scepter with Cross and is part of the British Crown Jewels.

Sergio

Lastly, we have the largest diamond on our list, the Sergio, which was found in Bahia, Brazil around 1895. It is a black carbonado diamond that weighs a staggering 3,167 carats. Carbonado diamonds are also extremely rare and durable.

Popular Luxury Jewelry Brands

Nowadays, jewelry has become more than just pieces of accessories and has turned into works of art. People have also begun wearing jewelry to show their unique style and personality. Designers and brands have picked up this practice, making them come up with more fresh and original concepts for their craft. Naturally, certain people gravitate towards specific concepts, making brands compete more with each other, resulting in even more luxurious brands. But not all brands stand the test of time, especially in Las Vegas, where fast-paced trends only last a couple of years. Below, we have listed the top 5 luxury jewelry brands in Las Vegas that we now consider timeless.

Cartier

Cartier is probably the most popular jewelry brand in the world today. Louis-François Cartier established it in Paris, France, back in 1847. It is also a favorite among royalty. Britain's King Edward VII even referred to Cartier as "the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers." Eventually, Cartier got a royal warrant—a charter that allows a business to supply a royal court—in 1904. And for centuries, Cartier created and designed jewelry that is fit for royalty.

Perhaps the most popular Cartier item today is the Love bracelet, which has become synonymous to the brand. Its iconic design is attributed to its one-of-a-kind locking mechanism, which can only be secured and opened using a special screwdriver that comes with every bracelet purchase. The concept of this is the commitment of one person to another. This bracelet is very popular amongst couples who are committed to each other.

Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & co. is another household name when it comes to jewelry. Tiffany & Co. was established in 1837 in Brooklyn, Connecticut by businessman and jeweler Charles Lewis Tiffany and his partner John B. Young. While it began as a stationery store, it eventually transitioned to the jewelry giant we know today.

The most well-known Tiffany & Co jewelry item is the sterling silver Tiffany heart tag charm. It is simple and quaint, and it can be worn as a bracelet charm or a necklace pendant. However, it is infamous for its engraving, saying, "Please return to Tiffany & Co. New York, 925".

Mikimoto

Mikimoto is world-famous for its cultured pearls. Unfortunately, natural pearls are extremely rare and are not sustainable to farm, and only the ultra-rich could afford them. So Koukichi Mikimoto decided to give culturing pearls a try. He eventually became successful and established Mikimoto in 1893. Today, when you hear Mikimoto, you know that it is pertaining to pearls.

The most popular item from the Mikimoto collection is the Mikimoto Classic 18k White Gold Cultured Akoya Pearl & Diamond Pendant Necklace. It showcases a single Akoya pearl with a diamond accent, known for its classic elegance and timelessness.

De Beers

We cannot talk about jewelry without talking about De Beers. The De Beers Group is a conglomerate that specializes in everything diamonds. It was established in 1888 by British businessman Cecil Rhodes. The company is the largest diamond miner in the world, thus making them the authority when it comes to diamonds. They also came up with the slogan "A diamond is forever."

Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels is a French company specializing in luxury items such as jewelry, watches, and perfumes. It was established in Paris in 1896 by Salomon Arpels and his son-in-law Alfred Van Cleef. The company is known for its nature-themed design for its jewelry collection, which often features depictions of flowers, animals, and fairies. 

Its most recognizable jewelry item is the Flora, a four-petal flower made of a carnelian set on gold. It often comes in the form of a ring or a necklace pendant.

Choosing the Best Earrings for Your Face Shape

Having a few pairs of Las Vegas earrings can really add some life to your wardrobe. They can perk up your face and make you look classier and more fabulous even after the age of 40. You just need to be careful or you’ll end up making the mistake of wearing trendy earrings that may be in style but don’t really suit you. When choosing the right pair for you, you need to consider many things like your face shape and personality. Here are some tips worth noting:

Match Earrings to Your Face Shape

Just like eyebrows, earrings can influence the way people see your face. What you wear can make your face appear wider, thinner, longer, or even a little rounder and plumper, depending on the shape of your face. The key is to determine your face shape and choose a pair of earrings that complement it well. 

For Oval Face

If your face is shaped a little like an egg, then you have an oval face shape. This means that you are one of the lucky ones who can wear almost any shape of earrings. Aside from triangular earrings and basic studs, all earring shapes can definitely help you show off those lovely cheekbones.

For Heart Shaped Face

People whose forehead is wider than their cheeks and a chin that narrows down like the bottom of a heart have a heart-shaped face. If your face is heart-shaped, you need a pair of earrings that can counterbalance the slight sharpness of your chin with some chandelier or teardrop earrings. Try to go for earrings that have a wider bottom part than the top to help fill in the lower portion of your face. This makes your face more balanced. 

For Round Face

A circular face means your cheekbones are wider than the rest of your face and that your chin does not taper down. Drop or dangling earrings will elongate your face and make it appear slimmer. Avoid hoop and stud earrings that will only emphasize the roundness of your face. 

For Inverted Triangle Shaped Face

If your face is widest at your forehead, tapering down to a pointy and narrow chin, then you have an inverted triangle face shape. This face shape is a little similar to the heart face shape, except that heart-shaped faces are much shorter on the chin. To balance out your face shape, choose a pair of earrings that will de-emphasize your foreheads such as chandelier or teardrop earrings. These will create the illusion of width at your jawline. 

For Square Face

Your face shape is square if your forehead and jawline are similar widths. To balance out the shape of your face, you will need to soften the hard edges of your face. For this, you can wear earrings that are medium to long with rounded or curved edges. Avoid square studs that will only reinforce the squareness of your face.

Consider Your Lifestyle

In choosing a pair of earrings to wear, keep in mind the kind of event or place you are headed afterward. Feel free to go with any pair of you’re just going to chill at home. However, if you are off to work, you might want to tone it down. The more conservative your office is, the more conservative your earrings should be. Go for timeless styles in gold to exude authority and confidence. Avoid dangle and hoop earrings to appear more executive. The same goes for large earrings if you are in a field like finance and law. 

Match Earrings With Your Coloring

Does your skin have warm undertones (yellow or peach)? If so, then you have a spring or autumn vibe to your overall appearance. This means that warm colors like gold and copper will make you look glowing. Meanwhile, if you have pink or blue undertones in your skin, then you appear more wintery or summery. In this case, silver and pewter earrings make you look fabulous and attractive.

Necklace Hacks You Can Use Everyday

Regardless of the wearer’s gender, a necklace will always be a pretty appealing look when worn tastefully. Having one suspended around the neck allows you to upgrade your look using various materials like various precious metals and stones. It also gives you the opportunity to express your personality, values, and beliefs. Also, necklaces can provide the feeling of luxury, and this is especially true for Las Vegas necklaces. Moreover, most necklaces are very personal and hold quite a load of sentimental value. Hence, a lot of owners do whatever they can to preserve the quality of their necklaces and make them last for years. Today, we’ve put together some necklace hacks that can help you make the most of your necklaces and keep them intact:

Add a Bracelet to Make Them Longer 

Sometimes, that pretty necklace you ordered off the internet can arrive smoothly on time but still disappoint you if it’s too short. You can fix this problem if you have a chain extender on hand, but that’s not always the case. If you want to keep your necklaces despite them being too short, you can still wear them by adding a bracelet to them. Bracelets (or even anklets) are essentially the same as necklaces since they are both pretty much just fancy chains. You can simply hook the bracelets’ clasps onto the ends of your necklaces to make them longer, and you’re ready to go. No tools or removals are necessary for this snappy solution.

Keep Your Hair Out of Necklace Clasp

Not all necklace clasps are meant for individuals with long hair. Having your hair stuck in your jewelry causes painful tugging and pulling and even hair loss. This becomes even more annoying when it happens to the hair from the lower part of your scalp. To avoid this problem, simply cut a tiny piece of plastic straw, then slide it onto the end of your necklace over the clasp.  Hook your necklace closed, then slide the straw a little bit back over the latch to create a secure buffer. 

Avoid Necklace Tangling While in Transit

There’s nothing more frustrating than having your favorite necklaces tangled together in chains. We all have experienced trying to bring our memorabilia during a car ride and end up having to spend at least 15 minutes fixing them. One way to avoid future tangles is to loop one end of your necklace through a straw. Just feed the chain through, then clasp the ends together. You can use the same straw if your chains are thin. Another way to keep your necklace chains from getting tangled is by sandwiching them in between pieces of plastic wraps. Simply lay a square piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface, then place your necklace on top. Cover the square with another sheet of plastic and push or press the ends to seal them together.