It has been hacked out of the earth, cut, polished and bought and sold along the way — to finally be shown in all its glory. These bits of mineral formation from the mines of South Africa, Burma, Brazil, Colombia, Russia or Canada have now arrived — on the red carpet, at gem exhibits and at the premier shops around the world. They are admired, and ultimately bought and shown off, although the mammoth diamond mining concern DeBeers says the current diamond market will depend on the U.S. economy — now struggling. The U.S. is the largest diamond jewelry market in the world. Nevertheless, throughout history precious stones have meant something and still do. VOA's Sonja Pace has this final segment of our series.
Precious stones and metals have long held an attraction, sometimes a fatal one. The gem trade is a multi-billion dollar business, and precious stones are a highly prized commodity. This has has helped some countries develop into success stories and has provided sustenance for families in some of the world's poorest countries. But it has also dragged others into despair. The gem trade has been used to finance wars, terrorize civilians and keep despots in power. In this segment of our series, VOA's Sonja Pace looks at the human cost.
http://stuarthughes.com £21,995.00 GBP $34,274.00 US 150 grams Solid Gold iPhone 4 Factory Unlocked 32GB Solid Gold iPhone4 Factory Unlocked Uniquely designed and crafted by Stuart Hughes Exotic Luxury Toys Games Millionaires Billionaires Celebrity Internet Gadgets Bling 24ct solid gold iphone 4GUniquely designed and crafted by Stuart HughesThis beautiful handset took weeks of detailed intricate work to re-create the original chasis of the iphone in solid gold all of which was started and finished by hand, also a full gold dressing for the rear section. This masterpiece boasts a massive circa of 150 grams of 24ct gold. The result was outstanding even down to the precise polishing to reveal its most beautiful harmonious appearance. The handset is 32gb, factory (legal) unlocked for worldwide use and can be updated with new firmware when available without freezing up. Also included is a luxurious hand finished wallet made from real Ostrich foot. Aswell as the wallets slim and unique design it also offers functionality in holding up to 4 credit cards.Price – £21,995.00 Purity and hallmarksPure gold is too soft to withstand the stresses of daily use, so it is alloyed with a mixture of metals like silver, copper, palladium, and zinc to give it strength and durability.Our 18k gold is composed of 75 percent gold, alloyed with 25 percent other metals. Not only does this make the piece more valuable, it makes it strong enough to withstand daily use while maintaining its traditional, rich golden colour.While there are accepted purity hallmarks for platinum, ranging from 850 – 999 parts per 1000, the majority of our platinum pieces is 95 percent pure platinum combined with 5 percent iridium, palladium, ruthenium or other alloys.There are three compulsory hallmarks applied to precious metals as a quality control: a sponsor's mark (ours is SH), a fineness mark, and an assay office mark. These marks establish the origin and fineness of the precious metal and ensure it has been accurately and independently tested. For guaranteed quality in platinum, look for the correct 950 or 999 hallmarks along with the sponsor's mark and assay office mark.All our precious metals are assayed and hallmarked.All stuarthughes.com diamonds are certified. They are handpicked to ensure the highest quality. Our diamonds are guaranteed to be conflict free. We only purchase diamonds through the most respected suppliers who, like us, proudly have a zero-tolerance policy towards conflict diamondsDiamondsNatural diamonds are pure carbon, formed into crystals deep below the earths crust millions of years ago. There are no two diamonds alike, each one is unique.Diamond is distinctive in the way it reflects light. It has a unique brilliance and also breaks the light up into spectral colours, which reflect within the stone as it is moved. Another unusual quality of a Diamond is its purity. A quality diamond is among the purest elements found in nature.We can be drawn to diamonds, not only for their natural beauty and elegance, but also for the history and timeless magic associated with them. There is no gemstone as indestructible, rare, precious, beautiful or magical, and it's these qualities that make the diamond the symbol of love.PlatinumPlatinum is the most desireable precious metal in the world. For its beauty, purity, and rarity, platinum has become one of the ultimate expressions of wealth, extravagance, and indulgence.Pure white and eternal, platinum is the perfect choice, it never tarnishes nor loses its pure lustre.Platinum appeals to many people today because of its subtle beauty and elegant understatement. Although platinum is becoming more popular, it is still the exception and is the choice of exceptional people.Classic design and quality will never go out of fashion, neither will platinum.GoldGold has long been synonymous with wealth, opulence and nobility. Men and women have lusted after gold ever since its discovery seven thousand years ago.Gold has been admired and valued for its warmth, beauty, sensuality, and its spiritual richness.Gold is still the ultimate metal, continuing to provoke in us profound and powerful feelings, fulfilling us spiritually and sensually, connecting us to each other, to our pasts, to our futures. Our emotions are reflected in it. Our lives are enriched by it.assay All Stuart Hughes Designs are hallmarked according to ASSAY specifications.
