Oddly Enough Blog
News, but not the serious kind
Duchess? It has a certain ring to it…
Blog Guy, thanks for all your coverage of the royal visit by Britain’s Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. I guess it served its purpose, to raise their profile, huh?
Oh grow up. You think this visit was about them? The Brits have the single most famous piece of jewelry on earth, Catherine’s 18-carat sapphire and diamond ring, and they want to make sure it keeps circulating.
I gather market research and found there were a couple of people in North America who hadn’t seen it, so it was time to correct that.
They arranged a whole royal tour just to show off a ring?
Sure. It’s in almost every shot of Catherine on the trip, playfully sparkling for the cameras. You think that was an accident?
Because you’re worth it, Honey…
It isn’t often that one of my posts generates serious economic debate. But a few days ago I explained that we couldn’t show a copy-quality photo of a Gaugin painting, because then people at home could paint their own and flood the art market with hundred million dollar paintings.
My readers were skeptical about whether it really works like that, so I’ll try again.
Recently, Britain’s Prince William got engaged to Kate Middleton. He gave her his mother’s sapphire and diamond ring, which was valued at more than $60,000 in 1981. Today, even though it’s used, it’s worth oh, a million dollars or so, give or take. Are you with me so far?
Now we have a story saying Chinese manufacturers are churning out tens of thousands of copies of the distinctive ring. This is not even to mention folks who are running over empty blue bottles of Bombay Sapphire Gin to make their own cheesy rings.
The Chinese copies, which are crap, wholesale for under $7.50 each. See, that’s a lot less than the real ring.
One jewelry manufacturer said the replica rings have slight alterations in size or design, to avoid trademark infringement issues.
The Used Underwear of the Apocalypse?
Blog Guy, thank you so much for keeping us alert on signs of that Apocalypse which seems to be hurtling toward us. Last week you warned us about the proliferation of craters and sinkholes. Are there any new signs?
You bet. Tomorrow, keep your eyes on an auction of stuff that once belonged to Bernie Madoff, the mega-swindler who is serving 150 years in prison.
Among the items up for sale are a 10-carat diamond ring and a 1917 Steinway grand piano.
Ah, and that’s a sign of the Apocalypse, huh?
No. Be patient. Also among the items are Madoff’s boxer shorts and some black velveteen slippers.
I get it now. It’s a sign of the Apocalypse that somebody would want to own Madoff’s old slippers and underwear?
Then those animals FORCED me to shop!
Okay, now I just feel like a total jerk.
We have a great story from Beijing about officials issuing an advisory on Hong Kong travel after a video surfaced showing tourists being insulted and “forced to shop” by a tour guide. I’m not making this up.
Indeed, the story says a 65-year-old tourist died from a heart attack in Hong Kong, after arguing with a tour guide over forced shopping there.
I lived and worked in Hong Kong for years, and I now realize this must have been the very same gang that frequently kidnapped my wife, refusing to free her until she bought jewelry, designer outfits and tasteful high-end accessories.
Tearfully, she would describe her ordeal as she piled her new rings and necklaces into overflowing jewelery boxes, and crammed stylish dresses into our closets.
But I scoffed at her stories. Why, I wondered, did these gangs never force her to buy stuff I might want, like electronic goods and single malt Scotch?
Well Spin and CrowGirl… while I was not married, there is a reason my ex-girlfriend is just that… an ex. And it had nothing to do with shopping.
I’m calling this ring Mini Pearl!
From Switzerland comes news that a Hong Kong tycoon who bought a flawless blue diamond for a record $9.5 million has now named it the “Star of Josephine.”************I’m not sure why this is important. Naming jewelry is no big deal. For years, my wife has been naming the tokens of affection I’ve given her on romantic occasions.******It started with her engagement ring, an admittedly very modest ruby which she christened the Dinky Pinky.******Soon, the Dinkster was joined by a diamond named Mr. Chips, followed by a pearl she calls, well, Poor Pitiful Pearl.******These adornments now share space in her jewelry box alongside El Shrimpo, Mr. Measly and Li’l Sapphire. Last Christmas, they were joined by Pretty Boy Flawed. So take that, Josephine!***
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************Model displays the diamond during an auction preview in Geneva May 6, 2009. It was found in 2008 and weighs 7.03 carats. The buyer will have the honor of naming the diamond as the first owner of the stone. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse***
******tMstMO9c&fDu******
Notice how all the jewelry names have some reference to their small size. Is this common for your family jewels?
Okay, that’s my last offer, your holiness…
Blog Guy, after New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson dropped out of the Commerce Secretary nomination, what’s he up to now? I mean apart from being governor.
Well, I just saw some photos of him today. It appears he’s hanging around public places trying to sell jewelery.
Excuse me? That doesn’t sound right. You mean he’s just going up to strangers to see if they want to buy something?
That’s how it looks. You have to give him credit. Today he got through tight Vatican security to try selling a necklace to Pope Benedict XVI.
Amazing. Did the pope buy anything?
I’m not sure, although in the photo it looks like his holiness is driving a hard bargain.
It was probably a rosary.The media is so ignorant of anyone not having to do with the latest gay sex and fads, they would not know.
Hi! You must be here for the um, um, um…
Blog guy, I have a major fashion dilemma. Tomorrow I’m supposed to go motorcycling in the morning, swimming in the afternoon, and then to a glitzy cocktail party, and I won’t have time to change in-between. Help!
You sound VERY busy! Here’s a useful fashion tip: If you’re busy, and you’re an idiot, then dress like a busy idiot.
This striking black leather jacket will deflect the wind while roaring along on your Harley. Then, when you get to the beach, there is a sexy black vinyl swimsuit, which can be dried quickly without even taking it off. It’s like wearing a child’s place mat!
Then it’s off to your posh party. Note the spectacular bejeweled necklace which will make you the hit of any soiree, and the dressy white gloves which won’t leave prints if you want to steal some stuff.
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A model presents a creation by German designer Karl Lagerfeld for French fashion house Chanel during their Spring/Summer 2009 ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris October 3, 2008. REUTERS/ Charles Platiau
The outfit does look cool but, a jacket and a swimsuit? If it was so cold that I needed to wear gloves, I certainly would be sporting some very long ass leg warmers too!
I just wanna see how this looks in a taxi. I’ll be back…
This isn’t the kind of jewelry heist where they use the word “mastermind” a lot. The robber didn’t work too hard on a plan, and luckily he found a shop that didn’t try too hard to foil him, either.
The guy asks to see a bunch of rings and necklaces, which he tries on, and then walks out and gets in a taxi. However, I think even I could find this dude, since he’s described as 6’5″, weighing 250 pounds, with a Chinese symbol tattooed on his neck. Nice touch to try on necklaces, so they couldn’t possibly miss the tattoo.
Anyway, while he made off with several items, the total value was just $9,800. With the price of gold and gems today, he must have gone OUT OF HIS WAY to find the cheapest stuff in the store! “Excuse me, do you have some gold-painted plastic beads, and some tin rings with cut glass in them that I can try on?”
Probably not the robber: Christie’s jewellery specialist displays rings in a 2007 file photo. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of Fall/Winter 2008/09 women’s ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris February 27, 2008. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
I don’t know if I will feel sorry for the jewelry shop owner or for the robber who only got $9,800-worth of jewelries… seems like they were both fooled somehow. Unless the robber has planned it that way – just get the cheap gems so it won’t be too hard on his conscience. Duh!
But the gorgeous rings on the photo are truly awesome! And the necklaces on the model are… well, they’re just overwhelming! Too many fine jewelries worn at the same time.
Cue the James Bond music…
Gold forearm, she’s the girl, the girl with the Midas touch, It’s a bit much, Gold forearm, she’s been kissed, with bracelets stacked on her wrist, Can’t make a fist, Trendy places she’d like to have gone, But the airlines won’t let her get on, When this golden girl is walking her ferrets, All her limbs are 18 carats… Gold forearm…
Memo to fashion show security staff: Somebody has raided the models’ bracelet cabinet. We need to find the jewelry before the show. Whomever did the job must have hidden it, because nobody is tacky enough to wear all of it at one time. Keep your eyes open…
More posts about jewelry
Model displays gold jewelry ahead of the Hindu festival of Akshaya Tritiya at a showroom in southern Indian city of Hyderabad May 6, 2008. REUTERS/ Krishnendu Halder
The flawless diamond caper…
I’ve been planning this heist for months, but now that we’re going in, I feel like maybe I overlooked some detail. I guess that’s natural.
Let’s see. I know for sure that $14 million worth of flawless diamonds are in the mansion. I know this is the one day a year when they leave that titanium vault open and the back door ajar so the appraiser can get in. This is the day they take their killer dobermans on a picnic and leave two friendly, well-fed golden retrievers to guard the whole shebang…
And for sure, this is the one day they leave that big iron gate unlocked, and turn off the lethal electrical charge that always surges through it… Wait! DID I check on that darned electricity thing, or not? I’m not sure…
More posts about crime
A member of the Street Show PK Club shows parkour skills at a park in Hangzhou, China, April 9, 2008. Parkour is “the art of moving,” involving moving from one point to another as efficiently and quickly as possible. REUTERS/ Steven Shi
Wow! I knew chinese labor was inexpensive but cheaper than running out to buy a flag?
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I second that nomination, Spin! Good one, Nosmo