JCKstyle - October 19, 2007
The official kickoff of the holiday season varies for everyone. If you’re a retailer, the season may start once Christmas decorations are hung or maybe on Black Friday itself. If you’re a JCKstyle editor, festivities begin when the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog hits your doorstep (for us that happened last week).
$3,600 and up: Champagne-color diamond jewelry in 18k Noble gold, H.Stern
The 100th Anniversary Edition: The Christmas Book is 159 glossy pages of exquisite clothes, accessories, fine jewelry, and überexpensive, over-the-top fantasy gifts that the retailer swears people buy.
Neiman Marcus opened its doors in 1907, and first published The Christmas Book in 1926. The onetime 16-page booklet/holiday card evolved into a much-anticipated tome full of glitzy styles and merchandise that the rich alone can afford.
Fortunately, flipping through the tony paperback doesn’t cost a cent. So here’s a summary of some of the most decadent objects that Neiman Marcus has to offer this year. While some items seem downright silly (a dragon topiary, anyone?), others had us editors drooling like Newfoundlands.
$3,600 and up: Champagne-color diamond jewelry in 18k Noble gold, H.Stern
$28,600 and up: 18k gold and diamond Tank American and Roadster watches, Cartier
$73,000: Limited-edition Signature Diamond mobile phones featuring 7.20 cts. t.w. colorless and pink diamonds set in 18k rose gold with 24-hour global concierge service and a tour of the maker’s workshop, Frank Nuovo for Vertu
$1 million and up: Custom-made necklace featuring 305 cts. t.w. uncut diamonds, Diamond in the Rough
Weekly Gem
Not everything out of China is inexpensive these days. Consider a 10,000 ct. t.w. gemstone-studded wedding dress worth nearly $133,000; the garb was reportedly unveiled by a jewelry store in the Jiangxi province. The dress is white, the gems are blue and purple, and whoever buys the dress, will, for sure, be in the red.
