Adriana Lima Is Radiant In Chopard's 'Magical Setting' Collection, Lensed By Michael Schwartz

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Adriana Lima Is Radiant In Chopard's 'Magical Setting' Collection, Lensed By Michael Schwartz

What better place than Miami for Adriana Lima to showcase luxe jeweler Chopard’s new Magical Setting collection. Photographer Michael Schwartz captures the shimmering diamonds clustered in floral shapes in a unique, breakthrough collection of necklaces, earrings and rings. Elizabeth Sulcer styles Adriana with hair by Peter Gray and makeup by Georgi Sandev.

The skills of the maison's high jewellery department are put to task with this new setting, as the diamonds seem to be floating freely, with no links or claws holding them together. They come together in an explosion of sparkle, unencumbered by heavy metal prongs or claws, as if linked together by the tap of a wand. The collection features diamonds, blue sapphires from Sri Lanka, rubies from Mozambique and Madagascar, or emeralds from Colombia and Zambia. Each flower is anchored by a focal stone, that's surrounded by an array of precious gems. 

Related Jan 2019 articles: Glamour with a Conscience: With Chopard’s mission towards sustainable luxury in full swing, all that glitters is indeed (ethical) gold Portfolio

Caroline Scheufele Expands Chopard’s Commitment to Sustainable Luxury Whitewall

Penelope Cruz Is New Ambassador For John Hardy 'Made for Legends' 2019 Campaign By Josh Olins

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Penelope Cruz Is New Ambassador For John Hardy 'Made for Legends' 2019 Campaign By Josh Olins

Hollywood star Penelope Cruz, who debuted a sustainable jewelry collection with Swarovski last year headlines a new ‘Made for Legends’ campaign for luxe artisan jeweler John Hardy. Following last year’s ‘legends’ Julianne Moore and Adwoa Aboah, Cruz models the mixed metals of John Hardy’s spring/summer 2019 collection, in a campaign shot by Josh Olins.

“It is important to me that any project I participate in aligns with my values, and John Hardy has been dedicated to preserving their artisan community and rich heritage for over 40 years,” Cruz said in a statement.

“Each piece is handcrafted in Bali, a place I know and love, with techniques that have been passed down for generations and made with reclaimed gold and silver, as well as ethically vetted stones. I also love that the brand has championed female artisans and entrepreneurs from day one with its signature motif, Classic Chain, traditionally woven by Balinese women as a way to bring prosperity to their families," Cruz said.

Will Sara Sampaio Also Become A Graff Muse For The 'Peace' Diamond Campaign?

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Portuguese model and VS Angel Sara Sampaio is the new face of Graff Diamonds.Lensed by Patrick Demarchelier for Graff's Green Lady campaign Sara shines wearing a pair of 50 carat emerald cut diamond earrings as well as a 35 carat emerald cut D Flawless diamond ring. 

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The 'Peace' Diamond From Sierre Leone

AOC hasn't written about diamonds and blood diamonds for several years, but the journey to market of the 'Peace' diamond caught our attention.

It was Laurence Graff who won the Dec. 2017 bidding in New York, acquiring the so-called 'Peace' diamond from the government of Sierra Leone. 

The stone is the third largest diamond in the country's history and the 14th biggest ever discovered worldwide, according to the Rapaport Group, the jewelry auction organization that helped bring the stone to auction. Note that the Rapaport Group is also a leader in fair trade and ethical diamond mining.

The 'Peace' diamond arrived in New York for the December 2017 auction with a cloud over its head. At an earlier auction in Sierra Leone, the diamond brought only $7.8 million at auction and did not meet the floor price.

Because the 'Peace' diamond brought even less money at $6.5 million in New York than the $7.8 million rejected in Sierra Leone, disappointment is understandable. 

“What is the value of the life of a child in Sierra Leone? What is the value of clean water? That’s the value, that’s here. And that’s what Laurence Graff is buying,” said Chairman of Rapaport Group, Martin Rapaport. Note that I'm not clear if Rapaport's comments came before or after the sale. But they appeared in a March 5, 2018 article on Africanews.com, talking about Sierra Leone's history in blood diamonds. According to World Bank data, Sierra Leone’s gross national income per capita stood at $620 in 2015.

Related. This story is unfolding in several parts, one more interesting than the next. This is the first chapter -- modified tonight based on new research. 

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