What wearing 11-carat diamond earrings feels like
November 21st, 2008, 12:00 pm · 19 Comments · posted by Candice Shih, Staff Writer
Here’s how a conversation with my dad went this week:
“So I went to Bulgari, the jewelry store, and they invited me to try on their new diamond earrings. Guess how much they were?”
“$50,000?”
“Higher.”
“$100,000?”
“Higher.”
“$200,000?”
“Higher.”
“Half a million?”
“Higher.”
“$1 million?”
“Higher.”
“$2 million?”
“C’mon Dad, don’t be ridiculous. They were $1.26 million.”
“That’s like a house on your ears.”
“Yes, a nice house.”
Thankfully, they didn’t weigh as much or come with a subprime mortgage.
These beauties are emerald-cut, F color diamonds, one at 5.74 carats and the other at 5.64 carats. Two rounds of pave diamonds surround each one.
The earrings are clip-on so one doesn’t even need piercings to enjoy them.
What a shame I had to take them off and put my own $5 earrings from Target back on. I think I was able to relax a little though. There’s nothing like wearing a CEO bonus’ worth of jewelry to make a simple gal a tad jittery.
If you want to check out Bulgari’s $1.26 million earrings, which arrived Tuesday, they are in the store window on the right. They’re the giant, gleaming rocks - you can’t miss them.
More from the South Coast Plaza blog:
- Tap-dancing reindeer join Santa Claus at tree lighting
- And the winner of the contest is …
- Mall, department stores extend hours for holidays
- ‘Real Housewife’ parties at SoCa St. John
- Limited-edition Gucci line to benefit UNICEF
- Restaurant review: Nordstrom Cafe
For more on South Coast Plaza, see list of links on right-hand side of this blog.
November 21st, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Why in the He!! was this article written? What’s the point? Peole have lots jobs & homes & here’s a article about a pair of $1.26 million dollar earrings. Are you a little off your rocker Candice Shih?
November 21st, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Obviously this article is meant to take up space, no value added to this piece. The current quality of OCRegister articles seem to follow the stock market…down the toilet. I can understand why OCR lose readers daily, because the your editors put emphasis on frivalous stories that involve topics nobody care about like $1M earings, or the “Real” dramawives of OC. I have read stories from six graders who write more compelling pieces than this POS. OCR should stick to printing Frye’s Electronic coupons to add value to its circulation.
November 21st, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I hear you Eliz. I filed bankruptcy this week. Think I feel like window shopping at Bulgari’s? Shame on Candice Shih
November 21st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
this the most stupid piece in the oc register
November 21st, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Dylan was right……
They’ll stone you when you’re trying to make a buck
They’ll stone you and then they’ll say good luck
November 21st, 2008 at 3:26 pm
She did say she felt more relax after she took it off. That is the point she tried to make. Read it and move on!
November 21st, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Holy smokes! Candice, you look fab in those earrings. Nothing like test driving diamonds.
I think this is a fun post, Not every blog or article needs to be about the economy going to hell in a hand basket.
I love your blog!!!!
November 21st, 2008 at 8:56 pm
janetms - why does the newspaper have to cater to you and your misery? Take your pity party somewhere else.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:22 am
I, for one, can’t wait to read this blog. Fun, pithy, and intelligent.
Write on! And, as for the earrings…99.9 per cent of us can’t affford those-
or a jet, or a house dangling over the cliffs…but it is certainly interesting
to read about!.
November 23rd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Gerry,
Perhaps you haven’t been paying attention to the national and world news, but it’s not just my misery, it’s the misery of the nation. Particularly hard hit has been Orange Co., so yes, I guess I do expect OCR to cater to the misery of a nation. I just think that an article on 11 carat, 1.5 MM dollar earrings in inappropriate.
God bless you that you haven’t been effect by the recent economic crisis.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Just because you are miserable doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a little fun. Candace’s post was obviously meant to be fun, a little escapism, for gosh sakes. If we can’t dream of how it might feel to wear $1.26M earrings, even for a few moments, then we have lost our capacity to dream, even in the midst of misery and sorrow. Why did folks in the Depression go to see big-budget Hollywood musicals, when obviously the money spent on those musicals might have gone to help people? The answer was that it DID help people — it helped them to escape their poverty and despair for a short while, and raise their spirits. “What If?” stories are like that — what would it feel like if I wore million-dollar earrings? What would it feel like to take a luxury cruise around the world? I may never do these things, but I can read and dream about them. Although I will say that I have a pair of Diamonique “the world’s finest simulated diamonds” earrings that would rival those Bulgaris for size and sparkle, and only an expert with a lupe could tell the difference…oh, yeah, and anyone who knows how little salary I make. But, what the heck — maybe they’ll think I have a rich sugardaddy. I just hope I don’t get mugged for them someday…
November 24th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I found some just like that at the swap meet.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
To Eliz and janetms: Candice Shih’s blog is light-hearted fare about shopping and the culture of South Coast Plaza. Some people can afford to buy $1.26 million earrings. It may not be you or I but there are a few. That’s life. Shih simply provided a slice of life–perhaps not yours–but it’s still relevant. Even in a downward economy, there will always be someone out there who can afford what you may think is outrageous.
Every story has its place
I recommend you visit other blogs if you’d like to read about misery and mayhem that would surely rival yours. Try: http://crime.freedomblogging.com/ .
November 26th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
WoW Cindy I’ll meet you at SCP at 4AM in front of Bloomies….let’s do some reall shopping bar none…let’s just rip that mall apart! Are you one of the OC Housewives? I want to know how I’ll recognize you.
November 28th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
What is it like to wear jewelry like this? Legitimate subject, lots of undertones you can explore as a writer. Problem is, the way Ms Shih writes, the article is a snore. Guys, if you want to relate, imagine going to a car show and sitting in an amazing car worth $1.26M. Extraordinary diamonds stir the emotions and are a symbol of power. But they are primarily an investment to the people with enough money to buy them, like gold or stocks. Rich people stay rich by spending their money on things that appreciate in value. All of us can learn something from that about how to spend money when we do have it. Remember the dirt poor family that won some money and the first thing they bought was a big Mercedes? Not a home, not a trip to the doctor and dentist for everybody, not decent clothing, not putting the money into savings; they bought a big expensive car, nice but it is worth less every year. That is why a lot of lottery winners end up declaring bankruptcy. Don’t resent the wealthy, learn from them.
November 30th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
ocleanne
I know all about buying things with investment value. I’m sure you know the point many of us are making is this article is uncalled for in this economy & we keep hearing things are going to get worse before they get better, now with that I don’t care about 11 carat earrings today tomorrow or even in a better economy, do I ever care!!!! This article is just too frivilous for any economy…maybe it should be printed in the Orange Coast Magazine.
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Eliz… for a person who doesn’t care much about the blog item you certainly keep coming back for more. I think it’s great. Keep it up.. it just gives the blog site more dialogue and web traffic, likely ensuring its longevity.
December 2nd, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Cindy why are you concerned about what I do?
December 17th, 2008 at 9:08 am
I remember a year or two ago writing a piece on how to spend $40,000-a-day in Newport or Costa Mesa (a little play on Rachael Ray’s $40-a-day). As a journalist, I couldn’t afford any of that stuff, but it was fun to write, fun to read for most, because it was escapism. Nobody should really take this post so seriously. And you never know, maybe one really rich person is going to buy these earrings because of what you said Candice!