Articles and News
BRAND NEWS: VOTING OPENS FOR LKI WINNER, DAMIEN HIRST’S WATCH PAINTING, FRIDA PINTO IN CHOPARD October 26, 2011 (0 comments)
LKI Nationwide Engagement Contest Down to the Wire
New York, NY--Lazare Kaplan International Inc. (LKI) Tuesday announced the three finalists from its pre-holiday contest. The contestants’ fates are now in the hands of their friends, family, and the general public, who must vote for them to win the grand prize of an “ideal” cut, laser-inscribed Lazare Diamond Carlotta ring.
A panel of judges selected three finalists—based on their unique engagement stories—following a month of submissions from around the United States. Through November 6, the public is invited to vote to determine which lucky couple will win the ring. When the voting ends, the finalists must head to their local participating Lazare Diamond retailers (Bachendorf’s in Plano, TX, Roberson’s Fine Jewelry in Little Rock, AR, and Long Jewelers in Virginia Beach, VA), where one will receive the grand prize.
These are the three finalists’ stories:
John Sarver (Texas): “It would be this November. Jessica and I regularly go on walks in the evenings in a neighborhood near campus and near our houses. We would walk as we normally did, until we came across a cute perfect first home. Unknown to her, I’ve bought it for her. We would walk inside the house, which would be lit by white Christmas lights and candles. Each room would be decorated to represent different stages and a timeline of our relationship, furnished with pictures and memorabilia I’ve saved (tickets, notes, etc.). In the last room of the house, I would explain the progression of our relationship and say that I’m ready to marry her and where I want to take us in life, and ask her to marry me. Lastly, we’d walk to the back yard where her family would be and our closest friends ready to celebrate the engagement. Winning the Lazare Diamond would free me up to buy the house for her.”
Tiffany Dover (Arkansas): “My husband gave me the ideal proposal and I couldn’t have asked for more! My husband is in the army and we were engaged before his tour in Iraq started. During his first month in Iraq, I received two boxes from him in the same day. One box said to open it first, so I did. It had a DVD in it, so I put it in the DVD player, and there was my husband telling me all kinds of lovely things and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. The other box contained a ring. Of course I said yes. That was most definitely the most romantic proposal ever!”
Allison Maliniak (Virginia): “My boyfriend and I are high school sweethearts. We have been together for five years now. We met in high school German class. One of the many discussions we had while first dating was how I have never been in/on a plane. My life has been stuck on the East coast peninsula of Virginia. My boyfriend had the amazing opportunity to travel to Germany and Switzerland in high school. I was so sad that my family could not afford the trip. He promised that one day he would take me there. Well, that dream is coming true. In a few short months we are headed to Germany, Switzerland and Austria. My dream/ideal proposal would be in the beautiful Lucerne, Switzerland looking at the mountains after a morning run through the city. Hopefully this dream proposal will come true with my handsome “future” husband.”
Marcee Feinberg, LKI vice president, says it was a pleasure reading all the entries. “Each of the three finalists the judges chose are deserving of The Carlotta Ring and we look forward to seeing who the public picks!” she said.
To vote for your favorite couple and for the complete official rules and requirements, visit http://contest.lazarediamonds.com.
Famous Artist Paints With Panerai Watches
Milan, Italy—Damien Hirst, the renowned English painter who is a leader in the contemporary art world, has dipped his brush into a new medium: watch parts. According to this article from the Luxury Society, Hirst assembled two paintings from parts of Officine Panerai watches. The two, titled “Beautiful Sunflower” and “Beautiful Fractional Sunflower” will be on display at the Triennale di Milano for the “O O’Clock, Time design, design Time” exhibit. The artist, a self-professed Panerai fan and collector, created the paintings first by dripping paint, then spinning the canvas, and finally applying the watch parts.
Left, a close-up of a portion of the Damien Hirst painting (completed, top of page and inset) that incorporates parts of Panerai watches among dripped and spun paint.
Separately, in other luxury watch brand news, Swiss manufacturer Vacheron Constantin plans to almost double its workforce and output by 2020, from 700 to 1,300 employees and from its current 17,000-18,000 watches annually to 30,000. The investment is being made in response to the healthy growth of the luxury Swiss watch industry.
Celebrity Spotting: Frida Pinto in Chopard
Actress Frida Pinto, left, was seen wearing a huge Chopard platinum and diamond bracelet at the London premiere of Trishna.
