The Rolex GMT Master II is over 50 years old, so to celebrate the occasion, Rolex recently launched the anniversary edition of the timepiece. Their watchmakers have significantly improved the older version of the GMT and redesigned the watch.

The Rolex GMT Master II is highly prized by Rolex aficionados as one of their most loved timepieces. This watch wins numerous hearts due to its elegant design and durability, not to mention a perfect timekeeping device for frequent travelers. It displays the time in its owner’s home time zone as well as a second time zone. There is also a date window for the home time zone. With the GMT Master II it is really simple to change time for different time zones and switch the date. What major improvements are featured by the new Rolex GMT Master II? First of all, Rolex watchmakers updated the movement. The timepiece is powered by the new caliber 3186. If compared to caliber 3185, it makes the hour hand move much smoother. It has also become possible to set the hour hand more precisely. The case of the timepiece has been made a little taller to provide enough space for the new movement. The dial design of the Rolex watch has also been changed - now it features the so-called ‘maxi-dial’, implying larger hour markers and wider minute and hour hands. The 24-hour hand of the stainless steel GMT Master II is distinctively green. The case of the timepiece is equipped with a ceramic bezel. Ceramic makes the bezel more durable and resistant to abrasions and color-fading. The inner part of the bezel reveals the word ‘ROLEX’ engravings all around its length. For the GMT Master II, Rolex watchmakers applied the Triplock crown system that has already been used for other Rolex watches, including the Sea-Dweller, Submariner and Yacht-Master. The watch’s crown is larger and heavier which means it is more comfortable to grasp. As for the timepiece’s Oyster bracelet, it catches the eye due to nicely polished links in the center. All in all it is simply a great looking and extremely well made watch.

More than 500,000 Chinese-made children’s jewelry has been recalled due to the large amounts of lead found to be contaminating the jewelry.  A number of retailers have pulled their supply of the contaminated jewelry after agreements were reached to stop the sale of these lead-tainted products.  The recall involved more than 507,900 pieces of children’s jewelry in a variety of different stores. 

The investigation is part of an enforcement action carried out by federal regulation authorities in cooperation with New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.  Cuomo’s office notified the Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission about the possible lead-tainted jewelry.   Products that contain more than .06 percent lead are usually subject to recall.   Some pieces involved in the recall had over 1,000 times this amount.  Much of the jewelry was made in China, while some came from India and Thailand.  However, it is still unclear where the jewelry was manufactured.  Several companies involved in the recall are being forced to pay monetary fines.

Parents are being warned to shop cautiously this holiday season, especially when shopping for children’s jewelry.  In 2006, a young boy died of lead poisoning after swallowing a metal pendant from a charm bracelet.  This also resulted in a wide recall of metal jewelry products. 

Chocolate pearls are the new black. Created by bleaching top quality Tahitian pearls using a proprietary process, chocolate pearls are quickly becoming the newest must have item. Having a beautiful chocolate color, they make a statement when mixed with rose and yellow gold.

Not all chocolate pearls are created equally though. As the chocolate pearl craze descends in to the QVC and Wal-Mart categories lower cost, and quality, pearls are being created for the growing market. Rather than using the fine Tahitian South Sea pearls, many manufacturers are using the more common mass produced Chinese freshwater pearls and using a silver nitrate dyeing process.

While this is causing some issues in the trade between the high end manufacturers and the volume sellers, it has been great for the consumer by providing multiple levels of quality and price allowing more people the ability to buy in at the level they feel comfortable with.

Your average 12 foot blue spruce Christmas tree not doing it for you this year? How about that white aluminum tree in your grandmother’s attic? No? Then maybe you want to try this tree on for size.

Takashimaya department store chain is selling a diamond encrusted tree for a symbolic $1.8 million to kick off its year-end sales campaign. The 16″ tall tree, actually a small tower of preserved roses with a teddy bear, has 400 diamonds totaling 100 carats and is based on a design by Parisian flower boutique Claude Quinquaud.

At least you won’t need to cover it in Christmas lights to make it sparkle.

Dia Vente Jewellry took its recent new product launch to new levels, the street level. Sending  out six specially designed mobile jewelry stores to the streets of Mumbai, India, Dia Vente hopes to reach a younger urban customer base for it’s silver, steel, brass, copper and rubber jewelry designs.

The brainchild of Hemant Shah, the vans have been specially designed by India’s leading car designer Dilip Chhabria. Shah said at the launch that Chhabria’s reaction to the concept of mobile jewelry outlets was “Out of the world”.

The jewelry itself features cubic zircons, colored crystals, enamel and epoxy accents and retails for Rs 100 to  Rs 4,000 ($2.50 to $100). No more need to find a parking space to go shopping, just a parking space for the store itself.

The Trillion Cut Diamond Company, which has been in business for over 75 years, has created a diamond that features the verses of the Ten Commandments. Trillion Diamond Company are the inventors and patent holders of the original trillion cut diamond (now called Trielle®).

The Ten Commandments Diamond® is a single diamond that is hand cut and polished to look like the authentic Ten Commandment tablets. The verses of the Commandments are carefully laser inscribed into the table facet. The brilliant faceting applied to the diamond allows the verses to resonate through the stone. The Ten Commandment Diamond® comes in three different versions: Catholic, Protestant and Jewish. The diamonds, which are being cut in Trillion Diamond Company, are the first to incorporate the text of the Ten Commandments. The text can be read using a standard jeweler’s loupe. The actual color and clarity of the diamond depends on the rough diamond from which it is cut. The diamonds range from 1 - 1.25 ct.

Gabi Tolkowsky, the worlds most renowned master diamond cutters, had a chance to view the stone. Gabi states, “When I saw this incredible creation for the first time, the Ten Commandments Diamond®, I felt the most profound emotional reaction. The image of the stone, this creation, is still carved behind my eyes, in my

Trillion Diamond has also created a Ten Commandment Blue Sapphire. The center stone of this piece is an impressive 3.67 ct. blue sapphire fashioned into the shape of the Ten Commandment tablets. The sapphire tablet is positioned in front of a burning bush which is made up of Tsavorites, orange and burnt orange sapphires, yellow sapphires and colorless diamonds representing the spirit of God. The parting waves of the Red Sea, which are made from blue sapphires, make up the front of the tablets. In the middle of the parting waves is the golden path to freedom, done in golden yellow sapphires. The broach is made with 18k white and green gold.

Think your pooch has everything? Don’t be so sure.

Innobitz (www.innobitz.com) launched its pet portable mp3 player ‘JooZoo’ in the Korean market, which is designed for pet’s relaxation and safe play stimulation. Adorned with 18k gold and diamond, it features a heart-shaped necklace.

According to the Innobitz, the play system enhances your pet’s physical health and relieves stress through automatic content responding to various pet behaviors. For example, when you leave your pet at home alone or while your pet travels in a vehicle, the JooZoo encourages physical movement or increases blood flow rate by sound wave stimulation.

The luxurious accessory type of remote control and the charger with sound speaker function are also included. Suggested price is between $1,500 and $2,000.