Upon walking through the thick steel doors, an extravagant chandelier made from 600 pieces of handmade Bohemian crystal welcomes you to resonate African skies, and lit up the sleek and chic interior with rotating vitrines, made out of glass, marble and steel.

The state of the art vault in the basement is made with 12 tonnes of reinforced concrete and is protected by motion sensors, CCTV cameras and infra-red beams. The basement vault holds on to the most exceptional and rare diamonds and jewels in the boutique, including a 65ct emerald-cut diamond, Vivo Per Lei, worth over £20 million. The VIP suite opens up to the decked into a drink and cigar terrace overlooking the Bombardieri rhino.

From conflicted war zones in Beirut to New York, Africa and now London, Samer Halimeh is the man behind some of the most exceptional diamonds, red carpet iconic jewels as well as jewels for royal families.

From diamond manufacturing to design and creating each piece, the complete cycle is done under supervision of New York headquarters. With two other boutiques in Kuala Lumpur and Riyadh, the Knightsbridge flagship boutique enables the brand to showcase the complete collection in one of the most prominent cities in the world for high end and luxury shopping.

By working with artisan, independent and local miners, Samer makes sure that all the diamonds are ethically sourced and processed through Kimberly process. This is the perfect example for the notion of mine to market. Samer documented his travels to the bush which can take days, where he meet with artisan miners and source the most incredible rough diamonds in a short documentary named; Samer Halimeh NY: The Source .

By supporting local miners, he also gives back to the community and helping to restore the environment by charitable initiatives and being part of Save the Rhino cause.

Follow our instagram accounts for more spectacular jewels from Samer Halimeh NY:

Instagram.com/ChampagneGem

Instagram.com/TheDiamondsGirl

Fun Facts about Hong Kong:

• Hong Kong means “fragrant harbor” in Chinese, and Kowloon mean “nine dragons”
• It is ranked fourth in a global billionaires list and has 64 residents with personal fortunes of over US$1 Billion
• There are 263 islands in Hong Kong
• Dim Sum originated here and means “touch the heart”
• the glittering skyline has over 8,000 skyscrapers
• it is home to jewelers extraordinaire….. FORMS JEWELERY

As much as we love the skyline, the islands, and dim sum, nothing compares with a visit to master jewelers Forms Jewellery . The founders, Tzvika Janover and Elad Assor, are no strangers to exceptional stones, coming from multi-generational families of diamond cutters. Recently, Gilly Strauss joined the executive team as CEO, bringing over 18 years of experience in luxury brand building and value creation to the Forms Family. No strangers to the FORMS brand, we excitedly planned to spend time in the FORMS Hong Kong workshop, eager to learn more about this extraordinary jeweler.

Before we share our experiences with you, lets backtrack a moment to understand why we are so passionate about this brand. Bear in mind that we spend all day every day viewing exceptional jewelry. Yet nothing ever prepares us for the thrill of seeing a new FORMS creation. Each piece is one of a kind, hand crafted, and includes diamonds and gemstones rarely seen elsewhere. Over and above this…it’s all about the design! A FORMS piece can be held from any angle, and the beauty will still captivate you. The details are astounding, and the brand strives to “seek perfection in every imaginable detail of every piece, calling them works of patience”.

The artisans in the workshop patiently handcraft the creations, turning exceptional designs into flawless pieces of jewelry. The design and production artisans work seamlessly together painstakingly handcrafting each step of the process. The resulting pieces are perfect for the FORMS woman, who is as individual, unique, and stylish as the FORMS jewelry she wears. Through the years the design team have evolved the FORMS signature, but the commitment to selecting unusual gemstones and working with precision cut diamonds (diamonds that are custom cut for a specific piece) remains constant.

With only 100 new pieces created each year, FORMS strive to make sure every design counts. The new FORMS collection is based on the ELEMENTS and subtly conveys images of fire, ice,earth and water.  First we saw the earrings, which are detailed, light, flexible, and elegant.

“DIAMOND CHANDELIERS” BY FORMS, REPRESENTING FIRE AND ICE: The earrings have a sense of weightlessness and light, and are exceptionally flexible, gently swaying with every movement! The design team worked hard to make sure they used the least amount of gold possible – when it comes to earrings, a few grams can make all the difference. The earrings are designed to be both statement pieces and exceedingly wearable. Wear them every day with ease…or on the red carpet with confidence!

In addition to the earrings, we saw several new rings that are part of the new collection. We saw designs that have been influenced by both floral (earth) and fire (flame) elements. The new rings all have clean continuous lines, a look only achievable by hand carving each piece until it is exactly right.

You can therefore imagine my excitement when an invitation arrived inviting me to the premier of the short film, Made By Hand, Shaped By History, a movie that takes us behind the scenes and opens our eyes to the true meaning of “made by hand”.

Despite all I had read about Harry Kotlar, nothing could prepare me for the film. Understanding how each piece is handmade, from design to finish, opened my eyes to the incredible artisan craftsmanship that lies behind every Harry Kotlar piece. The finest artisans, Italian artisans for whom the art of jewelry craftsmanship runs in their veins, are an integral part of the Harry Kotlar team. The artisans, the best at their craft, carefully and painstakingly complete every part of the process – by hand.

The film can be viewed here “Made By Hand, Shaped By History”  . Press the link and enjoy!

Harry Kotlar, a Polish immigrant who began his legacy by selling loose stones in Los Angeles, has a presence that is felt in every frame of the movie. His legacy is clearly alive and well, and thriving under the direction of his grandson, a third generation Kotlar jeweler, David Weiner.  “I think the world has become too mechanized,” says Czarah Cabrera, brand director for Harry Kotlar and the films creative director. “People have forgotten to stop, breathe and take in life’s essential experiences. This film reveals the four pillars that our founder instilled in us, namely love, passion, tenacity, and hard work.”

Chatting to the films Cinematographer, Austrian Tobias Deml,  it was particularly interesting for me to discover that one of his greatest challenges in making the film was getting the light right. As he explained, it had to be sufficiently well lit to show case the diamond correctly but no so bright that you could see every detail of the hand holding the stone, a challenge I can really relate to!

The evening was one of the most memorable and enjoyable I have had in a long time, it even included a surprise proposal! Kotlar had arranged for one of their designers to be at the event, and he was available to hand sketch designs upon request.  After having a ring sketched for them, Skyler Wilson, dropped to one knee and proposed to girlfriend, Alex Smith. Skyler showed me the signed sketch by Kotlar’s master designer, and told me they would be framing it and keeping it for life!

So far so good, but I can’t post this article without mentioning the incredible Kotlar pieces that were on display. Several historic pieces were beautifully displayed, along with the background to the piece (who wore it, where and when it was worn) as well as new pieces that are available for purchase. It’s impossible not to stare at these incredible creations, but if I had to pick one, it would have to be a ring with a Kotlar Cushion. This patented cut has a unique 61 facet arrangement, and is cut to maximize the stones fire and brilliance, earning it the title “the most brilliant cushion-cut diamond.”

Recently Jean was approached to commission a one of a kind ring, carrying a one of a kind diamond. All diamonds are unique but some display characteristics that set them apart from the rest. For this special piece, Jean had a clear vision of what he wanted to create, therefore he knew what type of diamond would be required to capture the essence of his vision.

The perfect diamond was discovered in the Karowe mine, located in Orapa region of Botswana which in recent years has unearthed several historical rough diamonds. The rough was a single stone weighting over 192ct and was unearthed through a kimberlite deposit.

After examining the stone and planning for a month, the stone was put into manufacturing by Antwerp-based diamond manufacturer. It took the cutter 76 hours to execute the planning, and to turn this rare gift of nature into seven polished diamonds.

The diamond selected for The Margaret (Named After Her) is a spectacular 5.03ct Oval Shaped D Flawless, Type IIA diamond.

Working closely with their gouache artist in Paris, the idea of Margaret came to life; the ring was envisioned as a two-tone metal (a signature Jean Dousset design), 18k rose gold for the eternity diamond set band, and platinum for the stems and delicate gallery set with diamonds. Margaret is personalized with a hidden Signature Stone®, a Jean Dousset feature involving a precious gemstone or diamond inside the band. As is befitting of the oval center stone, the Signature Stone® too is unique – an oval shaped natural Fancy Intense Pink Argyle® diamond.

You can learn more about Jean Dousset and his vision in creating one of a kind diamond jewelry by visiting:

www.jeandousset.com

Instagram.com/JeanDousset

With an open courtyard housing several of the worlds best luxury brand watches, including Hublot, Vacheron, IWC, Ulysse Nardin, Jaeger-Le-Coultre, A. Lange & Sohne, Rolex and more, this diamonds girl decided to check out the jewelry houses!

First stop was the king of diamonds, Harry Winston. This beautiful double story boutique has everything your heart could ever desire, from haute joaillerie to engagement rings. My top pick? This perfect necklace, with two lines of round diamonds twisting together and ending in perfect pear shape diamonds. Elegant and chic, it has more than enough ice to keep you cool on a hot Miami day!

Next up….Cartier. The boutique has several jaw dropping one of a kind pieces from their high jewelry range that will have you gasping in delight, and it also houses all their collections (amulette, cactus, panthere, just en clou, trinity, and ecrou), so this is where you can add to your stack of love bracelets!  I chose to play with the cactus collection, and of course, I can never, ever resist a piece of panthere! This particular Panthere Cuff, with its emerald eyes, and sapphire and diamond body was without doubt one of the most beautiful I have ever seen!

From Cartier I crossed the road to Van Cleef & Arpels, where the charming team was waiting to warmly welcome me with several delights! I have always been a huge fan of the iconic VCA zipper necklaces, so having the opportunity to play with one was a dream come true. Yes, the zippers actually work, and you can wear the necklace with the zip as open or as closed as you wish. Some fun facts: every zipper necklace is unique, no two are the same! And did you know the necklaces can also be converted into a bracelet? What a bonus! And how could I resist the delight of stacking a handful of VCA rings? And trying on an all diamonds Fairy Watch? Never!

By this stage, Bulgari was calling my name….Playing Diva has never been more fun than with Bulgari’s Diva Collection! I stacked up on bracelets and rings, although the store has an incredible range that includes earrings and necklaces too. The all diamond Diva items were of course a firm favorite of mine, but truth be told, each piece is stunningly beautiful.

Other places to visit include Jason Of Beverly Hills, whose edgy fine jewelry has been a hit in Miami. From diamond covered angel wings to diamond covered bullets, and with champagne always on tap, this super cool boutique is a welcome addition to the Miami jewelry scene. On the upper level sits two boutiques which are well worth a visit – Yvel and Sevan Bicikci. Yvel specializes in combining pearls with other precious stones, for example, diamonds and sapphires. The resulting creations are modern and fresh – no dowdy pearls here! Sevan Bicikci is a Turkish design who I first met at a jewelry show in Las Vegas many years ago. I was delighted to  discover his plans to open in Miami, as there is absolutely nothing like his jewelry to be found anywhere here! Each piece is a miniature work of art that has to be seen to be believed, oftentimes paying homage to his native Turkey with bejeweled images from the city housed under glass domes. Like I said – it as to be seen to be believed! That ends my Miami Design District tour – I hope I have sufficiently wet your appetite so that you pay this beautiful area a visit when next in Miami. If you do so….I recommend lunch at Michaels Genuine Food, a longtime favorite of mine! Enjoy!