Posts tagged "diamonds"

By now, most of us have heard about April Marie, Lucia, and Conchita, three very lucky chihuahuas who are living the good life in Miami, thanks to a $3 million trust fund from their late owner, Gail Posner. The heiress once divulged to the Miami Herald that Conchita had a $12,000 summer wardrobe budget and a diamond-encrusted doggie necklace (which she refused to wear). "Conchita is the only girl I know who doesn't consider diamonds her best friend," said Posner of her clearly spoiled furry best friend.

According to the American Pet Products Association, animal lovers in the U.S. will spend an estimated $47.7 billion this year on their four-legged companions, $11 billion of which will go toward pet supplies. But diamonds for dogs? As far fetched as it sounds, there are pets in this country, like Conchita and her crew, who are lapping up luxury regardless of how low the Dow drops. But the question remains, if you are a canine heiress, what do you spend your money on? Here are some of the options:

1. The Best Canine Crib
La Petite Maison co-founder and interior decorator, Michelle Pollak, specializes in creating -- with craftsman Alan Mowrer -- playhouses for pampered pets, like a French chateau complete with hardwood floors, a copper roof, and a faux-fur throw rug. Model Rachel Hunter is a fan. She owns a $30,000 Mexican doggie hacienda that's a mini replica of her own home.

Talk about a diamond in the ruff!

A hungry golden retriever made headlines when he swallowed a three-carat diamond worth $20,000, reports WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C.

The expensive meal was eaten at Robert Bernard Jewelry Store in Rockville, Md., where Sollie goes to work everyday with his owner, George Kaufmann, who co-owns the store with his business partner, Robert Rosin. When a visiting diamond dealer was showing the men some loose diamonds, one of the glittering gemstones dropped to the ground, according to WTTG-TV.

What occurred next was stunning. "Saw Sollie go for the diamond -- gobbled it up," Rosin told WJLA. "Tried to get it, couldn't get it -- gone!"

"Stones have dropped before and [Sollie] doesn't pay attention," Kaufmann, the dog's owner, told WTTG. But this particular diamond fell and landed right in front of his mouth.

The men quickly called the veterinarian, who had some sage advice: Let nature takes its course.

Kaufmann walked Sollie morning and night, collecting the dog's stool for inspection. On the third day, the diamond surfaced. "It was 7 a.m. and they had just come back from their morning walk," Rosin tells Paw Nation. "George was going through everything on his deck and, eureka, there it was!"

Sollie still goes to the jewelry store every day, but now Kaufmann and Rosin make sure to have lots of doggie treats on hand. "It wasn't so funny then, but I guess it's funny now," laughs Rosin.

It seems so logical. Dog is man's best friend, diamonds are a girl's best friend, so combine the two and you have DNA2Diamonds.

DNA2Diamonds is a service that extracts "the unique DNA carbon from a lock of hair (or cremated ashes)" to build a personalized diamond that's said to be identical to a traditional earth-mined stone. Hey, in these days of recycling it makes sense to bring your beloved pet to life within a precious stone, albeit it's a bit creepy like owners who stuff their deceased pets.

To be fair, DNA2Diamonds mostly caters to couples who want to create diamonds out of their partner's living locks.

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