Bathroom Bling Breaks Price Records

Care to powder your nose with pure platinum? Or visit 'the throne' in real 24 karat gold? Now the precious metals that are fixtures in our jewelry boxes are literal fixtures in our, ahem, little girls rooms.

Luxist reports some of the most expensive bathroom tiles on the market today can be yours for a mere $615 per 2' x 2' square. The pieces are a reproduction of Gustav Klimt's famous work "The Kiss" and use pure 24 kt gold and platinum as well as colored ceramic to bring the romantic piece to a bathroom near you. Pure gold and platinum tile fittings are also available for borders and space fillers.

Imagine what they could do with 'The Scream".

The craftsmanship involved in creating the tiles involved a three-year planning process that culminated with 17 separate firings in the kiln according to Luxist. The limited edition pieces are available through British tile experts, Original Style.

Would you put precious metals in the 'WC" if you could afford it? Or is the bling best left to rooms with more, um, aspirational undertones?

Diamond Jewelry Gift TIps - Mother's Day, Birthdays and More

Diamonds are doubling down this month as the must-have jewelry purchase for gift givers. Why, you ask? Because lucky ladies born in April have diamonds as a birthstone (no one said life was fair, jewelry hounds), AND Mother's Day is just a month away on May 9th.

So if you're a mom who is tired of getting the same old 'one hour massage' gift certificate that sits in your 'everything drawer' and expires just when you need it most. Or you're an April birthday girl who is tired of people forgetting that they're just a diamond away from getting the perfect birthday gift - it's time to give those folks a nudge in the JewelClub direction.

I've touted this site many a time. It's a Friends and Family site of a jewelry manufacturer that offers steep discounts on all fine jewelry - in addition to the special deals they dole out on a select group of styles. This month, it's the diamond dozen you need to check out.

This fun, fashion piece is under $100.

These diamond studs are over $400 off suggested retail. And they're 1/3 carat. Not too shabby.

Just go to www.jewelclub.com, use the code: INSIDER and click on the Treasure Hunt feature at the top right of the homepage to see the 12 styles they are discounting all month. Or just take a stroll through the hundreds of diamond styles they have - from right hand rings to the big kahuna - diamond engagement rings and more.

It's luxury within reach. It's gift giving at its blingiest. It's time to get something in a little white box this year!

Chris Aire Jewelry Hits the Runway

Jewelry news makers we haven't heard much from lately are making big headlines this week.

First, The King of Bling - Jacob The Jeweler - is out of prison - working his way back from his reduced sentence at a Halfway-house. And Chris Aire, aka: The Ice Man, cometh to a runway in Beverly Hills to launch his new jewelry line, The Hollywood Collection.

A motley crue of Hollywood stars came out to support the bling-meister yesterday at the Beverly Hills Hotel, including Adrian Brody, Jermaine Jackson, a few of Diana Ross's offspring and the event's host, Cedric The Entertainer.

But the main event was the carat count on the catwalk as stunning bib necklaces, icy dog tags and bold statement earrings brought Aire's "Hollywood Collection" to life.

So what makes this line stand apart? All of the product is sourced from Aire's homeland, Nigeria.

"The purpose of my partnership with the Nigeria Ministry of Mines and Steel is to bring attention to the vast and largely untapped gold and gemstone resources in Nigeria, which I hope will stimulate investments and create jobs to provide additional revenue sources for the country," Aire said in a media release. "All of the materials in my collection were mined adhering to the highest standard of world labor laws."

The pieces are crafted in white, yellow and red gold and feature a rainbow of gemstone colors - from emeralds and sapphires to amethysts and tourmaline. Prices range from $500 to as high as $45,000.

While there are signs of Aire's blingy hip hop past (he is credited as the first to capitalize on the urban jewelry market), diamond dog tags are for the most part replaced by red carpet-ready statement necklaces and icy cuffs in this latest offering.

Does this mean the urban landscape of million-dollar grills, huge icy pendants and walnut-sized diamond studs has faded into jewelry history? Or will the bling be back as soon as Lil' Wayne gets out of the big house? Thoughts?