OrnaMental: NY dealership commissions $200k diamond Rolls-Royce hood ornament
As far as hood ornaments go, it's hard to top the Rolls-Royce "Spirit of Ecstasy". The flying lady is so highly valued, that on the latest models, the ornament can electrically retract into the top of the grille. But you know how it is; for some, enough is never enough. Count among them Manhattan Motorcars, as the New York dealership commissioned this $200,000 diamond-encrusted ornament.
To create it, jewelry designer Jean Kemanjian used 150 karats worth of VVS1-quality, D-color diamonds and a handful of yellow diamonds for the wings, all laid down in pavé style over platinum for a smooth surface. Although the designer says it's not for sale or reproduction, somehow we doubt that the financially-enabled would have trouble getting one made. Until then, the Manhattan Motorcars has the only one in existence, and put it on display at its booth at the New York Auto Show.
[Source: Epoch Times via Luxist]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Spiel 7:40AM (4/07/2008)
Money wasted as always!
As far coolest hood ornament, my vote would definitely be the Jaguar leaping cat.
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carol Powers 7:10PM (4/15/2008)
TOo Right!
My passion burns for a Jaguar, ever since I can remember. It seems as though I can feel the air change when a Jag is near me. My husband gets angry because I am usually right.
My son, is in his 30's, always complains how hard ii is to buy a gift for me. He went on EBay and requested if anyone had the Jag Panther. He sealed the deal at a low cost.
It sits in my living room, no gift will ever please me more,
Thank You,
Carol Sheppard Powers
skiwithme 8:14AM (4/07/2008)
started looking for hood ornaments on the web and found this:
http://www.motor-klick.de/Kuehler/kuehler1.html
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cowboy bob 8:15AM (4/07/2008)
It is always best to start the Monday $12.00/hr. morning work week with something like this. It gives the average person real incentive to "get OUT there". Thanks.....I needed that.
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Justin 2:15PM (4/07/2008)
sorta punctuates that economic disparity eh?
Nice comment cowboy, made my day.
Hank 8:42AM (4/07/2008)
You know, I just attended the NY Auto Show. I remember looking at the RR stand, and I just looked at my pictures of the three they had on display. You can't even tell one is different from the others. You'd think they're be some sparkle if the diamonds were any good. They look duller than if it'd been Bedazzled in your photo, too.
Talk about a waste.
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FSM 8:51AM (4/07/2008)
Anyone who mounts this on their car deserves to get it stolen. As if RR wasn't enough of a statement in excess now we have this.
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Seminole 9:25AM (4/07/2008)
Which is why the hood ornament on a Phantom retracts into the hood when you park the car.
FSM 9:31AM (4/07/2008)
That won't stop an industrious thief when they realize there is $200k sitting underneath the hood.
nathaniel 9:07AM (4/07/2008)
Nigo, the man who started the Bathing Ape company already has one. He commissioned Jacob to create it a while ago, along with this is whole car is wrapped in Bathing Ape Camo vinyl.
http://www.centralcali.com/misc/bape/nigoornament.jpg
http://static.autoblog.nl/images/rolls_royce_camouflage_phantom_nigo.jpg
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MachinaDC5 10:27AM (4/07/2008)
It's pretty safe to say I officially hate the world.
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mk 10:58AM (4/07/2008)
Such envy for something so inconsequential...
yes it is grossly conspicuous consumption... but that has existed since humans discovered the concept of wealth.
But that reflects on the person/people commissioning this sort of thing.
also, it is likely not to lose a bunch of value, like the car itself. Diamonds and platinum are commodity investments, just shaped into the "Spirit of Ecstasy". It isn't a whole lot different than hedging with gold, except the price per ounce or karat. In the day of the falling dollar, this could be a hard and real hedge for wealth.
But ultimately, if people here express hatred or envy, all it means is that the people expressing that have poisoned mentalities or "hearts". That sort of hatred and envy masquerading as class-warfare is just that, poison.
If this person has that kind of wealth, it is a fully legal thing to do with it, and not all that illogical. If the wealth is ill-gotten, that is a matter of law enforcement. If the wealth is legitimate, it should be a sign of hope that the free-est country in the history of the world still gives people the opportunity to be as successful as they possibly can be.
You can think it is worthless, or inappropriate if you want. But hatred or envy doesn't serve you well at all, and it doesn't make a whit's difference to the person or people who commissioned this.
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John 11:04AM (4/07/2008)
The same guy who spends 200K on a hood ornament probably wouldn't even give 5 bucks to a homeless guy on the street. This is an extreme case of self indulgence.
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Paul P. 3:58PM (4/07/2008)
Most affluent people I know give a lot of money away to various charitable organizations. For them, giving away a few hundred thousand here and there is a tax write off.
CarbonBlack 12:51PM (4/07/2008)
Reminds me of the million dollar diamond rims that come with a "FREE BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT".
http://www.forbesautos.com/news/autoshows/sema/fadc110405-thursnote.html
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Stefan 3:04PM (4/13/2008)
Nathaniel Said: Nigo, the man who started the Bathing Ape company already has one. He commissioned Jacob to create it a while ago,
.
.
The Bathing Ape one looks much nicer too! This article is just another example of the press in such a hurry to get a story out, getting the facts all wrong.. Again!!
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Al Schrader 4:24PM (4/13/2008)
I'm the number two jeweler on earth,
Palerma Picasso is number one.
That hood ornament is very nice but is an economy piece.
I can do one much nicer in emeralds
and white gold valued in the millions, if desired.
Alfred
alfredschrader@aol.com
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Constantine 5:14PM (4/13/2008)
Very cool !!!!!!!!!!!
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Ken Iman 5:22PM (4/13/2008)
Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they do. Every day children die for lack of food or medicine. And someone comes up with something obscene as this.
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David Rosenberg 11:49AM (4/14/2008)
I thought I read that Hood Ornaments will not be on any cars. They have been deemed unsafe if you should hit somebody. If you notice on any new car that had a ?Hood Ornament, is no longer there.
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