William Harold Jewelers Fine Jewelry in Newport Beach since 1969

Rare Watch Tributes Local Rock Star, Mike Ness of Social Distortion

May 4th, 2012

Mike Ness’ personality exudes a bygone era of fast cars, old-school toughness and pure rock and roll. His band and music have drawn a following of loyal fans worldwide. As a watch collector himself, Ness and Social D. were canonized in a limited release timepiece by Swiss watchmaker, Corum a few years back. We have the fortunate pleasure of showcasing this watch in our store…

The watch dial features a modified version of the band mascot, “Skelly,” backed by green and black spades. Its 44mm case is cast in matte-finished stainless steel with a sapphire crystal. Flip the watch over and a skeletonized back exhibits a complicated, 21 jewel automatic winding movement. The balance staff is laser engraved with the same spade banner, beneath a glass encased back surrounded by Corum hallmarks. “No 569 of 888,” and “LIMITED EDITION,” boast of the piece and its rarity. On the wrist, its heft and bright tones make a bold statement.

For the true fan of Social D., we’re pleased to note that the watch comes with an autographed document from Ness, as well as one of the most unique boxes we’ve yet seen. (see photo)

If you’re in the area, stop by and check out this truly unique watch.

We’re stocked up on new and estate jewelry as well, with plenty of finds for every occasion.

Tags: celebrity, Corum, Rare Watch, watch
Posted in News, Watches | No Comments »

Elizabeth Taylor’s Fine Jewelry Collection to be Auctioned by Christie’s

April 28th, 2011

Elizabeth Taylor once said prophetically, “My jewels will one day be scattered around the four corners of the world.” It appears she was right. The collection is slated to be sold at a series of hush-hush auctions by famed luxury broker Christie’s. The auction house released the news earlier this month but has yet to reveal further details.

It has been reported by close friends that the collection was stored “in rooms” at her Bel Air home and that she knew where every single piece was stashed. In a recent feature, “Good Morning America” noted the collection to be valued around $150 million. In one of her last broadcast appearances, Taylor told Barbara Walters in a 2002 interview that she sees jewels as an expression of “God’s workmanship,” and was fascinated by their perfection. “They’re all from the ground. We didn’t dye them. This red is from God,” she said of one of her many Rubies. Preview a video of her collection here

Dame Taylor’s storied relationship with jewelry is documented in her book, “My Love Affair with Jewelry,” in which she catalogs some of her favorite pieces from bygone eras. Read excerpts and preview the book here.

Tags: Auction, Celebrity Jewelry, Christies, Elizabeth Taylor
Posted in Antique Jewelry, Jewelry, News | No Comments »

Loose Diamonds for Sale Updated 3/25/2011

March 25th, 2011

This is a list of loose diamonds we have recieved from the gem lab this past week. It is not an exhaustive list of all our diamonds we have for sale. If you’re looking for something in particular that is not on this list feel free to call or email and we’ll tell you if we have it!

1.57ct Princess Cut VS2 Clarity, Light Yellow Color

1.02ct Oval Cut VS2 Clarity, H Color

1.05ct Cushion Cut SI1 Clarity, G Color

.78ct Emerald Cut VS1 Clarity, I Color

2.05ct Radiant Cut SI2 Clarity, E Color

1.38ct Emerald Cut VS2 Clarity, G Color

2.01ct Marquise Cut SI2 Clarity, F Color

7.65ct Emerald Cut VS2 Clarity, K Color

4.00ct Round Brilliant Cut SI1 Clarity, G Color

2.06ct Princess Cut SI2 Clarity, I Color

1.02ct Cushion Cut SI2 Clarity, D Color

1.01ct Radiant Cut VS1 Clarity, H Color

Each diamond is accompanied by either a GIA Certificate or and EGL USA Certfificate.

Feel free to give us a call at 949-673-0365 or email at tj@williamharoldjewelers.com to inquire about pricing.

Tags: diamonds, GIA, loose diamonds, sale
Posted in Diamonds | No Comments »

Worlds Most Expensive Purse

February 25th, 2011

Not a surprising move by famed jewelry company Mouwad, they have created what has been dubbed the worlds most expensive purse. Coming off the heels of the famous Fantasy Bra that they created for Victoria’s Secret, this purse has been painstakingly created with over 1100 hours of labor involved and requiring 10 master goldsmiths to complete.

The Guiness Book of World Records has already given the confirmation that this purse does indeed hold the distinction of being the most expensive purse in the world. It’s currently being shown at the Mouwad flagship store in Dubai. For more information please visit Mouwad’s Website.

Press Release from Mouwad:

February 2011: Taking its inspiration from one of the world’s most epic tales of romance, intrigue and fantasy, Mouawad introduces the “The Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse”. With a value of USD3.8 million, this breathtaking creation from the globally renowned House of Mouawad takes its place in the Guinness World Record as the most valuable handbag in the world.

“Just as the tales of Scheherazade have captivated readers with their intricately woven plots of uninhibited passion and daring, so theMouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse is designed to mesmerize with its lavish attention to detail and elaborate workmanship incorporating thousands of diamonds,” said Pascal Mouawad, co-guardian of the House of Mouawad.

The heart-shaped purse, handcrafted from 18kt gold, incorporates 4,517 diamonds (105 yellow, 56 pink and 4,356 colorless) with a total weight of 381.92 carats. “To create this bejeweled masterpiece required the skills of 10 craftsmen working continuously over a period of four months and for a total of 1,100 hours” said Fred Mouawad, co-guardian of the House of Mouawad.

The exceptional level of craftsmanship exemplified by the Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse has been a hallmark of the Mouawad name since the company was founded in 1890. From those early days Mouawad rose to global prominence through its passion for precious gems and mastery in the art of creating some of the world’s most breathtaking jewelry. “The 1001 Nights Mouawad Diamond Purse” is the second record-breaking creation from the House of Mouawad.

Tags: custom, diamonds, dubai, jewelry, mouwad, news
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Is coral jewelry okay to wear?

February 16th, 2011

Here’s a great article I found about the reality of coral and the destructive practices that take place to harvest it for jewelry. These are living organisms that are endangered, yet there is still a market to purchase it allowing for the continuation of this brutal practice. Be sure to check out Too Precious to Wear and help them raise awareness about shutting down the industry.

Tags: coral, coral jewelry, environmental protection
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Christmas 2010 Annual 50% off Sale

November 18th, 2010

Tags: christmas, events, jewelry, sale
Posted in News, Sale | No Comments »

Lakers 2010 Championship Ring

November 10th, 2010

I’d like to take this moment to proudly proclaim a previously unreleased fact about William Harold Jewelers.

We here swear our NBA allegiance to the one and only Los Angeles Lakers. We bleed purple and gold.

And it’s never been a more exciting time to be a Lakers fan. As of writing this post (11/10/10) the Lakers have begun their season with an 8-0 winning streak, are poised for a three peat championship, and are playing better than I can ever remember. And although I’d love to write about the Lakers just for the sake that their greatness compels me, I have another reason to bring them up today.

The 2010 championship ring.

Here’s a video of the whole design and manufacture process from beginning to end.

Celebrity jeweler Jason of Beverly Hills has been tasked with the mighty feat of designing, and creating these masterpieces. Each ring features two trophies to represent the past two championships, and incorporates into each and every ring a leather piece of the actual game 7 winning ball. A custom batch of 16ct gold was made to cast the rings in to represent the 16 historic Lakers championships along with 16 diamonds. The jeweler also used the latest technology to render a 3D sculpture of each players face onto the ring.

Making recent headlines, one of the most interesting and dynamic Lakers both on and off the court Ron Artest has pledged to donate his ring for a charity raffle to support his program Xcel University that works to encourage children and teens living in high-poverty and high-risk environments to complete their education and get good grades while encouraging students to become community leaders by volunteering their time and giving back to their communities.

Here’s to another great Lakers season!

Tags: basketball, custom, jewelry, lakers
Posted in Custom Design, Inspiration, News | No Comments »