The New Storage Wars & Hoarders Show, or...Huguette Clark's Safety Deposit Box Is Opened

Score another one for Christie's.  Still recovering from their record setting auction of Elizabeth Taylor's personal jewel collection, on April 17th, Christie's will handle the disposition of the rare and outstanding gems and jewelry recently found when late copper mining heiress, Huguette Clark's, safety deposit box was opened.  Sealed for more than seven decades, head of jewelry for Christie's, Rahul Kadakia, said it was like "chasing a rainbow" when he finally saw the gems.  I agree with Mr. Kadakia,who further said, "Opening the vault to find this treasure trove of period jewels from the best French houses of the early 1900's has certainly been one of the most extraordinary moments in my 15 year career here at Christie's."  However I keep thinking this was some kind of A&E's Storage Wars for the rich.

Every piece was still in it's original, vintage box and includes this Cartier 19.86 carat, D, potentially internally flawless, diamond ring from the 1930's, with an estimated value of $2 to $3 million dollars...which seems low to me. 

And then there was the extremely rare Belle Epoque, 9 carat, fancy, vivid purple-pink, diamond by Dreicer & Co., circa 1910, valued at $6 to $8 million dollars, which she inherited from her mother.

Among the 17 items found were two unbelievable Cartier bracelets.  This one is an art deco diamond and emerald piece valued at $50,000 to $70,000.

And the other is this all diamond bracelet which has been estimated at $300,000 to $500,000. Seen wearing them in the photo above, this was one of the last known images of Clark, which was taken after she signed her divorce papers and right before she went into seclusion. 

Not to mention the real estate.  Clark left three New York apartments which overlook Central Park and are believed to be the biggest in the city.  Two occupy the entire 8th floor of a Fifth Avenue address.  The third unit takes up one half of the 12th floor at the same address and was used to store her doll collection.  Cue the tinkly, creepy "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" music.  The real estate is estimated to fetch in the neighborhood of $55 million dollars.

Of course there are two wills, and the contesting will go on for years. Huguette had no children and reportedly left the bulk of her $400 million fortune to her nurse.  This person should look both ways before she crosses those busy New York streets.

Three New Celebrity Engagement Rings

There are more pictures of Jessica Biel without her new ring than there are with.  Why the mystery?  In case Justin Timberlake cheats on her again, she can say they were never really engaged.  Although specifics are hard to find, the ring appears to have a large square stone with vintage elements.

I'm really surprised that people aren't talking about what looks a baby bump. 

Next is Drew Barrymore.  She recently became engaged to "art consultant", Will Koppleman.  He presented her with a four carat radiant cut diamond from Graff reportedly valued at $80,000.  Like a good Jewish boy - he gave good diamond.  Barrymore said, "He's just got lovely taste, and it's really fancy.  I'm sort of like funky, eclectic girl, so I feel like this is very fancy and I'm trying to like, you know, feel comfortable with it." 

I could, like you know, get comfortable with a ring like that.  Like, you know.

And last but not least, there is Snooki.  Presented with a true jersey girl ring, it's a custom made three carat princess cut diamond sitting on top of a two carat eternity band.  Of course it is.  I'd reserve the eternity band part as my wedding ring and have a plain mounting for the princess cut stone.  Wait until those diamonds start popping out when she hits it against beer cans.

Pregnancy rumors swirled around Drew and Snooki with only Snooki confirming she is expecting.  I bet their girlgyna-cologists will have front row seats at the weddings.

This looks like an x-ray of something retrieved from a stomach, but it's really a close up of Snooki's ring.