Paris Hilton’s Pink “Barbie” Bentley

Ostentatious, luxurious, and sometimes downright tawdry are just a few descriptions people have of diamond encrusted things that do not exactly pass for jewelry. While many are content with decorating their iPods, mobile phones, and other techie gadgets with shiny beads and decals, a handful of people choose real diamonds and expensive crystals to accessorize unexpected things such as…oh, just their car dashboards and toilets, to name a few.

The Crystal Bowl

In Japan, for instance, a Swarovski crystal-studded toilet made it to the news because it was worth well over a hundred thousand dollars and is deemed extravagant in a time of economic crisis. It is currently being showcased somewhere in the Ginza shopping district, a collaborative result of a Japanese company and an Austrian jewelry firm. The sparkling centerpiece has gotten mixed reviews from curious oglers; some find it fascinating, while others consider it difficult to take seriously, given the “earthy” purpose of toilets.

C’mon Barbie, Let’s Go Party

And then there is Paris Hilton. The celebrity, with her Barbie-pink Bentley, can’t seem to find satisfaction with the inherent status symbol that comes with her car. She simply must have a £200,000 diamond-encrusted dashboard to go with it! Never mind that the British plant has halted production on it because of the current recession…apparently, what Ms Hilton wants, Ms Hilton gets. The Bentley, a Christmas present for herself, already cost £140,000 but the hotel heiress wanted it to dazzle some more, hence the unusual request. A staff of Bentley in Crewe said, “We’re used to dealing with the stars so we expect the odd extravagance, but this is something else.”

(The irony is that Paris had her car windows coated with a special tint for privacy; and so paparazzi won’t be able to snap pictures of her Bentley’s interiors.)

Diamond’s are a Man’s Best Friend

Apparently, even so-called “manly” accessories aren’t spared with being decorated by these sparkly girl’s best friends. British football star Wayne Rooney designed a one of a kind motorbike that goes up to 155 mph. It was custom-made by Lauge Jensen, a Danish motorcycle maker, in collaboration with the English football player. Featuring a sleek, frills-free design, the only concession to sparkle and dazzle is its specially-designed shift rod featuring a white diamond and 21 black diamonds. The motorcycle was part of a charity auction, and fetched a whopping £109,000 ($175,000) in the winning bid.

The Closest, and Most Expensive Shave

For those who only want the best and most luxurious things touching their skin (yes, even from the male species!), why not consider a diamond studded and gold plated razor for daily use? The thing is, you might have to borrow it from Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte. The swimmer was awarded with gold and diamond encrusted razors by Gillette. Should the Olympian choose to actually use the razors instead of displaying them with other trophies, many will agree that it’s not only the closest and smoothest shave in history, but the most expensive one, as well!

Author Sharon Sussman is no stranger to diamonds, and is in fact, constantly handling these and other precious stones on a daily basis as the Director of Products at Brilliance. She also had a part in making the equally bedazzling Gangnam Style Pendant which is encrusted with over 600 diamonds.