[bmw_lover]

If you really want a feast for your eyes. Take an inspiration from Dubai.
Custom cars are status symbols, and in Dubai the competition is intense. Around 2.2 million people inhabit the city, of which some 26,000 are millionaires (or billionaires). This means one in every hundred people in Dubai is sitting pretty on a fortune, and, essentially, being filthy rich isn’t that big of a deal. So, the rich and infamous have to get creative with their cars, in a game of constant showmanship.

This is how you stud a car with diamonds. The real ones mind you.


Need more creativity, Go with pure white gold


Mother of them all
A German artist, Robert Gulpen (a former engineer for Mercedes-Benz), who has been making model cars out of silver, platinum and gold for more than 17 years has made a model car carved out of a 500kg block of gold. The 25-inch-long Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4, costs 16 times more than a full-size version of the car, which has a base price of Dh1.6m. In order to whet the appetite of any potential buyer, a prototype of the car was made. The prototype, however, is no pale shadow. It is worth Dh1.3m and has already picked up the record as the most expensive model car made.

It was machine-carved from a 500kg block of 22 carat gold, a process that cost Dh10.6m to make.
This is the prototype version made from 25 kg block of solid gold too. It was displayed at Dubai Mall before it was taken on a world tour.

[Rehaan]

Everyone is talking about the gaudiness and wastage....

But no one is talking about how amazing this will be in traffic!

Diamonds are amongst the hardest material ever. This C-Class will be truly scratch-proof

That 2-wheeler guy things he's just gonna scrape by? Joke's on him!


As for Cubic Zirconia (CZ):

- I'm told it's NOT to be confused with a "lab grown diamond". It actually has no carbon, and chips very easily. (So I guess my point above is moot).

- "One carat hand-cut hand-polished cubic zirconia gemstone will retail for around $20 dollars, whereas a one carat diamond with passable cut, color and clarity grades will retail for around $1,500 dollars." - Source

[AJITHAAA]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Wow...What a waste of rare natural resources. The arrogance of humans is really everywhere. Not possible to find a place without it. Anyway - so many diamonds, so most likely they are just diamonds per say. Something substandard perhaps. That would make it a cheap PR stunt too.

If only efforts are invested in something more imaginative and useful by the folks. And then, these are diamonds. So they are not going to be discarded after the event. They'll be removed from their adhesive fitment, polished and cleaned & will actually be bought by some customer as "NEW" for their loved ones in some jewelry. Great.

And whats with the differently coloured bonnet and other pieces? Ran out of diamonds did they?

Reminds me the stupidity when they put a Diamond on Eddie Irvine's Jaguar F1 car at Monaco. And Eddie being Eddie, promptly crashed the car and the Diamond was lost for ever, which was worth upwards of $300,000.

[frewper]

Originally Posted by TusharK

Attachment 1923070

The India Diamond Week is being organized by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) from October 15-17, 2019. Trade delegations from Israel, Dubai, European countries, Greece, South Africa, Vietnam and Bangladesh are also attending the event.

Link to Team-BHP News

Diamonds or not. But lets be honest, thats one shoddy job that has been done and the overall work looks ugly. . Atleast they could have done a good job with it.

[veyron_head]

Originally Posted by frewper

Diamonds or not. But lets be honest, thats one shoddy job that has been done and the overall work looks ugly. . Atleast they could have done a good job with it.

Precisely! It doesn't even look good or advertising-worthy. A regular C class would have looked much better.

[Malyaj]

The only message it sends across is that Cubic Zirconia is a cheap material, cheap enough to cover a large car with it and it's OK to risk losing some of them in the process of putting it up in an exhibition. Whether they coat a Mercedes with it or a bullock cart, that is the message I am getting. Are they trying to give it an exalted status or degrading it. I am totally confused with this PR stunt

[Macfreak7]

Hi all,
For the record Cubic Zirconia is a diamond simulant, an imitation diamond... a material that's trying to look like a diamond. The physical and chemical properties are completely different. There are many types of diamond simulants. Another common term for diamond simulants in India is "AD" or american diamond, which are again different from CZs.

And these diamond simulants are not to be confused with lab grown diamonds, which have the exact same physical and chemical properties as a natural / mined diamond, but it is grown in a lab. Lab grown diamonds are of two types, CVDs (carbon vapor deposition) and HPHT (high pressure heat treatment). These are basically two methods by which diamonds are grown.

Hope this helps! Felt like I had to use this rare opportunity to share my seldom used gemological knowledge (being a gemologist and all that )

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by Macfreak7

Hi all,
For the record Cubic Zirconia is a diamond simulant, an imitation diamond... a material that's trying to look like a diamond. The physical and chemical properties are completely different. There are many types of diamond simulants. Another common term for diamond simulants in India is "AD" or american diamond, which are again different from CZs.

And these diamond simulants are not to be confused with lab grown diamonds, which have the exact same physical and chemical properties as a natural / mined diamond, but it is grown in a lab. Lab grown diamonds are of two types, CVDs (carbon vapor deposition) and HPHT (high pressure heat treatment). These are basically two methods by which diamonds are grown.

Hope this helps! Felt like I had to use this rare opportunity to share my seldom used gemological knowledge (being a gemologist and all that )

Any pointers to where can I buy one in India and what is the market price of lab grown diamonds in comparison to natural diamonds? I know a layman cannot differentiate between CZ and diamond but what is the effective way to differentiate between grown and natural diamond?

[Macfreak7]

I think our diamond office should be able to help you out with that. From what i’ve noticed, prices compared to natural / mined diamonds are about 20 to 30 % less. Resale is a big question mark tho. You can PM me if you have a requirement and i’ll find out for you.

Back on topic tho, i personally think it’s a disgrace for the MB putting CZs on it like that (even if it’s a C). Instead they should’ve customized some accessories for the interiors studded with diamonds. I would’ve maybe suggested the gear knob, but thesedays even that’s not an option.

[saisailendra]

Every person has a way to pamper their cars. In some people's point of view, it might look destructive and in others' POV, it might look creative. For example, I like keeping my car free of stickers, whereas some fancy having them. It stands good for almost every other modification.

These people do business with Diamonds and since they have the lovely Merc, maybe this idea struck their minds.

And since they're CZs, which are man made, no natural resources are being wasted actually. It's their money and their wish. Removing and selling them to buyers is upto their conscience, and the buyers' fortune or misfortune.

I think we must for a moment appreciate the efforts put in doing that work. If they're going to remove those after the show, then we've to appreciate more, since they've done the work knowing it's going to be temporary.

[shankar.balan]

CZ - Cubic Zirconia. These were popularly called 'American Diamonds' in the 1950's and 1960's. This is a man made product and not obviously as expensive or valuable as real diamonds are. So it is not really a sign of excessive ostentation.