The “Duomo” of Milano, the largest cathedral in Italy, which is dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente, inspired me to create this beautiful bespoke “Throne Elephant”. I wanted to recreate the stunning roof, which has a forest of openwork pinnacles and spires, set upon delicate flying buttresses.

read more www.vogue.co.uk, www.gracia.co.uk, www.yuvrajsingh.co.in

The World Land Trust, Gemfields and bespoke jeweller, Sabine Roemer have collaborated to create an extraordinary life size, Emerald Elephant set to be the most valuable design in this summers hotly anticipated Elephant Parade and has been aptly named, ‘Emerald Queen’. Sabine has designed and decorated this fibreglass elephant with emerald dust and a staggering 678carat oval emerald that is the outstanding centrepiece of the elephants’ jewellery headpiece.

This Gemfields emerald has followed an ethical and traceable route from the Gemfields mine in Zambia, to Jaipur where the gem was cut by hand and then shipped to London to be set by Sabine.  Gemfields strict ethical and environmental policies combined with the conservation achievements of the World Land Trust will make this emerald design the greenest in every sense of the word!

The World Land Trust / Sabine Roemer/ Gemfields , Emerald Queen is part of the Elephant Family’s, Elephant Parade, where 260 elephants will take to the streets of London from May to July 2010.  Billed as the capitals largest public art exhibition, the Elephant Parade will embrace all that is excellent about London when Sotheby’s auction each of the elephants to raise crucial funds for the critically endangered Asian elephant.  Proceeds raised by the Green Queen will go to the Elephant Family and World Land Trust and with Sabine Roemer’s track record this is expected to be a significant amount.  Sabine Roemer designs are becoming highly sought after and her last jewelled sculpture was bought at the Mandela Day auction in New York by Morgan Freeman.

The Elephant Family is the largest elephant charity in the world and founded by Mike and Marc Spits. The parade was brought to London by Mark Schand and has amazing support by their Trustees and Patrons like Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, Goldie Hawn, Sir George Martin CBE, Sarah, Duchess of York, Tanaz Dizadj, Priya and Cyrus Vandrevala, Caroline Casey, Lorin Gresser, Ashwan Khanna, Patrick Mark.

The elephant parade launched on Trafalgar Square in London, May 4, 2010.
The life-size model herd was led by Mark Shand, trustee of Elephant Family, a charity that helps safeguard Asian elephants and enables a more harmonious environment between man and creature.

The charity commissioned an impressive array of talent to produce 260 hand-painted elephant artworks that have now taken up residence all over London. Among the creators were artists Mark Quinn, Sabine Roemer, Jack Vettriano, and Sacha Jafri; designers Julien MacDonald, Diane von Furstenberg, John Rocha, Alice Temperley, Lulu Guinness, Nina Campbell, and Nicky Haslam; and iconic photographer Peter Beard.

Selfridges has given this Emerald Elephant by Sabine Roemer royal treatment in the Wonder Room, where it will reside from 5th May to July 2010.

www.elephantparade.org

www.WorldlandTrust.org

www.gemfields.co.uk

Read more www.vanityfair.com

At a reception held in St James’s London in January, Tusk’s Royal Patron was joined by some of the charity’s long term supporters who braved the freezing conditions to mark Tusk’s 20 years of conservation in Africa.

Balancing environmental conservation with the growing needs of society is at the heart of the “great challenge facing mankind”, Prince William said echoing the beliefs of his father The Prince of Wales, who for many years has argued that mankind should live in harmony with the natural world.

Charlie Mayhew, Tusk’s CEO, said that whilst huge strides have been made in tems of community driven conservation,  the picture in terms of poaching now threatens many of the wildlife gains achieved since 1990.

‘Elephant losses have increased three and half times in the last two years and the poacher’s price for rhino horn has leapt more than 600% from $400 per kilo in 2007 to $2,600 per kilo today! It is not surprising that that the Continent is now experiencing a surge in poaching and it explains why South Africa, a country, which in the past has remained largely immune to major poaching, lost over 100 rhino last year! Three times the losses of the year before.’

Since it’s inception twenty years ago Tusk has invested over £12 million into over a 100 widlife conservation, community development and environmental education projects across the continent. It currently directly supports 40 in 17 countries.

Prince William said: “We must all help, help to ensure that, for the communities Tusk serves in Africa, and for the awe-inspiring wildlife with which they co-exist, that the next 20 years are ever more life-enhancing and secure. Future generations must have the chance to wonder at the Continent’s spell-binding natural heritage for themselves. We owe it to them. This legacy is not ours to squander. And in this cause, Tusk is a great champion.”

www.tusk.org

The bespoke Sabine Roemer 46664 Bangle worn by Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary caught the eye of many on the red carpet tonight because of their greater significance and meaningful positive impact. The bracelets are beautiful bling, but as they are engraved with Nelson Mandela’s prisoner number 46664, they also represent his humanitarian causes and the noble qualities for which he is adored around the world. The bracelets will be auctioned at a later date to raise money for the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Aside from the custom-made bracelets made specially for Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary, the 46664 Bangles are available in platinum, gold, silver and copper. The bracelets are a powerful symbol of hope – creating employment where it’s so badly needed and supporting the 46664 Campaign of the Nelson Mandela Foundation in the ongoing fight against HIV AIDS.

Anyone can be a superstar and support the 46664 Bangle project by buying their own 46664 Bangle here – all the bracelets bear a digital imprint of  Nelson Mandela’s hand, and are being referred to as the “South African Bracelet for Hope”.

read more on  The South African, Diamond World, Hand Eye Magazine

The custom-made 46664 Bangle made its debut last night on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as Morgan Freeman showed the custom-made 46664 Bangle which he’ll be wearing at the Oscars.  All the bracelets bear a digital imprint of  Nelson Mandela’s hand, and are being referred to as the “South African Bracelet for Hope”.

Morgan Freeman talks about the meaning of the 46664 Bangle, about Nelson Mandela, and his role in Invictus. Also on display was the silver 46664 Bangle which he wears regularly, the bracelet that anyone can buy and support the 46664 Bangle project. See Morgan Freeman’s bracelet and the full interview on NBC here

Speaking about the movie Invictus in the interview, did Nelson Mandela like the film? Freeman says, “We showed it to him at the Foundation … and I’m right next to him, watching him watch me be him. He smiled a lot and nodded and he seemed to like it.” But one of his greatest compliments came when Nelson Mandela’s long-time personal assistant heard Morgan Freeman talking on set – as Freeman says, “I got the best compliment … she thought when she came on the set first time, that Madiba was there”.

Sabine Roemer created two bespoke 46664 Bangles (named after Nelson Mandela’s Robben Island prison number) that will glitter on the wrists of acclaimed Oscar® nominee Morgan Freeman and Invictus producer Lori McCreary at the red carpet event of the year – the 82nd Academy Awards – on Sunday, March 7.

Freeman is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his outstanding performance as Nelson Mandela in Invictus, a portrayal of South Africa’s 1995 Rugby World Cup victory and its impact on brining a nation together. This year’s nomination is Freeman’s fifth and may result in his second win.

The unique 46664 Bangles feature spectacular Zambian emeralds and were specially designed for Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary by bespoke UK-based jeweler Sabine Roemer. Roemer has been creating one-of-a-kind jewelry sculptures for the Nelson Mandela Foundation for the past three years, helping to raise funds for the organization. Freeman is already a big fan of Roemer’s work, having bought the designer’s diamond-encrusted sculpture of Mandela’s hand at his 92^nd birthday celebration in New York in 2009.

Both bangles were handmade using locally-produced 18K yellow gold and 18K white gold.  The vibrant deep green Zambian emeralds have been produced by colored gemstone mining company, Gemfields, whose focus is on the consistent supply of ethically-produced emeralds that have followed a transparent route from mine to market.  Emeralds were the gems of choice for the designs, as throughout the ages they have symbolized peace and prosperity. The conflict-free diamonds are from South African diamond company Namakwa, who continue their ongoing support to the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Roemer comments, “When Morgan and Lori mentioned at the UK premiere of Invictus that they wanted something different to wear at the upcoming Oscars, I wanted to create two pieces of jewelry that were 100% African. It seemed fitting to raise awareness around the 46664 Bangle initiative, an international symbol in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  Combined with Zambian emeralds from Gemfields and local Diamonds from Namakwa it seemed like the perfect fit.”

All 46664 Bangles bear a unique serial number that can be used to register them online and in so doing, authenticate them and track who has been employed through the program.  In honor of Freeman’s and McCreary’s commitment to the 46664 Bangle initiative, as well as in recognition of the Oscar nomination, the serial code on the inside of his bangle reads ‘Invictus’.  After the Oscars®, the bracelets will be auctioned to raise funds for the 46664 Campaign of The Nelson Mandela Foundation, including the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Largely isolated from the outside world until the last century they created intricate pieces using wild seeds, sticks, bone, leather, tortoiseshell and most importantly of all, beads painstakingly created from ostrich egg-shell each handmade. The Bushmen are almost as old as time itself. These gentle people have existed in harmony with the animals and nature of their native Kalahari for countless generations. Their simple, honest ways are today under peril from the unyielding tide of modern progress which threatens the only life they have ever known. Often victimised by their more powerful neighbours and dispossessed of their lands the 100,000 San in southern Africa are amongst the poorest and most disenfranchised of southern Africa’s people.

They battle with extreme poverty and the ravages of AIDS on a daily basis and are largely dependent on the handouts. The talented photographer, Boo George created the most beautiful images of a young Bushman girl modeling the collection in the Desert of the Kalahari.

The dinner culminated a Christie’s auction which included, MASINCEDANE  ‘the hand that helps others’ which was bought by Morgan Freeman at the auction.

Nelson Mandela’s hand was engraved on a solid silver sheet, the lines on his hand paveed with white Diamonds and the entire piece was mounted on a piece of rock from Robben Island. The plaque also featured his signature and a quote.

www.mandeladay.com

Don’t monkey about- versatile gorilla inspired jewels up for grabs

Take home tonight a framed micro jewellery sculpture, a gorilla named Oudiki, who was born on 17th July 2006 at Howletts Wild Animal Park and later returned to his Gabonese homeland in 2008. He is carved in 18carat white gold , set with 7ct black, brown diamonds and blue sapphires.

“Over the past 50 years, humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in any comparable period of time in human history.  This has resulted in a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth.”  – Devastating words from an extensive survey by the United Nations in 2006.

The evening was a big success with other auction prizes like…
-  Damian Hirst’s – Beautiful Saraswati Exulation 2008
-  Holidays on Richard Branson’s private Necker Island

Dame Edna co-hosted the single game show with the girl around town Elle Mc Pherson and the single guys Kevin Spacey, Time Rice and David Walliams.

www.aspinallfoundation.org