The newly unveiled Star of Africa collection features sapphire crystal dome rings filled with floating diamonds, which appear like snowflakes in a snow globe. The inventive design was created by fifth-generation diamond merchants Edward and Joop Asscher, whose family forged the now-famous Asscher-cut diamond in 1902. A percentage of sales of these rings is being donated to the family’s newly formed Star of Africa charity, which will help build the infrastructure in Sierra Leone through education and self-sufficiency programs. The family pinpointed needs in Sierra Leone because it is a primary source of diamonds, and it’s the source of one of the world’s most famous diamonds, the 3,105-carat Star of Africa, which was cut by the Asscher family in 1908. The limited-edition Star of Africa rings, available in white, yellow, and rose gold, in two sizes for $4,950 or $7,900, were unveiled at Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills last month. (310.550.5900, www.neimanmarcus.com; www.asscher.nl)
