Diamonds for Michelle Obama

[Fresh]

Barack Obama to buy rare ?20,000 rhodium ring for his wife to say 'thanks for your support'>

Michelle Obama is to receive this ?20,000 thank you from her husband for her support during the election.

The Harmony ring is made of rhodium - the world's most expensive metal --and encrusted with diamonds. It is being hastily made by Italian designer Giovanni Bosco in time for January's inauguration ceremony.

Only about 25 tons of rhodium are mined each year, mostly in South Africa, and as a result its price is typically around ?5,000 an ounce.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/30/article-1090653-02A59AA9000005DC-116_468x301.jpg[/imDiamond encrusted thanks: Barack Obama will buy his wife this ?20,000 ring made of black gold or rhodium

Bosco is based at Valenza Po near Alessandria. The top designer counts a select list of VIPS's and celebrities as his clients.

Rhodium typically sells for around ?5000 an ounce.

It is a very select precious metal. Because of its value and association with wealth, rhodium was chosen as the material for the disc presented to Beatle Paul McCartney for being history's all-time best-selling songwriter and recording artist.

Several luxury items such as the world's 'Most Expensive Pen' or 'Most Expensive Board Game' also contain rhodium while the Crown Jewels worn by the Queen are also rhodium plated.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/30/article-1090653-025D3606000005DC-143_468x568.jpg[/Love: Barack Obama kisses Michelle on election nightt

A spokesman at Giovanni Bosco said: 'Our American distributor has contacted us and has asked us to provide details on the Harmony ring.

'It is our top of the range piece and made from rhodium and encrusted with diamonds.

'Our agent in the United States was asked by Mr Barack Obama about the ring because he wants it as a thank you gift for his wife Michelle for her support the last two years.

'We have a select number of clients both in the United States, Europe, Russia and the Middle East and our prices as a result reflect the wealth of our customers.

'For obvious privacy reasons I cannot reveal the cost of the ring but bearing in mind it is made from rhodium or black gold and encrusted with diamonds you can be sure it will cost thousands of pounds.'

Source

[vincent]

Next:

The Obamas say "I Love You" to each other :o

[Brad.]

She deserves it.

It sure is an amazing ring!

[Lee G. Veteran]

She definitely deserves it.

[IceBreakerG]

Now that's ballin. Obama just ****ed in every rapper's face with that lol. Who needs platinum when you got rhodium :D

[Angelic Marge]

A ?20,000 thank you? :|| I'd slap my hubby if he spent that, I'd be perfectly happy with a Mars Bar :laugh::

[Mathachew Veteran]

I wonder if anyone will criticize him for spending so much money on this as they did to Palin and her clothes.... :unsure:

[Logikull]

I wonder if anyone will criticize him for spending so much money on this as they did to Palin and her clothes....

But, isn't this his money, as opposed to campaign money?

Regardless, that's one helluva ring!

[leph555]

I wonder if anyone will criticize him for spending so much money on this as they did to Palin and her clothes.... :unsure:

but the 20,000 is his money isn't it?

and Palin got her money from donations????

:unsure:

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Nice ring!

[Sandor]

he's just a common guy though! he feels your pain too!!

or not.

[Kronir]

Nice ring, though I hope he doesn't start blowing our tax dollars like he does his own personal cash. As far as 'she deserves it'; why? Her reward is she gets to be First Lady. :p What he spent on that ring could have paid to feed a struggling family for a year. ^_^

[Rigby]

It's not like he spent tax payer money on it. It's his money, he can buy whatever he wants. Total non-issue, but I'm sure a lot of people will use it as something to spew nonsense about. For example:

"he's just a common guy though! he feels your pain too!!"

[That Guy Veteran]

I think he's perfectly entitled to buy what he likes with his money :) although that's one hell of an expensive "thank you" :p

[qdave]

why the hell someone needs ring from Rhodium :p its a waste of resources. white gold would do just fine. still cool looking ring.

[That Guy Veteran]

why the hell someone needs ring from Rhodium tongue.gif its a waste of resources. white gold would do just fine. still cool looking ring.

Yeah I thought it was a bit materialistic, but again, it's his choice.

[Fresh]

It's not like he spent tax payer money on it. It's his money, he can buy whatever he wants. Total non-issue, but I'm sure a lot of people will use it as something to spew nonsense about. For example:

"he's just a common guy though! he feels your pain too!!"

How many homeless could he feed with that kind of money? While it is his money; it is always nice to see someone practice what they preach. How about spreading that wealth around!

[LTD]

A guy buys an expensive ring for his wife.

OMG WOW!!11!!!11

[Green_Eye]

A ?20,000 thank you? :|| I'd slap my hubby if he spent that, I'd be perfectly happy with a Mars Bar :laugh::

Leave him! Marry me!:cry::

I promise I wont spend a penny!!!

[Logikull]

How many homeless could he feed with that kind of money? While it is his money; it is always nice to see someone practice what they preach. How about spreading that wealth around!

Are you presuming Obama has never donated to charity?

[Ayepecks]

LOL, had this happened during the campaign by either side it would've been ridiculed so much with the current state of the economy.

[giga Veteran]

How many homeless could he feed with that kind of money? While it is his money; it is always nice to see someone practice what they preach. How about spreading that wealth around!

He already paid his taxes. Wealth has been spread.

[PGHammer]

Next:

The Obamas say "I Love You" to each other :o

Has anyone even remotely considered that the jeweler may have gone to Barack Obama and *offered* the design, especially since he won the election?

Designers of darn near everything offer designs (or, in all too many cases, actually give free products) to the President/President-elect and the family thereof.

This is not even *close* to the first time a jewelry designer worked on a commission for a President or President-elect (both Harry Winston and Tiffany and Company have done so more than once). The publicity of the fact that it's *Michelle Obama* wearing his design would certainly be worth it *to the designer*.

Decided non-story.

Move along.

[Ayepecks]

He already paid his taxes. Wealth has been spread.

I think the point is it's kind of ironic that his campaign focused a bit on how many houses or cars he owns (as did the media).

Hell, one of the biggest things on Sarah Palin was her wardrobe cost that the Republicans spent for her, with the media saying it was insensitive given the current economic climate in America. But now Obama gets a free pass?

I voted for Obama, I'm just saying, had this happened during the campaign it would've been a crap storm.

[White Cuban]

A ?20,000 thank you? :|| I'd slap my hubby if he spent that, I'd be perfectly happy with a Mars Bar :laugh::

unless he had enough money to buy south africa.