There is a nip in the air and Christmas is knocking at the door. As for the Christmas trees and ornaments, they are making their first appearances of the season. Leading the way are the most expensive Christmas tree by Japanese jeweler Ginza Tanaka and the enormous Swarovski star.
The Most Expensive Christmas Tree
Ginza Tanaka is famous for his lavish gold creations. You might remember the $850,000 Gold Christmas Tree he created in 2006, or the Ginza Tanaka Mickey Mouse from 2008. This year, Tanaka is being even more extravagant as he creates yet another Christmas tree that is worth its weight in gold.
Crafted from 12 kilograms of solid gold, the 2011 Christmas tree by Tanaka soars to a height of 2.4 meters and costs an equally high $1.95 million. This may not be any competition for the odd $19 million diamond handbag, but it remains by far, the costliest Christmas tree ever. Even the ornaments are made of gold. You will find golden plates, 50-odd heart ornaments and gold ribbon adorning the tree that will be on display at a Tokyo store until Christmas Day.
The 2011 Swarovski Star
Speaking of Christmas ornaments, it is hard to ignore the sparkling Swarovski Star that was unveiled at the Rockefeller Center. This marks the 20th anniversary of the crystal giant’s annual Christmas ornament. Swarovski roped in Hollywood star Olivia Wilde to launch this glittering ornament that features 25,000 crystals. Weighing in at 550 pounds, the star features 300 pounds of crystal panels. The sparkle comes from six large outer rays and six small inner rays made from point-mounted safety glass from NYC buildings. It should be enough to draw Santa Claus to town.
