Yesterday afternoon, the Daily Transom received an emailed invite for a cocktail party taking place on Thurs., Dec. 5 to "celebrate the holidays" with Harvey Weinstein‘s online community A Small World (a.k.a. Facebook for millionaires) and the luxury diamond brand Leviev at the brand’s Madison Avenue boutique.The email’s subject line was, "Socials Buck the Recession with Champagne & Diamonds,"
Young socials like Dalia Oberlander, Jennifer Creel, Gillian Hearst-Shaw, and actress Kiera Chaplin, will be modeling some of the jewelry while socialites Amanda Hearst, Annelise Peterson, and Annie Churchill play hostess.
Leviev was founded by Lev Leviev, a diamond billionaire from Tashkent, Uzbek Republic (formerly part of the Soviet Union) and is ranked the 210th wealthiest person in the world by Forbes with a net worth of $4.1 billion (though as The Observer reported in October, Mr. Leviev may be having trouble paying his bills). Mr. Leviev is the chairman of the investment company Africa Israel Group.
According to a 2007 New York Times Magazine profile of Mr. Leviev, he owns diamond mines in Angola; Leviev boutiques in New York, Dubai, Moscow and London (in 2007, Drew Barrymore wore Leviev diamonds to the Golden Globes); a string of 7-Elevens in Texas; and real estate around the globe (including the former New York Times buildinghe purchased for a reported $525 million.)
Mr. Leviev also happens to have some very important connections. From the article, in which the author visits Mr. Leviev in his office in Israel:
When we asked the rep for the event about the partnership of Mr. Weinstein’s company with Mr. Leviev’s for the event, she said that Leviev is a brand partner in A Small World and the socialites hosting are Small World members who are "interested in Leviev."
The rep also admitted that the theme of weathering the economic storm with diamonds and champagne, was meant a little tongue in cheek. But, added in defense, "I think there are a lot of parties going on right now."
