Martin Katz – Modern day Midas

I love objets d’art and even love creating them. In 2008, I designed the famed $5 million bra for the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Modeled by Adriana Lima, the $5 million Black Diamond Fantasy Miracle Bra was encrusted with 117 round diamonds, 3,575 black diamonds and 34 rubies. Two 50-carat black diamonds hung down the front of the luxe bra, bringing the bra’s gem weight over 1,500 carats.

But that wasn’t my only foray into bedazzling everyday objects – 15 years ago, I created the first diamond cell phone case for the Motorola StarTAC, carried on the red carpet by Angela Bassett. I also designed jeweled eyewear for Ray-Ban, which made an appearance on the red carpet by Celine Dion.

This year saw perhaps my most creative challenging venture yet.

I designed the world’s first $1 million perfume bottle for DKNY’s new Golden Delicious fragrance. The lavish bottle is a solid gold apple, elaborately decorated with precious gemstones. It features over 2,700 white diamonds and almost 200 golden yellow sapphires set in a micro pave setting in white gold. Even the spray button of the bottle is haute, adorned with a flawless vivid yellow canary diamond.

The regal bottle sits on a water white glass saucer featuring the continents of the world encrusted in over 2,900 various gems from the countries depicted.

The bottle also pays tribute to the city by which it was inspired; around its circumference, diamonds create a small-scale model of the New York City skyline.

Each stone was placed by hand—a process that took almost 1,500 hours.

This creation will tour the world, showcased for all to see. Once the tour is done, the bottle will be auctioned off for charity. Profits will benefit Action Against Hunger.