The most expensive item in this year’s Neiman Marcus Christmas book is what it’s calling the “Forevermark Ultimate Diamond Experience.” For a mere $1.85 million, a buyer gets a 25 ct. rough diamond, plus the opportunity to see where it came from:

This once-in-a-lifetime adventure starts with a trip to the De Beers headquarters in London. Once there, you’ll receive your exceptional diamond in its rough and uncut form, name your diamond, learn about the unique inscription it will receive, and meet the master craftsman who will hand-cut and polish it to perfection.

A private tour of The Crown Jewels and dinner with De Beers CEO Philippe Mellier and Forevermark CEO Stephen Lussier in the Tower of London follow. Your journey continues on a vessel off Namibia’s coast, where your diamond was discovered deep within the ocean floor. You’ll then explore rough-diamond sorting houses and a children’s community project, where the local population benefits from Forevermark’s responsible sourcing of diamonds.

Upon returning to the United States, you’ll meet with New York jewelry designer Maria Canale to design the ring that will exhibit your exceptional diamond.

More details can be seen here.

Having been on similar trips, I can assure anyone out there who is interested that this really will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s also a clever marketing ploy on the part of the Forevermark folks (who came up with the idea)—one that’s already gotten them tons of publicity. And really, it’s such an attractive package that perhaps they may want to look at a more value-priced version. Because Forevermark really does have a good story to tell here. And this is a good way to tell it.

But will anyone buy it?

Says Neiman Marcus spokeswoman Ginger Reeder: “After 17 years, I have quit speculating on what will sell. It just takes the one right person.”

Rob Bates

JCK News Director