360,000 AED Heist at Tiffany's Last Week Spurs Debate on Jewelry Store Security

Tiffany & Co's Flagship Store on 5th Avenue, New York

Jewelry retailers in the US and around the world can learn a thing or two from a little-known pawnshop in Harlem, New York. Especially after the premiered jeweler Tiffany & Co.'s store on 5th avenue was heisted last week, with 360,000 AED (98,000 USD) stolen and no suspects in custody.

According to police records, a man wearing a dark suit, a tie and a riding cap (a riding cap with a suit?), carrying an umbrella (in the summer?!) came into the store to inquire about two pieces of jewelry: a diamond-laden necklace worth 250,000 AED (68,000 USD) and another for 110,000 AED (30,000 USD). When the saleswoman turned around to calculate the price, the man stole the peices an ran out. 5th avenue in the summer is swarming with people and the thief was lost in the crowd. No Comment from Tiffany's.

EZ Pawn Shop, Since 1996 in NYC

When the EZ Pawn Corp employees saw the security camera footage of the heist (below), they were quick to notice why it happened. EZ has been in business for 66 years and they've learned a thing or two about keeping their store as secure as possible. Mattie Simon, the sales clerk at EZ, explains simple ways to reduce the chances of getting robbed:

1. Customers can only buzzed in and out, making a getaway a lot less likely
2. Hooded sweatshirts and caps are completely forbidden by management as the security cameras will not be able to see the perpetrator's face. In fact, when EZ owner David, or his daughter, Lauren Kaminsky see a hooded person in any of their 11 retail spots on their security monitor, they automatically call the store and flag the issue.
3. Another one of Simon's tip seems completely ridiculous: look at a person's footwear. In her experience, if the shoes are tightly laced, then someone is looking to runaway 
4. In the heist, the security guard had his back turned to the door which allowed the thief to run out, undetected. This is a huge No-No at EZ Pawn
5. Only one item is shown to a customer at a time and there are no exceptions to this rule. Even if the customer is adamant on comparing two items in order to decide which one to buy. Better to lose a sale for the day than to lose an item forever. 
6. Ring trays are also a huge problem as it's easy to snag piece while pretending to look at another.
7. And last but not least: black coffee. When you hear a saleswoman at EZ Pawn asking for some black coffee with a heightened sense of urgency, you know something isn't right. Of course, no on is really asking for coffee. It's a code and once it's heard, a designated person will block the entrance. Some other codes they used: "Can you grab me a tissue?" and "Can you lower the AC?"

You'd think a renowned store like Tiffany's would have Guantanamo-style security but apparently not. As this heist proves, crimes can happen anywhere and at anytime (this happend in broad daylight) even in Dubai,  one of the safest places to live and that almost every inch of the city is monitored with CCTV cameras. That's why it's imperative for all stores, small and large, in Dubai or out, to stay vigilant and invest in high-end surveillance technology (the footage from the camera is so grainy!) They must also adopt smart tactics, like the "black coffee" code, that are effective and, best of all, for free!

Movie Jewelry: The Internship

Last night, I laughed so hard at the Ibn Battuta movie theater, that I am sure I embarrassed everyone around me. I was literally gasping for air and yes, a few deep snorts here and there.

The movie is called The Internship starring Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Rose Byrne. It's about two late-30's salesmen who lose their jobs only to find themselves as Google interns. Hilarity ensues as these two try to compete with young, tech-savy Ivy League-rs for a job at one of the best companies in the world. (Rotten Tomatoes Review gave it a 33% but I beg to differ!)

Aside from the great quips, I was really interested in the neck candy Rose Byrne's character was wearing. In one of the scenes, she had on a beautiful gold Wishbone pendant. I quickly researched to find it's a Jennifer Meyer creation.

Dana, Rose Byrne's Woraholic character, is Wilson's love interest in The Internship

Meyer laucnhed her collection in 2005 after working in the fashion industry for designers like Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren.

Her styles are simple and elegant made from white, yellow and rose 18-karat gold with delicate precious and semi-precious stone accents such as diamonds, black diamonds, turquoise, rubies, sapphires and emeralds.

18-karat rose gold diamond wishbone necklace. Shop the trend here.

18k Gold Diamond Stick Necklace. Shop the trend here.

Movie Jewelry: Tiffany & Co Rides The Great Gatsby Wave

Catherine Martin, the woman behind the amazing costumes in The Great Gatsby, joined forces with Tiffany & Co. to bring you the decadent jewelry collection used in one of the most talked-about movies of 2013. The movie adaptation of F. Scot Fitzgerald's classic novel is directed by Baz Luhrmann and has already grossed over 136 million dollars since it's May release. 

Martin, an Australian costume designer, catapulted to the lime light with her double Oscar-win for Moulin Rouge back in 2001. She was also the creative mind behind Australia and William Shakespeare's Rome & Juliet.

If you are wondering why she's contributed to almost all of Baz Luhrmann's movies, it's because she's his wife -  they met in college and tied the knot in 1997.

In the build up to the release of the movie, the Tiffany & Co. flagship store on Fifth Avenue unveiled the Jazz Age Glamour collection with their roaring 20's inspired windows. The opulent pieces are available for purchase and it includes the 24 karat savoy headpiece worn by Carey Mulligan's character Daisy, for a whopping 724,000 AED (200,000 USD).

And if you think the prices are outrageously high that no one would buy in this down-trodden economy, think again! The 176 year old company saw a 9% increase in revenue, an amount analysts were not expecting. 

Window Display - Tiffany's 5th Avenue, NYC

Tiffany & Co's Window Inspired by the Movie's Opulent Parties

Pearls, Champagne and Bubbles. What's not to love about this?

More bubbles and ridiculously expensive jewels

More People Scammed by PurseValley and it's Owner, Eva Knox

Purse Valley changes URLs to escape designer lawsuits 

I wrote a post exposing Eva Knox and her blog Spot Bags last year and got a overwhelming response from her victims. Online shoppers have trusted her as a great source of online shopping reviews and unfortunately, she's a scam!

The posts are mainly user reviews of replica handbag sites. I am sure she has a huge following as detailed images and first-hand accounts are hard to find. Especially for shoddy Chinese websites.

Even though she has a myriad of posts, she seems to give only one an A+ rating: Purse Valley (aka PV). But lawsuits against replica sites like PV show that she is, in fact, the owner! Also, her blog URL is .cn, which is the country code top-level domain for mainland China.

And although several readers have discredited her, she still gets questions from unsuspecting fans on what is the best place to shop for replica purses. Which, of course, is always PV.

The fundemental aspect of a review blog is it's impartiality and objectiveness. The information should be based on real information, not profit. 

That's why here on LavalierDubai, I always review online merchants. I have done several so far like Mytheresa.com, Yesstyle.com and Asos.com to ensure the website's legitimacy.

There are also a lot of way to shop safely and securely. I've been shopping online for almost 8 years and never once was scammed or my identity stolen. (knock on wood!)

If you have used any replica bag sites, or any other sites for that matter, let me know how it went.

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Email: Sales@lavalierdubai.com 

Bloggers You Should Know: Nadya Hassan

As a blogger, I know first-hand how hard it is to maintain and entertain an audience. That's why I love writing about bloggers who have become a success in their field. One of the best examples is Nadya Hassan. She's a petite fashionista with style and panache that keeps you coming back for more.

She launched The Fierce Diaries in 2010 as a school project and quickly found success as a leading Emirati fashion blogger and trend-setter. Her blog is so popular that it's rated as one of the Top 10 Blogs in the Middle East! She also recently won the 2013 Grazia Award for the Best Style Blogger, an honor only enjoyed by a select few.

The most prominent characteristic of her style is her ability to mix high-end fashion with vintage pieces and products from lesser-known designers. This makes her a lot more relatable than other fashionistas who simply showcase the most expensive clothes, shoes and accessories.

We at Lavalier Dubai are proud to be featured in one of her more recent photo-shoots and we must confess that she is seriously rocking one of our best sellers: The Gold Spike Tribal Necklace.

The Fierce Nay Wearing Lavalier... Shop the Trend

The Fierce Nay Wearing Lavalier... Shop the Trend

The Fierce Nay Wearing Lavalier... Shop the Trend

The Fierce Nay Wearing Lavalier... Shop the Trend

Jewelry For a Good Cause: Angelina's New Collection Betters the Lives of Afghan Girls

Love her or hate her, Angelina Jolie has exerted some serious effort trying to help the impoverished and downtrodden.

Some of her lifestyle choices may be odd to some (like adopting kids left and right, making out with her brother and stealing a married man) but the actress has been doing her part in bettering the lives of children all over the world.

Her latest venture focuses on Afghanistan, where the plight of women and children has been categorically ignored even though it’s verging on a human rights catastrophe.

Jolie opened an all-girl school on the outskirts of Kabul where more than 300 students will attend. The project was funded by her Style of Jolie jewelry collection which she launched with Robert Procop, a famous designer and gem expert. All proceeds from the sale of these beautiful pieces will go towards this school and other various projects.

Here are some startling facts about being a woman in Afghanistan:

• More women die in pregnancy and childbirth than almost anywhere else in the world. 1 in 50 women will die during pregnancy or childbirth—one every 2 hours.
• 9 out 10 women are illiterate.
• Women have more than 5 children on average, yet 1 out 10 children die before their fifth birthday.
• Life expectancy is 44, one of the lowest in the world.

Here are some of my favorites

Style of Jolie Jewelry

Style of Jolie Jewelry

Style of Jolie Jewelry

Style of Jolie Jewelry

Style of Jolie Jewelry

The Best Consignment and Pre-Loved Online Shops

I must admit, aside from spending money maintaining and growing my online shop in Dubai, I spend a lot of time shopping. My biggest weakness? Designer bags!

I am now considering a new Chanel but I realized that 15,000 AED (or $4,000) is way too steep a price tag for a silly purse! At the end of the day, I am like most people and I  grow bored wearing the same thing and so the bags almost always end up in their dust bags at the back my closet.

That's why I am looking into buying used designer handbags in hopes of getting a good deal so I can enjoy the totes without breaking the bank. I also would like to sell or consign my old bags to make some quick cash. Consignment basically means that a shop will post your product on their site or have their product in-store but you will only be paid when the item sells. Some offer to buy the item from you and then sell at their own price.

Thus, I have compiled the below list of online shops that have a wide array of reasonably-priced bags in good condition. If you've purchased designer items from any of the below stores, tell us in the comments section! We would love to hear from people with first-hand experience.

WARNING: Do not purchase from a site that looks shady! Nine times out of ten they are selling knock offs and passing it off as the real thing. Always do as much review as possible before making a purchase. I always use Scam Adviser to authenticate websites before making any purchase online.

The Luxury Closet
This is my favorite pre-loved designer bag online store in Dubai. They offer a wide array of pre-loved handbags and shoes Although I never bought anything from them, I tested them using my handy online shopping security checklist. Their customer service is quick to respond, but only when you call them on their 800 number. They offer live chat but I waited about 15 minutes for them to respond to my query. The prices are pretty decent and you can even pay in installments. In terms of shipping, you can pay an extra cost for delivery or you can pick up the item from their shop free-of-charge. You can also consign your bags on their site and the profit will be split 70%(you) and 30% (them). Their guarantee is they will make a sale for you within 90 days. To learn more about selling your used designer bags, click here.

The Closet Online Shop
This is a great site as well. They have everything from pre-loved shoes, wallets and handbags. I love how sleek the website is and it's fairly easy-to-use.

Toujour Chic
I follow this site on Instagram but they fail to update their website regularly and their collection isn't as vast as the others.

Ma Pochette
This website allows you to buy or rent designer bags. Not the best looking website, but does the job.

Fashionphile
This is America's best known pre-owned website. It has a huge number of items but they are pretty expensive. The website is east to browse and the pictures are high-def so you can really see what you are buying. Shipping to the UAE is about 185 AED ($50) and don't forget for anything about 1,000 AED, you have to pay a 5% customs tax.

Yoogi's Closet

Luxe Designer Handbags

Chanel & More

Consign of the Times

Portero

Brand Souk

Brand Shop Tokyo
Let us know what you think of buying used and share your experience with us!