How much would you pay for Tupac's crown ring?

I'm late to this! As I was doing a bit of spring cleaning for Chinese new year I finally read a 2008 WSJ article called "The Bling Thing" in the first issue of "WSJ.", a quarterly luxury lifestyle magazine edited by Tina Gaudoin (ex-editor of Tatler.)

"Since hip-hop’s birth in the South Bronx, thick gold chains have been synonymous with turntable scratching, shell-top Adidas, and the lavish dispensation of spray paint. But it’s only now that the jewelry’s influence, and sometimes its magnificence, is getting its due. Rapper Tupac Shakur’s crown ring, studded with more than 10 carats of cabochon rubies and pavé diamonds, is one of the most spectacular lots in Phillips de Pury New York’s October 1st auction of “bling” jewelry (which will also include pieces worn by Notorious B.I.G, Missy Elliot and Kanye West). The sale, in part a benefit for the Smithsonian’s fledgling hip-hop archive, is the first of its kind."

Worth its weight? If you melted down 10 carats of cabochon rubies and pavé diamonds (whatever those are) would it really be worth the estimated $10-20,000. May be not...whoever buys this piece of hip hop history will be making an investment knowing it was designed and worn by Tupac Shakur! That's priceless!

The item was given to the auction by Yaasmyn Fula, a family friend of Shakur’s. The less than modest ring has the inscription “Pac & Dada 1996,” inscribed on it referring to his girlfriend, Quincy Jones’s daughter Kidada. Fula says, the ring “was self-coronation—Tupac acknowledg­ing he had survived a tumultuous year.” Who knew Tupac would only have the chance to wear it a few months before his murder in Las Vegas. Read more at here in The Guardian newspaper.


Bling Ting If you want to see more rappers' bling, then may be grab yourself a copy of Hot 97's Minya Oh's book simply entitled, "Bling Bling, Hip-Hop's Crown Jewels." Critics say it's a coffee table book good for its pics, but it doesn't discuss the ugly side of diamond or gold trading, so don't expect much commentary than this quote from Reverend Run of Run-DMC: "God wants you to have everything you want to have," when asked about his love of bling. Now can we stop using the B-word?!