Rarity alone isn’t enough to qualify a metal as precious. It must also be naturally occurring, lustrous and ductile, possess a high melting point and low reactivity and, most important to anyone wishing to wear jewelry made from the metal, it must not be radioactive. Natural, radioactive metals like polonium and radium need not apply.

Gold, silver and platinum are undoubtedly the most well known precious metals, but they fall short of being the most expensive precious metals in the world. As of this writing, platinum (around US $1,500/ounce) and gold (around US $1,200 per ounce) take second and third place, respectively. Silver, in the low double digits, doesn’t even rate.

The world’s first pure rhodium bullion coin,
created by the Cohen Mint

The real money is in rhodium.

A member of the platinum group of metals which, unsurprisingly, includes platinum, rhodium is most commonly found mixed with other platinum group metals. This makes it difficult to extract, which can only increase its value. The silvery white metal is primarily mined in South Africa, North America and Russia’s Ural Mountains.

Rhodium has a variety of applications. It is used in the process of “rhodium flashing” white gold and platinum in order to give jewelry made from those metals a whiter, more reflective surface. It is also particularly suited to the production of catalytic converters. In 1979, Paul McCartney was presented with a rhodium-plated disc in honor of his status as the Guinness Book of World Records’s all-time bestselling songwriter and recording artist.

So how much is rhodium worth? It’s currently valued at twice the price of gold—around US $2,400 per ounce!

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In just a few weeks, a “fragrance battle” will rage in my sunny, hot and dry front yard: tuberose vs. milkweed.

I trust most perfume fanatics know the scent of tuberose; if not, either smell Robert Piguet Fracas or Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower or go to a florist and purchase a few stalks of fragrant tuberose and let the blooms perfume your home.

Many years ago, I ordered some milkweed seeds from an organization that advocates the planting of flowers beloved (utilized) by Monarch butterflies. Those few milkweed seeds thrived, and now, milkweeds would take over my front yard if I let them. Milkweed flowers have a strong, tropical, pollen-rich aroma: there’s a hint of its rival tuberose, a fragrant “flour” note and an interesting mingling of green and “damp loam” aromas. When milkweed blooms, you can’t miss its penetrating, soulful perfume; the fragrance throbs. I categorize milkweed flowers’ scent as ‘poignant’ and ‘spooky’; it follows me like a spirit from my yard into my house and lingers, whispering:“Remember when….”

As I smelled Astier de Villatte Eau Chic by perfumer Françoise Caron for the first time, I was shocked…

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Mona di Orio has launched Les Nombres d’Or, a new trio of fragrances named for the Golden Ratio (aka the Golden Number or the Golden Section).

Ambre (shown) ~ with cedar, ylang ylang, benzoin, tolu and vanilla…

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Victoria’s Secret has launched Shine Pink, the fourth fragrance in the Life is Pink collection (see Wish Pink, Live Pink & Hope Pink):

Shine Pink is a starlet in a sparkling blend of peach…

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New at bloomingdales: Benefit Garden of Good & Eva, Lookin’ to Rock Rita and So Hooked on Carmella.

New at luckyscent: Tauer Carillon pour un Ange.

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It’s premiere location and the exceptional array of facilities, the Resort will be ideally positioned to cater to both leisure and meeting & incentive markets.
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Gotta Have It! has just revealed that their highly anticipated Michael Jackson auctions are scheduled for October 6-15, 2010.

These auctions will be a bit different since the seller apparently received the auction items from the King of Pop himself.  Up fro auction will be an MJ custom Swarovski crystal jacket, the gloves Jackson wore for his “Bad” album cover, signed photos and genuine MJ lyric sheets.

We can’t wait to see how these auctions turn out!

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A short promo for Kenzo’s new Homme Eau de Toilette Boisée. The music is How you like me now? by The Heavy.

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Escada will follow Incredible Me and Desire Me with Absolutely Me, a new fruity floral fragrance for women fronted by actress Olivia Wilde…

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The Museo del Traje (Costume Museum) in Madrid is hosting Roger & Gallet: the art of perfume from 1862 to today:

Over 250 unique pieces make up the exhibition…

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