Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Sad tale of Kim’s romantic R55m ring
Lost in armed heist
LONDON: She lost her prized new 20-carat diamond engagement ring after being held up at gunpoint in her Paris abode.
But just days before the ordeal, Kim Kardashian shared the touching story of how her husband, Kanye West, surprised her in the middle of the night by leaving the bauble on her pillow.
The rapper also showed his trademark romantic side by having the $4 million band, by American jeweller Lorraine Schwartz, engraved with the word “Adidas”.
Kim first showed off the ring at last month’s MTV Video Music Awards.
She told the story after TV personality Andy Cohen asked about her “upgraded” engagement ring on his show, Radio Andy, just days before the robbery.
Kim said: “I was sleeping and (Kanye) woke me up in the middle of the night and said: ‘Babe, babe, I got you something from Adidas.’
“And I said: ‘I’ll get the shoes in the morning, babe, I’m sleeping.’
“And then he put a box on my pillow, a Lorraine Schwartz box, and he goes: ‘No, open your eyes.’
“And I opened my eyes and it was a box and I like woke up and I was like: ‘What is this?’ ”
She explained how the recording artist told her he had got her a special gift, which he even had personalised for her, to celebrate a business agreement he had just inked.
Kim said he told her: “Well, you know I just did that big Adidas deal, so I got you something from Adidas.”
“And he engraved Adidas on the band inside because he’s funny like that.”
However, there were more laughs to come during the emotional moment, as her man weighed up the idea of returning her other engagement band.
She said: “I was like, ‘Do I have to give my other ring back?’ and he was like: ‘Can you do that?’ ”
But quick- witted Kim stepped in, telling him: “‘Nooo! You can’t do that, I’m just kidding.’ “Thank you, Adidas!” The reality television personality was held at gunpoint in the early hours of Monday morning, with her ring among the pieces of jewellery worth an estimated $8.5m (R117.4m) that were stolen.
Five gunmen disguised as police officers and wearing ski masks to hide their faces bound and gagged her in the luxury Hotel de Pourtalès.
Mother-of-two Kim had been left alone in the suite while bodyguard Pascal Duvier went to high-end nightclub L’Arc with her sisters Kourtney and Kendall Jenner.
Duvier, 43, had earlier filed for bankruptcy in his hometown of Heidelberg, Germany. Court documents show the bodyguard had lodged papers some 10 weeks ago after reporting debts of more than 1m (R15.4m).
Kim has been criticised by security experts, as well as fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, for flaunting her jewellery on social media.
Speaking at Paris Fashion Week, the German style icon said: “(She is) too public, too public – we have to see in what time we live.
“You cannot display your wealth then be surprised that some people want to share it.
“I don’t understand why she was in a hotel with no security and things like this.
“If you are that famous and you put all your jewellery on the net, you go to hotels where nobody can come near to the room.”
Meanwhile, production on the TV reality show Keeping up with the Kardashians is on hold, the E! Network said just days after the show’s star, Kardashian, was robbed.
“Kim’s well- being is our core focus right now.
“No decision has been made as to when production will resume,” said a spokeswoman for the network, which broadcasts the show.
On Thursday, flanked by multiple security guards, Kardashian and her family left their Manhattan apartment, where they have been closeted since she returned from Paris.
News video and photos showed Kardashian, 35, her face partly hidden by a hoodie and baseball cap, getting into a car with their two young children, daughter North and son Saint and West.
It was the first time Kardashian had been seen since returning to New York after the robbery from Paris.
Celebrity website TMZ and magazine Us Weekly reported on Thursday that a badly shaken Kardashian was taking about a month’s break from work.
The celebrity family have been uncharacteristically quiet since the robbery. No arrests have been made. TMZ, quoting an unidentified source close to Kardashian, said that when she does return to work she will cut down on her use of social media and displays of her wealthy lifestyle.
Kardashian’s representatives declined to comment on the reports. – Daily Mail