The calendar, worth in excess of A$4,000,000 (Four Million Dollars), has been meticulously handcrafted by master cabinet maker and Sydney resident Tim Garside.
“The materials chosen were Australian woods and veneers revolving around a complimentary theme.” he said. The choices were very deliberate taking features of the QVB itself. “You can see such features in the chequered floor, arched windows, glass in the windows and pillared arch and columns on the facade. One half of the calendar consists of predominantly Australian Red Cedar, along with Australian walnut, and Forest Red Gum, features of Gold Leaf, natural gemstones and crystal. The other side consists of predominantly Huon Pine, Birds Eye Maple, Silky Oak and Red Gum Burl along with features of Silver Leaf, natural gemstones and Crystal.”
The beautiful Calendar hasn’t gone unnoticed with hundreds of the general public turning up each day to take a closer look at the captivating display of embellishments.
Michael Neuman, Co-Director of Mondial says of the window display, “This has been over 18 months in the making and we are so thrilled to finally see our vision come to life. For us, it really is about adding that spark of wonder and excitement back into Christmas and we are looking forward to seeing the faces of both adults and children light up as they look into our shop windows and see the incredible and totally unique display.”
With secret doors and panels numbering 1 to 24, each day of December will reveal a new treasure to the public up until Christmas day. The calendar delights those interested in luxury jewellery and time-honoured craftmanship but also draws attention to the historic QVB as it continues to celebrate its 120th birthday.
This year Mondial celebrates 25 wonderful years in this special location and like the QVB herself and many of the retailers here, this advent calendar is one of a kind. The calendar has been designed to reflect the architectural style and details one sees in the famous Queen Victoria Building and it includes featured Mondial jewellery such as an extremely rare Argyle Red Diamond ring valued at $690,000.”
Some of the 24 exceptional pieces of jewellery in the Advent Calendar include:
- Mondial Red — Beyond Rare. From the Argyle Pink Diamond Tender, this 0.33ct brilliant cut is a pure Natural Fancy Red of unsurpassed colour. RRP $690,000.
- Aria — Unique and handcrafted. A beautiful pear-shaped diamond enhanced by a frame of interlaced Australian Argyle pink diamonds. RRP $58,000.
- Celestia — One of a kind. An historic 3.51ct, VVS1 Fancy Intense Yellow Argyle Diamond. RRP $275,000.
The collaborating team hope to rejuvenate the wonder of Christmas and capture the public’s imagination. and draw attention the many precious metals unique to our country. The display will also re-awaken the public’s appreciation of the natural precious materials found right here in our own backyard.