By Ian Neubauer
Bombay Sapphire has unveiled a collection of five luxury gin bottles cut in the shape of giant diamonds with a combined value of more than $1.1 million.
The Revelation bottle set was designed by New York-based artist Karim Rashid and handcrafted in France by luxury crystal maker Baccarat. Each bottle features 10 principal facets representing the 10 botanical ingredients used to create Bombay Sapphire. The stopper is decorated with sapphires and diamonds set by Garrard, the oldest jewellery house in the world.
The bottles will be individually displayed at five major international airports, beginning with London Heathrow airport on March 27. Airports in New York, Dubai, Singapore and Sydney will each display one Revelation bottle for two to three months. The bottles will be sent to their new owners after this time, with all profits arising from the bottles’ sale donated to The Smile Train, a charity that provides cleft surgery to children in Third World nations. The Smile Train has provided corrective surgery for 285,916 children to date.
Bombay Sapphire is globally recognised for its translucent blue bottle and investments in art. The Bombay Sapphire Prize represents the world’s largest annual glass awards, while the Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competition is a premier design contest for emerging designers of glass.