ANDREW COXON, 63, HAS BEEN WORKING WITH DE BEERS ALL HIS LIFE, STARTING AS A YOUNG HANDSOME MAN TRAVELLING TO THE DEEPEST REACHES OF ANGOLA, RHODESIA (NOW ZIMBABWE), BOTSWANA, CONGO AND ALL THE ULU PLACES WE NEVER HEARD OF IN MALAYSIA.
Ng Sheau Yuen, CEO of De Beers Malaysia and Andrew Coxon, president of De Beers Diamond Institute
Ng Sheau Yuen and Andrew Coxon
The RM 8.8 million girl! Candice Chong wears the magnificent Lea necklace by De Beers and earring suite
Ng Sheau Yuen and the RM 8.8 million candy girl Candice Chong
Andrew Coxon, Ng Sheau Yuen, Candice Chong and Phoebe Liu
Looking like a billion dollar babe in Lea necklace!
Andrew Coxon has been with De Beers all his working life since 23 when he graduated. He is married to a medical doctor who did not care much about diamonds for the first 17 years and then at the opening of De Beers New York store, chanced upon a big diamond solitaire and was hooked.
"I had to sell my entire wine cellar which I had been collecting for 20 years to buy her the stone!" exclaims the doting husband.
The moral of the story?
Never bring your wife to a diamond party! Better still, never marry! I am too smart to marry so now I buy and wear all the diamonds I want! My adopted french son Dedione Kee doesn't like diamonds but he is a French poodle so that is fine.
Andrew Coxon is the only man alive who was worth RM 300 million cash on 2 occasions!
How come?
He carried the 203-carat Millennium Star diamond inside his right hand trouser pocket on 2 occasions!
Once was to Smithsonian Institute in Washington and the second and last time to Cannes to deliver the monster diamond to its new buyer!
The 203-carat Millennium Star was insured for RM 300 million during the exhibition at London Dome so we must assume this is the minimum worth.
"At Cannes airport, a private helicopter was waiting to fly us off to the super yacht waiting out in the sea!"
Yet it was a deal that was almost undone!
Remembers Coxon, "This guy contacted a top gun at De Beers, a former director and said he wanted the Millennium Star by Saturday and he called on Monday. So we ignored him. The cash arrived on Wednesday so we were frantic as he needed the Millennium Star on Saturday! We hired a private jet and on Friday I had the Millennium Star inside my right hand trouser pocket and was on my way to Cannes!
"At the party I congratulated him and said how wife was so lucky to be able to wear the Millennium Star. The owner said "No, not at all. I plan to carry the Millennium Star inside my pocket just like you just to enjoy the sensation of being able to touch and caress my 203-carat Millennium Star whenever I feel like it!"
Andrew Coxon told the new owner, "I carried the real Millennium Star in my pocket because the insurance people said that was the safest way while the copy was kept inside my briefcase. When he heard this, he demanded I give him the copy diamond for his amusement so I gave him and do not have anything to show you."
How big is 203 carats?
"Take an egg and cut it in half, that is the size of the Millennium Star."
The copy was made of crystal and weighs even more than the diamond. Whatever the case, my advice to the new owner---make sure there is no hole inside your pocket!
Phoebe Liu and daughter Candice Chong before Lea necklace
Miki Choong and Ong Liling trying out De Beers
Miki Choong and Ong Liling
Ng Sheau Yuen, CEO of De Beers Malaysia and Andrew Coxon, president of De Beers Diamond Institute
Ng Sheau Yuen and Andrew Coxon
Candice Chong looking resplendent in Lea necklace
Candice Chong shows her Lea necklace and earrings to perfectionThe RM 8.8 million girl and friends
Plenty to laugh about---just look at the incredible Fire, Life and Brilliance of the stones that sparkle like stars in heaven!
Andrew Coxon, Sara Ismail and Sister Kay McNaught
Yenti Lou showing her RM 5 million, 5 carat sparkler
Yenti Lou and her De Beers ring; see how it sparkles so white!
Andrew Coxon
Tunku Datuk Nooruddin of Singapore Precious Metals Exchange and David Rees Commercial Director of De Beers--these 2 were school mates in Cheltenham 35 years ago and kept in touch all these decades!
Beauties in a row
There are some very creative and inspired pieces of diamond necklace here! Awesome!
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