The Fashion Statement: Woolly Mammoth Ivory is Huge

by Kristin Young (RSS feed)
Aug 19th 2010 at 9:00AM

Woolly mammoth ivory jewelry is everywhere.

Luxury retailer Stanley Korshak in Dallas can't keep it in stock. Michelle Obama has been photographed numerous times wearing it. For CFDA design darling Monique Péan and Ivory Jacks in Bothel, Washington, that create jewelry out of the material, business has been good.

The First Lady wore woolly mammoth jewelry by Monique Péan on a trip to Mexico a few months ago (pictured above and below)-specifically earrings, cuffs and strands. She wore the cuffs again recently to greet President Obama on his 49th birthday. The cuffs go for $4,480 to $7,420 at www.twistonline.com. The earrings can fetch anywhere between $915 and $2,970 at www.barneys.com.

Unlike elephant ivory which is primarily off-white, woolly mammoth ivory is unique in that it has many different colors-tan, brown and sometimes blue. Ivory Jacks jewelry designer Courtney Tripp explained to me this week at the Gift Show in New York that the colors are a result of thousands of years of mineralization. No two tusks are the same color. So no two mammoth jewelry pieces can be exactly the same.

The ban on ivory-implemented since the '80s to stop poachers from killing the elephants simply for their tusks-does not apply to this fossilized stuff. Trade in dead mammoth ivory is legal and has been for 300 years because it does not threaten any living species. This ivory is found in mammoth tusks that have been preserved in ice and permafrost of Arctic regions in Siberia, North Canada or Alaska. As the ice packs and glaciers have receded, more and more tusks have been found. Tusks have been unearthed in road construction or spotted from a plane in melting river banks.

Most jewelers claim that woolly mammoth jewelry is conflict free, eco friendly and sustainable. The truth is mammoth ivory is rare and costly because mammoths have been extinct for millennia.

The AFP reports Hong Kong customs cleared 21 tons of mammoth ivory and more than 90 percent of it came from Russia's arctic tundra. Most of it is anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 years old.

"Mammoth ivory is absolutely a non-renewable resource, and it is absolutely being depleted, in part, by the commercial trade," Dan Fisher, a University of Michigan mammoth expert, told AFP.

While it's hard to say how soon the world's stockpile of fossilized ivory could disappear, Fisher says it probably won't be any sooner than about 10 years from now.

Tags: Ivory, Michelle Obama, monique pean, wolly mammoth ivory jewelry, woolly mammoth

Filed under: Jewelry, The Fashion Statement

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Reader Comments (Page 5 of 10)

John padrick murry Aug 21st 2010 11:11AM

who paid for this ? the tax payers.

Chuck Simmons Aug 19th 2010 4:36PM

There is no one who comes out and says "I am so proud of my President and his wife", they either point the finger at the dead presidents club or tell us how rank has it priviledges for Michelle Antoinette and her annointed crowd.

frank Aug 19th 2010 4:36PM

A PART TIME COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, AND A FAILED LAWYER,,,,,EVER WONDER WHERE THEIR FORTUNES CAME FROM? WHO IS PULLING THE STRINGS AND PAYING THE BILLS,OTHER THAN US?

JadeGrande27 Aug 19th 2010 6:36PM

Obama's books were bestsellers. He made millions from them.

Obama didn't cheat anyone to make his fortune, he didn't rely on his father's contacts to get his stupid ass into the money. He didn't take ordinary people's land (with help from eminent domain) and build a baseball stadium on the land, making himself a fortune while the people who had owned it got a pittance. For that you'd have to look to W.

dego- red Aug 19th 2010 4:38PM

thisi Kiki person semns to have an inferiority complex. its not about her skin color Kiki,,,,,,,, you just showee thew worlkd how ignorant you are., and to iuse a racial slur like crackers. does that boost your self esteem? you're missing the pint sure she looks good, but its not her money .its balck folk likeyou that are holding back every one from advancing,,,,,,,,,,sorry oh and your phony claims to having expensive jewlery , again any onw ho has to brag doesnt is really have any thing going on ( except your pyschological insecurity)

way to go AOL you stirred up more crap!!

ladydi9251 Aug 20th 2010 1:16AM

WTF???? Sober up and come back later....

Catherine Aug 19th 2010 4:39PM

this woman has no class.

FRANK DAVIS Aug 19th 2010 4:39PM

A PART TIME COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, AND A FAILED LAWYER,,,,,EVER WONDER
WHERE THEIR FORTUNES CAME FROM? WHO IS PULLING THE STRINGS AND
PAYING THE BILLS,OTHER THAN US?

vobox3343 Aug 19th 2010 4:40PM

How come you never heard Blacks criticizing White presidents for taking vacations while they've continued to struggle with high unemployment? Perhaps there's something we can learn.

Alice Aug 19th 2010 4:42PM

That is how ignorant she is to "rub it in" to people who cannot afford to buy gawdy jewelry as she is doing. Apparently her and her old man never communicate since it is bad publicity for her to brag about all of the millions of dollars she now has to spend. Then again, when you watch National Geographic programs, you see the natives in kenya where Obama is from dancing topless with huge earings through their nose and necklaces around their waists.

Ernesto Hedge Aug 19th 2010 4:47PM

Both Obummers have been an ABSOLUTE JOKE. He is just plain inept. She is a fem-cow exploiting and corrupting everything that is wrong with America. This presidency will go down in history as being the biggest frikkkkkkin JOKE of all time. Her azzzz is the size of a Volvo.

ladydi9251 Aug 20th 2010 1:23AM

hmmm...that's good you noticed that natural ass and na na na naaaaaaaaa you not gonna get none...lmao!

Pam Holtz Aug 19th 2010 4:48PM

You tell 'em Martha!! How soon we forget ...or is it just convenient to forget? hmmm

dego- red Aug 19th 2010 5:03PM

Dear confused. you sure are............ the first thing you do is attack the people commenting with offensive remarks. and you want them to grow up ? as the first lady she should portray a better image ( we're sall cutting baclk using energy and sacricficing some of our own luxuries ,I cant say be cause I dont know you nbut I paid over $100,000 in taxes last year for what ? for him to give to HAMAS?, and I can bet you if you want )., Im not a cracker. Im not a bigot just a decendant of a WW II vet who defended this countries freedom . which Obama is chopping away at , no name calling just realize that to spread the wealth, is socialism. the way hes doing it,,,,, the sad thing is you dont care as long as your guy wins.......... what do youhave to hangyour hat on ? what has he done ? but lie after lie....and blame everything on Bush......... the worst disaster (oil spill) is all but disappeared what happened? hes nothing but politican but not a leader , you have to show what hes done ... hes not ven helping the poor black folk of this country do you really think he cares?

marciattng Aug 19th 2010 4:53PM

you'e been checking it out LOL that's funny she didnt have to go but it God gave it to her NOT a PLASTIC surgeon

Arnold Aug 19th 2010 5:01PM

A chimpanzee wearing woolly mammoth jewelry. Amazing !

Chuck Simmons Aug 19th 2010 5:05PM

For Andrea and her brood:

It is not that we do not wish to see Mrs. Obama flourish, the fact is we dislike the flaunting of vacations in Spain and Mammoth jewelry being worn, for status sake, while 26-30% of The USA is trying to figure out how to pay their monthly bills. I understand why she is proud of her American heritage...growing up in the USA has its priveledges....but it doesn't need to be broadcast and flaunted.

dego- red Aug 19th 2010 5:25PM

more lies. you did hear Blacks criticising BUsh for evrything and anything, what cave have you been living in ? (thats not to be used against me now, its a figure of speech we all use)

Mum Aug 19th 2010 5:08PM

Palin's wardrobe was $150,000 not $250,000 and bought by the RNC....and the clothes were returned. Until getting into the WH, this woman was not "rich". O's books made him some millions, but they were complaining about having to pay student loans, and needed help from the Chi thug Tony to get their property in Chi-Town. Hopefully, she is paying for all her clothes, jewelry, shoes, boots and not we taxpayers. And if on loan or gifts, she is required to pay tax on them, but that seems to be a problem with the Democrats. Unfortunately, no matter how much money she spends, she doesn't dress like a First Lady. Jackie and Nancy both had class so don't compare her to Jackie.

bucket Aug 19th 2010 5:11PM

I am sooo amazed at the comments I am hearing from people. WHY IS IT THAT YOU HATE THIS FAMILY SOOO MUCH?? My husband tells me all the time that Americans have a short memory. You act as if every step they take is critized no matter what it is. What makes you think that the Ppesident of the United States of American needs to be, act and spend like the average Joe Blow. I want a person that represents this country to be smater than I am. I wonder who voted for him because all I see are the HATeRS. I know every day working women who will spend $250 and up for a designer purse; $150.00 up tennis shoes etc. So what's your point. You work and spend your money the way you want- this is America isn't it.By the way Bush didn't know what a bar code was when he was in office sooo how many times do you think he went to the grocery store.

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