Too much Swarovski is never enough, especially during the holidays, when we all want sparkle. And during the holidays in New York City, the most popular sparkle can be found at Rockefeller Center, where each year gaggles of locals as well as tourists stop by to view the Christmas tree, which has been topped by a Swarovski star each year since 2004.

This year's star is 9½ feet in diameter, 1½ feet in depth, weighs a whopping 550 pounds, and comprises 25,000 crystals with 1,000,000 facets. The star is high-tech and low-cost (energy-wise): It has enhancements such as a new cutting-edge computerized lighting system and energy-efficient LED bulbs. The star's 12 rays are outfitted with 720 bulbs on 3,000 feet of wire to create a twinkling effect through customized light sequencing programmed by a complex computer system.

Rockefeller Center officially began the Tree Lighting Ceremony in 1933, when a Christmas tree was erected in front of the then-RCA Building and covered with 700 lights. This is the first year, however, that the Swarovski star will feature dynamic light movement. A team of nine artisans and engineers spent three months (1,200 hours) installing, programming, and testing the star to ensure the effects would withstand the challenging winter weather conditions 76 feet above Rockefeller Center.

A replica of the Swarovski Star will be on display in Rockefeller Center to allow visitors to get a closer view of the detailing and craftsmanship. Swarovski is even offering a selection of star-themed holiday jewelry and ornaments on sale at the Swarovski holiday kiosk at Rockefeller Center, at Swarovski boutiques nationwide, and online.

The 77th Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, December 2, from 7-9 p.m. The ceremony will be televised live, locally on WNBC-TV from 7-8 p.m. and nationally on NBC from 8-9 p.m. Spectators can view the lighted tree each day from 5:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.; all day (24 hours) on Christmas Day; and from 5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The last day to view the tree is January 7, 2010.

Sources: LuxuryLaunches.com and PR Newswire

I'm not one for enormous jewels and gems on my jewelry (I know, call me crazy) but this Glacier Ring by Swarovski really appeals to me. Maybe it's because there is no large bling set onto a band so much as the bling is the band. Appropriately named after a mass of ice, this Swarovski crystal cocktail ring is faceted to catch both the light and the attention of your fellow party goers and is gold-plated inside for comfort. A perfect winter accessory as it evokes feelings of snow and sparkles and will coordinate with everything. £142

Hello Kitty is one of those unique brands that never seems to go out of style and manages to appeal just as much to 3 year olds and 13 year olds as it does to the 30 year old set. One way it stays hip and popular is pairing cute with sophistication, a combination that seems irresistible to fans. To celebrate the brand's 35th birthday this year Sanrio is putting out something for everyone; the young, the young at heart and those who view Hello Kitty as art.

For those in the teen or tween set there is the sparkly Hello Kitty music player. This electronic gadget is decorated with 300 Swarovski crystal elements and shaped in the traditional Hello Kitty face. A second option is the Limited Edition pendant set. Again this is a collaboration between the D. Swarovski Co. of Wattens, Austria and features five crystal studded pendants each accented with a different color to match your mood or your outfit. Although at a price of $6,000 for the set I'm not sure that this jewelry collection isn't more appropriate for some of the slightly more mature Hello Kitty fans.

Another collaboration launched to celebrate the 35th Anniversary is a Judith Leiber bag collection. The line includes a "Retro Kitty" curved oval clutch, the "Pink Tulip" airstream, new "Hobo" style with silver handle shown above which will retail for $3995. These items are definitely a nod to those customers who have been fans of the Hello Kitty brand since its inception 35 years ago.

For those more artistically inclined there is the Three Apples art exhibit in Los Angeles, California curated by Jamie Rivadeneira the owner of Japan L.A. at the Royal/T space. The event is free of charge and over 80 artists display their Hello Kitty inspired pieces through November 15, 2009. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the art will benefit Sanrio's charitable partner LA Works a non-profit organization that promotes community volunteerism.

You'll never be able to go back to 10-pack cheapo emery boards after having this beautiful accessory in your purse! The Swarovski Nail File, created by designer Craig Coulton for the design competition organized by Designboom, consists of two filing blades (regular and smoothing) that fold out to reveal a shining layer beneath them. Crystals are embedded along each side of a silver, gold, or platinum body. Seems there's just no end to many ways that crystals can beautify everyday objects.

Schonbek has been nominated for the Luxist Awards in the lighting category.

Adolf Schonbek started it all as a young man in Bohemia in the year 1870 when he walked away from his family's glassworks business and struck out on his own. His chandeliers quickly grew in popularity, including commissions for Buckingham Palace and the White House. Years went by and the Schonbek name became famous for its crystal chandeliers, although eventually the European factories were lost to the Nazis and Communists and were relocated first to Montreal and later the United States.

Schonbek was acquired by Swarovski in 2007, melding Swarovski's exquisitely cut crystal with Schonbek's masterful chandelier design and manufacturing techniques. The resulting chandeliers are beautiful beyond measure and timeless in their appeal, and surprisingly at home among almost any decor or style. The Schonbek website has a decorating game that allows you to see how the entire feel of a room can be altered simply by changing the chandelier, and how they can enhance everything form an elegant architectural foyer to a cozy country bedroom.

If you're interested in seeing or buying Schonbek for yourself just send them an email and they'll connect you with a showroom near you.

Have you ever been walking along, noticed a lovely, large-ish purse, and then, upon closer inspection, saw a little dog in it? Seems the days of utilitarian Sherpa Bags are over, at least for on-the-go, sophisticated dogs and their owners (unless you're flying, then they're the best). Anyway ... Here's a high-end, attractive dog-carrying bag, if you're into Swarovski crystals. And if you've ever read Luxist, you know we love our Swarovski crystals. The "Bella" dog carrying bag by Coats N Totes is made of the finest Italian leather, is trimmed in large Swarovski crystals in the front and back, and has two large pockets on either side. It includes a soft padded floor and collar snap. Available in black, pink, or tan, made in the USA. $800

Gallery: Coats N Totes "Bella" Dog Carrying Bag

When we moved into our new house we immediately replaced all of the off-white, cheap, plastic switch plates with brushed-silvertone covers to give each room a clean and modern feel. Even the smallest of changes in a room can add to the ambiance. Too bad I didn't know about the glamorous Swarovski-crusted switch plates from Diametral. These glittery covers add sparkle to any space -- although putting them in every room of your home might be a bit much. Available in fifteen different colors including gold, silver and leaf motifs, these switch plates are anything but bland.

Wow. I'm not sure where to start. Sort of a glamour meets goth look going on here, and although the cutout sides, peep toes, and jagged edges complete with silver and black Swarovski crystal embellishments is sure to be eye catching the bright purple interior that adds so much in this photo is unfortunately for your eyes only, as it doesn't show when the shoe is being worn. An interesting and truly "fierce" addition to your stiletto collection, this Swarovski Sandal by Giuseppe Zanotti goes for $1,150.

For any parent with an infant or toddler, a pacifier can be a blessing and your worst nightmare. In times when your little one may not be able to settle themselves down, pacifiers seem to work their magic instantly. Thank goodness! In other times, it can be your worst nightmare. For example - when you can't find a pacifier at all or when you have lost their favorite binky and according to your crying baby no other one will do. And it can be especially problematic when you are trying to ween your little one off the pacifier's magical spell. During the tumultuous times of your little one having a meltdown and you feel as though your head will jump off your body, take a nap and never return, a little humor to lighten the mood may help. The Aristabrat Crystal Pacifier incorporates a bit of fun by extravagantly adorning the typical pacifier with colorful Swarovski crystals and a mad face that will make any baby, parent and passerbys put a smile on their face. Available in blue and pink. Price: $120.

Summer is in full swing and although in some stores fall shoes are already starting to make an appearance in my opinion it's never too late to buy a great new pair of sandals. I tend to wear flip flops anywhere and everywhere that they're even remotely socially acceptable, which means I have a closet full of them and am always on the lookout for new cute designs. These handmade versions by Lizzie Lou Shoes are on the upscale side of the flip flop family tree, featuring comfy EVA soles, real leather straps, and lots of pretty Swarovski crystal and semi-precious stone embellishments. Prices range from $107-$123/pair.

And if you missed them before, we covered these other Swarovski flip flops earlier this month.

This is a very sexy and sporty watch line from Swarovski who finally decided to release their own line of watches this year as opposed to simply provide crystals to others (I don't think they are going to stop supplying crystals anytime soon though). Here is also one of those occasions that I am a bit jealous, as I could easily see a slightly modified version of this watch being perfectly good for men. As such, the steel case is 39mm wide - in the men's watch size territory. Although this version is in white, there are different colors of the watch available including dark blue, magenta, black, and pink. My feeling is that the watches are thematically similar to the Chanel J12 line being light and airy, but highly functional timepieces. While the J12 is in ceramic, the Octea Sport has a range of faceted Swarovski crystals all over the watch and strap or bracelet that likely make for an impressive look. The watch itself is based on a diver's watch theme complete with rotating diver's bezel.

The crystals on the watch range from being totally clear to clouds for a variety of looks that out to make it interesting, especially in the color-toned models. The collection was first announced last March at Baselworld and in my opinion was quite impressive from the brand who was not expected to release its own line of watches. The Octea Sport line have Swiss quartz movements inside while at least this white model is available with a rubber strap or a steel metal bracelet - both of which are lined with large horizontally applied crystals which make for a good look. The watches are available now at various locations including on Swarovski's own website. The Octea Sport line is about $800 - $850 - not too bad.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

You can buy simple, classic flip flops anywhere these days, from Target, to Kmart, to mall stores. But wouldn't you rather have Swarovski crystals on your flip flops? If you think yes, and are willing to spend a bit to make it what we like to call a small splurge, you need Deborah Evans's crystal embellished footwear.

Evans has blinged up three lines, using Havaianas from Brazil as the base: Resort, a 3/4-inch soled sandal available in 13 colors ($130); Metallic, a 3/4-inch soled sandal available in 5 colors ($98); and High Wedge, a 2-1/2-inch wedge sandal available in 4 colors ($185). These come in basic colors like black, brown and white.

For more pizzazz, you need the D-Street line, which is made from Evans's own line of rubber sandals, but still has the crystals and comes in 2 styles: the Street, a 3/4-inch soled sandal available in 15 fun colors/patterns, including animal prints ($120); and the Mini-Wedge, 1-1/2-inch soled sandal available in 15 even brighter colors, but luckily still in animal prints ($150).

You'll be hearing a lot about Swarovski watches lately as they just officially entered into the watch world with self-branded collection. Many of them are surprisingly quite nice. For years (and in to the future as well), the company make various grade crystals to be used on watches when diamonds were too much, or the application was different. The new Swarovski collection has a multitude of watches but the most hip and urban is easily this D:Light digital watch. Basically, you have 172 Xillion-cut (sounds classy eh?) crystals that make up a display panel. A light under the crystals can turn on or off creating the numbers that are displayed for the time.

The lights do more than just help tell the time and apparently put on little shows for you - but I'd have to see the watch in full action to understand that part of it more. Two versions of the Swarovski D:Light watch will be available including steel and gold PVD models. Inside is a Swiss quartz movement. It certainly looks more like a time-telling bracelet than a watch, but the look is just right for some and is most certainly unique. Priced $1,500 - $1,700.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

I'm not sure just how long these items have been available but I honestly had no idea Swarovski carried a line of architectural lighting options. Whether you choose a single crystal for a more modern setting or an artsy array of crystals designed to dazzle the eye Swarovski has a variety of choices to suit your home decor. Glam up your home with wall-mounted, recessed ceiling, or hanging luminaires each showcasing a unique design and glittering glow. I wonder how much light the single cut crystal of the 'Octa' and 'Madison' actually gives off -- is it a fancy nightlight or contemporary mood lighting?

Sad but true: the recession has hit the upcoming Cannes Film Festival in the South of France next month, an international symbol of glamorous excess. Cutbacks are being made everywhere, from ritzy parties to the type of food being served, the AFP tells us. For starters, Vanity Fair has canceled its annual star-studded party, the social highlight of the festival, while the VIP nightclub Jimmy'z lost two key sponsors, Fendi and Swarovski, and Louis Vuitton said it would skip AmFar's big-ticket AIDS charity fundraiser.

"We're experiencing an unprecedented world crisis and it's also affecting the Riviera and Cannes," says Michel Chevillon, head of Cannes' hotel association. "Companies are sending fewer people, for shorter periods." 70% of the area's hotels have frozen their room rates compared to last year, and many are taking bookings for less than the full 12-day period, something normally unheard of at festival time, Chevillon tells the AFP.

Overall attendance at the festival is expected to be down for the first time in decades. "People are afraid it will hurt their image to be seen in a place associated with wealth," Cannes deputy mayor David Lissnard tells the AFP. Yacht charters are also suffering, as brokers struggle to find clients in Cannes' port, where all 60 berths for megayachts were booked up in anticipation. "There's a lot less demand this year for yacht rentals and a lot of pressure on prices," says broker Valerie Ruiz, who rents out yachts up to 200-ft. for the festival.