

A jeweler selects diamonds, smelts and polishes gold, and fashions a gorgeous accessory. This luxe item isn’t a ring, necklace, or even a crown: It’s a coronavirus face mask. At a time when millions worldwide are suffering, it’s no wonder such a showy piece might rub some folks the wrong way.
For thousands of years, people have worn jewelry to display their skill, status, superstition, or affection. Bones, gems, “good luck” charms, and precious metals have all told stories about their wearer.
The same is true today. Adornments tell a story. Instead of an outward focus, Christians are free of a need to appear impressive. We can, instead, focus on adorning our insides with qualities that do not pass away, like love, joy, peace, and kindness. The Bible encourages, “Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” (1 Peter 3:4)
Jewelry makers Orna and Isaac Levy work with earthly adornments. The Levys founded Yvel in 1986. According to its website, “Yvel [creates] a variety of striking one-of-a-kind treasures that are themselves, true works of art.” Their pieces are both unusual and beautiful—strands of fine gold twisting around bumpy, odd-shaped pearls swirling with purple and teal and cream.
Now Yvel is constructing the world’s most expensive face covering. The 18-karat white gold mask will be decorated with 3,600 white and black diamonds. The posh mask isn’t all show—it will also come with top-rated N99 filters.
Designer Isaac Levy isn’t making the mask for fun. It’s been pre-ordered. Levy won’t identify the buyer. He will say it’s a Chinese businessman living in the United States.
The buyer wants his swanky mask completed by the end of the year. He also wants it to be the priciest in the world. According to Levy, that last condition “was the easiest to fulfill.” The price tag is a cool $1.5 million.
Levy has been working on the diamond-studded face covering at his factory near Jerusalem. “Money maybe doesn’t buy everything,” Levy says. “But if it can buy a very expensive COVID-19 mask, and the guy wants to wear it and walk around and get the attention, he should be happy with that.”
The glitzy mask may lend some pizzazz to the protective gear now mandatory in public spaces in many countries. But weighing over half a pound—nearly 100 times that of a typical surgical mask—it’s not very practical.
Levy says he wouldn’t wear the glam mask himself. Still, he’s thankful for the opportunity.
“I am happy that this mask gave us enough work for our employees,” he says, “to be able to provide their jobs in very challenging times like these times right now.”
this is Mylee
I saw this on world watch. Who would want to buy a mask for that much..... Its pretty though lol
WOW! Not very practical xD
WOW! Not very practical xD
XDXDXD
But interesting. Sounds
But interesting. Sounds expensive.
This is London
I would not buy that wayyyyy to expensive. And heavy I could not breath
Levy/Yvel
Anyone else notice that the founders' last name was Levy, and they named their company Yvel, which is "Levy" backwards?
@Above
Ok, cool, but why? Like, really, why do you need a really heavy, really expensive, gold mask!? but cool anyway.
@KN: no, I did not notice that!! But good spotting! that is neat! I wonder if it is on purpose?
8th comment! P.S. This is Caro
WOW! It's crazy that someone would buy a mask for that price! You could sponsor a TON of adoptions with that amount of money!
@Caro. Yeah. Did you
@Caro. Yeah. Did you participate in adoption Sunday this past week?
@Porter E P.S. This is Caro
Was it adoption Sunday last week? I didn't know about that, but we are adopting so I know how much it costs!
I just have some bold masks
I just have some bold masks in different colors from costco...
Caro, I saw your comment. I
Caro, I saw your comment. I was adopted at age 7.
Not sure how you'd wear it. I
Not sure how you'd wear it. I find it interesting he doesn't want to say the name of the buyer since you could find out if the person wore it. No offense.
What?!
What? That jeweled face mask is $1.5 million? Now that sounds expensive!
OH MY WORD!!!!
OH MY WORD!!!!
16th comment P.S. This is Caro
@Candence, that is so cool that you were adopted! (No offense!!!!!)
@London S Same!!
@London S
Same!!
Gold mask?
Sounds like he's not the one that came up with it but hey at least he's getting a lot of money which should help provide for his company. ( It is weird that his name backwards is his company's name)
I would not spend that much money on a mask that you might not be able to wear in a few years, cause coronavirus is only going to last so long, plus I was just thinking it might be pretty heavy.
1.5 million who would spend
1.5 million who would spend that much on a mask!
Masks
Masks are the new fashion...
Does anyone like to wear
Does anyone like to wear masks? None of my friends do. Neither do I. I can't stand 'em! No offense. I get a headache, and I wouldn't be surprised if I faint one of these days! :)
I'm like one of those kids who have a tendency to stretch the rules as far as possible. :) So... I try to do everything I can to avoid wearing a mask over my mouth. I like to joke that one of these days I will wear my mask on my forehead. I mean, they say to wear a face mask, but don't say specifically wear on your face. :)
@ Isabel
My brothers sometimes say it'd be funny if you were sunglasses as your "face covering" B-) (<---person wearing sunglasses)
Word not were
Word not were
WORE NOT WERE AND NOT WOED
WORE NOT WERE AND NOT WOED
sorry autocorrect can be annoying
Oh dear...word not woed
Oh dear...word not woed
@Isabel F
I never wear a mask. Where I live all you have to do to not wear a mask is say " I can't wear a mask." or just walk into a store without one on. Though to be fair, our governor has extended the mask mandate so many times because "It will save a life" but the cases haven't been rising so even people who were concerned in the begining are kinda done with the whole thing.
I don't like wearing a mask ,
I don't like wearing a mask , they give ,me a sore through :(
@Above
I HATE wearing masks, especially since I know they don't help unless you have covid, and then they just help to not spread it. But i will wear one if I HAVE to, for example, if they say I cannot compete in the archery competition unless I wear a mask, then I will wear one.
too much money!
I don't know if I would want to wear that! It seem TOO showy. (PLUS I THINK MASKES ARE USELESS AND CAN ONLY HARM YOU MORE)
Ugh
That looks SO uncomfy