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RAPAPORT... Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus unveiled its annual Christmas Book today in Dallas, Texas. The top gift this year is titled ''Roughing It'' and features a rare opportunity for the gift purchaser to obtain a 25-carat rough Forevermark® diamond and travel deep into the heart of Africa to discover where that stone began its journey more than one billion years ago.
The adventure begins at De Beers headquarters in London, where the purchaser will receive the rough diamond, learn about the inscription process and meet the master craftsman who will hand-cut and polish the stone. Then the buyer will be guided on a private tour of The Crown Jewels and dine with De Beers CEO, Philippe Mellier, and Forevermark's CEO, Stephen Lussier, in the Tower of London.
 The journey will then proceed south of the Equator, where the purchaser will board a vessel to tour Namibia's offshore diamond production and the original location of that Forevermark diamond. Back on land, the tour also includes a visit to rough-diamond sorting houses and a children's community project, where the local population benefits from Forevermark's diamonds.
Following the excursion, the purchaser will meet with New York jewelry designer Maria Canale to create an extraordinary setting that is meant to exhibit the polished diamond.
With the purchase of the Forevermark Ultimate Diamond Experience, Neiman Marcus will donate $10,000 to The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation.
The Forevermark Ultimate Diamond Experience sells for $1.85 million. The gift is limited to two adults, but they will be accompanied by a Forevermark representative. The trip includes first-class tickets to London, Johannesburg and Windhoek and it is planned for 11 days; however, there is flexibility to shorten the adventure, according to the itinerary.
 Luxury accommodations will include stays at Claridges (England), The Hilton Hotel (Namibia), The Saxon and Tswalu (South Africa) and The Surrey in the U.S. The gift purchaser will also receive a hardcover book documenting the highlights of the diamond's journey and to commemorate the experience.
Neiman Marcus also offers a his- and-hers outdoor entertainment system for $1.5 million and limited-edition (of 10) Aston Martin Vanquish Volante convertible for a retail price of $344,500 among numerous other gift ideas and experiences. More than 500 gifts are presented in the Christmas Book 2013 and about 40 percent of all gift items are priced for less than $250.
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