Rada displays jewelry pieces for Republican diehards

Rada's RNC-inspired necklace designed for a Saks Fifth Avenue trunk show at WestShore Plaza. The necklace has a 24-carat ruby and diamonds set in 18-carat yellow gold. – Photo courtesy of RRada

FIL-AM Reagan Rada, the famed Filipino New York City jewelry designer for Piranesi, recently flew down to Florida with a haul of specially designed jewelry items worth US$4.5 million.

The Florida display at Saks at WestShore Plaza comprised 150 pieces of political souvenir specially designed for the ladies and gentlemen who attended the recent the Republican National Convention in Florida.

Rada, a brand ambassador for New York jewelry designer Piranesi, targeted about 100 members of the Florida Federation of Republican Women, who got an up close look at the jewels during a runway show at the store.

The private event also featured models in red fur coats priced upward of US$80,000.

One of the lavishly designed political souvenirs – a diamond and ruby necklace in the shape of an elephant – costs US$70,000.

The most expensive item was a white and yellow diamond daisy necklace with green tsavorite gems priced at US$149,600.

The whole array of display pieces were made available at Saks at WestShore Plaza as part of a two-day trunk show brought in for the RNC.

The whole collection was designed by Rada himself. He previously managed Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry line and designed his own pieces.

Federation members, a few of them dressed in patriotic red, were greeted with champagne at the runway show, which was not opened to the media.

Audience members mingled around the store after the show, perusing the jewelry and make-up counters, the local daily Tampa Bay and Politico reported.

  

During the show’s two-day duration, Saks donated 10% of all purchases to the Drug Free America Foundation, founded by Betty Sembler, wife of St Petersburg shopping center developer Mel Sembler.

Saks has a permanent display of Piranesi jewelry.

Rada, is a native of Mambulao, who migrated to the US in 1999.