A Closer Look at the $2 Million Stuart Weizman Tanzanite Heels

Stuart Weitzman is an exclusive footwear designer who is known for producing some of the most expensive shoes in the world. His distinct theme inspired creations are one of a kind and they often sell for millions. The Stuart Weitzman Tanzanite heels are one such example which went for the small fortune of $2 million. You may be wondering what could create such value in a pair of women’s heels which are skimpy on materials and show a great deal of the foot? To really understand the value of these one of a kind masterpieces, requires a closer look and discussion of the unique attributes that makes collectors and shoe enthusiasts take exception.

The Stuart Weizman $2 Million Tanzanite Heels at a glance

The first thing that you notice about the Tanzanite heels is the fact that they are silver and extremely ornate. The silver platform of the shoe is complemented with a thin strip of diamond encrusted silver for the upper which is merely a strap that goes across the forefront of the foot. Moving upwards, the ankle strap looks more like a rococo choker or necklace than it does the component of a high-end pair of shoes. It is the ultimate in the ankle and upper foot dressing and it even has a regal air about it. A pendant dangles elegantly downwards to complete the aesthetics, which we must add, is nothing short of remarkable, as the element of fine jewelry observed in the Tanzanite heels is something you’d expect to see dangling from the neck of royalty at a gala event.

The creation of the Stuart Weizman Tanzanite heels

This exquisite collectible pair of shoes is the design genius of Stuart Weizman in his collaborator with another well-known jewelry designer, Eddie LeVian. They began their collaborative efforts in 2006. What does it take to produce a pair of women’s heels worth $2 million? Two of the top designers in the world to start with. The pair settled on the use of Tanzanite, which is a relatively new stone in the collection of officially recognized birthstones. It was added to the list in 2002, representing December along with zircon and turquoise. The tanzanite has its own unique story, being discovered in 1967 on Mount Kilimanjaro by members of the Maasai tribe. The gemstones are more highly prized than diamonds because only on single mine is known to exist and its expected lifespan has just 30 years. This is a stone with exclusivity because of its extremely limited supply and its distinct colorations which range between light blue colors with deep indigos on the other end of the spectrum of hues along with lilac colorations to deep violet, according to this piece.

The elaborate design and construction elements of the Tanzanite heels

This original design features the use of silver cowhide for the straps. The footbed of the shoe is silver colored which presents a lovely backdrop dripping with luxury and extravagance for the embellishments added to this foundation. The heels of the shoes, we learned are covered the precious metal platinum. The behind strap is covered with a total of jewels and there is a magnificent pattern of blue tanzanite stones adorning the front of the shoe, in the place of an upper which culminates in a suspended precious tanzanite pear-shaped drop that weighs 16 carats alone, making the ultimate value of this shoe out of this world. All told, the total precious stone carat weight is 185 carats. The strap which goes across the toe is among the most sophisticated and simplistic designs with a thin strap that is fully encrusted with delicate diamonds that extend across the length of each shoe, giving them a distinctly feminine appeal.

What makes this shoe so special?

Whenever you have a collectible item that is valued at $2 million there is always a very good reason why it is so highly evaluated. There are a set of requirements which may not be written in stone, but they are the established guide that most collectors and assessors go by when determining the monetary worth and ultimate value of the piece. The first is the rarity. The Tanzanite heels are one of a kind model and there is not another in the world that is like them. Only one pair of the Stuart Weizman Tanzanite heels are in existence which makes them ultra rare. When it comes to historical value or the story that is behind them to further increase the value, it’s the simple matter that they were created by the finest minds which can be found within two distinct, but occasionally interrelated industries. Stuart Weizman is a top designer in the footwear industry and Le Vian the top artist when it comes to jewelry. The collaborative efforts of these highly distinguished experts in their fields have culminated in the creation of something very special indeed. The 185 total carats of precious bright blue tanzanites, per carat, have a value that is ten times the price of diamonds, and there are also 28 carats of diamonds embellishing the shoes, according to How Stuff Works.

Final thoughts

The Stuart Weizman Tanzanite heels are an example we simply had to investigate further. The story of the discovery of the rare tanzanite gemstones is unique within itself, and it just adds to the uniqueness of these magnificent collectibles which were created by legends from the jewelry and footwear industry in a joint effort and a meeting of two of the greatest and most creative minds of the century. Both known for producing one of a kind and unique examples of art in practical and wearable forms, the result was the object of our discussion, which just happens to have a value of $2 million at this point in time. As the tanzanite mines of Kilimanjaro begin to exhaust their rich supply of the stones, we speculate that the value of the heels may increase with the passage of time, should they remain well preserved and in pristine condition.