Shere Kahn Does a Good Deed

Joanna Lumley was photographed by John Swannell wearing the £500,000 Shere Kahn tiger necklace auctioned by the Born Free foundation on 17 June 2011.  The necklace, designed by Catherine Best, weighs almost a kilo, and is sculpted out of gold and sparkles with 182 diamonds and precious gems.  Named for the tiger (and villain) in Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book, the necklace features 11.9 carats of diamonds, 7 carats of emeralds, and each tiger holds a gemstone heart in its paws. The female tiger holds a 4 carat heart-shaped tourmaline and the male a 27 carat rubellite. The tigers' black stripes are enamel.   
There are 3,500 wild tigers left.  The Born Free foundation's website says that the purchase of this necklace made a significant contribution to tiger conservation. 
More on ethical jewelry to follow...