Royal Asscher Participates in HIV/AIDS Event Honoring Elton John and Hillary Clinton

Lita Asscher between Sharon Stone and Elton John.

Lita Asscher, America’s president of the Royal Asscher diamond company, was part of a star-studded event held July 23 in Washington, D.C., that honored U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Elton John for their efforts battling HIV/AIDS worldwide.

Lita Asscher with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The event, hosted by The Human Rights Campaign, was held to raise awareness for the Global Equality Fund, a U.S. State Department program, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Sharon Stone hosted the event held at a private residence in Georgetown.

Lita Asscher volunteered to have her personal one-of-a-kind Stars of Africa floating diamond ring auctioned to benefit the foundations. The ring, containing 0.60 carats of tiny diamonds floating inside a sapphire globe, sold for $16,000 among the crowd of bidders.

Stars of Africa ring that sold for $16,000.

“As a family and as a company we at Royal Asscher consider it of paramount importance to support important causes that benefit all of humanity,” she said.

Human Rights Campaign is a civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.

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Sharon Stone, Damiani Designed Jewelry to Benefit Water Projects

Actress Sharon Stone recently unveiled a new jewelry collection co-designed with Damiani in which part of the proceeds will be used to construct clean water wells in Africa.

Called “Maji,” which means water in Swahili, the collection for women is crafted in brushed yellow gold with rough diamonds arranged in irregular patterns, creating an “unfinished” effect, Damiani said in a statement. The materials are designed to evoke Africa. The collection includes rings, pendants, earrings and tennis bracelets. There's also a men’s Maji collection.

Proceeds from the sale will go toward Drop in the Bucket, an organization that provides ways to bring water to sub-Saharia Africa.

At the unveiling in Beverly Hills, Calif., Stone and Silvia Damiani, vice president of the Italian jewelry house, presented a $200,000 check to John Travis of Drop in the Bucket, which, along with a private donation from the Damiani family, will underwrite the construction of 50 new water wells in Africa, providing clean water to more than 10,000 people.