Charting bling's shining moments

"The ultimate fashion accessory for hip-hop stars is bling - the bold, luxury jewelry worn by Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs, Jay-Z and almost every other artist. An always ostentatious and sometimes elegant symbol of success, the jewelry has seeped into the mainstream with Rudolph Giuliani and Jessica Simpson shopping at stores such as Jacob & Co., the New York City jeweler of choice for such hip-hop artists as 50 Cent and Nelly.

High-end houses such as Cartier, too, have introduced flashy lines that appeal to such fashionistas. At award shows, rappers, like movie stars, saunter down the red carpet wearing rented diamond-smothered pendants and rings from such Fifth Avenue fixtures as Tiffany & Co. and Harry Winston.

Charting the evolution of jewelry in hip-hop is Minya Oh, author of 'Bling Bling: Hip-Hop's Crown Jewels' (Wenner Books, $27.50), scheduled to hit bookstores Aug. 21." (more at link)