The world’s most expensive face mask costs $ 1.5 million and keeps jewelry artisans employed

When the coronavirus pandemic emerged earlier this year, Isaac Levy found himself in a place where many business owners were, looking for orders to keep their business running.

Levy, owner and co-founder of Yvel, an Israeli luxury jewelry brand best known for creating jewelry made from baroque pearls, has a workforce of approximately 150 people in Israel and the US This includes Ethiopian artisans who were trained in Megemeria School of jewelry and art at the Yvel factory on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The school is funded by the company to train Ethiopian immigrants in jewelry making skills. Overall, about 90 percent of Yvel’s employees are immigrants from 23 countries.

On his travels to the United States to generate business, a client and friend, described by Levy as a Chinese businessman and art collector living in Los Angeles, came up with the idea of ​​producing a unique jeweled protective mask in his kind.

“He’s a former client of mine,” Levy said in a telephone interview. “He has known Yvel since 2008. He visited us in Israel and he knows what we do; including the school my wife (Yvel co-founder Orna Levy) and I dedicate to Ethiopian immigrants. We do not accept donations for the school. When things turned upside down this year, he said ‘let me give you an assignment to create something with a lot of enthusiasm.’

The client, who requested anonymity, had three requirements for the jeweled mask:

* Must be 100% functional and N99 compliant with US Food and Drug Administration and European Union approvals;

* Must be delivered before December 31; Y

* It would be the most expensive protective mask in the world.

Levy said the last requirement was the easiest to meet. The other two requirements presented challenges. Another challenge was making a mask of precious materials comfortable to wear. He said he was prepared to face these obstacles.

“In this business, if you don’t have a challenge, it’s not fun,” he said. “It was a very nice, interesting and rewarding project.”

Levy recruited 25 of the company’s best diamond artisans and creators to carry out the task, including three people from the Megemeria school. They worked for three months on the project. The result is a fully functional $ 1.5 million mask with a mesh design from Levy. It is made from 250 grams of 18-karat gold and is set with 3,608 natural black and white diamonds, with a total weight of approximately 210 carats, which, according to Levy, makes it the most expensive mask in the world. That’s unofficial, but no one else has made a similar claim. It weighs almost nine ounces. The mask is made with an opening to insert a disposable N-99 mask.

The mask is complete and is in the process of being delivered.

Levy emphasizes that the importance of this project is that it kept the Yvel factory in operation and even compensated the payment of those employees who still cannot return to work. The Israeli government has been paying 50% of employees’ wages while they are unemployed due to the global pandemic. The money obtained with the mask paid the balance of those salaries. Levy called it a Hanukah miracle.

“I think it is very important to understand that it is not about making another dollar,” he said. “I really appreciate this gentleman who understood the needs of Yvel employees. I think that’s what the association is about. Reaching out when someone needs a hand and he reached out to us. “

Levy is not sure if the person will actually wear the mask. “He is an art collector and I think he bought this mask as a work of art. Maybe use it. I think he will eventually sell it like other art objects he owns. “

While Levy said he was happy to have this project, would he do it again?

“I hope not. That is not my initial ideal of a fine jewelry brand to make high jewelry masks. I am happy to make that unique mask, sell it, and move on. What happened was just a coincidence.”