Tuesday, January 25, 2011

American socialite sues hotel for loss of diamond ring

SINGAPORE : An American socialite is suing Shangri-La Hotel for the loss of a 6.41-carat diamond ring.

She claims it is worth about S$280,000, about the price of a 3-room HDB flat.

The hotel disputes that, saying it is only worth a quarter of that price.

The owner of the ring, Ms Anne Hendricks Bass from Texas, said she had bought it from JAR's, a famous jeweller.

In her first appearance in the High Court - in a trial that is expected to last till Thursday - Ms Bass claimed that the hotel staff or masseuse had stolen the ring in 2009 when she was a guest there.

Shangri-La, through its lawyer Anparasan Kamachi from KhattarWong, said Ms Bass was making the claim because she was rejected by insurers, but Ms Bass disagreed.

The trial continues on Wednesday. A gemologist for the defence is expected to testify that the ring is worth between S$64,000 and S$77,000.

Ms Bass is one of the richest women in the US with a $260-million divorce settlement from Texas billionaire Sid Bass.

- CNA/al

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