Chapter 936 - Valuation

Every piece of news about the Oscars attracts a multitude of readers and viewers. Still, the most talked-about topic is undoubtedly Laila, who won the Best Director award at the age of 27, a woman, and achieved a record tied with "Titanic" and "Ben-Hur"—winning eleven awards, making her the first in Oscar history!

Such an achievement is something even long-established directors couldn't accomplish, yet she did it! If we overlook her age and just consider her accomplishments since her debut, she is already one of the seasoned directors. Her age and gender have added the word "great" to her achievements!

No one is unaware of how difficult it is to achieve such a feat. In 80 years of the Oscars, this has only happened twice. Laila's third occurrence holds even greater significance because, besides being young, she is also a woman!

It's tough for women at the Oscars, whether they are actors, directors, or in any other profession. Women are always at a disadvantage. Just look at how men earn significantly more than women for the same job and experience, and you can see how hard it is for women.

There has been some improvement over the years, and Hollywood is progressing, slowly correcting the mistakes forged by history. But even with these changes, they can't happen too quickly; it might take years or even decades to see a slight change.

However, Laila's emergence has acted as a catalyst. She has shown Hollywood what a woman can achieve in a male-dominated environment, and many are deeply shocked and impressed by the miracles she has created.

Moreover, Laila herself has done a lot in this regard. Not only has she become an iconic figure, but her films also reflect her efforts to promote changes in women's status.

For example, her early work "Kill Bill" was a female-led movie. Its release sparked a wave of enthusiasm, making Hollywood rediscover the value of female protagonists and start allocating more resources to female-led films.

Even in her commercial films, Laila never allows the female lead to be just a pretty face. For instance, Pepper Potts in "Iron Man" is portrayed as a wise and calm strong woman.

It is believed that after winning the Best Director award, women in Hollywood will see further advancements.

A quick search online reveals an overwhelming amount of news about Laila constantly emerging. On various forums and instant messaging platforms, her name keeps popping up. Even in social gatherings, friends discuss her, as if not knowing about her means being completely out of touch with the world.

Among these discussions, women are particularly interested in her ring.

What does the ring look like? How many carats is it? How much is it worth? How beautiful must it be to have captivated the award presenter's gaze?

The media has released high-definition photos of Laila showing off her ring. However, due to the distance and the ring not being particularly conspicuous, its brilliance is only noticeable when it reflects light.

Some media outlets have even dedicated entire programs to discussing the ring, which immediately attracted a large audience.

When Laila returned to her company, she noticed all the girls in the secretary's office gathered around a screen. What could they be so engrossed in?

Since it wasn't yet work time and no one had noticed her arrival, she quietly approached to see what program had captured everyone's attention.

Upon looking, she first saw a magnified photo of a hand on the screen. The ring on it confirmed it was her hand, specifically the one wearing the ring.

The program host vividly narrates the scene from the Oscar red carpet and how the female presenter was stunned by the ring while awarding Laila.

Interestingly, the female presenter did gain significant exposure, but not for presenting the award to Laila. Instead, it was for her stunned reaction to the ring. This incident is likely to be joked about repeatedly in the future, perhaps not the kind of fame she had hoped for.

The secretaries chattered about what they knew regarding the ring.

"The first time I saw the ring BOSS was wearing, I was stunned too. It's incredibly beautiful, the largest blue diamond I've ever seen!"

"I heard it's because the color matches BOSS's eyes that Roy bought it for her!"

"Roy is so romantic. If I had such a boyfriend, I would be so happy I could die."

"Some people online speculate that the ring is worth at least $10 million. I wonder how much Roy paid for it."

In the program, the host invited a well-known fashion expert to appraise the ring's value.

Laila recognized the fashion expert; she had met her at some events with her mother. She was a famous socialite and fashion blogger, known for her deep understanding of fashion and luxury goods, often showcasing her purchases of various brands, which garnered her many fans.

"Based on this photo, I estimate the blue diamond to be at least 7 carats, and of very high quality," Caroline confidently stated her speculation when asked. "I have a similar ring, also princess cut, so I'm quite sure it's at least 7 carats, probably not more than 8."

"Caroline, since you have a similar one, how much would it cost?" the host inquired curiously.

Caroline smiled and shook her head, "The value of a diamond isn't calculated that way. Blue diamonds are quite rare, and one of such clarity is even rarer. The craftsmanship appears to be master-level. If such a ring were to be auctioned, fetching $20 million would be no problem at all. And if there were competing bidders who also liked it, I wouldn't be surprised if it went for over $30 million. A blue diamond of this size is extremely rare."

The host expressed astonishment, "So precious! Can you tell which brand this ring is from?"

Caroline showed a puzzled expression, "Honestly, I don't know which brand would possess such a large blue diamond. You know, any brand wanting to sell at a good price would promote the ring, at least internally, perhaps contacting potential buyers interested in diamonds. But I haven't heard anything about this ring."