AFP - The Japanese group Sanrio announced on Thursday March 26 the creation of a small figurine of its star figure “Hello Kitty”, covered in diamonds, topazes, sapphires and other precious gems, it’s a unique doll worth ¥15.6 million (€125,000).

Photo : Sebastien Bozon/AFP

Presented on Thursday March 26 in Switzerland at the watch and jewellery exhibition “Baselworld 2009”, this exclusive item – designed to recognise 35 years for the world famous pink kitten – was made in collaboration with the Austrian frim Swarovski, a crystal and precious stone specialist.

The statuette (10.5cm tall and weighing 569g), called “Super Hello Kitty Jewel Doll”, is adorned with 1 diamond, 1,939 white topazes, 403 pink sapphires and 1 citrine (a type of yellow quartz).

How, where and when this curiosity will be sold has not yet been established, confirmed Sanrio in a press release.

Amongst the innumerable fans of “Kitty-chan” some, rich or fascinated, won’t hesitate to pay a small fortune for this luxurious representation of the cute kitten, a symbol of sweetness and peace adored by many generations of young girls.

A Japanese buyer has previously paid ¥10million (€80,000 at the time) for another “Hello Kitty” jeweled piece a few years ago.

The blank-faced animal was born in 1974, and since then Kitty has become the cash-cow of Sanrio. Its image decorates thousands of different items (clothes, fashion accessories, electronic equipment, nick-nacks etc) and is sold in around 70 countries.

Kitty is also, like Mickey for Disney, the figurehead of a larger group of acolytes and the star of two theme parks in Japan.

She was officially named “Ambassador for the Japanese Ministry of Tourism” in 2008 to tour China in a bid to attract visitors to Japan.