New York, November 12, 2007 – “We’ve been friends for years, we will be friends for many more years”, Elton John said, beaming at Chopard co-president Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, who was on his arm.  “They are so supportive to the AIDS Foundation, and I really love them”, the music legend added.  Those were more than just words - Elton came to New York to lend his star power at the launch party for the Swiss jeweler’s Madison Avenue flagship.  His pal Elizabeth Hurley attended, too, with an indispensable man on her arm – her stylist Freddie Leiba.  She was dripping in diamonds, and pulled back her hair, pointed to her gleaming Chopard earrings, and told us, “These, sadly, aren’t mine.”  Liz said her engagement ring is also from Chopard; we didn’t have the nerve to ask how many carats, but it’s ice-rink sized. 

“It” model Aygness Deyn wasn’t wearing any borrowed diamonds.  “The thing is, I’ll probably lose it”, she said.  Yet another British model, Jamie Burke, kept passing us all evening, heading outside of the crowded party to smoke and talk on his phone. 

Maggie Gyllenhaal and her father, film director Stephen Gyllenhaal told us that the only member of their movie-industry family so far affected by the WGA strike is film writer mom Naomi, who they say is walking picket lines in L.A.  “But I’m not working anyway”, Maggie added.   

Adrien Brody said he’s been living in Paris for the past few months.  “It’s a beautiful city, but New York is home”, Brody told us.