$1 million gold and diamond tribute to Deng unveiled

Precious metal represents eternal lustre of thoughts, says jeweller

Once, creating a $1 million gold and diamond bust to commemorate a communist leader might have seemed odd.

But not in the case of Deng Xiaoping, whose 1982 exhortation 'to get rich is glorious' ushered in two decades of unprecedented growth and prosperity for China.

Created to mark the 100th anniversary of Deng's birth and his contribution to the country's modernisation, the 2.8kg sculpture - its base encrusted with diamonds to a total weight of 100 carats - was unveiled yesterday in Hong Kong.

Jeweller 3D-Gold took 21/2 months to make the bust and it will be presented on Friday to Deng's daughters, Deng Lin, Deng Nan and Deng Rong.

Lam Sai-wing, chairman of Hang Fung Gold Technology, the parent company of 3D-Gold, said his company was proud to pay its respects to Deng.

The company said the use of pure gold in the bust represented the eternal lustre of Deng's thoughts.