The El Rey III Boots are part of a long tradition in Tony Lama history. Valued at $32,000, the jeweled boots have traveled the country from coast to coast on display. These hand cut, hand lasted and hand finished boots were a part of a three month project. Designed by the Research and Development Department of Tony Lama, these boots truly live up to their Spanish name El Rey, which means "the king." The alligator boots have English-Calf tops inlaid in 218 settings. Two jewelers worked seventy hours to set the stones, fuse the special staples used to mount the settings and give all the pieces a final Rhodium plating for brightness. The combined weight of the stones is over 17 carats. Tony Lama Sr. developed the first pair of El Rey Boots in 1951, which were valued at $3,000 and were used for promotional purposes until they were stolen in 1953. In 1970, the El Rey II Boots were designed. Valued at $10,000, these too were stolen while on tour. Today, the El Rey III Boots can still be seen during special promotions-of course, accompanied by a guard, given the boot's history.