Audrey Hepburn once said, “…happy girls are the prettiest girls” and jewellery is universally accepted to make girls both happy and pretty. And a girl in pursuit of happiness and beauty through possession of some fine jewellery will agree that some flashy jewellery with a big chunk of rock is a feel good factor, a piece to possess with pride. Of course, the ‘big’-ness of jewellery does not necessarily be a reference to its literal size, but could also mean its price. The higher the price of a piece of jewellery, the more sought after and precious it is. Here is a list of the 10 Most Expensive Jewellery Pieces in the World. Let’s take a look.
10. Briolette Diamond Necklace
The famous Briolette Diamond Necklace is a stunning piece that has a flawless briolette diamond as its centrepiece. This diamond weighs more than 75.36 carats, and it also has another amazing marquise diamond of a purple-pink shade, attacked it. Apart from these, there are many other briolette diamonds of smaller sizes in this necklace, which are set on a white gold chain that weighs 18 carats, and has an adjustable length. When it was put up in auction, it was expected to bring $8.5-12.5. It sold for $11.1 million, and became one of the most expensive jewellery pieces in the world.
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9. Wallis Simpson’s Panther Bracelet
The Wallis Simpson’s Panther Bracelet is uniquely shaped like a panther, studded with onyxes and diamonds, and offers an explosion of iridescence on the wrist. It was designed by Cartier Paris in 1952. And, it owned by American socialite and Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson. It was auctioned at $12.4 million, a price estimated to be thrice its original value, even though it was not at its best condition, with some small stones gone missing. It is rumored that Madonna, who directed a film about Simpson and her lover King Edward VII, is the owner of the much sought-after bracelet.
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8. Emerald and Diamond Tiara
Commissioned in 1900 by German Prince Guido Count von Henckel, as a gift from him to his second wife, Princess Katherina Henckel von Donnersmarck, the stunning Emerald and Diamond Tiara is rumoured to have belonged to the wife of Napoleon the III of France. It is also believed that the 11 rare Columbian emerald pear-shaped drops of 500 carats may have belonged to a Maharajah. A part Empress Eugénie’s personal collection, it was sold at a staggering price of $12.7 million at the Sotheby’s Magnificent and Noble Jewels sale, reportedly for $2 million more than the original price.
7. Heart of the Kingdom
The Oldest and one of the most respected jewellery companies, Garrard, has made one of the most expensive jewellery pieces in the world: the Heart of the Kingdom. It currently has an enormous value of $14 million. The jewellery piece features a remarkable Burmese ruby of 40.63 carats, shaped like a heart. It is an extremely rare ruby, and is mounted on a 155 carat diamond necklace, studded with 150 diamonds. The ruby comes with reports from a Swiss laboratory, which verify the authenticity and rarity of the gem. The stunning necklace can be transformed into a tiara, as well.
6. Bulgari Two-Stone Diamond Ring
The Bulgari Two-Stone Diamond Ring has several claims to fame. For one, it is an original Bulgari collection, created in 1972. Besides, it has two triangular diamonds – one, a vivid blue diamond weighing 10.95 carats, and the other, a colourless one weighing 9.87 carats. Another speciality of the ring is that it comes with a true report from the Gemological Institute of America that verifies the colour, clarity and flawlessness of the two diamonds to the best. An Asian collector took home the piece at $15.7 million, after a ferocious bidding battle, placing it among the world’s costliest rings.
5. Chopard’s Blue Diamond Ring
The Chopard’s Blue Diamond Ring is an absolutely exquisite ornament. It is one of the most expensive jewellery pieces in the world. The main reason is the blue diamond. Since this kind of gem is hugely coveted and costly, because of its exclusivity. The ring by Chopard features an oval-shaped blue diamond weighing 9 carats, which is set in white gold of 18 carats, along with triangular clear diamonds on the sides. Together, the ring is definitely one that can make any woman’s heart swoon. The rare and beautiful piece is currently valued at $16.26 million.
4. Heart of the Ocean
The Heart of the Ocean is one of the most recognizable pieces of jewellery in the world. It is the original replica of the exquisite necklace featured in the movie, Titanic. Gloria Stuart, who portrayed the elderly Rose in the movie, wore this replica to the 1998 Academy Awards. It was created by the well-known jeweller Harry Winston, with a real blue diamond of 15 carats. Priced at $20 million, the necklace is one of the most expensive pieces of jewellery worn to the Oscars. And among the world’s costliest necklaces. Even its imitations sell for $3.5 million at auctions, due to its history of love.
3. The Perfect Pink
There’s enough reason for The Pink Perfect ring to be one of the most expensive jewellery pieces in the world. Priced at $23.2 million. It has a 14.23 carat intense pink diamond, which is rare, due to the singular tinge, and perfect colour, cut and clarity, as well as the fact that less than 10% of pink diamonds are of over 0.20 carats. Besides, in 244 years of auction history, only 18 diamonds were of 10 carats or more. It is flanked on either side by two colourless diamonds, weighing 1.73 and 1.67 carats. The three rectangular diamonds are set a charming rose and white gold ring of 18 carats.
2. The Graff Pink
Private collector Laurence Graff purchased the $46.2 million worth of The Graff Pink. Priced at $1.85 million per carat, from its famous creator, American jeweller Harry Winston, in 2010. This stunning ring, one of the most expensive pieces of jewellery in the world. It has a pink diamond of 24.78 carats, a rare type II colour diamond with the finest rating, designated as one of the greatest diamonds found. The pink has a perfect rectangular step cut, with delicately rounded corners, and is set between two shield-shaped diamonds. The three diamonds are mounted on a platinum ring.
1. L’Incomparable Diamond Necklace
The L’Incomparable Diamond Necklace has the World Record as the most valuable necklace in the world. This diamond piece, weighs 637 carats, with the world’s largest internally flawless diamond as its centre-piece. The Incomparable diamond is yellow in shade. And it weighs 407.48 carats. It was discovered over 30 years ago by a young girl, when it was a massive 890 carat by-product of a diamond mining. In addition, it took the Mouawad Jewelry over four years to polish it and craft it into a necklace of $55 million with 91 diamonds of various cuts, including 229.52 carat white diamonds, set in 18 carat rose gold.
These are some extremely rare, beautiful and flawless jewellery piece, studded with exceptional gems. While there are individual gems like the Pink Star Diamond which is the most valuable diamond in the world. Or the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond which is another expensive piece with a high price and rich history, owned by Laurence Graff. The pieces featuring in this list are ornaments that only some lucky women have been able to wear or own, while the rest of the world gaze at them in awe and desire.