10 Most Expensive Jewellery made in the World
The world of high end jewellery includes some truly astonishing pieces, both in terms of craftsmanship and value. Here are some of the most expensive pieces of jewellery ever made.
10 – Chopard 201-Carat Watch – $25 million
This magnificent Chopard timepiece boasts an impressive total of 874 diamonds. The trio of largest diamonds, each heart-shaped and varying in hues from pink, blue, to white, elegantly pivot to unveil the watch face concealed beneath. This 201-carat watch is regarded as the most expensive watch in the world.
9 – Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace – $27. 4 million
In 2014, the Cartier Collection acquired a remarkable Cartier necklace adorned with emerald green jadeite beads. The necklace was elegantly fastened with a clasp made of ruby, diamond, platinum, and gold. This exquisite piece of jewelry fetched a staggering $27.4 million at an auction.
Barbara Hutton, heiress to the Woolworth fortune, and Princess Nina Mdivani were the previous owners of this renowned necklace.
8 – Graff Pink – $46.2 million
In 2010, jeweler Laurence Graff made history by acquiring the remarkable 24.78-carat fancy intense pink diamond at an auction for a staggering $46.2 million. Prior to this, the diamond had been a cherished part of Harry Winston’s personal collection for many years. However, upon Graff’s ownership, the diamond underwent a meticulous recutting process and was given a new name.
Today, this exquisite gem is proudly displayed in a ring, adorned with Graff’s signature shield-shaped diamond shoulders, adding to its allure and magnificence.
7 – Blue Moon Of Josephine – $48.4 million
In the year 2015, Joseph Lau, a billionaire and collector from Hong Kong, acquired this diamond ring through an auction for a staggering amount of $48.4 million. He decided to give it a new name, the Blue Moon of Josephine, in honor of his 7-year-old daughter, Josephine.
The Blue Moon diamond, weighing 12.03 carats, was unearthed in 2014 from the renowned Cullinan mine located in South Africa.
6 – L’Incomparable Diamond Necklace – $55 million
Mouawad, the renowned jeweler, crafted the world’s most precious necklace featuring the largest internally flawless diamond. During the 1980s in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a young girl stumbled upon the central diamond amidst a heap of mining debris. The 407.48-carat diamond is elegantly displayed on a rose gold chain embellished with 230 carats of smaller diamonds.
5 – Oppenheimer Blue – $57.5 million
In May 2016, a 14.62 carat blue diamond, previously owned by Sir Philip Oppenheimer, stunned spectators by selling for $57.5 million at a Christie’s auction, setting a new record as the priciest gem ever auctioned.
4 – Pink Star – $71.2 million
In early April of 2017, the Pink Star was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $71.2 million, setting a new record as the most expensive jewel ever auctioned. The winning bid came from Hong Kong conglomerate company Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, just five minutes into the bidding process.
Originally named the Steinmetz Pink, this 59.6-carat fancy vivid pink diamond is the largest ‘internally flawless, fancy vivid pink’ diamond ever graded by the GIA.
De Beers mined the Pink Star in South Africa in 1999, where it weighed 132.5 carats before being meticulously cut and polished to its current stunning form.
3 – Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond – $80 million
The Wittelsbach Diamond, a 35.56-carat fancy deep grayish blue gem, was unearthed in an Indian mine during the 1600s. Legend has it that it was initially possessed by King Philip IV of Spain and later became part of the dowry of his daughter, Margarita Teresa, upon her betrothal to Emperor Leopold I of Austria in 1664.
For centuries, the jewel was a prominent feature of the Austrian and Bavarian crown jewels. In 2008, jeweler Laurence Graff acquired the Wittelsbach Diamond for $22 million and controversially had it recut to its current form – a 31.06-carat fancy deep blue cushion cut diamond.
The recutting process significantly enhanced the gem’s clarity and brilliance, leading to a substantial increase in its value. Subsequently, in 2011, the diamond was sold for more than $80 million to its present owner, a member of the Qatari royal family.
2 – Peacock Brooch by Graff Diamonds – $100 million
Revealed during the TEFAF luxury art and antiques fair in the Netherlands in 2013, this peacock brooch showcases a remarkable total carat weight of 120.81. Crafted by Graff Diamonds, this exquisite piece of artistry boasts an impressive collection of 1,305 gemstones and stands at a height slightly exceeding 10 centimeters.
At the heart of this brooch lies a pear-shaped fancy deep blue diamond, weighing an impressive 20.02 carats. Radiating from the center, an array of white, yellow, pink, orange, and green diamonds gracefully fan out, adding to the allure and opulence of this masterpiece.
1 – The Hope Diamond – $200-250 million
The Hope Diamond, a 45.42-carat fancy dark grayish-blue, antique cushion cut diamond, is one of the most renowned jewels globally, valued at around $200-250 million. Discovered in Golconda, India in 1666, the diamond has exchanged hands multiple times.
Initially acquired by King Louis XIV in 1668 and named the ‘French Blue’, the diamond was in the possession of the French royal family until 1792, when it was stolen during the French Revolution in the midst of looting the crown jewels.
The gem resurfaced in 1839 in the gem collection catalog of Henry Philip Hope. After passing through various owners, such as Pierre Cartier and socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean, the jewel was bought by jeweler Harry Winston in 1949. Winston eventually gifted the gem to the Smithsonian Institution, where it is currently exhibited.
