<<< Go to “Unforgettable Bling: Top Celebrity Engagement Rings” (Part I)
Just as car aficionados are awestruck by supercars such as the McLaren P1 ($1.15 million), we are often fascinated by ultra-high-end jewelry owned by celebrities or the extraordinarily wealthy. Car lovers may never get the chance to own or drive a Ferrari LaFerrari ($1.69 million), and jewelry lovers may never get the chance to wear the Heart of the Ocean diamond ($20 million), but we can certainly crave either one for their unmatched power or rare beauty.
In the first part of this series, we looked at top celebrity engagement rings, as curated by wedding planning site The Knot. Today we look at the most expensive jewelry in the world, from a list compiled by Lisa Dingman for luxury lifestyle blog TheRichest.
The most expensive jewelry on the planet
Lisa mentions three elements that make jewelry sought-after: a piece’s size, the ornateness of its design, and its scarcity. Typically jewelry items that rise to the highest echelons of the market also have historical value or otherwise have a story that accompanies them, giving the creations additional allure.
Below are the most expensive 10 jewelry masterpieces on the planet, in ascending order:
10. Panther Bracelet, $12 million
This bracelet, in the form of a panther and made out of diamond and onyx, was created in 1952 by Cartier Paris. It is a custom piece created for Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson, who was known in the press for her grace and glamour. Although the bracelet was already extraordinarily pricey, it was purchased from Sotheby’s for 200% more than its value by an anonymous party – suspected by some insiders to be Madonna, who directed a film about the wealthy socialite.
9. Emerald & Diamond Tiara, $13 million
This tiara was worn by Princess Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck. It includes 11 Colombian pear-shaped emeralds weighing approximately 500 carats (3.5 ounces). This item was ordered by Guido Count von Henckel in 1900 for his wife. It sold for almost $15 million, also through Sotheby’s.
8. Heart of the Kingdom Ruby, $14 million
Garrard, which is one of the most highly regarded jewelry companies worldwide, offers this ruby as its most highly treasured creation. The Burmese ruby is massive – almost 41 carats – and adorns a diamond necklace but is also available as a tiara. The gem includes Swiss scientific lab documents to confirm that the ruby is genuine.
7. Bulgari’s Blue Diamond Ring, $16 million
This ring is considered a crowning achievement of Bulgari. Produced in 1972, its two diamonds are both triangular in shape. One is 11 carats, and the other is 10 carats. The high price is due to the incredible craftsmanship and rare diamond characteristics, with a Gemological Institute of America document confirming the stone’s various attributes.
6. Chopard’s Blue Diamond Ring, $16 million
As evidenced by their repeat appearance on this list, blue diamonds are one of the most highly prized colors of the gem. Needless to say, it also helps to have renowned craftsmanship behind jewelry as well. At the center of this piece by Chopard is an oval-shaped diamond that has been gemologically verified as flawless.
5. Heart of the Ocean Diamond, $20 million
You may have noticed this diamond before from its appearance in popular culture. It was made in 1998 as a replica of the necklace featured in the James Cameron film Titanic (the one item worn by Kate Winslet when she is drawn by Leonardo DiCaprio). This incredible piece was designed by Harry Winston and contains a blue diamond. It was worn to the Academy Awards in 1998 by Gloria Stuart, who played the older version of Winslet’s character – Rose – in the film.
4. The Perfect Pink, $23 million
Although blue is considered one of the most appealing and high-priced colors, pink drives enormous desire and valuations as well. This diamond earned its name for a simple reason: its pink hue is considered to be startlingly clear, consistent, and brilliant. It contains a rectangular diamond of 14 carats at its center, with smaller rectangular stones to its right and left.
3. Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond, $24 million
This diamond is believed by many to have been commissioned by Spain’s King Philip IV for the dowry of his daughter. The Bavarian Wittelsbach family owned the jewel for many years, until Laurence Graff bought it and cleaved it into thirds, resulting in a flawless 4-carat stone.
2. Sports Illustrated Diamond Bikini, $30 million
Supermodel Molly Sims donned a diamond bikini for the 2006 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Although the buzz at the time was that this creation was more expensive than any bikini ever made, it actually is the second-most valuable jewelry of any type. Its diamonds are all set in platinum, but aside from its brilliance, this swimwear doesn’t leave much to the imagination.
1. The Graff Pink, $46 million
Here again we see the skyscraping value of a colored diamond, in this case containing an extraordinarily rare, 25-carat stone. This piece was previously owned by Harry Winston and is now in the collection of Laurence Graff. It is considered by many experts to be the most remarkable diamond in existence.
Looking like the richest
We may not all be able to afford multi-million-dollar jewelry, but Birkat Elyon is dedicated to giving everyone access to jewelry of incredible beauty. All of our creations are made of the highest grade of cubic zirconia, Russian Formula, mimicking the extraordinary light-capturing qualities of a high-priced diamond.
By Kent Roberts