In popular culture, it is common to see our elite adorned in significantly expensive jewelry. Often, some of the jewelry worn by celebrities becomes popular and goes into the trend at the time and are soon forgotten or replaced with better designs.
This reality has been a part of our society for centuries. However, historically, during all the rising trends of elegantly designed jewelry, there are some iconic pieces of jewelry that are framed into memory forever.
Whether it was a part of a royal family’s crown jewels, a gem or jewelry gifted to a celebrity on a special occasion, or owned by a historically relevant person or celeb, jewels can share in their fame, and some did. Others were so rare, so valuable, and so elegant that people all over the world recognized and appreciated them to date.
Let’s take a look at the ten most famous pieces of jewelry in the world.
1. The Blue Hope |
Specification:
| Weight | 45.52 carats |
| Cut | Antique cushion |
| Color | Fancy Dark Greyish Blue |
| Size | 9.104 g |
| Price Estimation | $200–$350 million USD |
The hope diamond is perhaps the most renowned of all diamonds. The jewel, a blue stone with a carat weight of 45.52, is estimated to cost about 250 million dollars.
At this price, the hope diamond is the most expensive known diamond in the world. While its origins are uncertain, diamond enthusiasts believe the jewel to have come from the Golkonda mines found in Southern India. Its known history states that it was first bought by Jean-Baptiste – A French gem merchant.
Jean Baptiste cut and renamed it French blue. In 1668, Tavernier sold the hope diamond, under its then name, to king Louis XIV. However, the stone was stolen in 1792 after which it exchanged several owners.
It would eventually be sold to Evelyn Walsh McLean – a socialite millionaire - in 1911. In a pinch of irony stemming from its name, people believe the stone cursed Evely Walsh to undergo several tragedies.
After her death, the Hope diamond found another home in Harry Winston – a gem merchant - in 1949. Winston, in 1958, after touring it for 9 years, donated the stone to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History where it can be found on exhibit today.
2. A Heritage in Bloom |
Specification:
| Weight | 383.40 carats |
| Cut | All cut |
| Color | Colorless, Green, Pink, White |
| Price Estimation | $200 million USD |
‘A heritage in Bloom ’ is the world’s most expensive diamond necklace at around 200 million dollars. After acquiring a pure Type IIa diamond from Petra diamonds at a cost of $35.3 million, its owner, Chow Tai Fook – a Hong Kong-based jewelry retailer – opted to make it into an eccentric Ione piece of jewelry.
He came up with the ‘A Heritage of Bloom’ necklace that took about 47000 hours to make. When he showcased the piece in September 2015, it was valued at $200 million dollars. However, despite the price, Chow Tai Fook does not intend to sell it.
3. The Peacock Brooch |
Specification:
| Weight | 120.81 carats |
| Cut | All cut |
| Color | Blue, Yellow, Orange, White |
| Stone | 1300 |
| Price Estimation | $100 million USD |
The peacock brooch, by Graff Diamonds, is an assortment of rare beauty, and very expensive diamonds. Its name, ‘the peacock brooch,’ stems from its resemblance to a peacock with fanned feathers. The stone, released in 2013 at the TEFAF art fair held in the Netherlands, weighs 120.81 carats.
In it is an assortment of over 1300 colored diamonds in white blue and orange. At its core, there is an extremely rare dark blue pear-shaped diamond with a standalone carat weight of 20.02. while it may not share a similar history as the Hope diamond, it is equally expensive. The Peacock Brooch costs $100 million dollars.
4. Pink Star |
Specification:
| Weight | 59.60 carats |
| Cut | Special cut |
| Color | Pink |
| Weight | 11.920g |
| Price Estimation | $71.2 million USD |
According to the Gemological Institute of America, this is the largest internally Flawless fancy Vivid Pink diamond in the world. The stone, mined in 1999 by DeBeers - a renowned international corporation for diamond mining- has a carat weight of 59.6.
However, the diamond was cut from a 132.5-carat rough diamond. The Pink Stars cutting process took 20 months for it to assume its current shape. Before being named the ‘Pink Star’ the rare diamond was a part of the Smithsonian Institute’s ‘The Splendor of Diamonds’ exhibit as Steinmetz Pink. It was later auctioned in 2017 to Chow Tai Fook Enterprises in Hong Kong at $71.2 million dollars.
5.The Oppenheimer Blue |
| Weight | 14.62 carats |
| Cut | Emerald cut |
| Color | Blue |
| Weight | 2.924 g |
| Price Estimation | $57.5 million USD |
This diamond was named after Phillip Oppenheimer. It is a vivid blue diamond with an emerald cut. According to the Gemological Institute of America, the Oppenheimer blue diamond is the largest vivid blue diamond in the world at 14.62 carats.
The history of this diamond is still a mystery as no reputable source explicitly provides it. However, the stone is believed to have come from a mine in South Africa in the early 20th century. It was auctioned in 2016 to an undisclosed party at $57.5 million dollars.
6. L’Incomparable Diamond necklaces |
From the name, L’Incomparable diamond necklaces, the piece of jewelry is of exquisite beauty. Its centerpiece, a large diamond that resembles an egg, is comprised of the world’s largest internally flawless yellow diamond, contributing to its high value.
The L’Incomparable necklace is set on 18-carat gold, with a total diamond carat weight of 407.48. Behind its grandeur is an innocent story regarding the large diamond. 30 years ago, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a young girl, while going through a pile of mining rubble, found a diamond lying there. The necklace is currently owned by Mouawad, a luxury goods company. Its value as per the 2013 auction, stands at $55 million dollars.
7. Blue Moon of Josephine |
Specification:
| Weight | 12.03 carats |
| Weight | 2.406 g |
| Color | Blue |
| cut | Cushion |
| Price Estimation | $48.4 million USD |
This diamond is named after Hong Kong Billionaire - Joseph Lau Luen-hung’s- daughter Josephine. It was mined by Petra Diamonds in South Africa in 2014.
The Blue Moon of Josephine weighs 12.03 carats. However, it was cut from a rough diamond weighing 29.6 carats. My Joseph Lau Luen-hung – who is a convicted felon - acquired the diamond for $48.4 million dollars.
8. The Graff Pink |
Specification:
| Weight | 24.78 carats |
| Color | Pink |
| cut | emerald |
| Price Estimation | $46 million USD |
One of the rarest pink diamonds in the world, the Graff pink would have entered the list of the world of the ten most expensive diamonds. This rare diamond weighs 24.78 carats and had a value of $46 million at an auction in 2010.
The Graff Pink, currently mounted on a ring, was once a part of Harry Winston’s – America Celebrity jeweler – collection. On16thNovember, 2010, it was sold at an undisclosed price by Sotheby’s auctioneers in Geneva, Switzerland.
9. The Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace |
Specification:
| Weight | 59.60 carats |
| Color | Green |
| Range | 15.4 to 19.4 millimeters |
| Price Estimation | $27.44 million USD |
This necklace is as beautiful as the story behind its creation. The Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace was a wedding present by Frank Woolworth to his daughter, Barbara Hutton when she got married to Prince Alexis Mdivani.
Hence, the necklace was named after her. Frank Woolworth created the necklace with 27 jadeite beads with a diameter range of 15.4 to 19.4 millimeters. He infused it with a diamond and ruby clasp that contribute to its elegance and value. Currently, the necklace costs $27.44 million dollars.
10. The Winston Blue |
This 13.22-carat diamond is the world’s largest vivid blue flawless diamond. After Harry Winston purchased it at the Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale for $23.8 million, it set a world record for the highest price ever paid for a blue diamond.
The per-carat price for the Winston Blue is $1.8 million dollars. The stone, after receiving the name ‘Winstone Blue’ joined the 101.73-carat colorless diamond ‘Winston Legacy.’