Today, let’s take a look at the top 10 most valuable necklaces in the world.
Before we begin, it’s important to note that we’re only discussing necklaces with verifiable sale prices. Those treasured in museums or royal collections are not included in this list, as their value is not only based on the gemstones but also their priceless historical significance, making comparisons difficult.
10
The Teardrop Diamond Pendant Necklace
This necklace might seem unremarkable at first glance, as its value is primarily derived from the quality of the diamond itself. The pendant features a 50.52-carat pear-shaped diamond, D color, flawless, and a rare Type IIa diamond. It was the star of Christie’s New York auction in 2012, ultimately acquired by a private collector.
Christie’s New York, October 2012
Sold for: $9,490,500
09
Leviev Yellow Diamond Necklace
This necklace comes from Israeli diamond merchant Lev Leviev and features a stunning yellow diamond weighing 77.12 carats. The diamond’s color grade is “Fancy Vivid,” and it was sold for $10 million. Lev Leviev owns his own mines, and this exceptional yellow diamond was excavated from one of them. Cut in the Asscher style, it was recorded as the world’s largest Asscher-cut diamond at the time.
08
The Star of China Briolette Diamond Necklace
The “Star of China” necklace is likely familiar to many of you, as it’s a favorite accessory of Carina Lau when showcasing her affection. In 2013, Christie’s described this diamond as the largest and most perfect pear-shaped diamond ever sold at auction, weighing 75.36 carats and classified as the rarest D color Type IIa diamond.
While it may no longer hold the title of the largest pear-shaped diamond, it still maintains its superiority in terms of price.
Christie’s Hong Kong, May 2013
Estimated price: HKD 66,800,000 – 98,000,000
Sold for: HKD 86,110,000
07
Garrard Heart of the Kingdom Necklace
This breathtaking piece was created by Garrard, the official jeweler to the British Royal Family. It features 155 carats of pear-shaped and round white diamonds, with a massive Burmese ruby at its center. The 40.63-carat Burmese “pigeon blood” ruby is cut into a heart shape, hence the name “Heart of the Kingdom.” A Burmese “pigeon blood” ruby of this size would make even the King of England envious!
06
Harry Winston’s Heart of the Ocean Necklace
The name alone reveals its close connection to “Titanic.” Indeed, the necklace in the movie was inspired by the famous “Hope” blue diamond, now housed in the Smithsonian Museum. Public fascination with the piece led many jewelers to create their own versions. Asprey produced a version featuring a 171-carat Sri Lankan sapphire as the centerpiece, priced at $2.2 million.
However, the most impressive rendition came from Harry Winston, who created a blue diamond version. While not as large as the “Hope” diamond at only 15 carats, it still took viewers’ breath away when Gloria Stuart, who played the older Rose, wore it. For a blue diamond, 15 carats is quite substantial, and this necklace was priced at $20 million.
05
Moussaieff Pink and Blue Diamond Necklace
Known as the “Diamond Queen,” Israeli diamond merchant Moussaieff never fails to impress. This necklace features an 8.01-carat internally flawless pear-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond, paired with a 1.06-carat round-cut fancy intense pink diamond. For those who can’t choose between blue and pink diamonds, this necklace offers the best of both worlds.
Christie’s Hong Kong, May 2018
Estimated price: HKD 145,000,000 – 195,000,000
Sold for: HKD 159,850,000
04
Cartier Hutton-Mdivani Necklace
This jadeite bead necklace currently holds the world record for jade auctions. It comes from the collection of legendary socialite and collector Barbara Hutton. The necklace’s 27 jadeite beads are said to be from the late Qing Dynasty imperial court. Their color is rich and intense, soft yet not thin, lustrous but not greasy, with diameters ranging from 19.2mm to 15.40mm.
Circa 1933
Natural jadeite beads, rubies, diamonds
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, April 2014
Estimated price: HKD 100,000,000 – 150,000,000
Sold for: HKD 214,040,000
This piece is a fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics. The ruby and diamond clasp, designed by Cartier, has a strong Art Deco style. It has set new records each time it has appeared at auction. Sotheby’s described it as “the greatest jadeite bead necklace of historical importance.” In its most recent auction in 2014, after 18 minutes of intense bidding, it was finally acquired by the Cartier Collection.
03
de Grisogono Diamond and Emerald Necklace
Although the jewelry brand de Grisogono no longer exists, its founder and creative director Fawaz Gruosi left behind many notable works in jewelry history. This diamond and emerald necklace, for example, features a striking color contrast between emeralds and diamonds, an asymmetrical design, and a unique three-dimensional fit.
Of course, its astounding $33.7 million auction result is largely due to the pendant diamond.
Christie’s Geneva, November 2017
Sold for: 33,500,000 Swiss Francs
The diamond weighs 163.41 carats, is D color, flawless, and a Type IIa diamond. It was cut by de Grisogono from a 404-carat rough diamond over two years. This necklace was created by Fawaz Gruosi to commemorate the brand’s 25th anniversary, then sent to Christie’s for auction, breaking the record for the world’s most expensive D-color flawless diamond at the time.
02
Mouawad’s L’Incomparable Necklace
Mouawad’s L’Incomparable necklace is the one I previously introduced as the necklace given by Asia’s richest woman, Nita Ambani, to her eldest daughter-in-law. It debuted in 2013 and applied for a Guinness World Record, becoming the world’s most expensive necklace at that time with a value of $55 million.
The centerpiece of this necklace is a 407.48-carat yellow-brown diamond, which was the world’s largest internally flawless diamond at the time. It’s called the L’Incomparable diamond, meaning “incomparable.”
The entire necklace resembles a drooping flower branch, with delicate rose gold branches set with 91 diamonds totaling 229.52 carats as leaves, culminating in the “bud” represented by the L’Incomparable diamond.
01
“A Heritage in Bloom” Necklace
In 2015, Chinese jewelry master Wallace Chan unveiled his masterpiece “A Heritage in Bloom,” valued at $200 million, making it the world’s most expensive necklace. To this day, this record remains unbroken.
This necklace is set with 11,551 diamonds totaling 383.40 carats, along with 72 white jade pieces, 114 pieces of icy green jadeite, and 600 pink diamonds. However, these are not even the main stones. The centerpiece of the necklace has an even more impressive origin – it’s cut from the famous “Cullinan Heritage” diamond, which is also the source of the necklace’s name.
In 2010, Chow Tai Fook acquired this 507.55-carat Type IIA diamond at auction, which was the world’s largest rough diamond of flawless clarity at the time. It took Chow Tai Fook three years to complete the cutting and polishing process. Eventually, they obtained a 104-carat D-color flawless round brilliant cut diamond along with 23 other smaller diamonds.
In 2014, Dr. Cheng Kar-Shun, chairman of Chow Tai Fook, visited Wallace Chan and commissioned him to create a piece featuring the 104-carat diamond as the centerpiece.
Chan requested that the other 23 diamonds be reunited with the main stone. Chow Tai Fook greatly admired Chan’s work, his creative aesthetics, and the philosophical meanings hidden in his art, so they decided to give him complete creative freedom. The only requirement was that the finished necklace would become part of Chow Tai Fook’s collection series.
Chan did not disappoint. This necklace embodies the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures: the design of the main stone was inspired by the sense of ascension in European cathedral ceilings, while other components extensively use Eastern cultural symbols, such as butterflies symbolizing love and bats symbolizing good fortune.
The materials also blend East and West, combining diamonds with white jade and jadeite. Chan rarely used faceting techniques on jade and even embedded diamonds within the jade.
This necklace took over 47,000 hours to complete. Considering practicality, Chan adopted a modular design, allowing for 27 different ways of wearing it, truly a multifunctional piece of jewelry.
So, after seeing these 10 necklaces, do you feel like poverty has limited your imagination? It’s truly eye-opening, with each piece being absolutely stunning! Let’s gossip a bit – if you could own one of these, which would you choose? Share your unique perspective in the comments!
The World’s 10 Most Expensive Necklaces: How Many Have You Heard Of?
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