Revealing the Secrets of the World's Most Expensive Jewelry

The cost of rare diamonds and other stones has increased tremendously in the last 10 years. Tens of millions of dollars have been spent on jewels by purchasers, and their competition continues to grow stronger. It appears that everyone will pay anything to get their hands on the most dazzling, beautiful diamond or a fascinating Burmese ruby. This pink diamond. This pink diamond was mined by De Beers in South Africa in 1999 and was once known as the Steinmetz Pink. The fancy pink diamond was 132.5 carats in the rough, boasting vibrant colour. Cutting it down to the 59.60 carat gem that is now known as the Pink Star requires almost two years. At a Hong Kong auction in 2017, Sotheby's sold the Pink Star for an astounding $71.2 million, more than twice its estimated value. The highest price per carat ever paid for a diamond at an auction was set in an instant by this transaction. But this pink diamond isn't just a record holder. Surprisingly, it is the largest jewel that the Gemological Institute of America has ever graded as a vivid pink diamond. The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond. The 14.62 carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which is the largest unique blue diamond in the world to be auctioned off, may seem small in comparison to the 60 carat Pink Star. But vivid blue diamonds are even rarer than pink, so it is truly amazing to find one of size and quality. The Oppenheimer Blue, named for Philip Oppenheimer, weighs 14.62 carats. It's an emerald cut diamond, bright blue. It was auctioned off in 2016 for $57.5 million to an undisclosed entity. Other than being mined somewhere in South Africa, most likely in the early 20th century, not much is known about the Oppenheimer Diamond's history. Next up here is the Peacock Brooch. Jewelers have traditionally drawn inspiration from a variety of creatures, including butterflies, beetles, and birds. The Peacock Brooch's bird design was chosen by legendary English jeweler Lawrence Graff, well known as the King of Diamonds, who founded Graff Diamonds. The centrepiece of this magnificent piece of jewellery is a pear-shaped 20.02 carat fancy deep blue diamond, surrounded by one 305 diamonds totalling 120 carats in weight. It was created by Graff Diamonds and debuted in 2013 at the Tefaf Exhibition. The Zoe Diamond. Many of these pricey jewels have a long history with well-known origins and dates of discovery, but the Zoe Diamond is not one of them. Only very little is known about this intense blue diamond. Once held by Rachel Bunny Mellon, the pear-shaped 9.75 carat vibrant blue diamond was auctioned off in 2014 following her passing. The Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau Luan Hung paid more than $32.6 million to purchase it, and he gave it the name Zoe in honour of his daughter. Moving on, the Lincomparable Diamond Necklace. The Lincomparable Diamond Necklace is made up of 407.48 carats of diamonds, set on an 18k gold bed. The largest known internally flawless yellow diamond, roughly the size of an egg, occupies a spot in the centre. Owned by Moawad, a Swiss and Emirati luxury goods company, the necklace continues to be the costliest in the world, having sold for $55 million as of 2013. The necklace's centre big About 30 years ago, a little girl in the Democratic Republic of the Congo unexpectedly came upon it by accident amid some mining rubble. The Blue Moon of Josephine. Joseph Lau, the same Hong Kong businessman who purchased the Zoe Diamond in 2014, paid a record-breaking $48.4 million at a Sotheby's auction in Geneva in 2015. His younger daughter, who was just 7 years old at the time, was given the 12.3 carat diamond as a gift, and it soon became known as the Blue Moon of Josephine in her honour. The Graff Pink Diamond. Harry Winston has had this remarkable gem in his collection for more than 60 years, but in 2010 it ended up being purchased by Lawrence Graff at a Geneva Sotheby's auction, which is where the pink diamond's present name, Graff Pink, originates. The diamond established a new record for the costliest jewel sold at auction when it was sold for $46 million at that time. The diamond's sheer size isn't the only factor. The gem's weight at the time was 24.78 carats added to its value. It was graded as a Type II diamond by the Gemological Institute of America, placing it in the top 2% of all diamonds worldwide. The Apollo Blue and Artemis Pink Diamond Earrings. There is no way I could compile any list of well-known jewellery pieces and their stories without including the Yes, this is Apollo and Artemis, which is currently known as the Dream and the Memory of Autumn Leaves. The size and cut of the two stones are the same. The magnificent Apollo Blue is a brilliant blue diamond with a 14.54 carat weight. At 16 carats, its sibling, the Artemis Pink, is a breathtaking pink diamond with a deep shade. When the pair of coloured diamonds sold for an incredible $57.4 million at a Sotheby's auction in Geneva in 2017, they broke all previous records. Last but not least, the Hutton Mdivani Jaditi Necklace. Franklin Laws Hutton commissioned the Hutton Mdivani Necklace in 1933 as a wedding present for his daughter, Barbara Hutton, who had married Alexis Mdivani. The couple's name is evident on the necklace, which has been a part of the family's collection for almost 50 years. Excellent jadite is more desired than diamonds as a jewel, representing ultimate riches and power in Asia. At a 2014 auction, it brought in $27.4 million and it is presently housed in the Cartier Collection. Why is the necklace made of jadite by Hutton Mdivani so valuable? Generally speaking, jade of superior quality does not produce beads larger than 10mm in diameter. Despite this, the necklace's 27 graded jadite beads all cut from the same boulder have a diameter of more than 15mm. This beautiful jewellery is an absolute rarity. In summary, these jewels have incredibly long histories that link them to some very famous historical events and figures. These enduring jewels are timeless, despite shifting fashions.