A fascinating countdown of the world’s 14 most Expensive Necklaces featuring rare diamonds and precious gems.
Key Takeaways
- The Hope Diamond tops the list of expensive necklaces at an estimated $350 million.
- Rare materials like Kashmir sapphires, Burmese rubies, and flawless diamonds drive extraordinary prices.
- Iconic expensive necklaces like the Heart of the Ocean gained fame through cultural and cinematic history.
- Craftsmanship, historical ownership, and gemstone rarity determine the value of luxury necklaces.
In a world where expensive necklaces can cost millions of dollars, it’s easy to feel like you’ll never be able to attain the same level of glamour without breaking the bank. However, that doesn’t mean you have to give up on looking chic and stylish altogether. Even the most extravagant necklace designs can be imitated with a little creativity and resourcefulness. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the most expensive necklaces in the world and explore some affordable alternatives that capture the same fashion-forward spirit.
What is the name of the world’s most expensive necklace and who designed it? The diamond necklace is called “A Heritage in Bloom” and was designed by Chinese master jeweler Wallace Chan. It is worth $200 million and features 383.4 carats of precious stone, including a colorless diamond valued at $35 million.
List Of Most Expensive Necklaces In The World
1) The Hope Diamond – Worth $350 Million
2) A Heritage in Bloom – Worth $200 Million
3) The Incomparable Diamond – $55 Million
4) The Tiffany Empire Diamond – Worth $30 Million
5) Creation I by De Grisogono – Worth $33.7 Million
6) The Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace – Worth $27.4 Million
7) The “Heart of the Ocean” – Worth $20 Million
8) The Peacock Necklace – Worth $14.9 Million
9) The “Heart of the Kingdom – Worth $14 Million
10) Leviev’s Vivid Yellow Diamond Pendant – Worth $10 Million
11) Christie’s Diamond Necklace – Worth $8.14 Million
12) Etcetera’s Burmese Ruby Necklace – Worth $6.4 Million
13) The “Mrs. Winston” – Worth $5.8 Million
14) The “Marie Antoinette” Necklace – Worth $3.7 Million
1) The Hope Diamond – Worth $350 Million
The estimated value of the Hope Diamond necklace is $350 million, and it features a 112 3/16 carat violet diamond. The diamond was originally found in Golconda, India, and was one of the first vivid blue diamonds discovered on Earth back in 1673.
Reason For Expensive:
The Hope Diamond, discovered in France in the seventeenth century, has been owned by several individuals throughout history. It was previously possessed by King Louis XIV and King Louis XV. Following an unsuccessful flee attempt by King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, it came under the possession of the French government. However, it went missing in 1792.
The gem resurfaced in 1812 and its enigmatic history adds to its charm. The moniker “The Hope Diamond” was given to it during the ownership of Henry Philip Hope, who was among the inheritors of the Hope & Co banking dynasty. After passing through several more owners, the diamond eventually came into the possession of Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, who had it fashioned into a necklace with the Hope Diamond as the centerpiece, flanked by three tiers of big white diamonds.
One of the top tourist attractions at the Smithsonian is the historical diamond, which currently resides in their collection. Over time, the diamond has been cut multiple times, ultimately resulting in a total weight of 45.52 carats. It is categorized as a type IIb diamond and gives off a red glow under UV light. The diamond’s color is evaluated by GIA as a fancy dark grayish-blue.
2) A Heritage in Bloom – Worth $200 Million
The second most expensive necklace in the world on our list is “A Heritage in Bloom,” a beautiful jewelry piece created by Wallace Chan, a master craftsman from China. It is estimated value at an astounding $200 million and contains 383.4 carats of valuable gemstones. The main diamond on the necklace is colorless and with $35 million hefty price tag.
Reason For Expensive:
The diamond necklace weighs half a pound and is adorned with 72 white mutton fat jades, 114 icy green jadeites, 600 pink diamonds, and 19 additional colorless diamonds.
The “A Heritage in Bloom” necklace showcases internally flawless diamonds that were carved from a very rare 507.55 carat Type IIA diamond named the Cullinan Heritage. This diamond is free of impurities. The necklace features butterfly and bat figures, symbolizing love and good luck, and took skilled craftsmen over 47,000 hours to create. It has a modular design that allows it to be worn in 27 different ways and highlights the exceptional composition and sophisticated design of Wallace Chan’s work.
3) The Incomparable Diamond – $55 Million
The third most expensive necklace in the world is The Incomparable Diamond Necklace estimated value at $55 Million. The diamond, which is a fancy deep yellow and weighs 407.48 carats, has been rated by the GIA as the largest internally flawless diamond.
Reason For Expensive:
The necklace contains a central diamond that has broken a record. It also features 2 radiant diamonds, 3 Asscher-cut diamonds, 4 oval diamonds, 5 cushion diamonds, 5 emerald-cut diamonds, 9 heart-shaped diamonds, 27 pear-shaped diamonds, and 35 round diamonds. The necklace weighs 637 carats in total.
The “Incomparable” necklace has an asymmetrical and irregular design that resembles a vine, with the main stone hanging from the stem. Its unique aesthetic and interesting backstory make it an invaluable piece.
A popular legend tells the story of a young girl who discovered the original stone in Congo, Africa some decades ago. This rare and valuable gem has been showcased in museums, including the Smithsonian, and was eventually cut by Mouawad, a luxury jeweler, and incorporated into a necklace. The centerpiece gem, believed to be the largest internally flawless diamond globally, weighs 637 carats. The Incomparable was first exhibt at the Doha Jewelry and Watch Exhibition in 2013.
4) The Tiffany Empire Diamond – Worth Of $30 Million
The Empire Diamond necklace is known as the fourth most expensive necklace in the world with an estimated value of 30 million dollars. It includes a stunning 128.54-carat D color flawless diamond which is the largest diamond ever sold by the Tiffany Company. Additionally, it is made of 180 carats of flawless diamonds from around the world. This necklace has gained legendary status as one of the most iconic diamond necklaces in history.
Reason For Expensive:
The Empire Diamond has been on a journey around the world. It originated from a mine in Botswana, was then taken to Israel for cutting, and eventually ended up being set in New York City. The cost of the necklace includes a service offered by a Tiffany jeweler. They can take out the diamond from the necklace and use it to make a ring if the owner wishes.
Tiffany obtained a 287.42-carat uncut diamond but chose to emphasize its color instead of its size. The diamond was subsequently cut into 82 facets, which is 24 more than the most excellent quality diamonds on Earth. As a result, a one-of-a-kind yellow diamond with an inner light was created. The necklace is also adorned with 224 baguette diamonds and 353 round diamonds, in addition to the sizable centerpiece.
In April 2022, Beyoncé wore The Empire Diamond necklace and it received widespread attention. Prior to Beyoncé, only three other women had worn it: Audrey Hepburn, Mrs. E. Sheldon Whitehouse, and Lady Gaga.
5) Creation I by De Grisogono – Worth Of $33.7 Million
De Grisogono’s Creation I is the fifth most expensive necklace worldwide. It boasts diamonds and emeralds in a beautiful combination. The necklace’s highlight is a 163.41-carat emerald-cut diamond, the biggest D Flawless diamond globally, and the most expensive diamond ever sold at an auction.
Reason For Expensive:
The De Grisogono Creation I diamond is a historic jewel that holds the title of the world’s biggest diamond of its kind. It is supported by a base made of emerald and diamonds, which contains 6000 emeralds and 200 carats of diamonds in addition to the primary diamond. The newly discovered diamond is larger than the previous record-holder by over 40%. The size of the diamond will become similar to that of an ice cube after it has been cut.
The 404.20-carat Angolan diamond is one of the 27 largest diamonds ever discovered. It is believed to be billions of years old and is a scarce Type IIa diamond that lacks nitrogen, resulting in remarkable clarity. Chemically pure diamonds that are colorless like this one are highly uncommon.
6) The Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace – Worth Of $27.4 Million
The Hutton-Mdivani Jadite Necklace is considered the Sixth most expensive necklace globally. This item is made of exceptionally rare jadeite beads, with a total of 27 completely flawless beads. Each of these beads is estimated value at $3 million per carat
Reason For Expensive:
It’s difficult to find naturally-occurring jadeite boulders, especially ones that are large. The Hutton-Mdivani necklace is special because it’s made of jadeite beads that are at least 15mm in size, which is 5mm bigger than the world’s second-largest jadeite piece. The necklace is unique because each bead was created using only one piece of jadeite, which makes it the only one of its kind in the world.
The reason why it has a high price is that it was previously owned by Barbara Hutton, who was famously known as the “Poor Little Rich Girl” and inherited the Woolworth fortune. The historical value of the property also contributes to its expensive cost.
7) The “Heart of the Ocean” – Worth $20 Million
The pendant featured a blue diamond in a heart shape, along with white diamonds surrounding it and a string of white diamonds hanging from it. Because of the Titanic movie’s popularity, jewelry companies such as Asprey, Garrard, and Harry Winston made their versions of the pendant, which sold for 20 million dollars.
Reason For Expensive:
The character Rose in the movie “Titanic” wore a pendant named the “Heart of the Ocean” while getting sketched by Jack. The necklace featured a blue diamond in the center, with white diamonds encircling it. It was a part of Caledon Hockley’s collection and the original pendant was created by Asprey & Garrard. The Heart of the Ocean has since become an iconic piece due to its memorable role in the movie.
The centerpiece of this piece is a rare 15-carat blue diamond. The boron present during the diamond’s creation causes it to turn blue, but the conditions must be precise to attain a clear and vivid color. Furthermore, actress Gloria Stuart, the actress who portrayed the elderly Rose in the Titanic film, wore the necklace to the Academy Awards in 1998, giving it historical significance.
There were different types of replicas made for the famous necklace, one using Swarovski Austrian crystal which cost between $20 to $80. Another replica was made by J. Peterman, which closely resembled the one used in the movie. Nowadays, collectors highly value these J. Peterman replicas and are willing to pay as much as $5,000 for each piece.
8) The Peacock Necklace – Worth $14.9 Million
The Peacock Necklace is the eighth most expensive necklace in the world due to its 21 Kashmir sapphires. These sapphires are of the highest quality and weigh a total of 109.08 carats. The necklace’s most prominent sapphire is a rare 10.56 carat, which is particularly significant for this precious and scarce gemstone.
Reason For Expensive:
The Peacock Necklace is worth $14.9 million due to its Kashmir sapphires, which are considered the rarest and most valuable in the world. They are distinguished by their intense color and high clarity, which is why they have been highly sought after since the early 19th century.
The necklace also features a 10.56-carat sapphire, which is of the highest quality and extremely rare. The craftsmanship of this necklace is also remarkable, as it was carefully crafted with a combination of white and yellow gold to ensure that all the precious gems stand out.
Obtaining high-quality blue sapphires is a challenging process due to their rarity. The designers spent 100 years collecting the necessary stones to create this unique art piece. The sapphire mine that provided these gemstones was depleted in 1887, and finding similarly valuable stones has since become scarce.
The necklace has a rare gemstone that is both unique and abundant. This gemstone was difficult to find and it took the designer 15 years to finish the necklace.
9) The “Heart of the Kingdom – Worth $14 Million
The necklace is called the Heart of the Kingdom Ruby Necklace, which has a heart-shaped ruby weighing 40.63 carats at its center. Surrounding the central ruby are 150 diamonds with a combined weight of 155 carats which is worth $14 million.
This stunning piece is crafted by Garrard and Company, a renowned jewelry maker. It boasts 155 carats of pear-shaped and round white diamond bands.
Reason For Expensive:
The necklace has a heart-shaped Burmese ruby that weighs 40.63 carats. The ruby has a deep blood pigeon red hue and is surrounded by precious stones. The necklace can also be worn as a tiara and has 150 diamonds. The ruby has been certified as exceptionally rare and authentic by a Swiss lab, which is why it costs $14 million.
This necklace is expensive because of the rare and intricate crafting of the central ruby. The Heart of the Kingdom ruby is exceptionally rare as it is a high-quality ruby, and rubies are already scarce gemstones on Earth.
The Heart of the Kingdom is a high-quality ruby gemstone from Burma, which is one of the rarest colors found in nature. It is consistently sold at a higher price than emeralds and sapphires because of its uniqueness and top-notch quality.
Due to its high strength, which is only surpassed by diamonds, cutting rubies can be a challenging task. Achieving a flawless heart cut is even more difficult, which makes the ruby more valuable due to the level of expertise needed.
10) Leviev’s Vivid Yellow Diamond Pendant – Worth $10 Million
The necklace, which is being sold for $10 million by diamond merchant Lev Leviev, showcases a beautiful vivid yellow diamond weighing 77.12 carats, complemented by a row of high-quality white diamonds.
Reson Of Expensive:
One of Leviev’s mines yielded a precious gem, now considered one of the world’s biggest asscher-cut diamonds. It received the “fancy vivid” rating, which is the highest for colored stones. Leviev owns the third-largest group of diamond mines globally. As there is a lot of interest from buyers, the price of the diamond may rise.
11) Christie’s Diamond Necklace – Worth $8.14 Million
Christie’s set a new auction record in November 2013 by selling a necklace for $8.14 million. The auction raised a total of $111.3 million.
Reson Of Expensive:
The necklace’s high price is because it has 52 round diamonds that weigh 104.84 carats in total. These diamond pendant necklace are of the highest clarity and quality, which makes the necklace extremely sparkly and unique compared to other necklaces.
12) Etcetera’s Burmese Ruby Necklace – Worth $6.4 Million
In November 2013, the Etcetera Burmese Ruby necklace was sold for $6.4 million at a Christie’s auction in Hong Kong, making it the most expensive ruby-based necklace in history.
Reson Of Expensive:
The piece is made of oval and white pearls diamonds and Burmese rubies, totaling 87.78 carats. It has a lace collar-like design with waves of diamonds linked to each ruby. On the edge of each wave, there are six pear-shaped diamonds that create a dripping effect. The overall result is stunning.
Due to human rights concerns in Myanmar, the US has banned it as a source of rubies because of rare species. The gem sector in Myanmar was also suspected of violating human and labor rights during the Obama administration. The ban possibly resulted in the appreciation of the Etcetera necklace’s value and made it expensive jewelry, which explains why it has an estimated value of $6.4 million.
13) The “Mrs. Winston” – Worth $5.8 Million
In 2013, at the Golden Globe Awards, Jessica Alba wore a diamond necklace called “Mrs. Winston”. The necklace contains 187.5 carats of high-quality, mostly pear-shaped white diamonds arranged in a cascading design. To create a tapered look, the necklace features three big diamonds at the bottom for added weight.
Reson For Expensive:
The Necklace called “Mrs. Winston” has 207 diamonds and its design reflects the fashionable style of the 1950s. This beautiful necklace is with an estimated value of $5.8 million because it features diamonds set in platinum that are of exceptional quality with colors rated as D, E, or F.
14) The “Marie Antoinette” Necklace – Worth $3.7 Million
This necklace is named after Marie Antoinette, the famous French queen known for her preference for a lavish and royal lifestyle.
Reson Of Expensive:
This necklace contains a 1.84-carat pink diamond in the center, flanked by two yellow diamonds weighing 5.24 and 7.06 carats. There are also 181.1 carats of small diamonds set in platinum. An 8.05-carat diamond acts as an anchor and gives the necklace its shape. De Beers designed it.
Conclusion
Expensive diamond jewelry can come in any shape, size, and color. Whether it be a necklace, bracelet, or ring, these pieces of jewelry can cost anywhere from thousands of dollars to millions. The price of expensive diamond jewelry is determined by the quality and size of the diamonds as well as the designer. With the right budget and knowledge of diamond quality, you can find a stunning piece of jewelry that will last for generations to come.
