SC has listed down 10 prominent jewels, of tiaras and bracelets to gorgeous rock sized diamond engagement rings that are known worldwide (due to their history, the rich and famous owners and the exorbitant price tags).
1. PRINCESS DIANA’S ENGAGEMENT RING: The sapphire and diamond ring was designed by Diana herself and cost Prince Charles a cool $60,000 at that time, that is! Today the estimated worth of the sapphire alone is a whopping $300,000 and is worn proudly by one of our favorite members of the royal family (after Prince George of course!), Kate Middleton. Lucky Her!
2. THE CHANEL COMÈTE NECKLACE: The iconic Chanel Comète Necklace was created by Mademoiselle Chanel in the year 1932, for her “Bijoux de Diamants” exhibition.
3. THE HOPE DIAMOND: The most famous diamond in the world is popularly known for its amazing weight of 45.52 carats, its unique deep blue color, and the notorious rumors behind it. Speculated to be mined from the Golconda region of India, the gorgeous blue stone had quite a few owners, King Louis the XVI being one of them that had it named “the French Blue” before it was given its name of the Hope Diamond. Legend has it, that it was so cursed that anyone who owned or wore it would suffer death or misfortunes. However, most of the alleged incidents aren’t able to confirm the same. Modern scholars deem that the reports were fictional or exaggerated to increase the hype of the diamond.
PS: Titanic’s Heart Of The Ocean was inspired by Hope!
4. ELIZABETH TAYLOR’S RING: Elizabeth Taylor knew her diamonds. She not only owned some of the most extravagant jewels in the world, but also one of the purest of them all that was her flawless 33.1 carat asscher-cut diamond engagement ring from her two time husband Richard Burton who paid a price of $305,000 for it in the year 1968.
5. GRACE KELLY’S ENGAGEMENT RING: The love of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace was marked in the year 1956 with an elegant Cartier 10.5 carat emerald cut diamond ring flanked on either side by baguettes to emphasize the look of the ring.
6. TIFFANY YELLOW DIAMOND NECKLACE: Discovered in the year of 1878, the Tiffany Yellow Diamond is one of the largest of its kind in the world with an approximate weight of a magnificent 128 carats and said to be two and a half times the size of the Hope Diamond. The diamond necklace is on a permanent display at the Tiffany’s 5th Avenue store in New York City. The stunning necklace has only been worn once – by Audrey Hepburn for publicity pictures of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
P.S. She rocked it!
7. THE KOHINOOR DIAMOND: Previously owned by various rulers in India and now a part of the British Crown jewels, the Kohinoor Diamond weighing 106 carats was once the largest diamond in the world. The diamond is said to be about 5000 years old, but the first document attesting its existence dates back to the year 1526 when the Indian emperor Babur had it in his possession.
8. CARTIER NECKLACE FOR MAHARAJA YADAVINDRA SINGH OF PATIALA: Weighing almost an impressive 1000 carats, the Patiala Necklace was crafted by Cartier in the year 1928 for the Maharaja of Patiala. The De Beers, which is a 234.69 carat cushion-cut yellow diamond, sits at the center of the Maharaja’s necklace. The necklace is said to have taken three years to be finished.
9. THE HEART OF THE OCEAN: Yes, we know the one Rose wore while posing nude for Jack was fictitious, but it inspired a real piece that was crafted by Harry Winston featuring a 15 carat blue diamond valued at a hefty $20 million that was also worn to the 1998 Oscars by Gloria Stuart, who played the old Rose in the movie.
10. THE GRAFF PINK: Last but definitely not the least of them all is a rare 24.78 carat pink diamond once owned by Harry Winston and described as “one of the greatest diamonds ever”. The price for which this diamond was sold at was an astounding $46.2 million. Impressive, right?
